- Time of past OR future Camino
- Some in the past; more in the future!
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Hi and Buen Camino. Really looking forward to hearing all about it. Setting off in August and will be on my own so any relevant info greatly appreciated. DanielWhile Wendy is slaving away at work in Montreal this week, I am excited to start walking the Salvador tomorrow with my friend Darin. It’s his first camino but he’s an avid hiker - we met on the first day of the Torres del Paine circuit in Chile, and we later did a two-week walk together in the Italian Dolomites.
I’ve spent the last couple of days in León, my first visit in five years since our first camino (the Francés). It’s been fun to rediscover the town, especially the cathedral and San Isidoro.
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It’s really hot here at the moment (highs of mid-30s Celsius), so we are going to start before sunrise tomorrow as it’s a long-ish day to La Robla (about 27km). I expect tomorrow will be a bit of a ‘set-up day’ to bring us towards the mountains, so I don’t know how interesting it will be in and of itself, but hopefully the river walk out of León will be nice.
The albergue in La Robla is still closed but we have reservations at Pensión Mundo, which has budget rooms. I’m quite interested to see how many pilgrims will be walking the Salvador; I guess we’ll find out tomorrow!
We set off at 6:30 (sunrise is currently 6:45), about the same time as one of the other pilgrims with the other two having left earlier.Buen camino!!! What time did you set off this morning? Like 5.30? 6? How much water did you bring?
Thanks for great info. Have a good day's walk.We set off at 6:30 (sunrise is currently 6:45), about the same time as one of the other pilgrims with the other two having left earlier.
We each had 1L of water and Darin has an extra 2L bag with him but didn’t fill it. The 10km stretch between Carbajal to Cabanillas stretch is the only really long stretch between villages and there are a few possible options for water here (see above). I was getting a little anxious until we came to the fountain but I wasn’t super close to running out and could probably have made it to Cabanillas without refilling. Though that fountain was cold and definitely much appreciated!
I tried again in person when we arrive and he literally only has eggs, cheese and meat; not even potatoes or rice or pasta.
In fairness I think they usually have vegetables but they have run out and the next delivery hasn’t come yet. But I was a bit surprised they didn’t have grains or canned goods (tomatoes, chickpeas etc).That is interesting because the reviews on google said they do 5-course tasting menu for dinner. 5-course tasting menu with only meat eggs and cheese?
I feel like Poladura might be a bit of a bottleneck. I’ve heard several people say they’re going to Pola de Lena tomorrow whereas we’re only going to Pajares so maybe this group will split up a bit. But so far there seem to be reasonably priced pensiones at the end-of-stage destinations so booking those could certainly be an option.I might book accommodation all the way if it's going to be really busy.
I think that’s right. The options for ”avoiding Poladura” are limited, at least that I can think of. If you walk the first day to Pola de Gordón (that’s about 38 from León), you could then walk to Pajares with a 30-something day. I have done that, but I have also stayed in Poladura, which gives you the option to break up the mountains into two wonderful days rather than just one. We had a weather report that showed cloud and rain on day three, so leaving León we decided to get to Pola de Gordón on day 1 and Pajares on Day 2. It wasn’t super humanly difficult, but next time I’ll stop in La Robla again.I feel like Poladura might be a bit of a bottleneck.
I thought Llanos is perfectly positioned 20km from Poladura and 20km from Pola de Lena? Or is that just google map distance, but not the same effort-wise on the ground with the terrain profile?And on the other end, from Poladura you have to choose a short stage to Pajares or long to Llanos or Bendueños.
Oh, of course, you are right. I was thinking Poladura to Llanos, not Pajares to Llanos.I thought Llanos is perfectly positioned 20km from Poladura and 20km from Pola de Lena? Or is that just google map distance, but not the same effort-wise on the ground with the terrain profile?
From what I gather so far, September is also a very busy month right? We are thinking very end of Sept/first week of Oct….
I’ve always found it strange that Gronze’s stages are for a five-day Salvador (which requires some long stages), yet their second stage is only 15km from La Robla to Buiza, whereas La Robla to Poladura seems like the much better option for several reasons. And then in the description of that strange short stage, they say:The options for ”avoiding Poladura” are limited, at least that I can think of.
(Basically: we strongly recommend continuing to Poladura.)Etapa fácil, corta y con desniveles muy moderados: recomendamos vivamente alargarla hasta Poladura de la Tercia, para así acortar la dura jornada de mañana.
Tbh I was never a big fan of Gronze, much prefer Buen Camino in terms of user experience. But that’s just me! (And Buen Camino hasn’t even created this Camino, but each town is searchable).I’ve always found it strange that Gronze’s stages are for a five-day Salvador (which requires some long stages), yet their second stage is only 15km from La Robla to Buiza, whereas La Robla to Poladura seems like the much better option for several reasons. And then in the description of that strange short stage, they say:
(Basically: we strongly recommend continuing to Poladura.)
So why don’t they just make the stage La Robla - Poladura if that’s what they recommend?
Ah man. Your posts are fantastic. I'm archiving them all for August. My only concern so far reading is the possibility of serious heat then but weather is always unpredictable. I'm assuming that walking on my own will not be an issue. I love meeting pilgrims buy I also like my own company so either or. Anyhow sleep well and looking forward to your next post. DanielDay 2: La Robla - Poladura: ~24km
The Salvador adventures continue!
Today was a bit shorter and (slightly) cooler than yesterday but there was more elevation change and I think I felt more exhausted upon arrival today.
