I have just returned from a Camino that included the Camino Lebaniego and Vadiniense. The Lebaniego goes from San Vicente de la Barquera (on the Norte) to Potes (in the Picos de Europa). The Vadiniense starts in Potes and winds up close to Leon. Using Rebekah's guide, I made it without too many difficulties, though I did have an adventure or two. I've sent detailed notes to Reb for her to incorporate into her guide, but I thought I'd post some more general comments and observations here.
The glory of these caminos is the mountains, no doubt about it!
The priest in the albergue in Guemes (day before Santander on the Norte), whose name I now cannot remember, has begun to tout the detour from San Vicente de la Barquera to the monastery of Santo Toribio outside Potes, which purportedly houses a piece of the True Cross. As a result there is now a trickle of peregrinos who walk from San Vicente to Potes, but they generally take the bus back to the Norte to continue on their way. So I met one peregrino in the albergue in LaFuente, and 5 more in the albergue in Potes. All of them went back to the Norte. I continued on the Camino Vadiniense, which goes through the Picos in a breathtaking day of mountain splendor and ends in Mansilla de las Mulas or Puente Villarente, depending on which way you go on your last day.
This is truly spectacular scenery.
My Camino Lebaniego:
My Camino Vadiniense:
I started in Santander, and from there all the way to Potes, I was a prisoner to asphalt. Aside from the ascent and descent to the Collado over Lebena, it was virtually ALL asphalt. It killed my feet, and I almost had to stop walking. So beware.
The Vadiniense is about 60 kms and can be walked in two days. I had thought I would take three days (in order to avoid some of the asphalt into Potes), but those plans were derailed when I called the albergue in Cabanes only to find it was full with a school group and the casas rurales were not yet open for the summer season. So I had no choice but to do the two day version: San Vicente to the wonderful albergue in LaFuente on Day 1; Day 2 was LaFuente to Potes.
Day 1 form San Vicente to LaFuente is a long but not too stressful day. On the side of the road all the time, but thankfully the roads have virtually no traffic. Well marked, no problems in that regard. The albergue in LaFuente is terrific -- in the old school, great kitchen, nice facility overall.
Day 2 from laFuente to Potes involves 9 kms alongside the highway. Lovingkindness has commented on this stretch, and she is absolutely right, it is hair-raising. There you are in the midst of a beautiful mountain gorge with a river rushing off to the side -- and you have nowhere to go but the side of the highway.
In my pictures, you'll see a couple of shots of shredded pants. I am embarrassed to say that I had a crazy bushwhacking experience that was probably a stupid thing to attempt, but fortunately ended without mishap. I will explain the problem and the solution in my next post. Buen camino, Laurie
The glory of these caminos is the mountains, no doubt about it!
The priest in the albergue in Guemes (day before Santander on the Norte), whose name I now cannot remember, has begun to tout the detour from San Vicente de la Barquera to the monastery of Santo Toribio outside Potes, which purportedly houses a piece of the True Cross. As a result there is now a trickle of peregrinos who walk from San Vicente to Potes, but they generally take the bus back to the Norte to continue on their way. So I met one peregrino in the albergue in LaFuente, and 5 more in the albergue in Potes. All of them went back to the Norte. I continued on the Camino Vadiniense, which goes through the Picos in a breathtaking day of mountain splendor and ends in Mansilla de las Mulas or Puente Villarente, depending on which way you go on your last day.
This is truly spectacular scenery.
My Camino Lebaniego:
My Camino Vadiniense:
I started in Santander, and from there all the way to Potes, I was a prisoner to asphalt. Aside from the ascent and descent to the Collado over Lebena, it was virtually ALL asphalt. It killed my feet, and I almost had to stop walking. So beware.
The Vadiniense is about 60 kms and can be walked in two days. I had thought I would take three days (in order to avoid some of the asphalt into Potes), but those plans were derailed when I called the albergue in Cabanes only to find it was full with a school group and the casas rurales were not yet open for the summer season. So I had no choice but to do the two day version: San Vicente to the wonderful albergue in LaFuente on Day 1; Day 2 was LaFuente to Potes.
Day 1 form San Vicente to LaFuente is a long but not too stressful day. On the side of the road all the time, but thankfully the roads have virtually no traffic. Well marked, no problems in that regard. The albergue in LaFuente is terrific -- in the old school, great kitchen, nice facility overall.
Day 2 from laFuente to Potes involves 9 kms alongside the highway. Lovingkindness has commented on this stretch, and she is absolutely right, it is hair-raising. There you are in the midst of a beautiful mountain gorge with a river rushing off to the side -- and you have nowhere to go but the side of the highway.
In my pictures, you'll see a couple of shots of shredded pants. I am embarrassed to say that I had a crazy bushwhacking experience that was probably a stupid thing to attempt, but fortunately ended without mishap. I will explain the problem and the solution in my next post. Buen camino, Laurie