Considering Camino Primitivo, concerned it may be too tough?

[Melensdad]

We are considering the Camino Primitivo, but some reports suggest it is a very strenuous walk, much harder than crossing the Pyrannes, with difficult walks daily for the first week.

My wife has a bad back, walks 5 miles a day on rolling farmland around our property, but I'm concernd that the Primitivo may be too tough? Anyone walk the Primitivo and can offer any advice? Some of the things I read on various forums say it is pretty tough but manageable by any skill level of walker.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It is one of the more difficult caminos, but possible for those with a normal fitness level. Unless you have a particular reason for wanting a more challenging walk, I would suggest an easier one.

 

[peregrina2000]

We are considering the Camino Primitivo, but some reports suggest it is a very strenuous walk, much harder than crossing the Pyrannes, with difficult walks daily for the first week.

My wife has a bad back, walks 5 miles a day on rolling farmland around our property, but I'm concernd that the Primitivo may be too tough? Anyone walk the Primitivo and can offer any advice? Some of the things I read on various forums say it is pretty tough but manageable by any skill level of walker.

Hi, Melensdad,

I have walked the Primitivo twice, and I have always met people in their 70s. Which I love, since I'm "only" in my 60s, so I can feel young again. You should look for some of Tia Valeria's threads on walking the Primitivo in short stages, she and Tio Tel have a lot of good advice on that.

I think that to decide whether it's "too tough" you should have some idea of what your preferred distances are. There are more and more lodging options on the Primitivo. There are ways to break up most of the normally quoted "stages" into segments under 20 km, except possibly for the day between Padrón and Cadavo Baleira, which is 27 km. (but with little elevation gain). If only there were an albergue in A Lastra.......

It´d also be a good idea to get a sense of how much elevation gain you are comfortable with. The Primitivo does have a lot of up and down, but no killer ascent days, I think probably 600 m elevation gain is the most you would have to do in one day. I don´t know if that´s in your comfort zone or not.

If you have an idea about distance and elevation, take a look at the mundicamino.com site on the Primitivo. It´s in Spanish, but even if you don´t speak Spanish, you can click around and see stages and distances and elevation gain. http://www.mundicamino.com/rutas.cfm?id=54

I also have bad back, but with a good pack that transfers the weight to your hips, my most pain-free days are on the camino. I think a lot of people make the mistake of thinking that just carrying a light day pack is the answer, but a day pack of 3 k or so would give me a lot of back pain because of the lack of internal support to a day pack. I typically carry 9 or 10 k in my pack and never have a problem.

The Camino Primitivo is well-loved by a lot of folks on the forum-- a few are young and super fit, but many are older and in basic good shape but not super athletes. So you don´t have to be superman or woman to do it.

Buen camino, let us know what you decide, Laurie

 

[Melensdad]

Thanks for the info. I think you are making me feel like this is going to be a much more possible route for us.

FWIW, she has a Lowe Alpine AirZone 30 pack which is a 'real' hiking pack, good suspension system, proper hip belt, etc. She also has LEKI trekking poles that she uses on her daily walks.

We are walking across England this May (actually just 7 or 8 days) on the Hadrian's Wall Path. We have walked in southern Spain and in central and southern France in the past couple of years. So we are not new at this concept, but just questioning the difficulty of Primitivo.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We walked the Inglés and Terry said if I could do that I could walk the Primitivo as the gradients were no worse and there is actually more accomodation in shorter distances if you plan carefully. That said there are one or two places where planning to use a taxi or bus would be sensible to shorten a long stage. This is (taxi) from about 10kms outside of Fonsagrada (shortly after the Camino from Alto de Acebo rejoins the main road, or even from the Bar Acebo). Taxi was needed to Fonsagrada (and Casa Manolo) as there is no public transport between Grandas de Salime and Fonsagrada. There are 3 buses a day from Fonsagrada to Lugo with a nice convenient after lunch bus when we did it, taking the bus from the stop in Paradavella and stopping off in Cádabo in the hostal/hotel there.

