Del Salvador in mid-September ?

[Hanne]

Is it a bad idea to walk Camino del Salvador in September?
Can I expect Bed-running ?
Is there a special Credencial for del Salvador?
Is it at the Cathedral or the albergue in Oviedo, I can get the "Salvadore" (Salvador-Compostela)?

 

[Jan_D]

Hi Hanne: yes there's a special compostela for this camino, which you can get at the cathedral in Oviedo (the Salvador was designed to attract pilgrims up from the Frances: in fact many relics were stored in Oviedo during the Moorish invasions, including the 'sudarium' or cloth used to wipe the sweat from Jesus' brow!)

I'm no expert, but after following some of the threads on this forum it seems the bed-running is very much a June-August phenomenon. I myself did the Salvador ('backwards' to Leon) in September a couple of years ago, and hardly saw a soul!

Here's some info about distances and accommodation:
http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/de-san-salvador/

 

[Hanne]

Hi Jan,
Thank you!
I am looking forward to walk from Léon to Oviedo and one day more to Avíles
It will be nice with fellow-pilgrims on Del Salvador, but not too many!

 

[jpflavin1]

Is it a bad idea to walk Camino del Salvador in September?
Can I expect Bed-running ?
Is there a special Credencial for del Salvador?
Is it at the Cathedral or the albergue in Oviedo, I can get the "Salvadore" (Salvador-Compostela)?

Hanne:

Yes there is a special credential for the San Salvador. You can get it at the Albergue in Leon. This is a beautiful walk 4-6 days depending on your pace. I walked in April but think September should be a great time to walk. There has been conversation stating an increased number of Pilgrims. My personal experience was very solitary.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Hanne]

Hi Joe,

I loved walking the Primitivo some years ago, but decided to escape the bed-running from Lugo down to Melide, following the alternative camino via Friol and Sobrado (Del Norte) to Arca.
If I can have a nice long walk in the Mountains without worries about accommondation, it will be a perfect camino.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Jan,
Thank you!
I am looking forward to walk from Léon to Oviedo and one day more to Avíles
It will be nice with fellow-pilgrims on Del Salvador, but not too many!

So, Hanne, I take it you are going to walk from Oviedo up to connect with the norte rather than go on the Primitivo? That is one tough choice, but the good thing is that the way from Oviedo to Avilés is now well marked, unlike when I walked it and wound up for hours on the narrow shoulder of a national highway. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[jpflavin1]

Hi Joe,

I loved walking the Primitivo some years ago, but decided to escape the bed-running from Lugo down to Melide, following the alternative camino via Friol and Sobrado (Del Norte) to Arca.
If I can have a nice long walk in the Mountains without worries about accommondation, it will be a perfect camino.

Hanne:

The only Albergue I would recommend missing is Poladura de la Tercia. The Albergue there is not kept up and has an extremely small hot water tank. There is a Casa Rural in this town of 59, I recommend you stay there. Just in case traffic has picked up, I would make a reservation. Cabanillas (pop.20) is also a small town, about 17 km's from Leon. A very clean Albergue but no food. I got lucky. The woman next door came down and brought me to her house for dinner. She refused any type of compensation. Mieres is also a shaky Albergue on the outskirts of the town. It is not well kept up. This is a nice town and there should be lots of options. Buiza had a nice clean Albergue with a kitchen but I did not see a place to purchase food. I just stopped to put on my rain gear. This is a route where carrying something to cook is not a bad idea, at least until you get through the mountains.

This is a very nice walk in good conditions.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Hanne]

So, Hanne, I take it you are going to walk from Oviedo up to connect with the norte rather than go on the Primitivo? That is one tough choice, but the good thing is that the way from Oviedo to Avilés is now well marked, unlike when I walked it and wound up for hours on the narrow shoulder of a national highway. Buen camino, Laurie

Hi Laurie,
The walk to Avilés is to connect with Del Norte, but only to "cross my own footsteps".
I walked Camino Del Norte 2 years ago from Hendaye in France.
My plan is to take bus or train to Ponferrada and walk Camino Inverno to Santiago.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Laurie,
The walk to Avilés is to connect with Del Norte, but only to "cross my own footsteps".
I walked Camino Del Norte 2 years ago from Hendaye in France.
My plan is to take bus or train to Ponferrada and walk Camino Inverno to Santiago.

Hi, Hanne.
Great idea! I've walked the Invierno and it's a beautiful walk. In fact I'm going back with LTfit of the forum in early July and hope to have some revisions to our guide in the resources section before you leave on September. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Hanne]

Hi, Hanne.
Great idea! I've walked the Invierno and it's a beautiful walk. In fact I'm going back with LTfit of the forum in early July and hope to have some revisions to our guide in the resources section before you leave on September. Buen camino, Laurie

Hi Laurie,
Thanks
I am looking forward to read the revisions on The Inverno. On my Via de la Plata/Sanabrés camino I met a pilgrim in a restaurant in Laxe. He had just finished the Inverno, and said the walk was beautiful. Hanne

 

[Dave63photo]

Hanne:

The only Albergue I would recommend missing is Poladura de la Tercia. The Albergue there is not kept up and has an extremely small hot water tank. There is a Casa Rural in this town of 59, I recommend you stay there. Just in case traffic has picked up, I would make a reservation. Cabanillas (pop.20) is also a small town, about 17 km's from Leon. A very clean Albergue but no food. I got lucky. The woman next door came down and brought me to her house for dinner. She refused any type of compensation. Mieres is also a shaky Albergue on the outskirts of the town. It is not well kept up. This is a nice town and there should be lots of options. Buiza had a nice clean Albergue with a kitchen but I did not see a place to purchase food. I just stopped to put on my rain gear. This is a route where carrying something to cook is not a bad idea, at least until you get through the mountains.

