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León to San Martin del Camino alternative route

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diggidan

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
April 24: Camino Frances
Hello,

Tomorrow I will walk from León to San Martin del Camino. My travel guide shows two alternatives. One kinda ugly one mostly besides the N-120 road where the camino hits San Martin del Camino directly and one described as really beautiful but passing San Martin del Camino south. We already booked accommodation for San Martin, so we need to go there. On the map (see photo) I can see a road that leads from Bustillo del Paramo to San Martin del Camino. I thought about walking the nice path to that street and then head up north on that street. Anyone ever did this? That street does not look really walkable on google maps. Better stay on the ugly road then?
 

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I'm sorry, I didn't walk the road to San Martín that you're planning to walk. But I think I'd prefer it: the alternative through Villar de Mazarife is so much nicer than the one along the N-120. If the small church in Villar de Mararife is open, don't forget to take a look inside!

When you walk on the leftside of the road (towards any uncoming traffic) it looks like it's safe enough. And it's only 3 km. from La Milla del Páramo to San Martín del Camino.
 
Walked to San Martin not a nice place to stop on way can you make it a bit further to Hospital de Orbigo about 5 kms further along the way.
My opinion not shared by others so please forum don't say how wonderful San Martin it was to me the worst stop on way.
You can cancel bookings take alternative via Villar de Mazarife onto Orbigo.
 
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Thanks for your replies. The stay is fixed, i don’t mind a bad town for a night but if I can walk the better alternative I would love to do it. Probably I will decide tomorrow
 
If you take the Norther route you are walking next to a busy major road most of the day after you past the edges of Leon. If you can deal with the extra 6K or so the Southern route is indeed a nicer walk. That said I have not walked the section back to San Martín del Camino but those country roads are never unwalkable.
 
Technically there is only one 'alternativo' - the other one (the ugly one) is the 'original' camino
And I'll tell you i DID walk that in 2022 and it was by far the most ugliest depressing part of the whole walk!
You are just too darn close to that highway\road whatever it is and you will eat the trucks' fumes for the whole duration. there is no shade, everything is in the open and you will be one tired (nay exhausted) icky sweaty Peregrino once you come into SMdC!!!
Do yourself a big favor and 'hook a left' at that sign which is right when you leave La Virgen del Camino
 

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2024 edition: The Brierley Camino Frances Guide
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.

It even has a location on google maps ;-) https://maps.app.goo.gl/bcMde29jTwLryLdV7
 
Yes, thoroughly recommend the alternative route. I walked it to Hospital de Orbigo last Oct, so I didn’t take the connecting road to the right that you're considering. But it’s got to be better than walking beside that highway all day.
 
I would definitely recommend seeing if you can change your reservation and walk via Villar de Mazarife - lovely countryside.
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
I did the Mazarife path because before i walked people had said how bad the original way was!
I really enjoyed the walk had two great stays to Astorga really stood out as memorable.

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Phone: +34 606 80 39 57
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Molinas Galochas (Galochas Mill)
Location:
Villavante
Phone:
+34 987 388 546
+34 629 963 870
Web:
www.molinogalochas.com
 
Did south route last time, I liked it
Doing north route tomorrow as well because my friend wants to cut distance on his sore knee.
Maybe we can compare notes tomorrow night.
 
I stayed at both these locations and highly recommend them as well. Molino Galochas might have been my favorite stop on the Camino. I pulled a calf muscle on the way there and had to arrive by taxi and they really took care of me. They gave me ice for my leg and made me a lunch because I couldn’t go anywhere, then drove me to Astorga the next day (where I stayed 4 nights until I could walk again). Without them, that might have been the end of my Camino. They have a very good communal dinner as well.
 
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Another +1 for Molino Galochas, in Villavante (actually just past Villavante). Mercedes and Maximo were truly amazing hosts, and their hospitality some of the best on the CF. They truly made you feel at home, and their communal home cooked meal was like eating with family.
 
diggidan said:
I will take the alternative route and then head up north to San Martin, taking the extra miles but at least have a enjoying walk.
Click to expand...
The alternative route will take you to the intersection of the LE-6502 and LE-6524, where you turn right (North) onto LE-6502 (see first attachment). It is a nicely paved 2 lane road (see 2nd attachment), 3 km, straight to San Martin. Be mindful of the very little traffic on both of these roads as there isn't a shoulder on either section.
 

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Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
This post refers to an alternative AFTER SMdC. I am almost sure that the OP was asking for alternatives before SMdC.

BTW, I have walked both paths after SMdC and had no issue with either.

Also, I had no particular issue staying in SMdC although I bypassed it the second time, purely for variety.

Also, also, from memory there is a very nice bakery in SMdC where I refueled on my second time through.

They don't call me doughnut for nothing
 
Live from the camino: I walked the camino alternativo to La Milla del Paramo. The road up to San Martin del Camino has very low traffic. Weather was awful, heavy winds with rain. Got another 3,5km to SMdC and I would not recommend to it like that if I would have known better I would sleep somewhere else on the alternativo road. Hitting 31km today
 
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