It was pleasantly cool upon departure (about 16 degrees Celsius with a breeze) but first half of the stage wasn’t especially noteworthy. There were some nice rivers and bridges but the trail is on asphalt for the first 3.5km and it’s more village-based than nature-based. Heading towards Buiza, the scenery becomes prettier with impressive cliffs to the left of the path.
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The highlight of the stage was the climb to the Alto de San Antón and subsequent descent. It was about midday and high 20s Celsius as we began the climb and it was mostly shadeless, but we didn’t find it too difficult and the mountain scenery was great. Yellow flowers provided a burst of colour which helped offset the hazy sky a bit.
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It rained a bit overnight and more is forecast tonight. Hoping for clear skies and less haze tomorrow but that might be wishful thinking!
Some tips/info from today’s stage:
- Water: Until Buiza there’s no problem with water as you go through several villages with fountains and the path is pretty flat. Make sure to fill up in Buiza for the climb. The next place to fill up after Buiza (and the only place between Buiza and Poladura as far as I can tell) is a spring with a makeshift spout to the left of the path soon after the start of the descent from the pass (42°54′56.66″N 05°41′47.29″W).
- Food: There are two supermarkets opposite each other in La Pola de Gordon, about two hours from La Robla. MYM is the bigger and better of the two but neither opens until 10am, which is inconvenient if leaving early from La Robla. There aren’t any shops for quite a while after this so you may need to stock up here, especially if splitting up the next stage into two as we are.
As noted in several guides, the pension/restaurant El Embrujo is the only place that does meals in Poladura. I called yesterday to confirm and the guy said he didn’t have any vegetables and therefore couldn’t make anything for me. It seems he currently has eggs and meat and that’s about it. Edit: I tried again in person when we arrive and he literally only has eggs, cheese and meat; not even potatoes or rice or pasta. I have food with me so I’m fine for tonight but hopefully Pajares can do something tomorrow night!
- Accommodation: We arrived shortly before 4pm and got the last two beds (of 12) in the albergue in Poladura. It’s a muni so it can’t be booked in advance but I called anyway a couple of days ago and they seemed to think there would be plenty of space. Most of the other pilgrims seem to be Spanish though they’re not a talkative bunch so far!
We became big Gronze fans on our recent CPI-Sanabrés, and I’m still using it for eating/sleeping info on the Salvador but I’m mostly using the Wise Pilgrim app, because it’s so user-friendly, along with other tracks.Tbh I was never a big fan of Gronze, much prefer Buen Camino in terms of user experience. But that’s just me! (And Buen Camino hasn’t even created this Camino, but each town is searchable).
Would you believe we missed the turnoff to Arbás and went straight ahead towards the Puerto de Pajares instead??Did you go into the church in Arbás? In my experience it is always open and has real live candles for lighting!!!!!
From @peregrina2000’s reaction there I think tomorrow you will have to walk back and go see the church!Would you believe we missed the turnoff to Arbás and went straight ahead towards the Puerto de Pajares instead??
Looks nice! It was just a funny thing with the trail where you had to turn almost 90 degrees to the right to go into Arbás but basically straight ahead was the ultimate direction. We must have just been talking and missed it and by the time we realised it didn’t seem worth it to go back.I know you usually don’t like spoilers, @jungleboy, but since you missed it, here goes:
Are these lovely forest photos taken on the Munisteriu alternative route?Day 4: Pajares - Bendueños: ~19km (a few more than expected!)
Another adventurous day on the Salvador! It was really slow going for us today with our ‘paso de fotógrafo’ and we are pretty wrecked even after two short stages - I really can’t imagine wanting to do a 30km day in these mountains as we have been taking our (sweet) time, making photo stops etc and are still exhausted.
Most of today’s stage took place in the forest and was quite different from yesterday. Given that it was our first full day in Asturias, it felt a bit like being back on the Primitivo (with Bendueños playing the role of Bodenaya as the finishing touch).
The sky was hazy again, despite another storm last night, but today was more about forest explorations than mountain views. We passed a few little waterfalls, ate tiny wild cherries and strawberries, peeked into spider web tunnels and walked in our share of mud! It was pretty hot (high 20s Celsius) and tough going and we were glad to finally make it to the albergue shortly before 3pm, especially since it started pouring with rain five minutes after we arrived.
Photography wasn’t so easy for me today but here are a couple of shots that hopefully capture some of the forest ambience.
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Some tips/info from today’s stage:
- Munisteriu Alternative: there’s now a signboard leaving Llanos (Chanos) giving the option of the Munisteriu alternative, so if you want to add some more adventure to your Salvador adventure, take it! We took it instead of the road and we’re really glad we did as it’s a beautiful, forested path. Elle’s/Ender’s tracks include it and it’s signposted. It’s about 300m longer than the road option and will take longer because of the terrain and some some ups and downs, but it was worth it for us. As far as difficulty goes, we felt the ups of the subsequent stretch (Fresneo-Herias) made that the harder section.
- Accommodation: The albergue in Bendueños is so fantastic. It’s a rustic stone house that’s amazingly situated and beautifully outfitted. Highly, highly recommended.
Munisteriu Alternative: there’s now a signboard leaving Llanos (Chanos) giving the option of the Munisteriu alternative, so if you want to add some more adventure to your Salvador adventure, take it! We took it instead of the road and we’re really glad we did as it’s a beautiful, forested path.
The first one yes, the second one I think was on the subsequent Fresneo-Herias part, which was also very forested. So you’ll have plenty of forest on this stage even if not taking the alternative route.Are these lovely forest photos taken on the Munisteriu alternative route?
