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Ruta Vadiniense Guide in English HERE

Rebekah Scott

Camino Busybody
Time of past OR future Camino
Many, various, and continuing.
This may be the best guidebook I have written yet, but I despair of seeing in published in the usual website. I believe the Camino Vadiniense may be the most spectacularly beautiful of all the paths leading to Santiago, and so me and my collaborators are happy to share this information with anyone interested in following this Way.

Fresh information is what keeps the path alive. Please update the guide in the thread that follows!
 

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  • FinalVad2013.doc
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Dear Rebekah,
Thank you for your tremendous work, I find it very useful and it makes me feel safe and happy of my choice to walk (also) this Camino, this summer. I am at my first Camino, starting on July 3rd from Irun, as I am planning to do part of the Norte, Vadiniense and part of Frances. I love the mountains but I have terrible orientation skills, and your guide, so detailed, is of great help to me.
Thank you very much!
 
the guide looks superb, reb, well done! I will surely be using it on my next camino (not sure yet, when).
 
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This may be the best guidebook I have written yet, but I despair of seeing in published in the usual website. I believe the Camino Vadiniense may be the most spectacularly beautiful of all the paths leading to Santiago, and so me and my collaborators are happy to share this information with anyone interested in following this Way.

Fresh information is what keeps the path alive. Please update the guide in the thread that follows!
 
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thank you, guys.
I was up on the walk from Potes to Espinama recently. IMHO, the secondary waymarks that take you along the eastern side of the valley (starting in Beares) are not well thought-out, they lead to uneccessary effort with little benefit. It is best to keep along the road to Camaleño instead, where you can refresh (and buy cheese!) and pick up the good path along the western face of the valley.
 
This may be the best guidebook I have written yet, but I despair of seeing in published in the usual website. I believe the Camino Vadiniense may be the most spectacularly beautiful of all the paths leading to Santiago, and so me and my collaborators are happy to share this information with anyone interested in following this Way.

Fresh information is what keeps the path alive. Please update the guide in the thread that follows!


Hi Rebekah.

I'm having trouble opening this file as my computer indicates it is an unsupported version of word? Im using a Mac and am not sure if this is the problem. Your guide sounds most useful and the reviews praise it, making my lack of access all the more frustrating.
Any assistance in accessing this guide would be most appreciated.

Michael
 
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€149,-
This may be the best guidebook I have written yet, but I despair of seeing in published in the usual website. I believe the Camino Vadiniense may be the most spectacularly beautiful of all the paths leading to Santiago, and so me and my collaborators are happy to share this information with anyone interested in following this Way.

Fresh information is what keeps the path alive. Please update the guide in the thread that follows!
Thank you Rebekah (and all others who worked on the guide). It is very interesting and gives me all sorts of great mental images!
Stefania
 
Michael, I am not a Mac person. Please contact Ivar, the Mastermind of this forum. He knows all about the issues you are dealing with and I am sure he can straighten it out.
 
Hi Rebekah.

I'm having trouble opening this file as my computer indicates it is an unsupported version of word? Im using a Mac and am not sure if this is the problem. Your guide sounds most useful and the reviews praise it, making my lack of access all the more frustrating.
Any assistance in accessing this guide would be most appreciated.

Michael
You can download the same guide here in pdf format:
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/ruta-vadiniense-guide-pdf.59/

Saludos,
Ivar
 
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Hi all,
We've been planning to walk this July from the Norte down to Potes, then follow the Camino Vadiniense (and subsequently over to the Camino Invierno to finish in Santiago). But after spending a little time reviewing Rebekah's guidebook, plus Laurie's delightful blog from her 2012 trip, we're having second thoughts due to the amount of pavement walking.
Does anyone have more recent information on whether this has changed (more of the route transitioned to off-tarmac)?
Thanks in advance.
Dan
 
Hi, Dan,
I hope Reb will chime in here, but I know that the Cistierna group was planning to take some of the last kms before Mansilla de las Mulas off the road. But that's about it. It is frustrating, because when I walked from San Vicente to LaFuente on that first day, it was clear that there were off-road paths known by the locals, which could be strung together to keep us off the asphalt. But I recognize that takes a lot of time and effort, and it's not clear who would have the incentive to do it. I am going to be in Cistierna this summer on my camino and will see what I can learn about their efforts.

