Frances to Salvador to Primitivo

[Holly Mitchem]

Hello all,
First of all many thanks to all who have contributed info about el Salvador and Primitivo, which I have perused in detail and have found so very helpful. We are a group of four older walkers from the U.S., all of us with extensive Sierra Nevada and Grand Canyon backpacking and international travel experience. We will be starting our first Camino in June of 2016. Due to work schedules, only two will be starting in St. Jean, the third will join around Burgos and the fourth in Léon. As of now we are planning to arrive in Santiago on July 23rd as one of us is a music teacher very much interested in the musical aspects of this feast day and we all love a good fiesta!

Right now we are seriously considering the option of peeling off the Frances and doing the Primitivo, primarily to have a more wilderness experience and avoid the crowds, although we do realize it will be crowded if we re-join the Frances from the Primitivo at Melide on and of course very crowded in Santiago. Using Gronze's calculator it appears that this would add 120 km to the total trip. We will remain flexible and decide in Léon whether or not to split off or stay on the Frances. We figure on around a medium pace of 24 km (15 miles) a day.

We are thinking of 41 days of walking total, which includes five rest days or shorter days. What we are now trying to figure out is how many days we should budget to get to Léon, as well as how much time most people take to do the Salvador/Primitivo. Also interested in hearing about the best towns and recommendations for private hotels on these routes in addition to the alburges, as we may want to take a rest day or two on either of them. Also interested in hearing whether or not you feel this is too much or sufficient time to do this combination.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Ersoki has you in Leon in 18 days and shows the Primitivo in 13. The Salvador is 4-5 days. Mind you, this is just what this guide has come up with. I took my time and walked the Primitivo in 18. As the Salvador has very few options on where to stay you will probably have no choice than doing it in 4 or 5. When I walked the Frances I did it following those etapas, or Brierly's which are very similar. But you could have the hike up the Leopolder pass divided in two days if you spend the first night on the hill in Orisson, or if you chose to walk via Valcarlos. On the Primitivo I decided to also not walk toSan Juan the first day but to stay in Esclampero and then in San Juan de Villapanada the following day. I don't do 30 km ;0), and the albergue in San Juan is a lovely place. Plus, walking 30km when you just got off an intercontinental flight is not much fun.

Take a look at the Eroski or Gronze sites, also the forwalk.org, they will give you an idea of what you might be interested in doing.

I for one think you are going to have a great time!

 

[Kiwi-family]

If you do it, you'll be walking our favourite route so far;-) Highly recommended.

 

[AJ]

In 2010 Leon to Oviedo took me 5 days and Oviedo to Palas de Rei 9.

In 2014 Leon to Palas de Rei on the CF took 8 days.

There are several options with the Primitivo. The one I took is probably not the best. If I did it again I would join the Norte at (I think) Sobrado and continue to the Frances at Arzua.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

There are several options with the Primitivo. The one I took is probably not the best. If I did it again I would join the Norte at (I think) Sobrado and continue to the Frances at Arzua.

I'm curious to find out what these Primitivo options you are thinking about are..

 

[AJ]

I'm curious to find out what these Primitivo options you are thinking about are..

1. Lugo, San Roman - Melide...
2. Lugo, San Roman, Palas de Rei...
3. Lugo, Sobrado dos Monxes, Arzua...

The third may not be quite right, but there is a link from the Primitivo to the Norte which I did not know about until long after I walked the Primitivo.

My guide book at the time would have taken me to Melide, but a local woman suggested that Palas would be better.

 

[peregrina2000]

1. Lugo, San Roman - Melide...
2. Lugo, San Roman, Palas de Rei...
3. Lugo, Sobrado dos Monxes, Arzua...

The third may not be quite right, but there is a link from the Primitivo to the Norte which I did not know about until long after I walked the Primitivo.

My guide book at the time would have taken me to Melide, but a local woman suggested that Palas would be better.

Thanks, AJ, I'm hoping to walk the Salvador/Primitivo this summer and would be interested in some alternatives. Am I right that the detour to Sobrado would make a visit to Santa Eulalia de Boveda impossible? I stayed in Sobrado when I walked the Norte, but that was more than a decade ago, so a return might be nice.

