- Time of past OR future Camino
- First: Camino Francés 2002; most recent: Norte/Primitivo 2019
I'm back on the Norte for a bit, capitalizing on some leftover days after walking in France to update things from Gijón westward. Today took me from Gijón to El Pito. Partway through the walk from Gijón to Avilés, I was feeling guilty for insulting the appeal of that stage, as I kind of enjoyed the kilometers through Monte Areo. And then I got to the Tabaza-Trasona stretch. Woof.
Anyway... the big surprise came after Avilés. Instead of doubling back through Salinas and then passing through San Martín de Laspra, the route now goes through Piedras Blancas instead. Congrats to their tourism folks for finally winning that battle, I guess. It shaves a bit more than a kilometer off the route, but I don't think it reduces the pavement by much. Seems like an odd move to chop off the hostels/albergues in those towns, but it wouldn't be a terrible detour to San Martín.
The dashed-red line above is the new route and Piedras Blancas is the town on the left side of it.
There's another route change later on, near the airport. Nothing as dramatic, but it does shift the crossing of the N643 to a spot that I found slightly unnerving, and I tend to be undeterred by such things. Limited visibility and very fast-moving cars.
Unrelated to all of that: I detoured into Cudillero for the first time tonight. Seemed like a shame not to, since I'm staying in El Pito and just 1.5km away. What a delight! If you find Luarca too big for your tastes, Cudillero is made for you--similar feel, but much more compact and with a buzzing little plaza. Forget El Pito. Detour here and spend the night.
Anyway... the big surprise came after Avilés. Instead of doubling back through Salinas and then passing through San Martín de Laspra, the route now goes through Piedras Blancas instead. Congrats to their tourism folks for finally winning that battle, I guess. It shaves a bit more than a kilometer off the route, but I don't think it reduces the pavement by much. Seems like an odd move to chop off the hostels/albergues in those towns, but it wouldn't be a terrible detour to San Martín.
The dashed-red line above is the new route and Piedras Blancas is the town on the left side of it.
There's another route change later on, near the airport. Nothing as dramatic, but it does shift the crossing of the N643 to a spot that I found slightly unnerving, and I tend to be undeterred by such things. Limited visibility and very fast-moving cars.
Unrelated to all of that: I detoured into Cudillero for the first time tonight. Seemed like a shame not to, since I'm staying in El Pito and just 1.5km away. What a delight! If you find Luarca too big for your tastes, Cudillero is made for you--similar feel, but much more compact and with a buzzing little plaza. Forget El Pito. Detour here and spend the night.