Stages on the Primitivo

[Lirsy]

The albergues depend a lot in how many km/day you can walk. Also is important if you plan to take hospitales or to go to Pola de Allande.

Assuming Hospitales, I would recommend for the sector Oviedo - Berducedo: 1.- San Juan de Villapanada, 2.- Bodeyana, 3.- Borres (the albergue is not so good, but it is the closest one to the start of Hospitales) & one in Berducedo (no much difference between one or another there).

This schedule is a little demanding but still quite reasonable.

Buen Camino & Ultreia!!

 

[Gypsyqueen]

The albergues depend a lot in how many km/day you can walk. Also is important if you plan to take hospitales or to go to Pola de Allande.

Assuming Hospital's, I would recommend for the sector Oviedo - Berducedo: 1.- San Juan de Villapanada, 2.- Bodeyana, 3.- Borres (the albergue is not so good, but it is the closest one to the start of Hospitales) & one in Berducedo (no much difference between one or another there).

This schedule is a little demanding but still quite reasonable.

Buen Camino & Ultreia!!

Hi,
Thanks for your quick reply. What are Hospitales ?

 

[Lirsy]

Hi,
Thanks for your quick reply. What are Hospitales ?

Once you reach Borres, between Borres and Berducedo, the way splits in 2. The first one goes from Borres to Pola de Allande and from Pola to Berducedo. The second one "Hospitales", goes directly from Borres to Berducedo.

This second way, Hospitales, go by the top of the mountains, it is a little shorter, you don't have to climb so much as if going by Pola, the landscape is beautiful, but .... being at the top of the mountains it could be quite risky if the weather is bad (snow, heavy rain, strong winds or so...). With bad weather it is advisable to take the way to Pola de Allande and from there to Berducedo, with reasonable good weather I would always suggest to take the direct way "Hospitales"

You can see both routes here: https://www.gronze.com/etapa/borres/berducedo & https://www.gronze.com/etapa/borres/pola-allande/berducedo

 

[Thornley]

What are Hospitales ?

Twice as hard as the first day of Camino Frances ,
It is possible if you have time to do both the top and bottom section with the help of a taxi to return you to the intersection.

 

[peregrina2000]

Twice as hard as the first day of Camino Frances ,
It is possible if you have time to do both the top and bottom section with the help of a taxi to return you to the intersection.

Hi, Thornley, I can't deny that it felt twice as hard to you, since what's "hard" depends on weather, your physical and mental state that day, etc, but the numbers paint a different picture. SJPP to Roncesvalles involves an ascent of 1300 m https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-stop-or-not-to-stop.12902/page-3#post-377050. Hospitales is actually an easier ascent than the ascent from Pola de Allande because it is 200m less climbing and because it is spread over more kms. It involves "only" a 430 m elevation gain, which is less than a third of the SJPP ascent.

Comparison of the Hospitales vs. Pola de Allande optionsn on the primitivo here:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/hospitales-or-pola-de-allande.28334/
Just don't want to scare Primitivo people away from Hospitales!

 

[Thornley]

Hi, Thornley, I can't deny that it felt twice as hard to you, since what's "hard" depends on weather, your physical and mental state that day, etc, but the numbers paint a different picture

Yes they were the wrong words Laurie , but i hope that people are aware of the solitude and remoteness of the area .
I was just surprised that someone thinking of the Primitive had not heard of The Hospitales

As you know if the weather is wet , cold or even hot you must be very careful. The distance saw many a young one stay overnight with us in Grandas after we went the valley route [ 34c day] whilst they walked the Hospitales. It is a long day Laurie,
Have a great 2018

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I walked the beautiful Hospitales route in May 2016 on a glorious day and loved it. A new Camino friend we'd recently met was a day behind us at the time, and later told us he had so much fog going over the Hospitales that he could not see the special signs posted quite closely together to guide the way near the top area in bad weather. He had trouble navigating, was nearly lost and quite shook up. Hard to believe that just a day later it could change so drastically, same as the Napolean route on the Frances. Always listen to current weather advise before choosing which route to take.

 

[camino07]

My stages took 14 days to SDC.
Grado,Salas, Tineo,Campiello, Berducedo via Hospitales route,Grandas de Salime,A Fonsagrada,Cadavo,Lugo( plus rest day),Ferreira,Melide then three days to Santiago. Weather was excellent for Hospitales after comfortable night in Campiello.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We went via Pola de Allande as the distance was better for us and we preferred to take 2 days from Campiello to Berducedo rather than try to walk it in 1 day.