I've gone through Melide on my walks on the Primitivo and I think that's the way the arrows take you. I'm not sure why Palas would be a better alternative, since that would just plunk you on the Frances nearly 15 km earlier than if you go via Melide. If you do go through Palas, a detour to the castle at Pambre would be possible. I did that a few years ago and though it was "en obras", it was a very nice walk and I enjoyed seeing the castle. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Anemone del Camino]

1. Lugo, San Roman - Melide...
2. Lugo, San Roman, Palas de Rei...
3. Lugo, Sobrado dos Monxes, Arzua...

The third may not be quite right, but there is a link from the Primitivo to the Norte which I did not know about until long after I walked the Primitivo.

My guide book at the time would have taken me to Melide, but a local woman suggested that Palas would be better.

I understand what you mean now and remember the point where you can go straight to Melide or left to Palas.

 

[mspath]

...Am I right that the detour to Sobrado would make a visit to Santa Eulalia de Boveda impossible? I stayed in Sobrado when I walked the Norte, but that was more than a decade ago, so a return might be nice. ...
Buen camino, Laurie

Laurie,

Might you walk ad hoc cross country from the monastery at Sobrato to Boveda de Mera? Using small roads it is roughly 34k.

Happy planning/plotting!
MM

 

[jpflavin1]

Hello all,
First of all many thanks to all who have contributed info about el Salvador and Primitivo, which I have perused in detail and have found so very helpful. We are a group of four older walkers from the U.S., all of us with extensive Sierra Nevada and Grand Canyon backpacking and international travel experience. We will be starting our first Camino in June of 2016. Due to work schedules, only two will be starting in St. Jean, the third will join around Burgos and the fourth in Léon. As of now we are planning to arrive in Santiago on July 23rd as one of us is a music teacher very much interested in the musical aspects of this feast day and we all love a good fiesta!

Right now we are seriously considering the option of peeling off the Frances and doing the Primitivo, primarily to have a more wilderness experience and avoid the crowds, although we do realize it will be crowded if we re-join the Frances from the Primitivo at Melide on and of course very crowded in Santiago. Using Gronze's calculator it appears that this would add 120 km to the total trip. We will remain flexible and decide in Léon whether or not to split off or stay on the Frances. We figure on around a medium pace of 24 km (15 miles) a day.

We are thinking of 41 days of walking total, which includes five rest days or shorter days. What we are now trying to figure out is how many days we should budget to get to Léon, as well as how much time most people take to do the Salvador/Primitivo. Also interested in hearing about the best towns and recommendations for private hotels on these routes in addition to the alburges, as we may want to take a rest day or two on either of them. Also interested in hearing whether or not you feel this is too much or sufficient time to do this combination.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Holly:

The walk from SJPdP is 17-21 days depending on pace, rest days etc. The Salvador is a 4-6 day walk. The Primitivo an 11-14 day walk. That would be 32-41 days so your time frame would fit, imo.

The Salvador is a great walk. That said, there are several Albergues that do not have food readily available. Cabanillas (pop. 20) is a small town about 17 km's from Leon, very clean but no food option. You must bring your own. Buiza, another nice Albergue with no food options unless you bring your own to cook. Poladura, imo, not a good Albergue but it has a Casa rural that will cook dinner, must make a reservation. Pajares has a nice Albergue and cooking facilities. There is a bar in town. Pola de Lena has a hostel and some eating facilities. Mieres, has a remote Albergue, recommend you stay in town and probably should make a reservation. Very nice town with lots of eating options. The Salvador is one of the least traveled routes and has somewhat limited accommodations. That said, it is a beautiful walk.

One of the down sides to your veering off the Frances is you will be splitting from your Camino family. If you like less congested walking, why not start in Madrid and connect to the Frances in Sahagun, walk to Leon on the Frances and the do the Salvador/Primitivo finale.

This would only be possible if you have not already made travel plans.

Whatever you decide, I am sure it will be enjoyable.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Holly Mitchem]

Thanks all for the additional information. Not having walked 15 miles a day for days on end (usual trips are probably closer to 7-10 days, but with full backpacks) it is hard to get a sense of what our average pace will actually be. I appreciate the albergue and food information as well. Joe, I think that we want to go over the Pyrenees and get a sense of the Frances for our first camino. Otherwise your route sounds perfect. We are going to try and get reservations in Orisson, as well as hostels in Leon and Santiago. Do you all recommend doing so in Melide and the next night as well, considering our arrival date in Santiago? We are concerned that a group of four might have some trouble finding spots in the more popular alburgues.
Thanks again all,
Holly

 

[AJ]

Thanks, AJ, I'm hoping to walk the Salvador/Primitivo this summer and would be interested in some alternatives. Am I right that the detour to Sobrado would make a visit to Santa Eulalia de Boveda impossible? I stayed in Sobrado when I walked the Norte, but that was more than a decade ago, so a return might be nice.