In my view, that makes it sound worse than it really is. Yes, there is a rope for assistance at one point but it’s not difficult/complicated to use. An arrow clearly points away from the jagged rocks at the same point, with a large X on one of the rocks. Honestly, we didn’t find this part problematic.Tell us more, @jungleboy. I totally agree about the beautiful, forested path, but wasn’t there a precarious ascent up to a high point on jagged rocks? I have seen a picture of someone walking this route — she is ascending on a dirt path, holding on to a rope on the side. I didn’t walk on that path. What about you — jagged rock or dirt path with a rope? (or maybe something else).
The 300m figure came from the information board in Llanos. It took us a long time and my phone registered our total day as 19km when we thought it would be 16-something, so maybe it was more than 300m extra.I am also surprised that you say it added only 300 m. I had walked on the “road route” down to the turnoff for Fresneo several times, and had always arrived in Pola de Lena in time to visit the church, which closes at 1. But last September, with the Munistiriu alternative, I got there hours later. I am not doubting your report that it is only 300 m, but it also makes me think that I was given tracks that are no longer the Munistiriu alternative (I will check with Ender when he is back home).
Will do when she arrives!See if Sandra will open up the church so you can see the paintings in the sacristy.
That is fantastic news. Following the GPS up through those rocks was not fun, and I am so glad they have marked a different route.An arrow clearly points away from the jagged rocks at the same point, with a large X on one of the rocks. Honestly, we didn’t find this part problematic.
Add an extra zero!our total day as 19km when we thought it would be 16-something, so maybe it was more than 300m extra.
Darin took a photo of the rocks I think you’re referring to. Does this look familiar?If it hadn’t been for those jagged rocks, I would have totally enjoyed the alternative, so I’m very happy to know that Ender and co. were able to find a good way to avoid them. Henceforth I will say nothing but good things about Munistiriu!!
The takeaway from today, then, is that the alternative is well marked and we didn’t have any problems with way-finding or with anything that seemed dangerous. I was checking with GPS every now and then just to be sure but the path was clear. It is still quite adventurous though!Not exactly, it was not an outcroppinng like that. It was a wide swath of extremely jagged rocks (like those that seem to be starting on the very top left of the photo) with no way to go around. You just had to pick your way carefully up step by step (very much like the reverse of the hairy descent on the Olvidado to Ciñera). I didn’t take any pictures, unfortunately, but it was challenging enough to use the GPS while trying to stay upright with my poles. As my mother always told me — Grace is not my middle name.
I’ll ask Ender about it when he is back, but I think that what your posts show is that it is. really good alternative to many kms of walking alongside the (very untraveled) road.
Oh my gosh, amazing! Here’s a photo behind a spoiler in case those coming behind us don’t want to see:See if Sandra will open up the church so you can see the paintings in the sacristy. According to one of Ender’s camino friends who was there when we had a big meal together there, they are singular and historically significant. In fact, he was able to get some funding for preservation, which has happened, I think.
This is the church in Benduenos? Interesting! Wasn’t planning to stay overnight here (no pet friendly place), so my current itinerary is Llanos->Pola de Lena. Do you think we would be able to have a look inside the church as we pass by?Oh my gosh, amazing! Here’s a photo behind a spoiler in case those coming behind us don’t want to see:
Bendueños is about 1.5 km off camino, up a hill on a road (turn-off is clearly mrked in Herías).This is the church in Benduenos? Interesting! Wasn’t planning to stay overnight here (no pet friendly place), so my current itinerary is Llanos->Pola de Lena. Do you think we would be able to have a look inside the church as we pass by?
Do you think we would be able to have a look inside the church as we pass by?
Beyond that, you need to get the key from the hospitalera Sandra to access the church and while she’s very accommodating and generous, there’s no guarantee that she will be available at the time you would be there. So I think this could be difficult.Bendueños is about 1.5 km off camino, up a hill on a road (turn-off is clearly mrked in Herías).
That’s what I thought!Beyond that, you need to get the key from the hospitalera Sandra to access the church and while she’s very accommodating and generous, there’s no guarantee that she will be available at the time you would be there. So I think this could be difficult.
Laurie is this the one you said had a Cuban connection? How to find out?See if Sandra will open up the church so you can see the paintings in the sacristy.
Buen Camino. I loved the San Salvador but only went as far as Cabanillas where we stayed at a wonderful little albergue with 4 beds, but they were only allowing two at a time so we had it to ourselves.While Wendy is slaving away at work in Montreal this week, I am excited to start walking the Salvador tomorrow with my friend Darin. It’s his first camino but he’s an avid hiker - we met on the first day of the Torres del Paine circuit in Chile, and we later did a two-week walk together in the Italian Dolomites.
I’ve spent the last couple of days in León, my first visit in five years since our first camino (the Francés). It’s been fun to rediscover the town, especially the cathedral and San Isidoro.
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It’s really hot here at the moment (highs of mid-30s Celsius), so we are going to start before sunrise tomorrow as it’s a long-ish day to La Robla (about 27km). I expect tomorrow will be a bit of a ‘set-up day’ to bring us towards the mountains, so I don’t know how interesting it will be in and of itself, but hopefully the river walk out of León will be nice.
The albergue in La Robla is still closed but we have reservations at Pensión Mundo, which has budget rooms. I’m quite interested to see how many pilgrims will be walking the Salvador; I guess we’ll find out tomorrow!
Holy rocks Batman. Rock slide waiting to happen. Hope the new path is not in its some day downhill trajectory, and that I’m not walking there then.The rock with the X is on the verge of toppling down the mountain but the path really does steer clear of this.
