Primitivo Albergues

[markss]

Does anyone know of the existance of any internet sites that provide a comprehensive list of albergues along the Primitivo?

A realted subject: Any info on albergues in the city of Oviendo?

Suggestion of any 'not to be missed' albergues on this route?

Another subject: Has anyone done the Primitivo in June? Is it crowded to the point of having difficulty finding an albergue without getting into a 'rush to get there first'?

Thanks for all advice and information!

 

[Davroos]

Look at mundicamino or do a search for eroski camino. The first is in various languages whilst the second is in Spanish. They do not say whether an albergue should be stayed at but they give you info on how many beds, electricty, toilets/showers, bicycle parking, bars/cafes/restaurants and banks, which to me is what you need to know when doing a walk

 

[picosrider]

Try this web site http://todosloscaminosdesantiago.com/caminoprimitivo
It is in Spanish but auto translation will show all you need to know in English.
There is some (very limited) info about hotels on this forum is you search for it.

 

[Davroos]

That is a good site but it does not show them all.

 

[peregrino_tom]

Markss

You ask about albergues not to be missed. Well, don't get me started! We experienced so many great ones last autumn - Villapanada and Bodenayas will give you a great welcome.
Good unstaffed ones we found were at Vega (before Oviedo), La Mesa and Padron

Good private ones at Campiello (before Hospitales) and Ponte Ferreira.

But the one that really hit the spot for us - and that could be partly a coincidence of timing, people, weather, temperament etc was at Castro, about 5.5k after Grandas. Warm, friendly, helpful, clean, great food and deep views over the mountains to meditate on. Also little things like the big gentle dog that you have to climb over when the shade is on the front step,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrino_ ... /lightbox/
and the genial locals very pre-occupied with playing cards in the bar. I think (and hope) that we all have moments on the Way when it all clicks into to place somehow, making a different kind of sense. And that's exactly what happened here for me and the people I was walking with then
cheers, tom

 

[markss]

Thank you all for the valuable feedback. Past experience on the Camino Frances has taught me how often particular albergues can enhance the Camino experience. I am grateful for your information as I begin the Camino Prmitivo in Oviedo this Sunday.

 

[Sagalouts]

Does anyone know of the existance of any internet sites that provide a comprehensive list of albergues along the Primitivo?

A realted subject: Any info on albergues in the city of Oviendo?

Suggestion of any 'not to be missed' albergues on this route?

Another subject: Has anyone done the Primitivo in June? Is it crowded to the point of having difficulty finding an albergue without getting into a 'rush to get there first'?

Thanks for all advice and information!

Hi Markss
the tourist information centers carry quite detailed maps of the Primitivo-at least one albergue in Oviedo-a bit hard to find as is the way out of the town (brass shells in pavement) plenty of albergues on route-most quite empty when I walked last sept/oct and very cheap most only 3/5 euros-downside some don't open till late afternoon ( oviendo not till 4/5pm) its a great quite walk and the local people are very welcoming
Buen Camino for Sunday
Ian

 

[peregrino_tom]

markss
wishing you a safe and special journey
buen camino!

 

[Tia Valeria]

We enjoyed the new private albergue 'El Candido' in San Roman de Retorta, just a few metres before the public albergue. If you book in, or arrive before about 5pm then you can order a menu del dia which the hospitalero will fetch in. Wood stove was alight when we were there and an ancient Aga type stove in the drying room upstairs. The building was a carpenter's workshop and home.

If dropping onto the Frances at Melide there is also a new private albergue at Brea, after Arzua and before Lavacola. Also very good and serves meals.

Both these also have some private rooms.

The list of albergues in the CSJ guide is fairly comprehensive and updates for new albergues are posted online when submitted to the office in London.

Buen Camino

 

[jameswberk]

Hi Markks,


This site has a good overview of the etapas and accommodation:
http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los ... primitivo/

I walked the Primitivo in August of 2010. Unfortunately, it was extremely overcrowded and probably as a consequence the albergues were many times in very poor shape. I have to say the level of respect for maintaining the facilities for other pilgrims was the lowest of any route I've taken. A common reaction to the conditions was the sentiment "the conditions will only be as good as the pilgrims left it the night before." There was at least one albergue with no hospitalario and in others they were clearly overrun.

Lowlight: The albergue just before the Hospitales route in Borres was in particularly bad shape at the time. There were scores upon scores of flies inside the very small and hot space and it was generally badly in need of some TLC. Staying in Campiello, as mentioned, around 4 km before is probably a much better option. But don't let that discourage you from taking the Hospitales route. It was by far the highlight of the Primitivo!

