Primitivo - alternate route instead of joining Frances?

[Owensr23]

I found some older information on the forum, but I am looking at September or October this year to walk the Primitivo from Oviedo.

I have previously walked the Frances from Leon and the Portugues from Porto.

I would like to enter Santiago on a new route.

 

[oursonpolaire]

The Primitivo is a glorious route, but it joins on to the Francese at Melide, about 50 km from Santiago, and the entrance to the city will be the same as the Francese from Leon.

I remember reading of an alternative route leading off from the Primitivo, but I am not certain where it heads into Santiago. Perhaps another forum member has a better memory than I?

 

[Marc S.]

Have a look at the website of the Ponte Ferreira albergue.

They give a brief description of the route from their place, via Sobrados Monxes (on the Norte), and then join the Frances at Santiago airport. (including GPS tracks) - total length 78 km.

From Ponte Ferreira to Santiago with minimal camino Francés

Most people coming to our albergue feel it is a pity to leave the camino Primitivo and join the camino Frances the next day in Melide, 20 kms after Ponte Ferreira. From there it is 52 kms to Santiago. But, there are more options now! From our albergue it is possible to walk in one day (26 kms)...

www.ponteferreira.com

I think the same variant is also mentioned in this thread.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/alternatives-to-melide-and-o-pedrouzo.63766/

The entrance into the city will be the same though. But it will allow you to join the Frances as late as possible (if that is what you're aiming for).

 

[Owensr23]

Joining the Frances as late as possible is what I was wanting. I just remember the crazy crowds from 2016, but 2021 is a weird year so maybe the crowd would be more welcome.

 

[peregrina2000]

There’s also the option of walking from Lugo on the Camiño Verde to Sobrado dos Monxes. Lots of information on this thread.

@notion900 also posted a link on how to continue from there without going on to the Francés till Lavacolla, which probably duplicates some of the information posted earlier on this thread.

On my camino wish list, everyone says the ”green alternative” is very nice.

 

[trecile]

Here are stages you can walk after Sobrado dos Monxes:

Sobrado dos Monxes to As Calles/Orxal 20.96 km
As Calles/Orxal to Lavacolla 21.76 km
Lavacoalla to Santiago 10.31 km

There's no albergue in As Calles/Orxal. I stayed at Twin Pines B&B, where I had a nice room plus dinner.

B&B Twin Pines - Orxal | B&B | Gronze.com

Información del B&B B&B Twin Pines, en Orxal: precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

 

[trecile]

Here's a map of the alternative route from Sobrado dos Monxes to Lavacolla.



And here's information about his route on Gronze.com (use the Chrome browser to translate to English)

Enlace Camino del Norte - Camino Francés

Los peregrinos del pasado, salvo por motivos devocionales o para procurar la asistencia de un monasterio u alberguería, solían buscar, y elegir siempre, los caminos más cortos para dirigirse a la meta

www.gronze.com

 

[Marc S.]

Here's a map of the alternative route from Sobrado dos Monxes to Lavacolla.

Seems we have the complete picture clear now, because the KML and GPX files for the Sobrado - Lavacolla route can be downloaded from the Ponte Ferreira website I mentioned earlier.

(Maybe it is a good idea to tag this thread with 'variant' as we seem to have all relevant information together ?)

 

[trecile]

Seems we have the complete picture clear now, because the KML and GPX files for the Sobrado - Lavacolla route can be downloaded from the Ponte Ferreira website I mentioned earlier.

(Maybe it is a good idea to tag this thread with 'variant' as we seem to have all relevant information together ?)

I used the Buen Camino app, and the variant track is on its GPS tracks.
It's also on the Wise Pilgrim Camino del Norte app.

 

[Marc S.]

I used the Buen Camino app, and the variant track is on its GPS tracks.
It's also on the Wise Pilgrim Camino del Norte app.

Oh I did not know that. So my free publicity for the Ponte Ferreira albergue on this thread was not really needed (I am happy to give it though ...)

 

[trecile]

Oh I did not know that. So my free publicity for the Ponte Ferreira albergue on this thread was not really needed (I am happy to give it though ...)

Not at all, as everyone has their own preferences to which apps (or not) they use. Plus the site you linked to has other info and nice pictures!

 

[Marc S.]

Plus the site you linked to has other info and nice pictures!

And they serve a lovely communal meal

 

[Theresa Brandon]

Perhaps find a way to Sigüerio or Formosa and come in on the last section of the Ingles?

