Norte/Salvador/Primitivo vs Vdlp/Sanabres in April

[NomadBoomer]

Hi
I walked the Frances in last September from and now having caught the bug I plan to do a second one in April for 3 to 4 weeks. Too many choices means that I am having a hard time deciding which way to walk.

At the moment I am leaning towards the vdlp/Sanabres from Salamanca, or some combination of the norte or salvador with the primitivo. I think either will be a good if much more challenging contrast to the magic but very busy Frances.

If anyone who has walked both could compare that would be perfect, otherwise any advice or input would be great.
Cheers Paul

 

[arch]

Hi
I walked the Frances in last September from and now having caught the bug I plan to do a second one in April for 3 to 4 weeks. Too many choices means that I am having a hard time deciding which way to walk.

At the moment I am leaning towards the vdlp/Sanabres from Salamanca, or some combination of the norte or salvador with the primitivo. I think either will be a good if much more challenging contrast to the magic but very busy Frances.

If anyone who has walked both could compare that would be perfect, otherwise any advice or input would be great.
Cheers Paul

My daughter (38) and I (73) walked the Norte from Irun to Santander and the Primitivo from Oviedo to Santiago in September 2016. Spectacular scenery along the Bay of
Bisque and through the mountains on the Primitivo.
Must see towns: San Sebastian, Gretaria, Guernica, Bilbao, Oviedo, Lugo. Staying with Father Ernesto in Guemes
at https://www.editorialbuencamino.com/camino-de-santiago/544/albergue-de-peregrinos-de-guemes
was definitely a highlight.

 

[KinkyOne]

Since I walked only Sanabres and Salvador from your combos I can't really compare them but I do know two facts from reading posts in past years.
VdlP/Sanabres is at least in first part much flatter than northern option and most possible you would have more rain/snow on the later in that period. So I think southern variant is easier.

For your time frame maybe look up Madrid/Frances/Invierno combo.

Buen Camino!

 

[peregrina2000]

I have walked both of these routes and think that in April I would go for the Vdlp/Sanabrés. For me the perfect time to be on the Norte is when it is early summer (say, June) so that the weather is likely to be warmer and drier (no guarantees of course) and all of the many tourist accommodations are looking for pilgrims to fill their rooms before the onslaught of real tourists in late July and August.

April/May is IMO the perfect time for the Vdlp/Sanabrés, which is bursting with color and life in the springtime with carpets and carpets of wildflowers, lots of babbling brooks, emerald green fields everywhere and moderate temperatures. The Vdlp rarely gets any of the crowds that the Norte, Frances and Primitivo do, but in spring you are likely to have a nice manageable pilgrim bunch to accompany you. The Vdlp cities are, again IMO, the best list of any Camino -- Sevilla, Mérida, Cáceres, Salamanca, Zamora and Ourense are all amazing (not to say anything bad about the the Norte, with Bilbao, San Sebastian, Santander, etc.).

Levante is another great springtime choice, but you probably wouldn't have time to get to Santiago unless you are a superwalker. And Kinky's suggestion of Madrid/bit of Francés/Invierno is also a great one.
But Nomadboomer, if you have the bug, this will not be the last one, so there's no need to agonize too much -- whichever ones you don't walk this year will be on the list for next year! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[NomadBoomer]

Thanks for the advice folks. Based on this I think I will opt to walk the Vdlp/Sanabres starting from Salamanca in early/mid April. I will save the Primitivo for another time.