Good spots for a rest day on Primitivo?

[skotzko]

Where do you recommend? I'm in Berducedo now. Could feel a good rest day coming soon, both physically but also mentally. I've been on Camino since SJPP about a month ago and currently seem to be caught up in a fresh wave of pilgrims out of Oviedo. While their enthusiasm is great, I just seem to be in a different "mode" where I'm not feeling very social and am much more quiet and introspective. Wouls love more solitude in the few remaining days before the last 100km to Santiago...

 

[Flog]

I would guess the most popular place for a rest day on the primitivo is probably Lugo with it's impressive roman walls and everything, but of course it will be crowded with tourists and it's a few days away, perhaps not what you're looking for? If you really want solitude, you could do worse than spend a day around the dam tomorrow and stay at the hostal/hotel las grandes just beyond the embalse. There are no other services nearby but it's a comfortable place to stay with half decent food offerings, incredible views of the embalse below, a private room if you want and if you're interested in civil engineering, you can spend a few hours wandering around and exploring the colossal dam and the remains of the production plant. I found it a strangely peaceful place...

Edit: Don't know if I'd want to spend a whole extra rest day there, but it's a short day to there tomorrow, around 16km or something? Might leave you refreshed enough to continue next morning..

 

[dbier]

I haven't had the pleasure of walking it...yet...but perhaps Castroverde? What do the experienced pilgrims think?

 

[peregrina2000]

I like Flog’s suggestion if what you are looking for is a day with lots to do, places to visit, lively plazas. I love Lugo! You can walk the entire perimeter of the Roman walls, sit at cafés and people watch to your heart’s content, eat good food.

But if you want solitude and rest, I’d suggest that maybe Castro (not Castroverde), which you will get to tomorrow, could be a good idea. It’s a little hamlet in the middle of nowhere, a few kms beyond Grandas de Salime. The albergue is most inviting, food there is good. Lots of open space for relaxing. You can spend a few hours taking a tour of the prehistoric castro (hill fort) that has just re-opened after renovations, and the very interesting tiny museum.

Or maybe when you get to the hotel/café right on the reservoir tomorrow, you’ll decide you want to sit outside and write or read or just chill. They have an albergue in addition to a small hotel, so that’s a possibility as well!

So, depending on how you feel, I think you’ve got lots of options. Just be open and see where you are drawn, you’ll have a great day no matter where it is.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I would guess the most popular place for a rest day on the primitivo is probably Lugo with it's impressive roman walls and everything, but of course it will be crowded with tourists and it's a few days away, perhaps not what you're looking for? If you really want solitude, you could do worse than spend a day around the dam tomorrow and stay at the hostal/hotel las grandes just beyond the embalse. There are no other services nearby but it's a comfortable place to stay with half decent food offerings, incredible views of the embalse below, a private room if you want and if you're interested in civil engineering, you can spend a few hours wandering around and exploring the colossal dam and the remains of the production plant. I found it a strangely peaceful place...

Edit: Don't know if I'd want to spend a whole extra rest day there, but it's a short day to there tomorrow, around 16km or something? Might leave you refreshed enough to continue next morning..

We stayed at the Hotel las Grandes, too, and loved it. We'd only stopped in for a refreshing drink on their patio in early afternoon with the gorgeous views, but fell in love with the place and ended up calling it a day. We spent the night and had no regrets...it was a favorite of ours on the Primitivo.

 

[peregrina2000]

We stayed at the Hotel las Grandes, too, and loved it. We'd only stopped in for a refreshing drink on their patio in early afternoon with the gorgeous views, but fell in love with the place and ended up calling it a day. We spent the night and had no regrets...it was a favorite of ours on the Primitivo.

Stopping there for the night, after the walk from Berducedo, would almost be like having a rest day. @Camino Chrissy, did you eat a big meal there? What was it like? Did you sleep in the hotel or in the albergue?

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Stopping there for the night, after the walk from Berducedo, would almost be like having a rest day. @Camino Chrissy, did you eat a big meal there? What was it like? Did you sleep in the hotel or in the albergue?

We stayed in the hotel. I wasn't aware of an albergue on the premises (I'm not always very observant) but there were very few people staying there in May, 2016. I had a big shrimp salad for dinner off the menu.

 

[skotzko]

Thanks for the suggestions! I would say it's a little bit less of a need for rest at this point and more of a wanting to get out of the middle of the crowd that all left Oviedo on Monday. Dunno if that's better served by pushing ahead (eg Castro) or hanging back a day to let the wave pass by. Which assumes there isn't an equally large and boisterous group behind this one...

