Oviedo to Leon?

[simpleton]

Hi, I'm planning on walking the Camino del Norte in April, but is it possible to walk from Oviedo to Leon along the Camino San Salvador in the opposite direction to join up with the Camino Frances? Just looking at options. I know that I'll only decide at the fork in the road.
Cheers

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It is possible to walk all the routes in the reverse direction, but waymarking will be difficult to find. Spanish topographic maps will help.

 

[jpflavin1]

Hi, I'm planning on walking the Camino del Norte in April, but is it possible to walk from Oviedo to Leon along the Camino San Salvador in the opposite direction to join up with the Camino Frances? Just looking at options. I know that I'll only decide at the fork in the road.
Cheers

Simpleton:

I walked this route in April 2013. This is a sparsely traveled route. That said, while the marking is good on this route going North, going the opposite way might not be as intuitive as some of the other routes. I suggest you do some reading under the Salvador thread, if you have not done so already, and get some feedback from others who have walked this route. It is one of my favorite Camino's.

Is it possible? Yes.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[fortview]

Agree with Joe about reading the threads and doing a bit of research. We actually met someone walking this route from North to South . He was one of the only 5 pilgrims we met in 6 days!
And yes, it is a beautiful camino, whichever way you choose to walk it!

 

[enderjace]

Hola.

Los que habéis echo este camino ya deberíais saber que es totalmente imposible hacer el Camino del Salvador al revés salvo que lo hagas por la carretera que es lo que acaban haciendo todos los que lo intentan.

Solo lo pueden hacer al revés los peregrinos que lo conozcan muy muy bien o si llevas la ayuda de un GPS, de otra manera no es posible hacerlo y si al final vas a ir por la carretera, es mejor que viajes en tren o autobús, vas a ver lo mismo y sin peligro.

Un saludo a todos y buen camino

ENDER.

 

[simpleton]

Thanks for the info guys. I see that there are regular buses between Oviedo and Leon, so that could be a safer option... like I said, just looking at options, in case I want to experience Frances as well... is it alright to 'jump across' like that? But yea, I'm easy going about this whole thing, following my feet, following my conscience...

 

[JohnMcM]

.. is it alright to 'jump across' like that? .

It's your Camino my friend do it anyway you want. Remember though about the need to walk the last 100kms if you desire to have a Compostela.
Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

is it alright to 'jump across' like that?

I will check my rulebook. It is possible that it is unlawful...

 

[peregrina2000]

Hola.

Los que habéis echo este camino ya deberíais saber que es totalmente imposible hacer el Camino del Salvador al revés salvo que lo hagas por la carretera que es lo que acaban haciendo todos los que lo intentan.

Solo lo pueden hacer al revés los peregrinos que lo conozcan muy muy bien o si llevas la ayuda de un GPS, de otra manera no es posible hacerlo y si al final vas a ir por la carretera, es mejor que viajes en tren o autobús, vas a ver lo mismo y sin peligro.

Un saludo a todos y buen camino

ENDER.

I didn't post my negative reaction to the idea of walking the Salvador "backwards" because I thought maybe I was being overly cautious. But here's what Ender says in case you can't read Spanish. And also, in case you don't know, Ender is the person almost solely responsible for revitalizing the Salvador and marking it with his metal arrows and conch shells.

"Those of you who have walked this Camino should know that it is completely impossible to walk the Salvador in reverse unless you do it on the road, which is what those who try to do this always end up doing. Only pilgrims who know this route very well or who have a GPS can do it, otherwise it is simply not possible. If you're going to wind up on the road anyway, it's better to go in train or bus, you'll see the same thing but won't be in danger like you will be on the road."

 

[fortview]

Thanks for the translation Laurie! Good to have that clarified by the expert.

 

[fortview]

Thanks for the info guys. I see that there are regular buses between Oviedo and Leon, so that could be a safer option... like I said, just looking at options, in case I want to experience Frances as well... is it alright to 'jump across' like that? But yea, I'm easy going about this whole thing, following my feet, following my conscience...