On the day into Potes, the off-road option from Lebeña would be a great alternative, up to Cabañes, but when I was there the albergue was full (it´s a youth hostel) and the casas rurales had not yet opened. Those 8 kms through the gorge are frightening on the side of a very busy road.

Unfortunately for you, as a mountain person, the best caminos in terms of having little or no asphalt are also the ones with little or no elevation gain. The Levante is pretty good, at least after day 4, I´ve heard the Sureste is also good, the Madrid is terrific, and the Vdlp isn´t at all bad either. All pretty flat, though, with a couple of days of nice mountain walking thrown in for good measure.

Good luck and let us know what you decide. Laurie
 
Thanks for this additional info. I think we've decided to walk from the Coast down the Camino Vadiniense, then continue on to the Camino Invierno. Still working on air flights and precise dates, but we'll be there from about the end of June til end of July.
Dan
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Just reading that now - ideas, ideas, ideas

I saved it as a PDF and linked it here - Ivar's link seems to have changed?
 

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  • FinalVad2013 (1).pdf
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I biked in late Fall from Cistierna to Mansilla along the re-routed off-road bits, and can attest to the improvements. Waymarks sometimes a bit tough to see when the weeds get high, but it´s kinda a no-brainer. Be extra careful in the very last towns before Gradefes and Mansilla, when the trail goes into a checkerboard of fields - if things get difficult just locate the thick forest and access road along the Rio Esla and follow that to the bridge.

The asphalt problem farther back -- from Boca de Huergano down to Salas, basically -- is just the only real available strip of road between the mountainsides, river, and/or reservoir unless you want to zigzag and bushwhack along mountain faces. It IS a camino, you know... it can´t all be soft heather and sweet breezes!
 
Thanks for this additional info. We've walked enough camino km to understand that it's not all a stroll through the park. It's not a pilgrimage if there isn't something to challenge the pilgrim.
Dan
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
In a conversation with someone planning to walk the Lebañiego and Vadiniense this year, I found a bunch of notes that might be helpful to others. They are almost two years old, but we haven´t seen a lot of reports on this route from forum members, so I´ll throw them out here in the "for what it´s worth" category.

The only guide I had was Rebekah´s, which is essential IMO. Here are a few additional points that follow along with her guide:

Day 1 --
When you arrive in Los Llanos, take the grassy path Reb´s guide mentions, even though you may not see any markings. It will take you on 4 or 5 kms of dirt tracks, few markings, but clearly taking you to Cosgaya. In Cosgaya you once again come to the CA-185.

Leaving Camaleño, near the km 14 marker on the highway, there is a very prominent trailhead with lots of signs, markers, etc. The sign says 4 hours to Espinama, but I think that would be a very slow pace.

Leaving Camaleno.jpg

After about a half hour walking on this path, you will see a turn off for "Las Ilces." This is an alternative that parallels the river and will also take you into Espinama (probably more quickly, since it doesn´t detour up to Pido). But I think it takes you out of the mountains and there is no reason you will want to do that!

If you are going to stay in Espinama, the trail will take you to Pido first, and then down to Espinama. But if you are going to Fuente Dé and have no desire to stop in Espinama, you can find the trail straight from Pido that takes you up to Espinama.

Having said that, though, Espinama is the last place before the mountains of Day 2 with stores, so you will probably want to stock up there, even if it does mean a few more kms.

The route from Espinama to Fuente Dé is a 3 km walk on the side of the highway. Depending on time of day and day of week, this can be busy and unpleasant.

In Fuente Dé, check the parador for special prices. I learned that I could have stayed there for the same price I paid for staying in the Hotel Rebeco.

Day 2 -- this is the glorious mountain day. The marking has been substantially improved, but the photos and drawings on the Spanish forum were extremely helpful to me. The Senda de Remoña is the one really off-route part of the walk, it´s as close to heaven as a hike can get. http://foroperegrinos.com/fsvr1/read.php?6,324935

In fact, if mountains is what you are after, I would consider staying put in Fuente Dé for a few days and doing some day hikes, it is beautiful country. There are lots of well-marked routes in the area.

When I walked this Camino, I hadn´t yet started carrying my trusty electric coil, so I had no way to make my own coffee in the morning. The hotel opened at 8 or 8:30, too late for me, but I took a chance and knocked on the parador´s front door. There is always someone at the desk, and she was very happy to make me a (pricey) coffee, but the caffeine was much appreciated at the start of the mountain walk.

