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Camino Primitivo 25/26 April starting in Oviedo

alishippo

Primitivo starting in Oviedo 25 or 26th April 2017
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Frances: Sarria to SDC- July 2011
Camino Frances: SJPP to SDC -September 2014
Camino del Norte: Irun to Finisterre- August2015
Camino Ingles: Ferrol to SDC -March 2016
Camino Portugese: Oporto to Santiago September 2016
camino Primitivo: Oviedo to Santiago- April/May 2017
Hi,
Have done a few caminos - mostly starting alone but soon picking up friends -just a bit cautious about the Primitivo because of the terrain and potential bad weather - also did the Camino Ingles at a similiar time last year with a friend and we only met 5 other pilgrims the whole way ! So.. was wondering if anyone else was starting in Oviedo around that time ? Many thanks

Ali
 
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Hi Ali @alishippo
I did the Primitivo starting from Oviedo last year. I started walking on 29th April.
Weather was a little wet at times, but nothing like snow! I think you CAN get snow that late but not usual.
And really no shortage of people walking - the cohort was at least 25/day I would say. (From the forum I know that it increased dramatically later on last year.) I usually walk alone and always enjoy meeting others along the way. I would go back at the drop of a hat and do it again this year! In fact I am going to start in Madrid this time, in about 2 weeks from now.
Have a wonderful time - I am sure you will!
Buen camino. Tim
 
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I start a few days later so will follow on behind you :) Going to take it easy so realistically we won't see each other. Enjoy and buen Camino!
 
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Thanks, It was only yesterday that I decided to do it, as originally doing another route with a friend but they've had to cancel... this will be my 6th camino so not sure why I'm riddled with same old fears of getting lost and it being too hard etc!! I've walked the Norte from Irun anyone done both and know how it compares for difficulty ? Ali
 
I start a few days later so will follow on behind you :) Going to take it easy so realistically we won't see each other. Enjoy and buen Camino!
Well I'll be starting slow and see how it goes- but Buen Camino :)
 
Hi Ali @alishippo
I did the Primitivo starting from Oviedo last year. I started walking on 29th April.
Weather was a little wet at times, but nothing like snow! I think you CAN get snow that late but not usual.
And really no shortage of people walking - the cohort was at least 25/day I would say. (From the forum I know that it increased dramatically later on last year.) I usually walk alone and always enjoy meeting others along the way. I would go back at the drop of a hat and do it again this year! In fact I am going to start in Madrid this time, in about 2 weeks from now.
Have a wonderful time - I am sure you will!
Buen camino. Tim

Tim, i meant to reply to this but think I posted instead !! anyway thanks very much for that and Buen Camino for yours :)
 
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Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
Thanks, It was only yesterday that I decided to do it, as originally doing another route with a friend but they've had to cancel... this will be my 6th camino so not sure why I'm riddled with same old fears of getting lost and it being too hard etc!! I've walked the Norte from Irun anyone done both and know how it compares for difficulty ? Ali
Ali,

I just got back from number 7 and I still go through that exact same ridiculous mental gymnastics. o_O

I walked the Norte from San Sebastian to Llanes, and the following year the Primitivo. To tell you the truth, while walking on VDLP just a few days ago and reading on the Forum "how hilly and difficult" the Norte is, I just did not remember ot that way. Memory is a funny thing. I do remember it was HOT and I smelled like never before! :cool:

But back to the Primitivo, if you walked the Norte you will have no problem with the Primitivo, especially with a new albergue in Grado. There are two more challenging days: 1) the day over the Hospitales route and the end of the day into O Cadavo where there are 5 km of steep incline.

Knowing the full Hospitales route would be too much for me, I had a taxi collect me mid-day, at the Alto de la Marta amd saved myself the downhill, an excellent decision according to those experienced walkers who did the whole thing and were exhausted when they hobbled into town.

Other than that, no worries. I did post about my days on the Primitivo in a thread called "Primitivo: breathtaking" or something similar if you are interested.
 
I worked as a hospitalario last year at Grado for 2 weeks. Completo everyday by 2pm. No shortage of pilgrims.
 
