Primitivo April/May 2019

[Clare-ity]

Hi my name is Clare and am planning on walking the Camino Primitivo route in late April early May 2019.
Brand new to this so am looking for good advice, what to expect, getting to Oviedo...any offerings of advice

Thanks
Clare

 

[calmeg]

Hi Claire. The primitivo is a wonderful route. We got to Oveido by walking from San Sebastian on the Norte- but there are buses from different sites. We kept a blog of the trip including our stages and albergues- you can find it at: https://carlosandmick.wordpress.com/. You have lots of time to plan your trip- which is half the fun! Enjoy

 

[Deleted member 56069]

I walked this route from Oviedo in September this year with my wife. Really enjoyed the route. We flew to Madrid and bussed to Oviedo for our start.
Some challenging days, but a very interesting route.

 

[Beeman]

Hi my name is Clare and am planning on walking the Camino Primitivo route in late April early May 2019.
Brand new to this so am looking for good advice, what to expect, getting to Oviedo...any offerings of advice

Thanks
Clare

Dear Clare. I walked this route last September and found it delightful! I took the train from Madrid,which was long and tedious. It was great to Leon,but after that was on a narrow gauge track that was are night,frankly scary. I would recommend flying into Oviedo. I had jet lag and did not sleep for 5 nights, so suggest staying in Oviedo for a day. It was green and wet in September so will be greener and wetter in spring. TAKE A SLEEPING BAG! It never got over 65 degrees and was foggy and cloudy every morning. I took a silk liner thinking that it would be hot and was cold many nights. While I was trying to find clothes to put on in the middle of the night in the dark;My fellow travelers were snug and sleepy in their bags. Only one alberque in Booklet had blankets for rent. I took the Camino Verde out of Lugo and found it well marked and very nice. All the talk about dogs and getting lost is bunk. I walked to Lavacola and into Santiago without ever going on the France's. I am 74 and found it wonderful and not as difficult as portrayed. I walked the hospital is route and was a bit disappointed. If I go again,I will walk the other way. I went on to Muxia,another 90 km,but was relatively flat and easy walking. I would recommend doing It! The Primitivo was in a word-enchanting. BUEN CAMINO

 

[alaskadiver]

We went in May and took the direct train from Madrid. Lovely ride, just bring food. You can buy big sandwiches at the train station. The albergues and pensiones are all warm and the days were hot, around the low to mid 60s. I sweated my butt off on those hills with the heat.
Only felt cold going over the Hospitales route because it was raining and very windy. But that only lasts a couple hours. I had a light weight sleeping bag rated at 50F and would have been fine with a sleep sack.

 

[t2andreo]

I am seriously thinking of doing the Primitivo in late April - early May 2019 as well. My thought is to fly into Asturias / Oviedo, via Madrid, then take the ALSA bus from the airport into Oviedo. I come from Florida, so I have to negotiate that "big pond" first... Flying into Madrid is convenient as Iberia has flights everywhere in Spain. Making connections in Terminal 4 at MAD is a breeze.

Easter is on 21 April in 2019. So, to avoid the usual Semana Santa and Easter Week crunch on the Caminos and in Santiago (lodging can get tight for the two-week period), I will likely push departure to the last week / few days of April.

See you out there...

 

[PK Smit]

Me and my wife also plan to walk late April early May 2019, maybe we will meet along the way.
Buen Camino

 

[Jomas]

ciao.
Take advantage of Clare's post. I saw from the mapping of the possible stages that is a journey with different "important" differences in height. I ask those who have already traveled as was the expenditure and physical difficulties?
Thanks for attention )

 

[calmeg]

Jomas
Yes, there days of flat terrain and others with lots of hills. But there is no rule that you have to go from A to B. Go as far as you feel comfortable based on terrain and fitness level. If that is 27 Km- great. If that is 17 Km, also great! We met people who recognized that their fitness level/age/inclination required shorter stages, and therefore more days to complete the camino- but they did finish! So go ahead and enjoy the trip!

