detour to Cangas del Narcea?

[dmjelley5]

My daughter and I will be starting in Bilbao on the Camino del Norte to the Camino Primitive and joining the Camino Frances for the last leg. This is our first time on the Camino, but we both have good fitness and I think that going at a reasonable (but not rushed) pace we'll have 3 'extra days'. Planning to stay mostly at Albergues, but would like to stay at paradors once every 7 to 10 day. Both the parador at Cangas del Narcea, and the town sound fantastic. Has anyone detoured from Tineo to Cangas del Narcea and back to the primitive at Pola de allande? How about staying at the parador there?
Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Dave Jelley
Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I have not, perhpas someone else can help you. That parador soundswonderful.

But if that plan fails, know that Tineo has a beautiful hotel, the Palacio de Meras.
http://palaciodemeras.com/

 

[peregrina2000]

My daughter and I will be starting in Bilbao on the Camino del Norte to the Camino Primitive and joining the Camino Frances for the last leg. This is our first time on the Camino, but we both have good fitness and I think that going at a reasonable (but not rushed) pace we'll have 3 'extra days'. Planning to stay mostly at Albergues, but would like to stay at paradors once every 7 to 10 day. Both the parador at Cangas del Narcea, and the town sound fantastic. Has anyone detoured from Tineo to Cangas del Narcea and back to the primitive at Pola de allande? How about staying at the parador there?
Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Dave Jelley
Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

My son lived in Cangas del Narcea for a year about 9 years ago. He was a teaching assistant in English for the local high school. I have to say I don't know how or why Cangas would be described by anyone as a "fantastic" town, at least not in the tourism sense. It is a mining town fallen on very very hard times, has a two or three street core near the river with some old buildings, but is generally a modern charmless place. The people, however, are fantastic. There is great ambiente in the downtown pedestrian core and very good food and tapas. But I would never go to Cangas just to visit the city.

The parador is huge, and was under construction while he was there. No one in town could believe that a parador of this size would make it in Cangas. I'm glad that it seems to be doing well. It is in a beautiful part of Asturias, this is true, and I have been to small villages and farms in the area that are wonderful and picturesque. But you would need a car to see those parts.

I popped over to Cangas twice from the Primitivo to see my son. From Oviedo, I got a bus back and forth (about two hours but fairly regular). I then also took a detour later on in the walk. There is a bus from Pola de Allande that takes school aged kids to Cangas and doubles as a public bus. I took the bus from Pola to go see him in Cangas early one morning and a cab back to Pola to start walking again.

 

[dmjelley5]

My son lived in Cangas del Narcea for a year about 5 years ago. He was a teaching assistant in English for the local high school. I have to say I don't know how or why Cangas would be described by anyone as a "fantastic" town, at least not in the tourism sense. It is a mining town fallen on very very hard times, has a two or three street core near the river with some old buildings, but is generally a modern charmless place. The people, however, are fantastic. There is great ambiente in the downtown pedestrian core and very good food and tapas. But I would never go to Cangas just to visit the city.

The parador is huge, and was under construction while he was there. No one in town could believe that a parador of this size would make it in Cangas. I'm glad that it seems to be doing well. It is in a beautiful part of Asturias, this is true, and I have been to small villages and farms in the area that are wonderful and picturesque. But you would need a car to see those parts.

I popped over to Cangas twice from the Primitivo to see my son. From Oviedo, I got a bus back and forth (about two hours but fairly regular). I then also took a detour later on in the walk. There is a bus from Pola de Allande that takes school aged kids to Cangas and doubles as a public bus. I took the bus from Pola to go see him in Cangas early one morning and a cab back to Pola to start walking again.

 

[dmjelley5]

Thanks so much for the info. I described the town as looking fantastic based on the pictures from Google maps. The pictures really are quite lovely. It sounds like they may show the pedestrian core you were talking about. I'm going to make sure that construction on the parador is done before making the effort to detour there. Thanks again.

 

[peregrina2000]

I'm virtually certain that the construction has been done for several years, as the parador is in operation (it's outside of Cangas, the town is called Corias). Make sure not to confuse it with Cangas de Onis, which is a lovely town in Asturias and also has a parador.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thanks so much for the info. I described the town as looking fantastic based on the pictures from Google maps. The pictures really are quite lovely. It sounds like they may show the pedestrian core you were talking about. I'm going to make sure that construction on the parador is done before making the effort to detour there. Thanks again.