For some reason, this is now of interest to me and I would like to find out more about its origins.En la campera del pueblo destaca el conjunto del llamado Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Bendueños. En principio, está La Capilla, de cruz latina, con signos evidentes de sucesivos añadidos en el tiempo, caso delCamerín (parte posterior de la iglesia). Este pequeño recinto (hoy mejorado y declarado BIC), mantiene el pequeño altar, y unas paredes con motivos indígenas americanos, ángeles negros, vírgenes con rasgos amerindios... Un patrimonio a investigar, o, por lo menos, a conservar.
The man in Ender’s group who wound up applying for the grant that did the preservation said he thought the figures, both racially and by dress, looked Caribbean. There are also parrots in the painting, I think. And I think he mentioned something about a connection between that part of Asturias and Cuba, but my memory is fuzzy. I have done a little googling but haven’t found much.Laurie is this the one you said had a Cuban connection? How to find out?
So glad the posts are useful! Since I neglected to mention food for the Pajares-Bendueños stage, I’ll do it now: as far as I can tell, there’s literally nowhere to get food on the entire stage (no shops, no bars, no restaurants). Sandra at Bendueños will make dinner if you call ahead and we asked for lunch too which she also made and left in the fridge for us to heat up when we arrived. A lifesaver!Thanks, Nick! Your reports, as always, are terrific. I want to thank you for mentioning food resources as I also have to plan around dietary restrictions. This is super helpful -- and FUN to read!
Could not agree more with what you say re Sandra and her albergue. It is as cosy as any home. Everything you could hope to find in the bathrooms. A clear atmosphere of generosity and trust. We were very fortunate - we were collected at the foot of the hill by Sandra. I think you said yourself that she is no longer in a position to do that...Day 4: Pajares - Bendueños: ~19km (a few more than expected!)
Another adventurous day on the Salvador! It was really slow going for us today with our ‘paso de fotógrafo’ and we are pretty wrecked even after two short stages - I really can’t imagine wanting to do a 30km day in these mountains as we have been taking our (sweet) time, making photo stops etc and are still exhausted.
Most of today’s stage took place in the forest and was quite different from yesterday. Given that it was our first full day in Asturias, it felt a bit like being back on the Primitivo (with Bendueños playing the role of Bodenaya as the finishing touch).
The sky was hazy again, despite another storm last night, but today was more about forest explorations than mountain views. We passed a few little waterfalls, ate tiny wild cherries and strawberries, peeked into spider web tunnels and walked in our share of mud! It was pretty hot (high 20s Celsius) and tough going and we were glad to finally make it to the albergue shortly before 3pm, especially since it started pouring with rain five minutes after we arrived.
Photography wasn’t so easy for me today but here are a couple of shots that hopefully capture some of the forest ambience.
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Some tips/info from today’s stage:
- Munisteriu Alternative: there’s now a signboard leaving Llanos (Chanos) giving the option of the Munisteriu alternative, so if you want to add some more adventure to your Salvador adventure, take it! We took it instead of the road and we’re really glad we did as it’s a beautiful, forested path. Elle’s/Ender’s tracks include it and it’s signposted. It’s about 300m longer than the road option and will take longer because of the terrain and some some ups and downs, but it was worth it for us. As far as difficulty goes, we felt the ups of the subsequent stretch (Fresneo-Herias) made that the harder section.
- Accommodation: The albergue in Bendueños is so fantastic. It’s a rustic stone house that’s amazingly situated and beautifully outfitted. Highly, highly recommended.
Hi. Yes I believe collecting pilgrims is no longer an option. As for food I think it needs to be bought in a supermercado halfway the stage or day before. I believe there are two stages that we need to carry our own food due to lack of shops/ cafes etc. Is it advisable to book Sandra's 2 days in advance? I'm walking the route in August. Thanks, DanielCould not agree more with what you say re Sandra and her albergue. It is as cosy as any home. Everything you could hope to find in the bathrooms. A clear atmosphere of generosity and trust. We were very fortunate - we were collected at the foot of the hill by Sandra. I think you said yourself that she is no longer in a position to do that...
If you have two days notice, use them... or even, right now! The early bird...Hi. Yes I believe collecting pilgrims is no longer an option. As for food I think it needs to be bought in a supermercado halfway the stage or day before. I believe there are two stages that we need to carry our own food due to lack of shops/ cafes etc. Is it advisable to book Sandra's 2 days in advance? I'm walking the route in August. Thanks, Daniel
Sandra is fantastic. We didh't even ask and she prepared dinner and breakfast and there is beer in fridge!So glad the posts are useful! Since I neglected to mention food for the Pajares-Bendueños stage, I’ll do it now: as far as I can tell, there’s literally nowhere to get food on the entire stage (no shops, no bars, no restaurants). Sandra at Bendueños will make dinner if you call ahead and we asked for lunch too which she also made and left in the fridge for us to heat up when we arrived. A lifesaver!
Thank you! I think I will have to sit down and read again your comments about the route marking, and compare that to whatever GPS tracks I’ll be using! Hopefully it will lead us to the right wayDay 5: Bendueños - Mieres del Camino: ~23km
Where to start? Well, firstly, I wrote yesterday’s post shortly after arriving in Bendueños and I hadn’t had the full experience yet. Today I can say that this is now my favourite albergue on any camino. The welcome, the spirit, the building itself, the church, the food, the views - I loved absolutely everything about it.
