New 'Camino Interior' proposed

[Ramblanista]

Interesting proposal to link the Camino Liebana from Santo Toribio to the Santuario de Covadonga utlising the Ruta de la Reconquista through the Picos. It would go on to Cangas de Onis and would join up with the Primitivo in Oviedo.

The religious/historical justification is that, according to some sources, this was the route used by King Alfonso II of Asturias ('Alfonso the Chaste', 759-842). Other sources suggest this is nothing more than a 'vague legend' as the king's residence was already in Oviedo.

I don't blame the local authorities for taking advantage of the popularity of both the Camino de Santiago and the Picos de Europa.

It would certainly make for a great hike. Any thoughts?

http://www.elcomercio.es/asturias/oriente/201409/28/camino-interior-primitiva-20140928014032-v.html

Siân

 

[peregrina2000]

Interesting proposal to link the Camino Liebana from Santo Toribio to the Santuario de Covadonga utlising the Ruta de la Reconquista through the Picos. It would go on to Cangas de Onis and would join up with the Primitivo in Oviedo.

The religious/historical justification is that, according to some sources, this was the route used by King Alfonso II of Asturias ('Alfonso the Chaste', 759-842). Other sources suggest this is nothing more than a 'vague legend' as the king's residence was already in Oviedo.

I don't blame the local authorities for taking advantage of the popularity of both the Camino de Santiago and the Picos de Europa.

It would certainly make for a great hike. Any thoughts?

http://www.elcomercio.es/asturias/oriente/201409/28/camino-interior-primitiva-20140928014032-v.html

Siân

Hi, Sian,
I think that both mikevasey and TiaValeria/Terry have walked or at least planned to walk this, so maybe they will jump in here to help out. I personally would much prefer that the existing caminos be given the attention they need in terms of signage and moving off road before we rush to add more, but I do love having lots of choices!

I think the Vadiniense would be much improved if someone would take the time to put the path on the many dirt tracks that currently exist (and have existed for centuries) between some of the towns along the way. The asphalt was a killer, IMO. But I digress....

 

[Tia Valeria]

The route to Covadonga originally followed the old tracks and Roman road from Llanes through the Picos de Europa. From Covadonga it went to Cangas de Onis (capital of Asturias for a time). It then went to Oviedo and the Primitivo. Now the GR105.2 it is a montaneros route with some very demanding parts we believe between Llanes and Covadonga, and only for walking in good conditions, unless you simply walk the few available roads with a map. Bad weather meant that we in fact took the FEVE from Llanes to Arriondas and walked the route eastwards to Covadonga, well waymarked and a mix of tracks and road walking. The Mountain Rescue folk in Cangas de Onis stamped our credenciales and said that we had been right not to attempt the mountain crossing as it requires more than the average pilgrim equipment much of the year.

We have a book of walks in the Picos and many of them warn of the need for better preparation than needed for the average pilgrim, some have steep drops at both side of the path, so not for the fainthearted. Also accomodation is limited or non-existant with long stages between places as it is very remote. Mostly they are walked by organised groups of experienced hill walkers. If the route from Santo Toribio is marked it would be a great addition, but may be for summer walking only for those who can carry emergency supplies and kit.

 

[mikevasey]

There was a Conrad Stein book published in about 2003/04 which dealt with the route from Potes to Covadonga,they used it as link for other old pilgrimage routes which followed the mountains to Santiago, the author Michael Casper(I think) died in 2006 and they did not re-publish it again. Their route from Potes went via the Ruta de la Reconquista in reverse, and re- joined the Norte at Amandi. I did not walk this route in 2012, when my friends dropped out of doing the camino, I felt it this route was way beyond my skill levels to attempt alone.

Having walked the San Salvador and seeing the needle like valleys that inhabit that part of Asturias, which is ok on that route because you seem to be going with the flow of them, I would not be sure about the Cangas de Onis to Oviedo section which I think goes against the grain of them. There was a blog by a Spanish walker he detailed his walk between those latter points, he gave maps, GPS coordinates, photos, distances, it took him 7 days to walk it and had to taxi out at the end of each day to pensions. The photos for most days seemed to involve going up a steep valley side coming back down, then repeating again. Still would like to do it, but I wait until they have trimmed down the over grown vegetation that seemed to be in most photos.

 

[Tia Valeria]

The GR route is marked between between Llanes and Mestas, then follows the old Roman road up the valley, over stepping stones and over the pass to continue on minor roads.

Just to give some idea of the terrain:-
In the photo the route we were looking at follows the river valley from the bottom left to turn up the valley to Covadonga. The route from Cangas de Onis does the same from the bottom right. The montaneros route goes over the left hand mountain (Cruz de Priena, 726mts drop to Covadonga in approx 2kms !). I wonder which type of route the Santo Torribio to Covadonga route intends to follow?

There also needs to be a great improvement in pilgrim infrastructure/welcome in Covadonga, where the only sello available was in the museum and most places are closed until June. We were fortunate to find a warm welcome at Casa Asprón but did not feel that Covadonga itself was really interested in walking pilgrims.

 

[mikevasey]

Just checked on the details I posted and some need correcting. Michael Kasper passed away in 2005, the book I mentioned was re-issued in 2007 with Michael Kaspers name on it with Raimund Joos as a co-author. It covered the routes to Santo Toribio de Leibena, from there to Covadonga and on to the Primitivo and then Santiago.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I looked into this trail back when I was researching the Vadiniense route. I was quite firmly warned away from it by three different people who know that area well. Not sure if it was because I tend to walk on my own or because conditions are so difficult, but I listened... and I am still here!

 

[angulero]

Por si alguno no lo había visto aún.