That parador is ranked as the best rural hotel in the country, that says a lot. If it offers a lot of pampering within its walls then it may very well succeed. Or perhaps people use it as a base for daily road trips.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I'm virtually certain that the construction has been done for several years, as the parador is in operation (it's outside of Cangas, the town is called Corias). Make sure not to confuse it with Cangas de Onis, which is a lovely town in Asturias and also has a parador.

But Cangas de Onis is nowhere near Tineo. My guess is that thr Palacio de Meres is about to get two new clients .

 

[peregrina2000]

Has anyone detoured from Tineo to Cangas del Narcea and back to the primitive at Pola de allande?

Whatever you decide about the parador in Cangas del Narcea (and I think it looks quite nice, btw), I would strongly encourage you to banish the thought about removing the Tineo to Pola stage from your itinerary. That first hour or so out of Tineo (once you get up to the top of the hill) is one of the Primitivo's most beautiful parts. If it were me, I'd take the bus from Pola to Cangas and then back to Pola to resume.

If you have the extra days, have you considered taking a short day from Tineo to Campiello and then walking the next day via Hospitales? That'd be another way to spend an extra day.

Buen camino, Laurie

and p.s. There is a parador-level hotel in Oviedo, the Reconquista, which featured in Woody Allen's Vicki Cristina Barcelona or whatever it was called. It is very nice, I had a splurge there a few years ago and it is as nice as the nicest paradors I've stayed in.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Thanks so much for the info. I described the town as looking fantastic based on the pictures from Google maps. The pictures really are quite lovely. It sounds like they may show the pedestrian core you were talking about. I'm going to make sure that construction on the parador is done before making the effort to detour there. Thanks again.

We stayed in Cangas del Narcea last year at the Hotel Peñagrande, about 2 kms out of the centre, with a lovely riverside walk into town. If you want to visit and stay in Cangas del Narcea then maybe take the bus from Salas and back. Having driven it we would not really want to walk from Tineo or Pola as it is on the main road with blind bends.
We liked this little town and are returning this year. Out of its centre there are little cobbled side streets, an old church and the Paseo de Vino (the riverside walk) signed and passes the wine making museum, before coming to the road over a small bridge near the agricultural centre and the Hotel Peñagrande.
The Parador is a similar distance from town but by road.

 

[peregrina2000]

Maybe I was too hard on Cangas, thanks for offering a more positive opinion, Tia. When I was there, most of the houses in that old part were uninhabitated and in very poor condition. There was no wine museum or paseo del vino yet either. So my guess is that the opening of the parador has spurred redevelopment. Good for the people of Cangas.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We have not put many photos on our blog from last year. Time we did maybe!
However here a re a few of the Paseo de Vino looking towards Cangas, with one of the back of the wine museum. Really fascinating with the history of wine making in the area. It is at the mid-point of the path so about 1km out of Cangas, leaving there over the old bridge.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Also these coming into Cangas del Narcea, over the old bridge and up into town. We bought some of the local wine (it is excellent) from the little shop on the left on the hill. The church is in the centre and the Tourist Information is in the same plaza (took church photo from there). A wonderful chocolateria/coffee shop nearby too.

 

[peregrina2000]

So glad that Cangas seems to be showing some signs of revival! I will have to write to one of the teachers I got to know pretty well when my son was there to see what the insider's view of all this is. It's funny -- when my son was there, he was about 22. There was absolutely NO ONE in town that age group, all were out either studying or working. But they came back for holidays. So he wound up socializing with the teachers at the school, most of whom left on weekends for their home towns, so weekends were pretty solitary.

The biggest holiday is in prime walking season -- mid July. It's the Fiesta (de Nuestra Señora) del Carmen. My son went back for that one year and said it is a pretty great fiesta, though it does have a huge deafening descarga (loud firecrackers) that causes some dog owners to take their dogs out of town for the weekend.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

My daughter and I will be starting in Bilbao on the Camino del Norte

Before starting out you may want to visit Gaztelugatxe, a place nearby Bilbao (to the northeast). It is being discussed now on the thread https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...s-movie-where-is-the-place.45336/#post-477629

 

[dmjelley5]

Whatever you decide about the parador in Cangas del Narcea (and I think it looks quite nice, btw), I would strongly encourage you to banish the thought about removing the Tineo to Pola stage from your itinerary. That first hour or so out of Tineo (once you get up to the top of the hill) is one of the Primitivo's most beautiful parts. If it were me, I'd take the bus from Pola to Cangas and then back to Pola to resume.