After a lot of rain overnight, we finally awoke to a non-hazy sky this morning (and lower temperatures - high of 23C today). We saw the first light hit the mountain peaks and then watched the light, fog and clouds shift over the next hour or two to create different landscapes. The opening of Santa Cristina de Lena at 11am was a blessing in disguise as it allowed us to spend longer in Bendueños admiring the views.
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The other highlight of the day was, of course, the aforementioned Santa Cristina de Lena. As an amateur medievalist, I especially like the early Middle Ages and I had very much been looking forward to seeing this 9th-century church that is part of the Asturian pre-Romanesque World Heritage listing. And it didn’t disappoint - what a beautiful place! Photos behind spoilers:
Having not made much progress until midday while savouring the mountain views and the church, we got on our proverbial bikes after that and got moving to Mieres. Other than some practicalities listed below, there isn’t much to say about most of the stage. I found six ticks on me today (!) and Darin and I are also dealing with various other physical issues, so we’re a bit battered and bruised but looking forward to Oviedo tomorrow!
Some tips/info from today’s stage:
- Waymarking: three things to note from today.
Bendueños: leaving town and going back the way you came, there’s a sign and camino arrow pointing to a path to Campomanes. But there are two paths and it isn’t clear which one it is. In the end we just took the road back down to Herias and continued from there. The other pilgrims staying at Bendueños did the same. Maybe someone can check with Sandra as to which path is correct.
Campomanes: there are two sets of arrows leaving town and it’s easy to take the wrong ones. The wrong ones continue through town and over the bridge, with the river now on the right. Instead, turn right two blocks before the bridge and follow different arrows, with the river on the left. I say ‘wrong arrows’ because that way puts you on the opposite side of the river from Santa Cristina. Wise Pilgrim has both tracks but Gronze and Elle/Ender only have the ‘correct’ ones on the right side of the river.
Pola de Lena: the Gronze tracks continue straight out of Pola on the left side of the river. We followed this briefly and this is presumably the road @peregrina2000 talked about as being a terrifying one, with no shoulder and lots of traffic. Instead, arrows now turn right shortly before the end of town and cross the river, which is what we ultimately did. The first section of this part is on an unused asphalt road adjacent to the highway, so it’s not wonderful but is safe. The next part, opposite Villallana, goes into a forest with a decent up and a down, and then the path continues adjacent to the highway (but not on it) until crossing the river again to enter Ujo. Elle/Ender’s tracks have all of this marked but also include another option which crosses back at Villallana and skips the forest section. This option then goes on the original road where the Gronze tracks go before crossing the river to merge with the other tracks a couple of kms before Ujo. I can’t compare routes but the forest one is not too hard, perhaps unless there’s been a lot of rain.
- Bridge closure: at Mieres del Camino, the pedestrian bridge right opposite the albergue / university accommodation is currently closed for works. Cross the river at the previous bridge (Calle Vega de Arriba) to enter town, or else you will have to continue to the next bridge and then walk back south again if you are staying at the university or somewhere else in the south end of town.
Hey guys. Thank you again for the updates. I'm getting quite anxious when you mentioned bruised and injured as I'm taking this trip solo. That first image of the mountain ahead however makes me want to walk it more. Have a safe trip tomorrow to Oviedo. DanielDay 5: Bendueños - Mieres del Camino: ~23km
Where to start? Well, firstly, I wrote yesterday’s post shortly after arriving in Bendueños and I hadn’t had the full experience yet. Today I can say that this is now my favourite albergue on any camino. The welcome, the spirit, the building itself, the church, the food, the views - I loved absolutely everything about it.
After a lot of rain overnight, we finally awoke to a non-hazy sky this morning (and lower temperatures - high of 23C today). We saw the first light hit the mountain peaks and then watched the light, fog and clouds shift over the next hour or two to create different landscapes. The opening of Santa Cristina de Lena at 11am was a blessing in disguise as it allowed us to spend longer in Bendueños admiring the views.
View attachment 128011
The other highlight of the day was, of course, the aforementioned Santa Cristina de Lena. As an amateur medievalist, I especially like the early Middle Ages and I had very much been looking forward to seeing this 9th-century church that is part of the Asturian pre-Romanesque World Heritage listing. And it didn’t disappoint - what a beautiful place! Photos behind spoilers:
Having not made much progress until midday while savouring the mountain views and the church, we got on our proverbial bikes after that and got moving to Mieres. Other than some practicalities listed below, there isn’t much to say about most of the stage. I found six ticks on me today (!) and Darin and I are also dealing with various other physical issues, so we’re a bit battered and bruised but looking forward to Oviedo tomorrow!
Some tips/info from today’s stage:
- Waymarking: three things to note from today.
Bendueños: leaving town and going back the way you came, there’s a sign and camino arrow pointing to a path to Campomanes. But there are two paths and it isn’t clear which one it is. In the end we just took the road back down to Herias and continued from there. The other pilgrims staying at Bendueños did the same. Maybe someone can check with Sandra as to which path is correct.
Campomanes: there are two sets of arrows leaving town and it’s easy to take the wrong ones. The wrong ones continue through town and over the bridge, with the river now on the right. Instead, turn right two blocks before the bridge and follow different arrows, with the river on the left. I say ‘wrong arrows’ because that way puts you on the opposite side of the river from Santa Cristina. Wise Pilgrim has both tracks but Gronze and Elle/Ender only have the ‘correct’ ones on the right side of the river.