In case anyone had not seen it yet.

http://www.jfcamina.es/gr-105/

http://www.jfcamina.es/gr-105/00-gr-105/00-gr-105-preliminares.htm

http://www.jfcamina.es/gr-105/00-gr-105/00-gr-105.htm

http://www.jfcamina.es/gr-105/01-gr-105-Oviedo-Nava/01-gr-105-oviedo-nava.htm

http://www.jfcamina.es/gr-105/01-gr-105.1-Mieres-Grandota/01-gr-105-1-mieres-grandota.htm

http://www.jfcamina.es/gr-105/02-gr-105-Nava-Pte.Miera/02-gr-105-nava-pte.miera.htm

http://www.jfcamina.es/gr-105/03-gr-105-Pte.Miera-Espinareo/03-gr-105-pte.miera-espinareo.htm

http://www.jfcamina.es/gr-105/04-gr-105-Espinareo-LaMatosa/04-gr-105-espinareo-lamatosa.htm

http://www.jfcamina.es/gr-105/04-gr-105-Espinareo-LaMatosa/04-gr-105-espinareo-lamatosa.htm

http://www.jfcamina.es/gr-105/06-gr-105-C.Onis-Covadonga/06-gr-105-onis-covadonga.htm

Y esta es la Ruta de la Reconquista:

And this is the path of the Reconquista:

http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=5031760

http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=5031475

http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=5031531

http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=5031604

http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=5031648

 

[mikevasey]

That's the blog for the route from Oviedo! From the photos it looks stunning, and exhausting. On the section I looked at again they covered 12.5km in 4.5 hours, I'm going to take a guess that was more to punishing climbs than stopping to smell and admire flowers.

I like amongst the information that they give at the top of each section is the amount of dogs they have bumped into. Having bumped into quite a few Asturian dogs and the big ones are similar to the High Pyrenean dogs, that info would not be there from a purely dog lover's aspect. This photo was taken a km after Puerto Pajares, it was tough going down from here but generally OK because most of the time you are going with the flow of the land.

 

[TerryB]

The GR route is marked between between Llanes and Mestas, then follows the old Roman road up the valley, over stepping stones and over the pass to continue on minor road.

This is the link to the route we were looking to follow last year from Llanes to Covadonga:-
http://www.reman.es/senderos-gr/gr-105-ruta-de-las-peregrinaciones/gr-105-2-cami-de-oriente/
The same as in Angulero's links above. We decided against it because of the heavy rainfall and the streams and rivers in spate. Having worked on Dartmoor here in the U.K. for a number of years, I believe in treating the mountains and hill country with a great deal of respect! Unless there is a very clearly defined / waymarked path, as over the Hospitales route on the Primitivo, it is very easy to be "pixie led" in the fog and cloud! No doubt the Asturian legend of the Xanes is because of similar experiences
The photo of the Sanctuary at Covadonga gives some idea of the amount of water there was around in April / May 2013.
Blessings
Tio Tel

 

[Alyssa]

That's the blog for the route from Oviedo! From the photos it looks stunning, and exhausting. On the section I looked at again they covered 12.5km in 4.5 hours, I'm going to take a guess that was more to punishing climbs than stopping to smell and admire flowers.

I like amongst the information that they give at the top of each section is the amount of dogs they have bumped into. Having bumped into quite a few Asturian dogs and the big ones are similar to the High Pyrenean dogs, that info would not be there from a purely dog lover's aspect.View attachment 14133 This photo was taken a km after Puerto Pajares, it was tough going down from here but generally OK because most of the time you are going with the flow of the land.

Oh wow. That is so beautiful.

 

[mikevasey]

Oh wow. That is so beautiful.

The San Salvador throws up amazing scenes like this quite a lot and to make it the complete deal the actual path is an off road delight for long stretches. When I got to Oviedo I thought the Primitivo would have a hard time competing with this route in my eyes, but a few days in it was doing that.

 

[Alyssa]

The San Salvador throws up amazing scenes like this quite a lot and to make it the complete deal the actual path is an off road delight for long stretches. When I got to Oviedo I thought the Primitivo would have a hard time competing with this route in my eyes, but a few days in it was doing that.

Oh gosh. I am planning on being in Spain for about 55 days next summer (if all goes well) and am trying to create an itinerary that includes The Norte & Finisterre/Muxia and possibly the Primitivo, Vadieniense (sorry butchered that spelling), and now it looks like the Salvador must be added! Not sure if I will have enough time for all; which route did you feel had the most breathtaking mountain scenery?

 

[mikevasey]

I have not walked the Vad but want to, Peregrina 2000 did that, the Salvador and the Primitivo in May/June 2012, she has very good accounts on here of it.

The Norte at the beginning has an Alpine feel to it sometimes, my biggest memories are not of the sea but walking and seeing an array of small mountains to one side of me. The Salvador is truly stunning, but the day that sticks out is on the Primitivo, a day I was not expecting, it was from Fonsgrada to Cavlao beautiful scenery and very hard, I was exhausted when I arrived with the group I was with at 6pm, but it was kind of exhaustion where you feel happy, mentally and physically. If you turn off to Potes and the Vad. route then I would add 12-14 days to what I expect to spend on the Norte and the Primitivo.

Buen Camino

 

[mikevasey]

My avatar picture is from the Fonsgrada to Calvao day, there was a little cafe/bar at the bottom of long downhill just after the ruins of an old pilgrims hostel, we sat on the benches for two hours talking drinking sangria and the owner came out and started giving us chuppitos of orujo on the house, one of those unexpected memorable days on the Camino.

 

[mikevasey]

www.rutadecovadonga.es this website could be connected to the proposed link, at the moment it's lacking information.