For those who transition from El Norte to El Primitivo

[peregrina2000]

I know there are lots of people who walk on the Norte until Villaviciosa (a bit before Gijon) and then turn south to pick up the Primitivo in Oviedo.

And there are those who are on the Norte, drop down to Oviedo,and then head back up to rejoin the Norte, usually in Aviles.

In any event, if you do walk from Villaviciosa to Oviedo, there is an incredible place to stop-- the church and monastery at Valdedios, built in the 9th century. It's a little bit of a detour, but well marked, and the views back up to the camino afterwards, looking down into the valley where the church sits more or less alone, are incredible.

The church is apparently undergoing some renovation,
http://elcaminodesantiagodesdeasturias.blogspot.com/

It also appears that the albergue in the monastery may be closed. I have never stayed there, and it always gets varying reports. There are, however, two albergues between Valdedios and Oviedo, one in Vega de Sariego and the other in Pola de Siero. Reports I heard from last summer were that the albergue in Pola de Siero is very nice (and newly inaugurated).

 

[Barbara]

Just seen this post.
I have an experience of Valdedios......Not a good one. In 2004 I was walking with my donkey, made a detour so I could attend mass there the next day (Sunday) and was sent away with a flea in my ear. I later learned that the albergue had been built with taxpayers money, and I was not the first pilgrim to be treated as an unwanted nuisance. I walked another seven km, all uphill, on a hot day, to the next refuge, which was a disused school. Happily that one was not a problem. On the whole, I got much more help from the Gardia and local farmers and shopkeepers than from religious houses. There were some honorable exceptions, Bolibar, Cobreces, and Guemes spring to mind.
Maybe things have changed, and most people don't have a donkey who needs a small patch of grass for the night.