Pola de Lena: the Gronze tracks continue straight out of Pola on the left side of the river. We followed this briefly and this is presumably the road @peregrina2000 talked about as being a terrifying one, with no shoulder and lots of traffic. Instead, arrows now turn right shortly before the end of town and cross the river, which is what we ultimately did. The first section of this part is on an unused asphalt road adjacent to the highway, so it’s not wonderful but is safe. The next part, opposite Villallana, goes into a forest with a decent up and a down, and then the path continues adjacent to the highway (but not on it) until crossing the river again to enter Ujo. Elle/Ender’s tracks have all of this marked but also include another option which crosses back at Villallana and skips the forest section. This option then goes on the original road where the Gronze tracks go before crossing the river to merge with the other tracks a couple of kms before Ujo. I can’t compare routes but the forest one is not too hard, perhaps unless there’s been a lot of rain.
- Bridge closure: at Mieres del Camino, the pedestrian bridge right opposite the albergue / university accommodation is currently closed for works. Cross the river at the previous bridge (Calle Vega de Arriba) to enter town, or else you will have to continue to the next bridge and then walk back south again if you are staying at the university or somewhere else in the south end of town.
Wrong road. That road you walked on, on the left side of the river, doesn’t have any cars at all on it. The bad road started after the gasolinera in Villalana, which is where the arrows now take you under the highway. It wouldn’t have been too bad today since it is a Sunday, but on weekdays it is really treacherous. Ender was able to get people totally off that road (it’s the AS-375, there is no shoulder whatsoever, and the road is lined with big supply yards so there is a ton of truck traffic).Pola de Lena: the Gronze tracks continue straight out of Pola on the left side of the river. We followed this briefly and this is presumably the road @peregrina2000 talked about as being a terrifying one, with no shoulder and lots of traffic.
Yes the hospitalera in Bendueñas is exceptionallDay 5: Bendueños - Mieres del Camino: ~23km
Where to start? Well, firstly, I wrote yesterday’s post shortly after arriving in Bendueños and I hadn’t had the full experience yet. Today I can say that this is now my favourite albergue on any camino. The welcome, the spirit, the building itself, the church, the food, the views - I loved absolutely everything about it.
After a lot of rain overnight, we finally awoke to a non-hazy sky this morning (and lower temperatures - high of 23C today). We saw the first light hit the mountain peaks and then watched the light, fog and clouds shift over the next hour or two to create different landscapes. The opening of Santa Cristina de Lena at 11am was a blessing in disguise as it allowed us to spend longer in Bendueños admiring the views.
View attachment 128011
The other highlight of the day was, of course, the aforementioned Santa Cristina de Lena. As an amateur medievalist, I especially like the early Middle Ages and I had very much been looking forward to seeing this 9th-century church that is part of the Asturian pre-Romanesque World Heritage listing. And it didn’t disappoint - what a beautiful place! Photos behind spoilers:
Having not made much progress until midday while savouring the mountain views and the church, we got on our proverbial bikes after that and got moving to Mieres. Other than some practicalities listed below, there isn’t much to say about most of the stage. I found six ticks on me today (!) and Darin and I are also dealing with various other physical issues, so we’re a bit battered and bruised but looking forward to Oviedo tomorrow!
Some tips/info from today’s stage:
- Waymarking: three things to note from today.
Bendueños: leaving town and going back the way you came, there’s a sign and camino arrow pointing to a path to Campomanes. But there are two paths and it isn’t clear which one it is. In the end we just took the road back down to Herias and continued from there. The other pilgrims staying at Bendueños did the same. Maybe someone can check with Sandra as to which path is correct.
Campomanes: there are two sets of arrows leaving town and it’s easy to take the wrong ones. The wrong ones continue through town and over the bridge, with the river now on the right. Instead, turn right two blocks before the bridge and follow different arrows, with the river on the left. I say ‘wrong arrows’ because that way puts you on the opposite side of the river from Santa Cristina. Wise Pilgrim has both tracks but Gronze and Elle/Ender only have the ‘correct’ ones on the right side of the river.
Pola de Lena: the Gronze tracks continue straight out of Pola on the left side of the river. We followed this briefly and this is presumably the road @peregrina2000 talked about as being a terrifying one, with no shoulder and lots of traffic. Instead, arrows now turn right shortly before the end of town and cross the river, which is what we ultimately did. The first section of this part is on an unused asphalt road adjacent to the highway, so it’s not wonderful but is safe. The next part, opposite Villallana, goes into a forest with a decent up and a down, and then the path continues adjacent to the highway (but not on it) until crossing the river again to enter Ujo. Elle/Ender’s tracks have all of this marked but also include another option which crosses back at Villallana and skips the forest section. This option then goes on the original road where the Gronze tracks go before crossing the river to merge with the other tracks a couple of kms before Ujo. I can’t compare routes but the forest one is not too hard, perhaps unless there’s been a lot of rain.
- Bridge closure: at Mieres del Camino, the pedestrian bridge right opposite the albergue / university accommodation is currently closed for works. Cross the river at the previous bridge (Calle Vega de Arriba) to enter town, or else you will have to continue to the next bridge and then walk back south again if you are staying at the university or somewhere else in the south end of town.
When you go back down to Herias, and turn left to continue, there is a field on your right. That is where we saw a foal being born. The owner came along from his house, he was watching everything! The field has a downwards slope, so the mother had to nudge the newborn a few times into a position to enable it to find its feet. An amazing experience. Most of the other pilgrims who had stayed in the albergue stopped with us to watch. Thanks for the memories, and lovely photos of Santa Cristina.Day 5: Bendueños - Mieres del Camino: ~23km
Where to start? Well, firstly, I wrote yesterday’s post shortly after arriving in Bendueños and I hadn’t had the full experience yet. Today I can say that this is now my favourite albergue on any camino. The welcome, the spirit, the building itself, the church, the food, the views - I loved absolutely everything about it.
