Camino Salvador and Vadiniense

[Barry Corbett]

Hello:

I'm planning on walking the Caminos Salvador and Vadiniense this April. Will I encounter snow? Should I wait for the end of April or May?

Thank you

 

[Phil71]

Hi Barry. I haven't been there in April but I do know from locals that the Picos get a LOT of snow. No one will really know what the weather will be in April but I would suggest going later would be the prudent approach. Entire villages relocate for Winter it gets that bad up there!

 

[jsalt]

Will I encounter snow?

Possibly.

The view from the albergue window at Poladura when I got up the morning of 10 Apr 2018:



There were 3 of us that night, and we were advised (obviously) not to try and walk over the pass. So we walked out (6kms) to the nearest train station:



Jill

 

[Barry Corbett]

Thank you......do think May would be a better time? Or are these Caminos better done in the fall...September?

 

[jsalt]

Thank you......do think May would be a better time? Or are these Caminos better done in the fall...September?

I haven’t walked the Vadiniense, so cannot comment on that one. It depends how adventurous you are, on whether you walk mountainous caminos at the end or beginning of winter. Walking in April I was prepared to have to backtrack, or take an escape route, if the weather closed in on me. So it didn’t bother me that I had to take public transport one day to get around the mountain pass. I guess May and September are peak season (as on the Camino Francés), so it may be busy, but the weather would probably be better. In April I enjoyed sharing the albergues with only 2 or 3 other people.

 

[peregrina2000]

Actually, I think full summer is the peak season here. June, July and August. Sometimes, people report bed crunches in those times. Having walked it in June, July, and September, I can vouch for them all. I did have rain on the July walk, but it was still quite gorgeous. My June walk, though, was the most perfect you could ever imagine.

 

[OzAnnie]

Actually, I think full summer is the peak season here. June, July and August. Sometimes, people report bed crunches in those times. Having walked it in June, July, and September, I can vouch for them all. I did have rain on the July walk, but it was still quite gorgeous. My June walk, though, was the most perfect you could ever imagine.

View attachment 51182View attachment 51183

Wow. Those pics are just ‘the best’. June sounds like a good time.
X

 

[Barry Corbett]

I just realized I forgot to answer the Vadiniense question.The Vadiniense starts in Potes at the monastry where the Lebañiego ends, has some mountain days that could be dicey in April (around Fuente De) but after that, it’s a pretty straight shot down to Mansilla de las Mulas. The Vadiniense intersects with the Salvador in Cistierna — how are you planning to combine them?

Thank you for the information. I didn't realize the Vadiniense intersected with the Salvador. I've been looking on the Gronze website and thought we would follow the Vadiniense until it intersected with Frances and pick up the Salvador in Leons. I just noticed on the Gronze website that the Vadiniense crosses the Viejo Camino....is this what you are referring to i.e where it intersects with the Salvador? What would you recommend ? Besides Gronze is there somewhere else where I could obtain more information on these Caminos?
It looks like we are going to have to delay our walk until mid September or early October. Any thoughts or comments on these times? I know there are no guarantees about snow but would these be good times to walk these Caminos.

Also we might try and extend our trip and walk the Magna Via Francigena in Sicily. I think I remember you made a comment about this walk awhile ago on another thread Did you walk it your self? Any thoughts/comments about this walk? Did you do any multi-day walks in Sicily that you could recommend?

Thank you again.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thank you for the information. I didn't realize the Vadiniense intersected with the Salvador. I've been looking on the Gronze website and thought we would follow the Vadiniense until it intersected with Frances and pick up the Salvador in Leons. I just noticed on the Gronze website that the Vadiniense crosses the Viejo Camino....is this what you are referring to i.e where it intersects with the Salvador? What would you recommend ? Besides Gronze is there somewhere else where I could obtain more information on these Caminos?
It looks like we are going to have to delay our walk until mid September or early October. Any thoughts or comments on these times? I know there are no guarantees about snow but would these be good times to walk these Caminos.

Also we might try and extend our trip and walk the Magna Via Francigena in Sicily. I think I remember you made a comment about this walk awhile ago on another thread Did you walk it your self? Any thoughts/comments about this walk? Did you do any multi-day walks in Sicily that you could recommend?

Thank you again.

Hi, Barry,

Ok, I messed up. The Vadiniense intersects with the Olvidado (that has become the official name — no more Viejo Camino or Camino de la Montaña, according to the associations on the ground) — anyway, the Vadiniense intersects with the Olvidado in Cistierna, not with the Salvador. Your plan to walk down to León and the up again makes a lot of sense. Maybe I am biased because that’s what I did years ago: http://caminovadiniense.blogspot.com

There is a fair amount of info here on the forum, and I am assuming you have Ender’s guide to the Salvador. The Vadiniense doesn’t seem to be getting a lot of interest, and I have to say that there are long, very long,flat stretches, lots of asphalt, that aren’t glorious. The high points are definitely the first few days in the Picos. After Senda de la Remoña, the mountains are over. But it is interesting and compelling, IMO, just like every other camino in Spain! Are you planning to start the Vadiniense in Potes? If you have the extra days, adding on the Lebañiego and starting in Santander or San Vicente might be attractive.

As far as Sicily, oh I wish. I have spent three weeks on Sicily but only as a tourist, it is one of the most amazing places on the planet! So getting to walk would be a real treat. Good luck with that plan.

 

[Barry Corbett]

Hi again:
Yes we are planning on starting in San Vicente and walking the Lebaniego and then continuing on the Vadiniense. Do you know how well the trail is signed, particularly through the mountain sections? Is there any guide for the Vadiniense similar to Ender's guide for the Salvador?
Thank you
Barry

 

[oursonpolaire]

Hi again:
Yes we are planning on starting in San Vicente and walking the Lebaniego and then continuing on the Vadiniense. Do you know how well the trail is signed, particularly through the mountain sections? Is there any guide for the Vadiniense similar to Ender's guide for the Salvador?
Thank you
Barry

The Vadiniense, which I walked about 7 years ago, was well-signed. I used Rebekah Scott's guide which I think is available in the resources section of the Vadiniense sub-forum and I found it pretty good. I do not think that there are any other guides in English.

