Camino de Santiago de Compostela

[peregrina2000]

If you've walked the Camino from the Puerto de Pajares to the albergue in Pajares, you may remember that it loops around and around and around before heading back up to the albergue. Ender, the guy responsible for the yellow arrows (las flechas de Ender), which I have heard all about and can't wait to follow this summer, has now re-routed the camino to take it back to the old track formerly used by the people of the town to get up to the pass, which is presumably closer to the original Camino. And it saves 4 kms. These guys are hard-core, real camino angels.

http://fsvr1.ibdinternet.com/read.php?6 ... msg-324778

[peregrina2000]

For anyone heading out to the Salvador soon, a more recent post in the Spanish forum where I learned about this improvement clarifies what the new signage does. If you look at the posting at this link:

http://fsvr1.ibdinternet.com/read.php?6 ... msg-324799

you will see that there are two signs that indicate San Miguel in one direction and the albergue in Pajares in the other direction. The first, recently installed, sign comes several kms before the second one, so the newly marked route doesn't require you to go almost all the way down to San Miguel before you turn and head back up to Pajares. Hope that makes sense!

Buen camino, Laurie

and p.s. The second picture that shows you the mojon with the conchas illustrates a big difference about the signage in Asturias. In Asturias, unlike anywhere else on the Camino, you follow the closed part of the shell and not the radiating lines. So the mojon that is pictured is telling you to go straight to get to San Miguel and to the RIGHT to go to Pajares. I learned that the hard way on the Camino del Salvador!

[Rebekah Scott]

Hmmm. Now I wonder just where this is. Is it the over-the-hill route from Sta Maria de Arbas? Or is it right up at the pass itself (where the ratty little restaurant is) or is it down over the hill where the camino shoots off to the left (near the runaway truck ramp)? Shall have to get up there and look around...

So many caminos. So much snow. Life is too short!
Reb

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Reb,

This new bifurcation comes after the restaurant and the abandoned parador building where you have such a great view. It also comes after you get on the path that starts when you leave the highway at the runaway truck sign or steep descent sign or whatever that sign with all the flashing lights is.

Basically, the sign they've put in takes you off the route to San Miguel even earlier than the second turn-off (the mojon split). So, you can get to Pajares either by turning right at the new sign, or by continuing on till the second sign (the mojon), but if you stay on until the second sign you will have added 3 or 4 kms to your walk to Pajares.

I have seen one of those maps with the red dots (google? wiki?) that shows the meandering so that it would be easy for you to see where the split occurs. But of course I can't find it now. If I do, I'll let you know. Laurie

[Rebekah Scott]

This is wonderful news. I found that serpentine path SO frustrating, after an exhausting bout of snow-shoeing and orienteering over the collada... the second time I made the trip I skipped it altogether and just followed along the shoulder of that horrorshow highway down to Pajares.

... I still wonder about the over-the-mountain variation from Arbas. The one that´s now blocked by the pasture full of young bulls! Someday.

These guys are my newest heroes.

Reb.