After a lot of rain overnight, we finally awoke to a non-hazy sky this morning (and lower temperatures - high of 23C today). We saw the first light hit the mountain peaks and then watched the light, fog and clouds shift over the next hour or two to create different landscapes. The opening of Santa Cristina de Lena at 11am was a blessing in disguise as it allowed us to spend longer in Bendueños admiring the views.
View attachment 128011
The other highlight of the day was, of course, the aforementioned Santa Cristina de Lena. As an amateur medievalist, I especially like the early Middle Ages and I had very much been looking forward to seeing this 9th-century church that is part of the Asturian pre-Romanesque World Heritage listing. And it didn’t disappoint - what a beautiful place! Photos behind spoilers:
Having not made much progress until midday while savouring the mountain views and the church, we got on our proverbial bikes after that and got moving to Mieres. Other than some practicalities listed below, there isn’t much to say about most of the stage. I found six ticks on me today (!) and Darin and I are also dealing with various other physical issues, so we’re a bit battered and bruised but looking forward to Oviedo tomorrow!
Some tips/info from today’s stage:
- Waymarking: three things to note from today.
Bendueños: leaving town and going back the way you came, there’s a sign and camino arrow pointing to a path to Campomanes. But there are two paths and it isn’t clear which one it is. In the end we just took the road back down to Herias and continued from there. The other pilgrims staying at Bendueños did the same. Maybe someone can check with Sandra as to which path is correct.
Campomanes: there are two sets of arrows leaving town and it’s easy to take the wrong ones. The wrong ones continue through town and over the bridge, with the river now on the right. Instead, turn right two blocks before the bridge and follow different arrows, with the river on the left. I say ‘wrong arrows’ because that way puts you on the opposite side of the river from Santa Cristina. Wise Pilgrim has both tracks but Gronze and Elle/Ender only have the ‘correct’ ones on the right side of the river.
Pola de Lena: the Gronze tracks continue straight out of Pola on the left side of the river. We followed this briefly and this is presumably the road @peregrina2000 talked about as being a terrifying one, with no shoulder and lots of traffic. Instead, arrows now turn right shortly before the end of town and cross the river, which is what we ultimately did. The first section of this part is on an unused asphalt road adjacent to the highway, so it’s not wonderful but is safe. The next part, opposite Villallana, goes into a forest with a decent up and a down, and then the path continues adjacent to the highway (but not on it) until crossing the river again to enter Ujo. Elle/Ender’s tracks have all of this marked but also include another option which crosses back at Villallana and skips the forest section. This option then goes on the original road where the Gronze tracks go before crossing the river to merge with the other tracks a couple of kms before Ujo. I can’t compare routes but the forest one is not too hard, perhaps unless there’s been a lot of rain.
- Bridge closure: at Mieres del Camino, the pedestrian bridge right opposite the albergue / university accommodation is currently closed for works. Cross the river at the previous bridge (Calle Vega de Arriba) to enter town, or else you will have to continue to the next bridge and then walk back south again if you are staying at the university or somewhere else in the south end of town.
Thank you@jungleboy Thanks once more for your live accounts & pictures!
About two hours (at a leisurely pace) from Bendueños. Maybe a little less.How long did it take you to walk to Santa Cristina de Lena?
Yes to shorts. Removed them with tweezers (making sure to get all of them) and then applied antiseptic and now monitoring the spots.Ticks? Yikes! Are you wearing shorts? How did you deal with this?
Got it! Here is a map to clarify:Wrong road. That road you walked on, on the left side of the river, doesn’t have any cars at all on it. The bad road started after the gasolinera in Villalana, which is where the arrows now take you under the highway. It wouldn’t have been too bad today since it is a Sunday, but on weekdays it is really treacherous. Ender was able to get people totally off that road (it’s the AS-375, there is no shoulder whatsoever, and the road is lined with big supply yards so there is a ton of truck traffic).
There are some steps on the descent in the forest which is helpful, but the part just after the steps is also steep and slippery after rain. After the forest there was a fair bit of mud on the trail. Post-forest, the trail isn’t anything to write home about but it sounds much better than the alternative!How did you find the segment after you went under the superhighway till you got to Ujo? Ender and crew recently finished a staircase of sorts at the steepest part of the decline.
Hoping that the day we walk to Campomanes, we will meet people walking to Bendueños and they can let us know when they’re going to visit the churchBeyond that, you need to get the key from the hospitalera Sandra to access the church and while she’s very accommodating and generous, there’s no guarantee that she will be available at the time you would be there. So I think this could be difficult.
So to avoid walking on the motorway, I should follow the red track out of Pola, and when it forks, take the right one into the forest?The arrows take you over the river on the red tracks (Elle/Ender). Where the red tracks fork, we took the right fork into the forest and your road is the left fork (rejoining the Gronze tracks which are hidden underneath), if I have this right.
Yes, exactly. Arrows will guide you.So to avoid walking on the motorway, I should follow the red track out of Pola, and when it forks, take the right one into the forest?
Just to let you know how it worked for us. Sandra isn’t at the albergue all day. One pilgrim arrived at 11:30am. Sandra let him in and then went home to tend to her daughter. The pilgrim let the rest of us in and Sandra came back at about 6pm and opened the church for us to see it.Hoping that the day we walk to Campomanes, we will meet people walking to Bendueños and they can let us know when they’re going to visit the churchhey, crazier things have happened on the Camino. Maybe it will happen, maybe not.
