Busy!

[Phil71]

Hi all. Just finished the lebaniego and started the vadiniense. Just wanted to share if anyone is thinking of doing the lebaniego to get away from the crowds it is super busy! Looks like Spain is really advertising it in this jubilee year, lots of new signage and displays. All the albergues are full, even heard of municipals taking reservations. So far its a lovely route, lots of ups and downs though, pesky mountains eh!

 

[Former member 104756]

Thank you for this @Phil71 These Caminos have not been ‘on my radar’. Now I’m curious. I found this interesting, informative and colourful website.

Camino Lebaniego | Página Oficial | Conoce Cantabria

Si estás pensando en realizar el Camino Lebaniego, o el Camino del Norte a su paso por Cantabria, visita nuestra web y entérate de todos los detalles.

www.caminolebaniego.com

And this summary diagram of various Caminos in the area.

https://www.caminolebaniego.com/ext/fi/23024/camino-lebaniego-2023.pdf

 

[Phil71]

A few there i didnt know about too! Its a stunning area, as long as you can cope with the ascents (and descents of course!)

 

[pinkwadingbird]

Thanks for the heads up. Am considering this route for late July- August.

 

[DarinaDC]

Hi all. Just finished the lebaniego and started the vadiniense. Just wanted to share if anyone is thinking of doing the lebaniego to get away from the crowds it is super busy! Looks like Spain is really advertising it in this jubilee year, lots of new signage and displays. All the albergues are full, even heard of municipals taking reservations. So far its a lovely route, lots of ups and downs though, pesky mountains eh!

My son and I just completed Camino Lebaniego on Monday. We didn’t find it crowded at all. We found accommodations easily. For example, in CABANES there were only 3 pilgrims @ the public Albergue and 11 @ the private. We were told the weekends are busy with locals. We didn’t see many people along the way. It was absolutely stunning. Potes is a fantastic place worth a visit on its own. We have not experienced anything near the # of pilgrims on del Norte vs. Frances. In Poo last night we were only 4 people. Even the hosts said it’s been a very quiet season

 

[Phil71]

Strange. I started on Monday, maybe that's a popular day. I agree about Potes, it's a lovely place, I managed half a day there. On the vadiniense now and it's super quiet! In Espinama now, only 3 of us in the albergue.

 

[Pathfinder075]

How many will be on the Vadiniense in September? Will it be pretty dead by then?

I've never walked this route before, but from reading about it, it seems to be ultra hard, but a good achievement for those that persevere. But I wonder how many i will meet on it, if any.

 

[Phil71]

Hi pathfinder. I'm now one day from finishing the vadiniense. I would imagine June and September are similar for number of pilgrims. I have seen two pilgrims in total, and that was days ago. Currently alone in the municipal at gradefes. Its a tough route, but worth the effort, views are amazing.

 

[Pathfinder075]

I am pretty committed to doing it, then swing back along the Salvador to get to Oviedo sometime around the 20th September (21st at latest).

I'm ok with the solitude end of it. It will give me time to contemplate life and appreciate the mountains.

Did you manage to spot any bears or wolves when you went over the top. I've heard about 300 brown bears are up in the Picos. Would be cool to see one in the wild.

 

[Anamya]

I can hardly imagine how does it feel to be in a busy Lebaniego! When we walked in 2019, we were alone the entire time.
It's is a hard route, but so, SO beautiful. Photos don't make it justice. Congrats on finishing it and have a lovely way ahead

 

[Phil71]

I am pretty committed to doing it, then swing back along the Salvador to get to Oviedo sometime around the 20th September (21st at latest).

I'm ok with the solitude end of it. It will give me time to contemplate life and appreciate the mountains.

Did you manage to spot any bears or wolves when you went over the top. I've heard about 300 brown bears are up in the Picos. Would be cool to see one in the wild.

No, sorry, no bears or wolves, I'd heard there were only about 60. I saw some big tracks and a guy I met think he saw a wildcat, but that was all. Lots of birds of prey around though, possibly waiting for me to pass out. This route combined with the Salvador would be great. I'd suggest a rest day in Leon, its a pretty city and worth spending some time in.

 

[Pathfinder075]

My plan is to boot it past Leon. I will probably stop at Decathlon to get another can of gas and possibly some more walking pole tips, but my aim on the last day of the Vadiniense is to end at either Puente Villarente or ideally Archahueja. I would prefer Arcahueja, but the albergue is temporarily closed and may not be available when i get there. But my aim for the next day is Cabanillas, then have an easyish day after that to Buiza.

I have been to Leon many times in the past and dislike cities, well I dislike lots of people. I tend to meltdown quickly when i'm in areas with large numbers of people. I find being around lots of people mentally draining. The Cabanillas albergue is a small one and Cabanillas isn't massively far from Leon. I think in total, it's about a 27km day to walk from Arcahueja, or a bit more from Puente Villarente. Either way it's well inside my happiness zone of 32km.

After that I will be doing Buiza to Pajares (the first 5 star difficulty day), then Pajares to Benduenos (short but toughish day), Benduenos to Mieres (probably stay at the university), then next day into Oviedo. of course if I reach Mieres and have a ton of energy left and it isn't too late in the afternoon I may well go all out and aim for Oviedo on that day. once I have been trekking for over two weeks, I open up the ability to do the occasional 40km day if I feel like it, sometimes a little more, but my feet start to complain a lot at 40km. I once did a 45km to hit a deadline and that was kind of hard. But we'll see. From my rough calculations I should be able to easily hit Oviedo by the 20th if I just did the Gronze stages. i will be going faster and longer than the Gronze stage plans, probably aiming on flatish days to be doing 32km back to back.

What was water availability like from Potes, onwards? Every village in front of a church or in a fountain? Or do you have to search harder for it (graveyards, etc)?

 

[Phil71]

I start the day with 2 litres and that generally does me, but most villages had a fountain, just not many villages!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Pathfinder, if you're in Gradefes it's too late (I do hope you visited the spectacular monastery there!) but in Cistierna you can jump onto the Camino Olvidado and go straight on over to la Robla from there, cut out Leon and the Frances racket altogether.

 

[Pathfinder075]

Hey Rebekah. I will probably need to resupply on gas, food and other things in Leon or I would definitely hit the Olvidado. But thinking of saving the Baztan/Viejo/Olvidado until next year. I think what supplies I pick up in Santander will last me most the way to Leon, but I will need to resupply on staples like pasta, chorizo and veg for meals. So might as well go into the city for a day and get everything that I need, plus maybe some beer.

But I am also not in country yet. I'm not walking until the start of September.