You leave Santillana del Mar over the cobblestones, past the old stone houses. After a few minutes the village gives way to meadows and it goes quiet around you.
The day is easy, but it isn’t flat. It’s one little hill after another, up and down, never really high. It’s easy to settle into a rhythm. Along the way you pass through Torrelavega, an ordinary working town with no frills. After that you follow the Besaya valley to Los Corrales de Buelna.
It’s almost six hours of walking, not counting breaks. If you set off early in the morning, you’ll have the afternoon to yourself.