 

[Owensr23]

Here's a map of the alternative route from Sobrado dos Monxes to Lavacolla.

View attachment 100910

And here's information about his route on Gronze.com (use the Chrome browser to translate to English)

Enlace Camino del Norte - Camino Francés

Los peregrinos del pasado, salvo por motivos devocionales o para procurar la asistencia de un monasterio u alberguería, solían buscar, y elegir siempre, los caminos más cortos para dirigirse a la meta

www.gronze.com

Thank you for the maps. I still prefer an paper map over a device that can have a dead battery. People on the Appalachian trail try to use phones or GPS, but they are almost useless due to heavy tree cover, terrain, an lack of cell signal. My last hike in the Great Smokies we had no phone signal for 5 days.

 

[lt56ny]

Here's a map of the alternative route from Sobrado dos Monxes to Lavacolla.

View attachment 100910

And here's information about his route on Gronze.com (use the Chrome browser to translate to English)

Enlace Camino del Norte - Camino Francés

Los peregrinos del pasado, salvo por motivos devocionales o para procurar la asistencia de un monasterio u alberguería, solían buscar, y elegir siempre, los caminos más cortos para dirigirse a la meta

www.gronze.com

When I did the CF in November/December 2019 I arrived in Arzua I ran into a bunch of pilgrims I hadn't seen in a week or so. We all ended up going to Lavacolla instead of sleeping in O Pedrouzo the next night. It is not a tough walk even though it is long. The albergue in Lavacolla was really nice. We ended up ordering alot of pizzas and had a really nice night as there was not much open in town. The next morning I left about 7AM. Had breakfast in the first bar that was open. It was a few kilometers out of Lavocolla and it was a big bar and looked like it was brand new. Hope it is still open. I got to the Pilgrim office before 10. Walked right in and to my shock I was offered the free Pilgrim lunch at the Parador. The volunteer told me that almost everyone who had come in before passed on the lunch. My second time I enjoyed a great final and free pilgrim meal thanks to the Parador. But it was also the second time that the servers showed less than any interest in us and really didn't seem to want to deal with pilgrims at all. Is it my breath or what?

 

[John Hawke]

Great stuff just what I was looking for. Starting October 1.

 

[dbier]

Did you go? What was it like?

 

[JabbaPapa]

Here's a map of the alternative route from Sobrado dos Monxes to Lavacolla.

View attachment 100910

And here's information about his route on Gronze.com (use the Chrome browser to translate to English)

Enlace Camino del Norte - Camino Francés

Los peregrinos del pasado, salvo por motivos devocionales o para procurar la asistencia de un monasterio u alberguería, solían buscar, y elegir siempre, los caminos más cortos para dirigirse a la meta

www.gronze.com

I've just been looking, and there's clearly a way to DIY a different entrance into Santiago on this basis.

Near Campo (close to Capilla de Santo André on that map), DIY up through Pastor to Lardeiros > Os Ánxeles > Vilaromaris > Sigüeiro into Compostela on the very last few K of the Inglés.

 

[Carla M.]

Joining the Frances as late as possible is what I was wanting. I just remember the crazy crowds from 2016, but 2021 is a weird year so maybe the crowd would be more welcome.

I intend to do the Primitivo in mid June and I have a similar intent as I would prefer to stay off the more crowded path.
Grateful for all the information shared in this thread

 

[Owensr23]

My plans changed and I now leave Oviedo on 4/28/2022. Love the information on this thread.

 

[peregrina2000]

My plans changed and I now leave Oviedo on 4/28/2022. Love the information on this thread.

Hoping your camino is glorious! I would love to hear about your experience on the Camiño Verde (Lugo to Sobrado dos Monxes). Maybe I had unrealistic expectations based on the rave reviews I had read on the forum, but to tell you the truth I didn’t find this alternative to be anything particularly exceptional. It goes through pretty, rural, sparsely populated Galicia, but then so does the official Primitivo route out of Lugo. It’s a perfectly nice walk, but it has a fair amount of asphalt, just as the official route does. I didn’t walk the precise Verde on the first day to Friol, so maybe I don’t have a good basis for comparison. Friol itself is bigger than other towns on the official route before Melide, so you can buy groceries and eat in a café-bar. The pensión has a regular worker clientele staying there, so meals are served, which also may be an advantage for some. I personally would take the meals at Ponte Ferreira over this option, though!

I did enjoy the opportunity to visit the monastery at Sobrado again, and if your main goal is avoiding the Francés, you can add on the alternative from Boimorto to stay off the Francés till Lavacolla.