Increase on the Salvador

[peregrina2000]

This article describes a 20% increase in pilgrims this year over last year at this time.
http://www.lne.es/caudal/2015/05/07/albergues-lena-incrementan-pernoctaciones-20/1752534.html

Should we stop singing its praises?

 

[norelle]

Next month I will be part of that increase! Apologies......but it sounds too beautiful to miss.

 

[jpflavin1]

Laurie:

A 20% increase of one when I walked equates to 1.2. Not exactly an overcrowded situation. It would be nice if people walked this route versus from Sarria to cut down on the crowds. This is the perfect Camino if you only have a week and you get a unique Credential and Compostela.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Kiwi-family]

Should we stop singing its praises?

We (five of us) shared our Salvador with 3-8 others each night so it was not exactly quiet. But the real race was the Primitivo!
Could you just whisper to me a *quiet* route? Before everyone else gets there. I guess any in winter would do the trick!

 

[jpflavin1]

We (five of us) shared our Salvador with 3-8 others each night so it was not exactly quiet. But the real race was the Primitivo!
Could you just whisper to me a *quiet* route? Before everyone else gets there. I guess any in winter would do the trick!

Vasco or tunnel route. Walked in April.

 

[peregrina2000]

whispers............... "El Camino Olvidado "

Ondo Ibili !

Mendi, have you walked it? It's really beautiful, but the infrastructure is really in its infancy. No albergues to speak of, but you can stay with Rosi in Fasgar. Other than that, it's pensiones, hoteles, casas rurales. I was lucky to find that the owners of the casas rurales were willing to open their places up for one night and one person, because they typically rent them in their entirety for at least several days. Would love to hear your opinions about the Olvidado, Susanna and I wrote a guide that Adolfo has posted on the group's webpage: http://www.elcaminoolvidado.com/ (it's the first drop down in the "etapas" tab up top). Anyone else heading that way? Buen camino, Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

This recent blog post, in Spanish, has some very pretty pictures of the stretch between Puerto de Pajares and Campomanes. And that isn't even the prettiest part of the walk!!

http://elcaminodesantiagodesdeastur...el-puerto-de-pajares-campomanes.html?spref=fb

 

[norelle]

beautiful!
I'm really looking forward to this camino!

 

[Kiwi-family]

Laurie
Some of our pictures from the day we walked that stretch are almost identical! But as you say, it's not the best part. Our favourite day was the day before that stretch. Lots of pictures posted on our blog that day - https://charitywalking.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/9-june-poladura-to-pajares/ Exactly 11 months ago.

 

[angulero]

http://elcaminodesantiagodesdeastur...uiza-alto-del-puerto-de-pajares.html?spref=fb

 

[DutchHiker]

After 64 days, including breaks in major cities, I finished this week in Finisterre. I walked the Baztan, Frances, Salvador, Primitivo, Finnisterre caminos. The Baztan and the Salvador are my favourites, mainly due to the nature and Solitude. I was the only one and the first this year on the Baztan. We were two of us on the Salvador. I want to thank Laurie, Ender, Rachel and Deborrah for their advise and guidence. I will always remember .

 

[Kiwi-family]

DutchHiker - as well as doing the same route, we ended up sharing the same opinion! We had a busy Primitivo but it was a very fun group, so actually a pleasant change after the quiet days - but there is certainly something special about those quiet routes.
Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS!

 

[peregrina2000]

The Baztan and the Salvador are my favourites, mainly due to the nature and Solitude. .

Ok, that's enought for me. Baztan is now going to somehow get worked into Camino 2016! Buen camno, and congrats DutchHiker!

 

[Hanne]

We (five of us) shared our Salvador with 3-8 others each night so it was not exactly quiet. But the real race was the Primitivo!
Could you just whisper to me a quiet* route? Before everyone else gets there. I guess any in winter would do the trick!

Hi Kiwis,
Walked the Primitivo together with pilgrims from Spain. After Lugo we did a shortcut towards Camino del Norte to awoid the bed-running on The Camino Primitivo. We followed a small road to Friol (marked with green arrows from Lugo), where We all stayed in a hostel and continued the next day to Sobrado dos Monxes on Camino del Norte. There are 2 albergues and some hostals in Sobrado, so no bed-running there
From Lugo there will be many pilgrims on the Primitivo, but the best part of this camino is between Oviedo and Lugo.

Buen Camino, Hanne

 

[Kiwi-family]

Ok, that's enought for me. Baztan is now going to somehow get worked into Camino 2016! Buen camno, and congrats DutchHiker!

YAY - you'll love it. Make sure you stop at the monastery at Urdax and don't press on to Amaiur-Maya. We only raced on because we were meeting family in Pamplona, but I regret not looking round the monastery and the climb that comes immediately after Urdax would have been so much easier in the morning! Besides, A-M was a pretty grotty place to stay; apart from black mould ringing the showers, it just had a strange vibe about it.
Make sure you stop in Espelette too. The albergue is great and there are mercados to buy food. The town is very touristy, but we liked it.
And don't forget Berroeta. It's one of those lovely wee hamlets where everyone from miles around hangs out in the evening and sits around chatting right in front of the albergue (which was spotless).
Early spring is a great time because the green of the leaves is unlike any green we have ever seen before - absolutely stunning.
Yes, you've got to do the Baztan!