Highlight: San Juan de Villapañada right after Grado was probably the nicest with good facilities and an attentive hospitalario. The main Lugo facilities are also great.

Also you should keep in mind there is much less inter-etapa accommodation so the albergues are pretty much always one standard etapa in distance from one another. As such, everyone for the most part walks the same distance everyday and there is little choice in accommodation. Consequently the albergues can get crowded, get full early and could be in very bad shape before dinner.

Hopefully, the "bed rush" and the conditions will be better in June than that August and I haven't scared you off.

Buen Camino,

James

 

[Tia Valeria]

James, much has changed since 2010 and there are now more public and private albergues and some old ones have been refurbished. With some forward thinking and also some use of hostels as well as albergues it is possible to walk between etapas. Mostly we did 15kms per day, with one of 23kms. There was one day when we heard that the albergues had both been full in Berducedo and some folk walked on to La Mesa, but it was over the May bank holiday and they had 'bunched'. They passed us while we had 2 nights at a hostal in Grandas and at Castro we were 7 of us in a 16 bed albergue. Cádabo was full but there is other accomodation, and again the crowd thinned after Lugo. There were 7 of us (not the same folk) in the private albergue El Candido in San Roman with another 3 or 4 in the public albergue almost next door......... etc

Granted this was May and August would be busier, but then that is true of all the Caminos and the Primitivo is absolutely beautiful and well worth the effort.

 

[jameswberk]

Valeria,

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I'm very glad to hear that the facilities have improved along the route. Your story about avoiding the bunching is interesting. I often wondered if I stayed an extra day somewhere, if the crowding situation would be significantly different the next day, due to everyone being on the same itinerary.

Timing, I think, is a significant factor in individual experiences of the Camino. While I was on the Primitivo there were also significant route alterations due to a highway being built across much of its path and generally less than idyllic views because of the road works. I imagine if that work is finished that the Primitvo is a much more natural and peaceful route. As I experienced it, I felt I had made a mistake in leaving the coast. I ended up taking the variant after Lugo via Friol and Sobrado, mostly because I felt the need to gain some peace back. As an aside Friol to Sobrado is an incredible if mainly unmarked trail. With aid from the German book it is a fantastic alternative.

Seeing as Markss is starting Sunday(!), hopefully he'll let us know his experience when he's done and find out that the Primitivo is in fantastic form.

Buen Camino,
James

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hola James and thanks for the kind comment.
Roadworks were a problem for Terry in 2009 and for us a little in 2010 around Bodenaya. That said the parts affected then are OK now, although the works will have moved on a bit further. We started in Tineo this year as it was our stopping point in 2010 and found no problems. There is work on the new Santiago-Lugo road which may impinge on the Camino at some point but Terry felt overall it was better than 2010.
Our only word of caution to those using online profiles is that in one case at least they show the high points, inclines and descents incorrectly. (Eroski graph - wording is better) E.g. - Buspol is at the top of 1030mt high peak and then involves a 2 hour descent, very zig-zag at the end, to the dam, far more strenuous than the print-out implies.
As with the accomodation the CSJ guide gives very good and accurate directions and descriptions of the route, including advice for bad weather walking on some sections. E.g. Between Paradavella and Lastra there is a very difficult section, in bad weather keep on road. (Locals advise it is bad in good weather, treacherous in wet with slippery slate underfoot) Going by road is the same distance and saves wrecked knees.
We'll be posting about our Camino shortly, which doesn't help Mark, but hopefully will help others. I'll also post a list here of the places we stayed at, especially 'between stages'
Buen Camino, especially to Mark

 

[Tia Valeria]

There are albergues in most of the places we stayed but we chose the private ones and hostales to ensure accomodation and a good night's sleep. It is no reflection on the albergues themselves which as we said before have in many cases been refurbished or rebuilt.