I'm leaving Oviedo on the 29th...second time on the Primitivo and in much worse shape than the last time I walked (2 years ago). Need to walk in 8 days to Lugo due to my schedule but know I can do it. It really isn't as bad as some say. Just put one foot in front of the other and take frequent breaks on the uphill parts to enjoy the view:)!
 
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Thanks guys, for all your support -it's good to know it's not only me :) I always try to remember what a fellow caminate always said 'your strenghth is all in the head' so true you've just got to walk ... I get into Oviedo at 1 am so thinking I'll have a later start and take a short first day.. I heard it wasn't a bed race on thePrimitivo is this still the case ?
Thanks again :)
 
If the Hospitales route is too long a day then you can go the alternative via Pola de Allande and spend the night there. It was the more popular route before the way marking was improved over Hospitales. The two routes have a clear divide and then rejoin at Puerto de Palo.
 
I get into Oviedo at 1 am so thinking I'll have a later start and take a short first day.. I heard it wasn't a bed race on thePrimitivo is this still the case ?
Thanks again :)
I also decided on a short first day when I walked and did not regret it.

I bussed to the Naranco sites for a visit and started walking from there to Esclampero. The albergue is your typical traditional muni in a converted school, not bad like some of the reviews claim. Pick up the key at the restaurant as you pass by. This meant my second night was in the beautiful country side albergue of San Juan de Villapanada. Picked up a frozen lazagna for dinner at the grocery store in Grado. It was perfect.
 
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I worked as a hospitalario last year at Grado for 2 weeks. Completo everyday by 2pm. No shortage of pilgrims.

Good to know Trude! Haven't done a Camino in Spain since 2012. Do people start crazy early on the Primitivo? What's normal rising time these days?
 
I also decided on a short first day when I walked and did not regret it.

I bussed to the Naranco sites for a visit and started walking from there to Esclampero. The albergue is your typical traditional muni in a converted school, not bad like some of the reviews claim. Pick up the key at the restaurant as you pass by. This meant my second night was in the beautiful country side albergue of San Juan de Villapanada. Picked up a frozen lazagna for dinner at the grocery store in Grado. It was perfect.

Hi Anemone,

I'm thinking I might do what you did and catch a bus to the Naranco sites. Do you know if the buses run frequently on a Sunday? Also... How far is it to walk from Naranco to Esclampero? Was it easy to find your way?

Sorry for all the questions! You'd know I was heading there shortly eh?!
 
Hi Anemone,

I'm thinking I might do what you did and catch a bus to the Naranco sites. Do you know if the buses run frequently on a Sunday? Also... How far is it to walk from Naranco to Esclampero? Was it easy to find your way?

Sorry for all the questions! You'd know I was heading there shortly eh?!
The bus is a city bus that you can catch in calle Uria. It's the 1A, with Centro Asturiano as its destination. Centro Asturiano is what some guidebooks refer as a sports center. There is a bus per hour. You can also walk up, but it's a brutal walk.

http://www.tua.es/es/lineas-y-horarios/linea-a.html#paradasIda
http://www.tua.es/es/lineas-y-horarios/linea-a.html#paradasIda

When you are done visiting, head back to the bus stop/parking lot and walk in the same direction the bus was going, to the right when you have your back to the monuments. And just keep going. You will pass a small village, Uccle, with a bar, then when the road ends, take a left on the perpendicular road. Keep walking until you come to a small white chapel on your right. There is a stamp there. That is where the Naracanco routes joins the normal route out of Oviedo.

At the chapel, get off the road, hop on the grass and take the path marked with your first yellow arrow.

Naranco to Esclampero may be 10km or so, so a nice short day for the first day of walking, helping get over jetlag.
 
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The bus is a city bus that you can catch in calle Uria. It's the 1A, with Centro Asturiano as its destination. Centro Asturiano is what some guidebooks refer as a sports center. There is a bus per hour. You can also walk up, but it's a brutal walk.

http://www.tua.es/es/lineas-y-horarios/linea-a.html#paradasIda
http://www.tua.es/es/lineas-y-horarios/linea-a.html#paradasIda

When you are done visiting, head back to the bus stop/parking lot and walk in the same direction the bus was going, to the right when you have your back to the monuments. And just keep going. You will pass a small village, Uccle, with a bar, then when the road ends, take a left on the perpendicular road. Keep walking until you come to a small white chapel on your right. There is a stamp there. That is where the Naracanco routes joins the normal route out of Oviedo.