There are some steps on the descent in the forest which is helpful, but the part just after the steps is also steep and slippery after rain. After the forest there was a fair bit of mud on the trail. Post-forest, the trail isn’t anything to write home about but it sounds much better than the alternative!
Day 6: Mieres del Camino - Oviedo: ~19km
Our Salvador victory lap wasn’t a brilliant stage but it was cool (max 17C today) and we didn’t get rained on. The weather changed quite a bit over the six days of the camino and that intense heat on day 1 out of León seems like a while ago now.
There are three ascents and descents on this stage: the first ascent is the longest and reaches the highest point; the second one is the steepest but is in the forest and was my favourite part of the stage; while the third one is pretty minor. Apart from that middle forest section, most of the stage is on asphalt and while there are some mountain views, there are also views of industrial sites and a lot of power lines, so it’s certainly not the best scenery the Salvador has to offer.
Having started early to avoid the afternoon rain, we arrived in Oviedo at about 12:30pm and it was great for me to be back here four years after walking the Primitivo. We received our salvadoranas and went inside the cathedral, and as was the case last time, my favourite part was the ninth-century crypt of Santa Leocadia.
View attachment 128090
We are taking a rest day in Oviedo tomorrow and then weighing up our options. The Primitivo was our plan but there’s a lot of rain in the forecast and Darin’s blisters are pretty bad, so we’ll decide tomorrow if that still makes the most sense.
In any case, the Salvador was a great adventure and a beautiful if tough camino. Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and for following along!
Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed walking with you. I'm hoping to do it myself this September, but no definite plans as of yet.Day 6: Mieres del Camino - Oviedo: ~19km
Our Salvador victory lap wasn’t a brilliant stage but it was cool (max 17C today) and we didn’t get rained on. The weather changed quite a bit over the six days of the camino and that intense heat on day 1 out of León seems like a while ago now.
There are three ascents and descents on this stage: the first ascent is the longest and reaches the highest point; the second one is the steepest but is in the forest and was my favourite part of the stage; while the third one is pretty minor. Apart from that middle forest section, most of the stage is on asphalt and while there are some mountain views, there are also views of industrial sites and a lot of power lines, so it’s certainly not the best scenery the Salvador has to offer.
Having started early to avoid the afternoon rain, we arrived in Oviedo at about 12:30pm and it was great for me to be back here four years after walking the Primitivo. We received our salvadoranas and went inside the cathedral, and as was the case last time, my favourite part was the ninth-century crypt of Santa Leocadia.
View attachment 128090
We are taking a rest day in Oviedo tomorrow and then weighing up our options. The Primitivo was our plan but there’s a lot of rain in the forecast and Darin’s blisters are pretty bad, so we’ll decide tomorrow if that still makes the most sense.
In any case, the Salvador was a great adventure and a beautiful if tough camino. Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and for following along!
Peregrina 2000 can you please give me more information on the pension in Cabornera? This seems ideal for us but I can’t find what it’s called, where it is or contact details. We’re starting the San Salvador in a few days. Thanks, Jacki.Oh, of course, you are right. I was thinking Poladura to Llanos, not Pajares to Llanos.
Another forum member sent me her proposed stages to keep all the days around or under 20 — here is a masterful itinerary, IMO.
1. Leon to Cabanillas. 2. Cabanillas to Cabornera (pensión about a half km off camino a few kms after Pola de Gordón). 3. Cabornera to Poladura. 4. Poladura to Pajares. 5. Pajares to Bendueños. 6. Bendueños to Mieres. 7. Mieres to Oviedo.
I walked last year in the beginning of September and it wasn’t crowded at all. In my experience, most walkers on the Salvador are Spaniards, and August is their crunch time.
I assume it’s this one:Peregrina 2000 can you please give me more information on the pension in Cabornera? This seems ideal for us but I can’t find what it’s called, where it is or contact details. We’re starting the San Salvador in a few days. Thanks, Jacki.
Peregrina 2000 can you please give me more information on the pension in Cabornera? This seems ideal for us but I can’t find what it’s called, where it is or contact details. We’re starting the San Salvador in a few days. Thanks, Jacki.
Many thanks, that’s what I was looking for. XThe pensión that Ender was talking about is the Rabocán.
640 70 66 21 They are on WhatsApp.
I don’t know about that Casa Rural that @jungleboy found, but it may also be a good option. It looks to me, though, that the Casa Rural is only available for whole-house rental.
The Rabocán is a few hundred meters off camino, but you can see from the google maps that it is a bit closer to the camino than the CR.
There are some but not many. In Poladura there were 12 in the albergue and 1-2 more in the pensión. In Pajares there were only five in the albergue (as the rest did a longer day). In Bendueños there were seven in the albergue. We usually didn’t see pilgrims on the trail.Are there some pilgrims on Salvadore in June 2022?
Thank you very much for your detailed info! Thanks to you, I can image how Camino Salvador like. Muchas gracious!There are some but not many. In Poladura there were 12 in the albergue and 1-2 more in the pensión. In Pajares there were only five in the albergue (as the rest did a longer day). In Bendueños there were seven in the albergue. We usually didn’t see pilgrims on the trail.
To make a long story short, we decided for a variety of reasons not to walk the Primitivo and instead relocated to Tui to walk the last part of the CP (+VE), arriving in Santiago yesterday! Since the CP is very well known at this point I opted against posting updates, but thank you for the kind words!@jungleboy will you be doing one of your wonderful updates on the Primitivo?
?? Hmm weren’t you going there after Salvador??
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