Oviedo:- Hostal Oviedo - opposite the railway station on Calle Uria.
Tineo:- Pension Tineo - contact Bar/Restaurante Tineo about 250mts on from where the Camino leaves the main street by turning uphill near the Correos.
Campiello:- Herminia's private albergue and hostal - a bit expensive now for what it is. Albergue is 2kms further on at Borres.
Pola de Allande:- Hotel Nueva Allandesa.
Berducedo:- New private albergue and hostal, Casa Antigua, (very friendly) as well as public albergue.
La Mesa:- looks like a nice little public albergue. We didn't stay as we were walking through. Private hostal Casa Rectoral is now closed.
El Salto:- About 1km up from the dam is Hotel Grandas. Pilgrim friendly and great if you hve just walked over Buspol. Food and beds - not cheap but appreciated. For what we actually had it was better value than Campiello for the same price.
Grandas de Salime:- stayed 2 nights here so in the Hotel/Pension Barra, near church and the very nice new public albergue.
Castro:- Private albergue, very good.
Fonsagrada:- Pension Manolo - too wet out to see much else!
Cádabo/Baleira:- Very nice new/refurbished and friendly albergue - full but we were in the Pension Moneda.
Castroverde:- no albergue but pilgrim friendly Pension Cortés uphill from church near the supermarket. Breaks the long stretch from Cádabo to Lugo.
Lugo:- Hotel Metropol advertises itself in the Bar Casa Méson at Paradavella with special pilgrim rates. Very good - 2 nights here. Albergue in town.
San Roman de Retorta:- New private albergue El Candido. Basic but clean and friendly with bunks and also some seperate rooms. Meals ordered in if you either arrive or phone in before about 17.30. Amazing drying room and ongoing improvements planned. Provision for horse riders. Also a very nice little public albergue almost next door.
Casa de Ponti:- Casa Rural needs booking, also a new albergue at Ferreira a short distance further along the Camino.
From here we turned down to the Camino Francés at Palas de Rei to keep our walking distances short. There is a new private albergue and hostal , signed off the camino at Brea - 15.5km after Arzua - Hospedaje O Meson, just before O Empalme. Very good and friendly.
Also at Lavacolla we stayed in the Hotel Piao - needs reserving. On the Camino and no more expensive than the others here. Good menu del dia. However we had our breakfast in the bar across the road as it opened earlier and was cheaper.

Hope this helps anyone wanting to plan shorter than 'normal' stages. For us normal was about 15kms with a few 22 or 23km stages. We reckon that it cost us between 30 and 35 euros per day each for everything and were living well. Menu del dia or similar and own picnics daily, coffees etc.

 

[peregrino_tom]

Tia
I'm guessing motorway building roadworks are still affecting the Way between Grado and Bodenaya. It looked to me as if the economic crisis had stopped work on the raised autoroute across the valley of Cornellana.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrino_ ... 087145851/
There were a few slightly tiresome diversions but I don't think anyone got lost. They were still working on the route above Salas on the way to Bodenayas last year, so maybe this one has been completed now.
cheers, tom

 

[Rodlach]

I stayed at the beginning of May in the private Albergue in Ponte Ferreira and was not impressed. 10 Euro for staying there seems justified as it is a really nice albergue. However, the rest seems overprized, e.g. beers and wines. The 10 Euro for dinner was a rip off, at least when we stayed there. It gave salad followed by spaghetti and a simple desert. The ingredients did not cost more than 2 Euro per person. 8 Euro profit per person seems not to be justified. And as there is nothing else there, you are stuck... unless you walk about one km back to a pension and restaurant... I don't know about their prices...

 

[Tia Valeria]

The casa rural at Casa de Ponti serves very good meals, but we were there as residents. You would need to phone to ask if a meal was available and it would cost at least 10 euros and probably more like 15 euros. Hard to say as it was included in our total bill for room, breakfast drinks etc.
It might also be possible to ask as you pass the door on the way to Ferreira, but the owner is not always around.

A thought on the cost:- It might be that they are collecting the menu del dia from elsewhere, maybe as far as Palas de Rei, and have to cover the petrol costs.

 

[Herman Eickholt]

Does anyone know of the existance of any internet sites that provide a comprehensive list of albergues along the Primitivo?

A realted subject: Any info on albergues in the city of Oviendo?

Suggestion of any 'not to be missed' albergues on this route?

Another subject: Has anyone done the Primitivo in June? Is it crowded to the point of having difficulty finding an albergue without getting into a 'rush to get there first'?

Thanks for all advice and information!

Hi,
We just finished the Primitivo a few days ago and we did not run into any problems at all. We only saw about 20 people on the trail and it did not get crowded until Melide. We also noticed that several towns had opened brand new Albergues, one was a municipal operated one in Grado and several private ones, one in Campiello, one near Ferreira and several more.
Hope this helps

 

[Anemone del Camino]

The new albergues you mention have been mentioned recently so I am sure that, when you have time, you can add information on the others many would appreciate it.

Glad you had a wonderful time.