 

[Bob Chambers]

We are currently planning A Camino Primitivo taking 18 walking days, hoping to avoid the Camino Frances. We expect to arrive in Oviedo from OZ in mid September. Shorter stages necessary for two 80's + older gents.

 

[Beeman]

We are currently planning A Camino Primitivo taking 18 walking days, hoping to avoid the Camino Frances. We expect to arrive in Oviedo from OZ in mid September. Shorter stages necessary for two 80's + older gents.

Good for YOU! From Lugo you can take the Camino Verde west and take the Norte for 12 km and at booklet you can go to Lavacola and then to santiago,completely avoiding the France's. The way is well marked and very nice,especially the first part out of Lugo which is simply enchanting! BUEN Camino!

 

[Bob Chambers]

Beeman, thanks for your post, Interesting. Our plan is to go from Lugo to Friol via Boveda (Roman Ruins -small) then Sobrado, Biomorto and on to join the Frances near the Santiago airport. We'll be staying a night in O Pena or Pina to reduce the final two days distances in deference to our knees and other bits. I'd be interested in your route thru Lavacola. My planning sees a bit of road for the last two days thru O Pena and Lavacola. The blue line on my plot joins the Frances (red plot) at a roundabout near the airport at As Quintas. Is your route different to this? Have I missed a way to avoid the Frances completey? (Pic courtesy of OziExplorer's great access to world maps)

 

[Bob Chambers]

Also, where is "booklet"?

 

[Tia Valeria]

Also, where is "booklet"?

I suspect that this is auto spell causing confusion or should that be
The Primitivo is wonderful. We had an amazing time - finishing via the Frances from Palas de Rei (but that was in 2012 and it was less crowded). Still saw more pilgrims in Palas de Rei than we had done in the previous 14 days in total.
Buen Camino

 

[Beeman]

Beeman, thanks for your post, Interesting. Our plan is to go from Lugo to Friol via Boveda (Roman Ruins -small) then Sobrado, Biomorto and on to join the Frances near the Santiago airport. We'll be staying a night in O Pena or Pina to reduce the final two days distances in deference to our knees and other bits. I'd be interested in your route thru Lavacola. My planning sees a bit of road for the last two days thru O Pena and Lavacola. The blue line on my plot joins the Frances (red plot) at a roundabout near the airport at As Quintas. Is your route different to this? Have I missed a way to avoid the Frances completey? (Pic courtesy of OziExplorer's great access to world maps)

Dear Bob. We stayed in Lavacola,and I remember skirting around the end of the airport,and following the posts into Santiago. We saw no other people until we were in Santiago. We did not see any of the statues and other things commonly seen on the frances,with Santiago in the distance. There is no need to overthink this. From Boimorto to Santiago the way is well marked and easy to follow. In Santiago we just followed the hoards of people going to morning mass. Lavacola was the perfect place to stop. The aberque in Boimorto has a large sign outside showing the route in detail. If needed,just take a picture of it. In spite of older comments,the path from Lugo to Santiago is well marked and easy to follow. If I could do it,anyone can! AGAIN,BUEN CAMINO!

 

[Beeman]

Also, where is "booklet"?

I typed in Boimorto,but did not look at it. I do not envy your flight from Australia. I thought it was a long flight from here!

 

[Bob Chambers]

Your route is exactly as we'd planned. Nice to hear your report. Yes 25 hours in the air does nasty things to your first few days in Europe. Also means we can't get over there as frequently as I would like as the flights "cost". Then we need to consider the deflation of 25 hours back! But the lure of another Camino is still there gnawing away. 30 days on the Levante, de La Plata and Sureste in 2013 was a delight, few pilgrims. Started in Avila.

 

[Jomas]

Jomas
Yes, there days of flat terrain and others with lots of hills. But there is no rule that you have to go from A to B. Go as far as you feel comfortable based on terrain and fitness level. If that is 27 Km- great. If that is 17 Km, also great! We met people who recognized that their fitness level/age/inclination required shorter stages, and therefore more days to complete the camino- but they did finish! So go ahead and enjoy the trip!

thank you