If you check out our blog for 2012 you will see our stages starting from Tineo. The earlier section we did in 2010 but took the train to Grado and bussed to Salas, as Terry had been ill, before walking on to Tineo. We stopped over at La Espina to break the stage from Salas to Tineo. We did not walk the Hospitales route and also followed the road out of Pola de Allande to where the Camino goes over Puerto de Palo. This was to avoid the flooding down below but would avoid a very steep climb up to the road and then followed by the less intimidating climb over Puerto de Palo itself.
Feel free to ask anything else....
Buen Camino

 

[Melensdad]

Was looking at a 14 day walk, which seems like it might be a good pace for us.

 

[peregrina2000]

Was looking at a 14 day walk, which seems like it might be a good pace for us.

What´s your ideal distance per day, Melensdad?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Was looking at a 14 day walk, which seems like it might be a good pace for us.

I have mine in 19 days, from Oviedo to Santiago - taking it easy due to my last Camino not showing love and kindness towards my left foot ;0)

 

[Melensdad]

What´s your ideal distance per day, Melensdad?

Not sure that there is an ideal distance, the topography would play into that decision. But if you really want me to put a number to it, perhaps 10 to 12 miles.

 

[fraluchi]

[...]But if you really want me to put a number to it, perhaps 10 to 12 miles.

We hope to be walking the Primitivo once again this year next June. We (77 and 73) are "comfortable" with 20 to 25 km/day, depending upon the topography. Apart from all the resources mentioned above, we found a maybe interesting listing at http://santiago.forwalk.org/en/trail/16-days-on-the-lower-route/

 

[peregrina2000]

Great news, fraluchi. Sending lots of good vibes for a healthy camino!

 

[Tincatinker]

Hi Melensdad, I can't offer better advice on the Primitivo than has already been given. It is a lovely route.

On an aside The Beloved and I will be in Haltwhistle 10 - 14 May. If you would enjoy a meet drop me a PM.

 

[mikevasey]

day between Padrón and Cadavo Baleira, which is 27 km. (but with little elevation gain). If only there were an albergue in A Lastra.......

I'm not sure where A Lastra is but if its one of the two little villages that are soon after the short but sharp climb up to the road about 14-15km from Fonsagrada then there may be at some point. One of the American guys (Shane)ended up talking to a local, he works away most of the time but comes home for a couple of months a year and is renovating a building little by little, I think his intention at some point is to have a donativo albergue and volunteer organic holding together. I think Shane if he had the time would have stayed and helped.

 

[ebrandt]

We hope to be walking the Primitivo once again this year next June. We (77 and 73) are "comfortable" with 20 to 25 km/day, depending upon the topography. Apart from all the resources mentioned above, we found a maybe interesting listing at http://santiago.forwalk.org/en/trail/16-days-on-the-lower-route/

This does seem like a great resource. It doesn't have all the albergues, but its very easy to use. And it mentions lots of possibilities that are off the main camino but in the vicinity. It also seems very easy to use! The biggest issue I can see is that my sense is that Wifi is less plentiful along the Primitivo than along the Frances. I'd be worried about relying on something for which I needed internet access. Liz

 

[peregrina2000]

I'm not sure where A Lastra is but if its one of the two little villages that are soon after the short but sharp climb up to the road about 14-15km from Fonsagrada then there may be at some point. One of the American guys (Shane)ended up talking to a local, he works away most of the time but comes home for a couple of months a year and is renovating a building little by little, I think his intention at some point is to have a donativo albergue and volunteer organic holding together. I think Shane if he had the time would have stayed and helped.

Yes, A Lastra is one of those two. I think that the first time I was there, two bars were open, but one or maybe both had closed the second time. This is great news, Mike! Let us know if you hear anything more. Thanks, buen camino, Laurie

 

[mikevasey]

There was a bar open this time, thats probably where Shane met the local.

Buen camino