Day 3 -- The pavement gets very tiring, but as you come to the reservoir leaving Boca de Huérgano, right after the Hermita de San Tirso, you can avoid the highway for a few kms. Continue straight ahead towards the water, and you can walk on one of several dirt roads around the reservoir´s edge. You will always be paralleling the N-621, so no problem of getting lost. It will be obvious when you have to leave the dirt and go back up to the roadside.

Another lodging option in Riaño is Hotel Presa, nice outdoor café, decent menu del día. It´s located next door to the church that was moved when the towns were flooded to construct the reservoir.

Day 4 -- In Horacadas (a LOVELY little town), the Bar Loli has beds upstairs. Call ahead. Phone 987 740 777

After you´ve ignored the "do not enter" sign (and Reb has already told you that the sign is talking to cars, NOT to pilgrims), you are on the GR-1. There is a notation that says "Senderos Históricos, Ampurias-Finisterre." (Historical trails, Ampurias to Finisterre). This sign suggests that there is a way to walk from the Greek-Roman ruins on the Mediterranean north of Barcelona in Ampuries, all the way to Finisterre. I would LOVE to find that trail!

When you com to the bridge that goes into Salas, you once again pick up Camino markers. Then the marking change again, to PR-LE-36, El Camino Real.

In Crémenes, there is a food shop, on Calle de Juan Guereño, tel. 987 711 014. If you´re going to stay in Ventasierra, this might be a good stop, because the only thing at Ventasierra is the hostal.

If you stay in the Hostal at Ventasierra, the proprietress will leave out a breakfast for you (included in the price) if you plan to leave early.

Day 5 -- Things got a little confusing walking through the old abandoned mine. If you come to the river, you have gone too far. Near what looks like an old loading dock, look for the millrace Reb´s guide describes. To access the water channel, you must go through a heavy gate with a private property sign (ignore that sign and go through.) You will pass picnic tables. Remain on that path until you come to a building that looks like some sort of electricity generator. It has a sign on it that says CH Pena Corcida. After you pass that building, you emerge on the shoulder of the national highway. Follow the yellow signs at the roundabout to the left under the highway, continue up the short slip road to the highway and then turn right past km marker 144. Continue across the bridge over the Rio Esla, take the first exit off the roundabout and head into Cistierna on Avenida de la Constitución.

As soon as you enter Cistierna, you will come to a bar that is next door to a "tienda de chinos." (dollar store equivalent). The owners of the store appear to also own the bar, and they serve marvelous little Asian cuisine tapas with every drink. It is a great place to sit and watch the town go about its business.

Continue on Av. Constitución till you reach the church. Turn left and go up the hill to the town hall. If the town hall is open, stop here and go to the main office, where an employee will take you to the albergue. If the town hall is closed, continue up on Calle San Guillermo until you reach the albergue on your right. Call the number on the door.

The albergue has a kitchen but no cooking facilities.

Good menú del día in the restaurant of the Hotel Moderno, on the main drag and up a flight of stairs from the street. It was the best menú del día that I had on the Vadiniense.

Day 6 -- The library in Gradefes, located in the building adjacent to the town hall, has free internet.

Day 7 -- I had to take a bus, my toes were a bloody mess, but luckily I had already visited the church of San Miguel de la Escalada, both times in the company (and the car) of Rebekah. But you would be CRAZY to miss it, that is if you like amazing visigothic structures.

SanMiguel.jpg SanMiguelinside.jpg

Buen camino, Laurie
 
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Hello,

I'll be heading off on the Lebañiego and Vadiniense Caminos next weekend (May 11th 2014)... walking from San Vicente de la Barquera to Mansilla de las Mulas... I'll be armed with Rebekah's guide and Laurie's updates... Looking forward to what sounds like 2 wonderful Caminos... I'll make a note of any observations etc. that may be a help to future pilgrims of these Caminos.

Saludos,

Paul
 
Hi Paul,
We'll be looking forward to any updates from you. We will be walking the same paths (followed by the Invierno to Santiago) starting at the end of June.
Buen camino.
Dan
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
all this warms the cockles of my heart. I dearly love these caminos, and I love knowing people are out there living them, and keeping them alive. Please know that I live in the area, if you run into trouble send me an IM and I will do what I can to help you out.

Rebekah
 
Dan/Rebekah,

Thank you both for your replies to my post... I'll be happy to add any observations I may have from my Vadiniense experience.

Paul.
 

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