This is a very nice walk in good conditions.

Ultreya,
Joe

would have to disagree with you about the albergue in Poladura - we stayed here on our recent 5 day trek from Leon and would have to say it was the best one we stayed in, tidy, well equipped and comfy! And a superb location......bought wine and chorizo from the cafe next door - result!

 

[jpflavin1]

would have to disagree with you about the albergue in Poladura - we stayed here on our recent 5 day trek from Leon and would have to say it was the best one we stayed in, tidy, well equipped and comfy! And a superb location......bought wine and chorizo from the cafe next door - result!

Not sure we are talking about the same place unless there have been some major renovations. This is the small town in the mountains after Buiza. There is no cafe or bar in town. There is a Casa rural.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Dave63photo]

Not sure we are talking about the same place unless there have been some major renovations. This is the small town in the mountains after Buiza. There is no cafe or bar in town. There is a Casa rural.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Dave63photo]

this place? and sorry, meant a 'casa rural'.....

 

[jpflavin1]

this place? and sorry, meant a 'casa rural'.....

Dave:

That is definitely the Albergue. I was there the first week in April 2013. It was dirty and when I plugged in the two space heaters the fuse blew. Had to find it in the dark. I am happy to hear they have cleaned it up. It also had a very small hot water heater in the kitchen. I would still recommend folks stay in the Casa Rural. Did you see many others? I hear the route is becoming popular.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Dave63photo]

Dave:

That is definitely the Albergue. I was there the first week in April 2013. It was dirty and when I plugged in the two space heaters the fuse blew. Had to find it in the dark. I am happy to hear they have cleaned it up. It also had a very small hot water heater in the kitchen. I would still recommend folks stay in the Casa Rural. Did you see many others? I hear the route is becoming popular.

Ultreya,
Joe

Hi Joe,
we were there on the night of the 15th May this year, brought most of our food in, but as I said managed to buy chorizo and some wine from the Casa Rural - see pic! We had the heater and the stove on with no probs, locals were extremely friendly (as per usual!) We aimed to stay in the albergues if we could to keep it 'authentic'. We had seen another review of this albergue which was also less than encouraging but were pleasantly surprised by the facilities on offer. (comfiest beds of the entire trip....)
We were there on our own, though another two had stayed two nights previously. Over the entire route we only saw one other pilgrim and that was on the second last day outside Pola de Lena, and he passed us at a high rate - he was on 'plan' for completing the entire 125km in two and a half days! No mountain passes were going to slow him down!
Dave.

 

[jpflavin1]

Hi Joe,
we were there on the night of the 15th May this year, brought most of our food in, but as I said managed to buy chorizo and some wine from the Casa Rural - see pic! We had the heater and the stove on with no probs, locals were extremely friendly (as per usual!) We aimed to stay in the albergues if we could to keep it 'authentic'. We had seen another review of this albergue which was also less than encouraging but were pleasantly surprised by the facilities on offer. (comfiest beds of the entire trip....)
We were there on our own, though another two had stayed two nights previously. Over the entire route we only saw one other pilgrim and that was on the second last day outside Pola de Lena, and he passed us at a high rate - he was on 'plan' for completing the entire 125km in two and a half days! No mountain passes were going to slow him down!
Dave.

Nice to hear they cleaned it up. What about hot water? This is a great Camino, imo, and this stop was the only unsatisfactory one for me. I encountered 3 to 4 meter snow drifts and lots of rain and mud but it was still a beautiful walk. I never saw anyone except in the towns and the pedestrian walkways into Mieres. Did you stay in that Albergue? (Mieres)

Joe

 

[Dave63photo]

Nice to hear they cleaned it up. What about hot water? This is a great Camino, imo, and this stop was the only unsatisfactory one for me. I encountered 3 to 4 meter snow drifts and lots of rain and mud but it was still a beautiful walk. I never saw anyone except in the towns and the pedestrian walkways into Mieres. Did you stay in that Albergue? (Mieres)

Joe

Hi Joe,
hot water was ok.....
We had 5 days of 'not rain'......wasn't exactly warm some days, but we were dry!
Yup, did stay in the Mieres albergue - now it was 'ok' facility wise but was way outside the centre of town, basically on the town limits with a cement factory and a flyover for company. Did get an excellent feed at the bar/restaurant which was on the 'camino' road out of town - just ask for the pilgrims menu folks!
Dave.

 

[Paul van Brakel]

Is it a bad idea to walk Camino del Salvador in September?
Can I expect Bed-running ?
Is there a special Credencial for del Salvador?
Is it at the Cathedral or the albergue in Oviedo, I can get the "Salvadore" (Salvador-Compostela)?

Hi Hanne;
Today is september 7th, i'm in Leon.
I'm starting the camino San Salvator tomorrow, perhaps we'll meet.
Paul