 

[Harington]

Where do you recommend? I'm in Berducedo now. Could feel a good rest day coming soon, both physically but also mentally. I've been on Camino since SJPP about a month ago and currently seem to be caught up in a fresh wave of pilgrims out of Oviedo. While their enthusiasm is great, I just seem to be in a different "mode" where I'm not feeling very social and am much more quiet and introspective. Wouls love more solitude in the few remaining days before the last 100km to Santiago...

Lugo

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Lugo

A wonderful choice. I'm glad I spent two nights there. My hotel room looked out at the wall. Walking the circumfrance of the wall was really awesome with its nearly bird's eye views. Local families enjoy it and gives them a nice place for exercise, walking and pushing their babies in strollers.

 

[BobY333]

Where did you wind up? I loved Castro - it was my birthday and the women there were amazing, as was the food, outdoor space, and cleanliness of the rooms.

I was lucky with the crowds even once I got past Lugo. Lugo is a bottleneck, and it was there that I decided to get to Santiago in three days instead of four. This resulted in me starting my walks in an "unusual" place (as opposed to a typical stage stop) so there were few pilgrims, and then I walked until later in the day. It was a great choice, perhaps due to a bit of luck!

Each walk was about 33km.

Lugo - As Seixas
As Seixas - As Quintas (Burres) Heidi's Place (amazing last night on the Camino!!!)
As Quintas - Santiago

Buen Camino!
Bob

 

[gittiharre]

Where do you recommend? I'm in Berducedo now. Could feel a good rest day coming soon, both physically but also mentally. I've been on Camino since SJPP about a month ago and currently seem to be caught up in a fresh wave of pilgrims out of Oviedo. While their enthusiasm is great, I just seem to be in a different "mode" where I'm not feeling very social and am much more quiet and introspective. Wouls love more solitude in the few remaining days before the last 100km to Santiago...

Without a doubt Lugo. It is fantastic.
Also highly recommend splitting the 30 km stage to Lugo in half and staying at the magnificent Albergue Pocina de Muniz in Vilar de Caz.

 

[The Cumbrian]

We stayed at the Hotel las Grandes, too, and loved it. We'd only stopped in for a refreshing drink on their patio in early afternoon with the gorgeous views, but fell in love with the place and ended up calling it a day. We spent the night and had no regrets...it was a favorite of ours on the Primitivo.

Evan and I stayed at the Hotel Las Grandes after a short stage because he was suffering with his blisters. We both really enjoyed the stay and for a twin ensuite room (with a lake view), two lunches, two dinners, two breakfasts, a bottle of wine and enough beer for a regiment, the bill only came to 101 Euros.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Evan and I stayed at the Hotel Las Grandes after a short stage because he was suffering with his blisters. We both really enjoyed the stay and for a twin ensuite room (with a lake view), two lunches, two dinners, two breakfasts, a bottle of wine and enough beer for a regiment, the bill only came to 101 Euros.

It sounds like you had a great stay and possibly were in the same room as us, although I'm sure our bill was half that.
I only regret not taking a tour of the old dam as I didn't know it was an option, but I've since heard it mentioned.

 

[peregrina2000]

For anyone curious about the OP’s whereabouts, he is currently posting on FindPenguins in connection with Ivar’s collaboration. You can get to it by clicking on a link in this thread.

He is currently in O Cádavo.

 

[Flog]

It sounds like you had a great stay and possibly were in the same room as us, although I'm sure our bill was half that.
I only regret not taking a tour of the old dam as I didn't know it was an option, but I've since heard it mentioned.

I had a room looking out over the reservoir too, it was just a couple of euros more expensive than the dorm at the time. I ate very well there too. That was in 2017..

I don't know about any official tour of the dam, I went in and spent some time wondering around the eerie remains of the concrete production plant above it on my own, complete with beehives, fascinating!!

 

[Beeman]

Where do you recommend? I'm in Berducedo now. Could feel a good rest day coming soon, both physically but also mentally. I've been on Camino since SJPP about a month ago and currently seem to be caught up in a fresh wave of pilgrims out of Oviedo. While their enthusiasm is great, I just seem to be in a different "mode" where I'm not feeling very social and am much more quiet and introspective. Wouls love more solitude in the few remaining days before the last 100km to Santiago...

Try taking the green way and resting up in Friol for a day. Lugo is busy and noisy at night,and hardly restfull.