At the chapel, get off the road, hop on the grass and take the path marked with your first yellow arrow.

Naranco to Esclampero may be 10km or so, so a nice short day for the first day of walking, helping get over jetlag.

Thanks a million for all the detail. Just what I needed. :) I'd say I'll be catching the bus. :)
 
Catch the bus across the street from the Corte Ingles, heading towards the hill, train station, away from the cathedral.

Thanks! I think you're psychic. I was going to ask that exact question but didn't want to inundate you! :)
 
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The bus is a city bus that you can catch in calle Uria. It's the 1A, with Centro Asturiano as its destination. Centro Asturiano is what some guidebooks refer as a sports center. There is a bus per hour. You can also walk up, but it's a brutal walk.

Anemone, I have to disagree. Brutal? It can't be much more than 3 km from the train station and it takes most people 30-40 minutes. I've done it many times and I really don't think it's that bad. I can't figure out the total elevation gain from my ipad, but I will do that tomorrow on the computer. My guess is that it's not much more than 150 m total ascent, though. There is a very steep ascent after the churches if you want to go all the way up to the top of the mountain, for a great view, btw.

It is a steady uphill from behind the train station to the churches, no doubt about that, but in my experience it is quicker to just walk rather than wait for the relatively infrequent buses.
 
It is a steady uphill from behind the train station to the churches, no doubt about that, but in my experience it is quicker to just walk rather than wait for the relatively infrequent buses.
I remember how steep the incline was even for the bus. Would not hbe wanted to do it by foot.
 
Hi Ali @alishippo
I did the Primitivo starting from Oviedo last year. I started walking on 29th April.
Weather was a little wet at times, but nothing like snow! I think you CAN get snow that late but not usual.
And really no shortage of people walking - the cohort was at least 25/day I would say. (From the forum I know that it increased dramatically later on last year.) I usually walk alone and always enjoy meeting others along the way. I would go back at the drop of a hat and do it again this year! In fact I am going to start in Madrid this time, in about 2 weeks from now.
Have a wonderful time - I am sure you will!
Buen camino. Tim
Hi Tim I see you've walked many of the caminos so you're a good person to ask a ? ... we did SJPP to SDC last September and loved every day ... planning camino #2 in Sept this year but struggling to decide which one ... Portuguese or Primitivo with continuation to Finisterre and Muxia ... thoughts?
 
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Hi Tim I see you've walked many of the caminos so you're a good person to ask a ? ... we did SJPP to SDC last September and loved every day ... planning camino #2 in Sept this year but struggling to decide which one ... Portuguese or Primitivo with continuation to Finisterre and Muxia ... thoughts?
Well this isn't going to be terribly helpful. I enjoyed both of them very much, and did both last year. Primitivo at this time (the end of April) and Portuguese in November. I think starting from Porto would be very comparable in length to starting from Oviedo. So that is not going to be a big difference.
I didn't really keep notes from Oviedo. I followed fairly 'standard' etapas. I did the hospitales route and did the connection from Lugo to Friol and on to Sobrado dos Monxes and finished therefore technically on the Norte.
I have some walking notes on Portuguese here. Despite what the thread title says, I did the Coastal route for most of my walk and before that the littoral route.
Have you got two years in prospect? Do both!
Have you got to choose just one?.........well I guess it depends whether you prefer mountains or sea.
If you search under both sub-forums, Portuguese and Primitivo, you will find both are very popular with people looking for (a) something different from Frances and particularly (b) something a bit quieter. Each has excellent infrastructure with respect to waymarking and albergues. Primitivo seems to be getting busier each year. It was not very busy in April, but certainly was in later months last year. I'm not sure about September. Portugues definitely quieter I think, but you would still meet plenty of people in September.
 
I worked as a hospitalario last year at Grado for 2 weeks. Completo everyday by 2pm. No shortage of pilgrims.
Hello Trude,
What period of the year was it when you worked there ?
 

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