If you have the extra days, have you considered taking a short day from Tineo to Campiello and then walking the next day via Hospitales? That'd be another way to spend an extra day.

Buen camino, Laurie

and p.s. There is a parador-level hotel in Oviedo, the Reconquista, which featured in Woody Allen's Vicki Cristina Barcelona or whatever it was called. It is very nice, I had a splurge there a few years ago and it is as nice as the nicest paradors I've stayed in.

Thanks for the advice. After reading all of the responses to my post, I think we'll take the bus from Tineo to Corias/Cangas del Narcea and then back the next day, then do a short day from Tineo to Campiella (as you recommend) before the 'not so short' Hospitales route.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Thanks for the advice. After reading all of the responses to my post, I think we'll take the bus from Tineo to Corias/Cangas del Narcea and then back the next day, then do a short day from Tineo to Campiella (as you recommend) before the 'not so short' Hospitales route.

I am not sure why you are thinking of Tineo for the bus. I thought that more buses went from or through Salas daily as that is where the road turns off for Cangas. You may be aware of more buses but I suggest that you check all the bus times in Oviedo at the bus station before leaving Oviedo. Salas to Tineo is a reasonable length day.

 

[Pelegrin]

The Parador of Corias was built inside a monastery from XI century that was very important in SW Asturias.
Cangas del Narcea is a wine producer (the only one in Asturias) The whites are made of a particular grape variety called Albarín (different from Albariño).
Appart from the city there are interesting excursions to places located in the same municipality but a car is required. Among them the most important IMO are.
Muniellos is a big oak forest and has an interesting 5 or 6 hours walk towards some little lakes . It is a nature reserve and it is necessary to call previously to have a permission.

Nuestra Señora del Acebo It is the second sanctuary in importance in Asturias It has espectacular views.

Both places are located about 10 kms from Cangas.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Part of our reason for planning to return there this year @Pelegrin . So much to see round about and the wine is very good. The bear look-out point is about 17kms away so we plan to stay nearer to that for a few days then on the outskirts of Cangas itself. As you say a car is essential for seeing these places further from Cangas del Narcea.

 

[Pelegrin]

Other place that I know in the municipality of Cangas is Llamas del Mouro (23 Kms) that makes a particular black pottery.
Also, I like very much the neigbour municipality of Ibias that is in the Galician speaking zone of Asturias. Its capital San Antolín de Ibias is 48 Kms from Cangas . It's the same road to get to Muniellos and continue to Puerto del Connio. If you go, you must take care when driving because the road is rather narrow.

 

[Pelegrin]

A bear strolled down yesterday in a village in the municipality of Cangas del Narcea.

Un oso se pasea por Cangas del Narcea

www.lavozdeasturias.es

 

[Pelegrin]

The bad sounding expression heard on this video (that I don´t dare to write here) is a normal one used in rural Galicia and Asturias to scare away animals. So you can use it also with loose fierce dogs.
I´m sure that the dog will think that you are not a "common pilgrim".

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

How common is it to see a bear? I lived in Spain for eight years and never saw one!! We had packs of wild dogs, but no bears. And it wasn't cold enough for polar bears ........ that's a joke!!!!

 

[Pelegrin]

How common is it to see a bear? I lived in Spain for eight years and never saw one!! We had packs of wild dogs, but no bears. And it wasn't cold enough for polar bears ........ that's a joke!!!!

It is very dufficult to see one. There are around 300 in Spain, only in the mountains of the North.
In Asturias less than 100.

 

[Tia Valeria]

In 2016 we stayed in Cangas del Narcea and spent a chilly evening at the bear look-out point near Degaña. (That was the first year we took the car) Just as we were about to give up as it was getting dark a bear walked over and along the top of the mountain opposite.
Just visible with the 'naked eye' but we had our binoculars. Made it well worth wearing about 3 layers of fleeces and our ponchos.

 

[Pelegrin]

In 2016 we stayed in Cangas del Narcea and spent a chilly evening at the bear look-out point near Degaña. (That was the first year we took the car) Just as we were about to give up as it was getting dark a bear walked over and along the top of the mountain opposite.
Just visible with the 'naked eye' but we had our binoculars. Made it well worth wearing about 3 layers of fleeces and our ponchos.

I knew that there were bears in Bosque de Muniellos, but I had visited several times Cangas and Degaña (last time in 2019, one week in a hotel in Cerredo) and I didn't know about bears look out points in Degaña. So, thank you for your information.