I would be very careful about crossing the Picos in April or May, and would stick very closely with local advice. I made the crossing from Cosgaya, short of Fuente De, over to the Puerto de San Glorio and then to Llanaves de la Reina, but I would not think of doing so in anything but perfect weather and a good forecast. Mountain meadows at that elevation can be affected by a white-out with no notice and with almost no traffic on the mountain paths..... well, let's just say that the consequences could be very serious.

 

[Anamya]

Hi Barry!

we are planning on starting in San Vicente and walking the Lebaniego and then continuing on the Vadiniense

I will be walking the Lebaniego this April and intend to make some posts here in the forum with updates. Not a guide, but hopefully it will be useful. No intention of continuing down the Vadiniense this time, unfortunately - lack of time and, well, may be too cold

 

[Barry Corbett]

I think I found Rebekah Scott's guide....is it one page describing a suggested 7 day itinerary?
Looks like we have to delay our walk until mid September. Thank you for all the good advice and we will definitely heed local advice!

Barry

 

[Michael; Camino-addicted]

Hallo Bary,

we were on the Lebaniego/Vadiniense and start at the coast june 8, 2017 and it was fantastic. The wether was great, dry and not to warm from the coast till Portilla de la Reina and from there it was very hot.

The hospitalerio in Portilla de la Reina said to us, that we were very lucky, because in 2017 the summer came early, Normaly june would be a month of spring, and in case that the highes point of the tour is not so far away from the sometimes very stormy Biscaya it could be very rainy..
He recommended to us the middle of September at the best period.

All the best to you

Michael

 

[Barry Corbett]

Thank you for the information. We had to delay our walk until mid-September which sounds like a good time to do this walk. How was the signage on the trial? Did you need a GPS or was the signage adequate?

Cheers

Barry

 

[Michael; Camino-addicted]

Hallo Barry,

from the coast to Monasterio Santo Torribio it was perfect. Then it was quite good, but sometimes it was good, that I put maps on my mobilephone to be prepared.

When you say: "We had to delay...." then you start as a group or minimum as a duo?

Otherwise you should know, that it is very likely that you will not meet anyone, especially between Santo Toribio an Leon.

For both of us it was not a problem, but when you start alone it could be.

Best regards

Michael

 

[Barry Corbett]

Hello Michael:

I will be walking with my wife. Where did you obtain your maps.....wikilocs? How was the signage between Fuente de and Portilla de la Reina?

Thank you

Barry

 

[Michael; Camino-addicted]

A will answer tomorrow - it´s nearly midnight in germany

 

[Michael; Camino-addicted]

Hallo Barry,

we slept in Espinama and went from there directly to Portilla de la Reina, not wallking or using the cable to Fuente De.

In my mind, the signs were quite good and it was not a problem to find the way to the top. After Puente de Pandetrave it goes to the left on the street and then you have for hours no choise, so no problem. And I had for a good feeling the maps on my mobile, but I think I remember in this etappe it was not necessary to use them.

I seached for a long time, but I can´t find and can´t remember, where I obtained "my" maps, but I put them in

www.outdooractive.com

where you can find them under the keywords "Camino Lebaniego" and "Camino Vadiniense".They are published, maybe you can download them


Here a some places you can find Information and also maps:

[URL="http://www.caminosantiago.org/cpperegrino/caminos/caminos.asp[/URL]"]www.caminosantiago.org/cpperegrino/caminos/caminos.asp[/URL]

[URL="http://www.caminolebaniego.com/documentos/mapa.pdf[/URL]"]www.caminolebaniego.com/documentos/mapa.pdf[/URL]

[URL="http://www.rayyrosa.com/camino-vadiniense/mapa-y-track[/URL]"]www.rayyrosa.com/camino-vadiniense/mapa-y-track[/URL]

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Sorry for my only little help, but I´m a kind of "medieval" when it comes to questions of using computers. Sometimes I have I light moment, but normally I´m very bad in this.

All the best for you

Michael

 

[Michael; Camino-addicted]

Hallo Barry,

here is a copy of the post I did in the forum "Camino vadiense", it could be something for you, too.

Michael


We walked the Camino Lebaniego/Vadiniense in June 2017 and it was great. We started on the Camino Norte to get in the mood and then we changed to the Lebaniego. For the beginning of the Lebaniego I have a recommendation for you. We were told, that the road from Hortigal to Cades only goes on asphalt and we were advised to take the path along the Rio Nansa. And it was like the Garden Eden.
We walked from San Vicente to Serdio on the same way than the Camino del Norte. We slept there in the Albergue. Maybe 1 km behind Serdio the Lebaniego splitted from the Norte and after one hour we arrived near Munorrodero at the Rio Nansa. There was the beginning of paradies.
For 10 km you can walk along the riverside, sometimes on wooden galleries which are build directly on the rocks. When you leave the river you have to walk 4 for kilometers to Cades. From there it´s one a"little step" to Puente el Arrudo.
May be it´s an idea to think about.

I think you know this: www.gronze.com

Here you can see the map and get a few information of this alternative route.

 

[oursonpolaire]

You might want to look at the links from this page: https://www.csj.org.uk/camino-vadiniense/

 

[Barry Corbett]

Hi Michael:

Thank you for all the information and your suggestions, they are very helpful! We appreciate all the effort you put into your responses.

Barry

 

[Michael; Camino-addicted]

De nada