The bus journey is stunning! Wonderful views, and it stops in a lot of the towns that are on the Camino route. So it's a good way of being able to enjoy the scenery safely

 

[Ariel Mallett]

Hi, I'm planning on walking the Camino del Norte in April, but is it possible to walk from Oviedo to Leon along the Camino San Salvador in the opposite direction to join up with the Camino Frances? Just looking at options. I know that I'll only decide at the fork in the road.
Cheers

This is the same route I'm planning to take in April 2015 as well! I'll be starting in Irun on April 1st, or round about there and hopefully walking through Easter. I mapped it out and it should take about 5 days, making the entire trip (Irun-Oveido-Leon-Santiago) about 36 days if I stick to a plan--though I won't be too strict about that, things happen on the camino! I heard it might be difficult to find the arrows if we're walking the path "backwards" from Oveido to Leon rather than Leon to Oveido. Any thoughts on this? Do I need to get a specific map or will speaking with the locals be enough (I'm pretty fluent in Spanish)?

Thanks!

 

[simpleton]

This is the same route I'm planning to take in April 2015 as well! I'll be starting in Irun on April 1st, or round about there and hopefully walking through Easter. I mapped it out and it should take about 5 days, making the entire trip (Irun-Oveido-Leon-Santiago) about 36 days if I stick to a plan--though I won't be too strict about that, things happen on the camino! I heard it might be difficult to find the arrows if we're walking the path "backwards" from Oveido to Leon rather than Leon to Oveido. Any thoughts on this? Do I need to get a specific map or will speaking with the locals be enough (I'm pretty fluent in Spanish)?

Thanks!

I am starting in the week after Easter from Biarritz. I think if I was to go from Oviedo to Leon I would go by bus considering it's safer. There are regular buses going that way. But don't let that stop you from making your own adventure. Remember it's your camino!

 

[saltwaterpearl]

Another option is to walk the Norte from Irun to Oviedo. Then hop on a bus from Oviedo to Leon, and walk from Leon back to Oviedo via the Salvador (in the "correct" direction), and then on to Santiago via the Primitivo.

That's what we'll be doing summer 2015. (Starting in SJPP on May 26th, and walking from SJPP to Hendaye/Irun via the GR-10)

 

[Al the optimist]

I for one wouldn't like to try it backwards. I found it hard enough fprwards at times. There were six of us who met up most nights but we never saw each other on the way and found ourselves going different routes at times. Three separate groups all going wrong at some point. On the day going over the pass to, Parajes we all went different ways! Why not consider going to Leon, walking from there and then going back to Leon? (And get a Salvadora!

 

[peregrina2000]

This is the same route I'm planning to take in April 2015 as well! I'll be starting in Irun on April 1st, or round about there and hopefully walking through Easter. I mapped it out and it should take about 5 days, making the entire trip (Irun-Oveido-Leon-Santiago) about 36 days if I stick to a plan--though I won't be too strict about that, things happen on the camino! I heard it might be difficult to find the arrows if we're walking the path "backwards" from Oveido to Leon rather than Leon to Oveido. Any thoughts on this? Do I need to get a specific map or will speaking with the locals be enough (I'm pretty fluent in Spanish)?

Thanks!

Hi, Ariel,
Of course you are free to walk in whatever direction you want, but I'd encourage you to look at post # 9 (or just read it in Spanish in post #5). The person who knows this Camino better than any other living human being strongly recommends against going backwards. Near the cities, it won't be a problem, but out in the mountains, not so great. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[angulero]

Pensad bien lo que vais a hacer. Si ya es fácil perderse haciendo cualquier otro camino en la dirección opuesta, en el Salvador aún lo es más, ya que es un camino que pasa por zonas de alta montaña y en algunos lugares poco pobladas, con las consecuencias que puede conllevar el perderse. Quien mejor conoce el camino ya os ha aconsejado no hacerlo. Además, ahora los rescates hay que pagarlos si se demuestra que es por una imprudencia del rescatado.

Hay muchas combinaciones: Norte-Primitivo, Francés-Salvador-Norte o Primitivo, Norte-Vanadiense-Francés, etc.

Think of what you are about to do. If it is already easy to miss by any other road in the opposite direction, in Salvador is even more so because it is a road that goes through high mountain areas and in some places sparsely populated, with consequences that may entail lost. Who better knows the way and has counseled not to. And now you have to pay ransom if it proves to be rescued by a recklessness.

There are many combinations: Norte-Primitivo, Francés-Salvador-Primitivo or Norte, Norte-Vanadiense-Francés, etc.

 

[amancio]

not only signposting (there are long stretches on lovely narrow winding paths in the forest, and also stretches in open mountain landscape) is not really designed for Oviedo-León, but also the altitude climbing is a lot bigger.

Basically, as it is obvious, León-Oviedo is 700 meters up and then all the way down, where Oviedo-León is probably around 1600 meters up and then down.