I've gone through Melide on my walks on the Primitivo and I think that's the way the arrows take you. I'm not sure why Palas would be a better alternative, since that would just plunk you on the Frances nearly 15 km earlier than if you go via Melide. If you do go through Palas, a detour to the castle at Pambre would be possible. I did that a few years ago and though it was "en obras", it was a very nice walk and I enjoyed seeing the castle. Buen camino, Laurie

I haven't made the detour from Primitivo to Sobrado myself and can't answer your question. If you visit Sobrado again and stay at the monastery you will be very pleasantly surprised by the improvements. The accommodation has been completely revamped since you were last there.

The arrows did take one to Melide, and having taken the local woman's advice I have no idea why going via Palas is better!

 

[Castilian]

Am I right that the detour to Sobrado would make a visit to Santa Eulalia de Boveda impossible?

The detour to Sobrado has, between Lugo and Friol, two options; one of them passing through Santa Eulalia de Bóveda (aka Santalla de Bóveda). Take a look at http://estradasecorredoiras.blogspot.com/2010/01/de-lugo-friol-entre-el-camino-primitivo.html for more info (although a bit old; i.e.: signaling may have improved or worsened).

 

[Holly Mitchem]

Hi everyone, now that I have returned home and am over my jet lag, I thought that I would post an update to all of you who were so helpful. We arrived in León in the midst of the recent heatwave and made an on-the-spot decision to continue on the Frances. As several of you hinted at, by this time it had become "our" Camino and since we were having no trouble with crowds and were perfectly happy with what we are doing, we slowed down our pace, took alternate routes, visited many churches and museums, and arrived in Santiago as planned in time for the festival weekend July 23-25th. Besides a few minor aches and pains the four of us completed the trip happy, in good physical health, and ready for the three days of exuberant celebration in Santiago. Our main challenge upon arrival was switching our body clocks from getting up at 5, walking beginning at 6, and going to bed at 9, to staying up late and partying with what seemed like the entire country in Santiago! Fireworks starting at 11:30 p.m.! Who knew?

We had a marvelous trip and I am very grateful for all the information and insight I gained from the forum. Although we did have a helpful copy of Brierley's map book, we used the Wise Pilgrim app as a primary resource and because it does not have "stages" we never felt that we had to walk to a particular place every day, and thus did not experience any trouble with lodging or crowds, even though we were walking in the busy season at the end of June and July. This "day by day" approach was initially hard for me as I am such a planner by nature but by a few days out I had gotten over it and indeed playing each day by ear was one of the highlights of the whole Camino experience. I am an art historian and had downloaded Gitliz and Davidson's The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago on my phone which was also an incredibly wonderful resource to have along. I loved reading each night about what we were going to see in terms of art and architecture the next day - though sometimes I was too tired to read - but usually would catch up sometimes a day or two later. This book also had quite a bit of natural history so besides art and architecture we also had fun identifying birds, trees, and flowers. I am a gardener so also very much enjoyed all the veggie and flower gardens along the route. One of our group is a musician and music teacher so we found ourselves enjoying all the Spanish pop music we heard from the boom boxes of large groups of teenage pilgrims, the number of which increased exponentially after Sarria. We were prepared for this shift in energy and for the most part were able to cheerfully appreciate it. We never stopped saying Buen Camino and we always heard people reply in kind...

Besides the wonderful landscapes and history, we so appreciated the hospitality of the Spanish people who kindly took care of us with food, lodging, advice, innumerable cups of café con leche and vino tinto along the way. And of course meeting and conversing and walking with people from all over the world, what a treasure.

So again, many thanks to all of you for your advice re: the del Salvador and Primitivo. Perhaps we will do them next!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Going to Palas de Rei gives a shorter walk for the day, not maybe needed now as there is an albergue at As Seixas, between Ferreira and Melide.