- Time of past OR future Camino
- Olvidado/San Salvador/Primitivo 2019
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WONDERFUL!! Mike, would you like me to tell Ender about your whereabouts (days near Boñar, La Robla, Pola de Gordón or Buiza are the closest to his home)? I know that if he is around, he would make an effort to go say hi.I plan to fly into Bilbao on wed 18 Sept to take another stroll on the camino to Santiago de Compostela. Formally, heading off on 19 Sep. This time I plan to walk from Bilbao to Cinera on the Camino Olviado then switch to Camino San Salvador before heading to Santiago de Compostela on Camino Primitivo. As always a plan is just a basis for change and in the end it all depends on weather, fitness and health.
I will try to keep this thread updated for the Olvidado section and then will start a new thread for each of the other routes.
Thank you. I always carry extra food and water (sometimes even wine!)Hi Mike - we've just walked the Olvidado from Bilbao to La Robla then the San Salvador and have arrived in Oviedo about an hour ago. If you have any questions about Olvidado, please feel free to ask. Carry 2 days of food at all times and you should be fineIt's a fabulous camino. We met lovely local people, but no other pilgrims. Enjoy!
Yes, do please tell Ender as I would love to meet hime as he seems to have done so much for this route. I can also ask him why his routes on the app and his wikiloc tracks are different, especially as you leave Bilbao!WONDERFUL!! Mike, would you like me to tell Ender about your whereabouts (days near Boñar, La Robla, Pola de Gordón or Buiza are the closest to his home)? I know that if he is around, he would make an effort to go say hi.
Really looking forward to reading all about your adventures, the Olvidado is one of my top two or three without a doubt!!!! Buen camino, amigo, Laurie
WAnyone know if the Albergue Cantabria Aventura in Arroyo excepts peregrines?
. When we were there (about 3 weeks ago) it was closed. Maybe only open for group bookings?Anyone know if the Albergue Cantabria Aventura in Arroyo excepts peregrines?
That limits my choice. I really wanted to stop at Arroyo.W
. When we were there (about 3 weeks ago) it was closed. Maybe only open for group bookings?
Bilbao hostel to Balmaseda 33 Kms.
Left just after 0715 and arrived at the beautiful hotel convento san roque in Balmaseda just after 1400. It made a pleasant change to have a choice of places for coffee this morning as I was in the city! Often I don’t get a coffee until after 1100. The cafes also all had a great choice of breakfast pinchos . I continued to follow Enders route along the river until I got to puente del diablo where I saw my first camino signs. Thereafter the route was well marked and it basically followed the river valley to Balmaseda. Overall, it was better than expected as the river was within hearing most of the time and although the first section is a little industrial, most is now defunct with a lot of pre and post 19th century water powered mills and factories. The majority of the walk is on tarmac or concrete and much is on a cycle path. Sections have be caste in situ with a cobblestone pattern - very uncomfortable. Luckily, despite it being a clear blue sky, much of the path was in shade so I stayed coolish until after 1100. Stoped at Guenes for a free drink - an offer to peregrinos if you complete their online surveys about a potential Albergue (AdP) - and I had a pincho of omelette and crab for breakfast. Now staying at the rather grand hotel which gave a pilgrim price of 33 euros for a lovely double room. Feet and body seem fine although my shoulders ache - I must adjust my waist strap - I plan to head for Espinosa de los Monteros tomorrow.
Look at my Camino Olvidado Guide from Bilbao - May 2018. Everything in the guide has been verified for Perigrinos. The Albergue is not situated on the camino into Soncillo or on the camino out of Soncillo but is about 1 km out of Soncillo. 12 Euros to sleep there. Mick.Does anyone know if the ALBERGUE JUVENIL SONCILLO accepts periginos?
I didn't put it in my guide because I could never get a reply from the Albergue.That limits my choice. I really wanted to stop at Arroyo.
I've just finished the Camino Lebaniego, Camino Vadiniense and the Camino de San Salvador. 2 days ago I stayed in the albergue of Adolfo. Some small rooms with bunk beds.Kitchen and the showers are finished. Some work still needs to be done. Laurie It brought a smile to his face when I mentioned your name. Mick.We stayed at the San Roque, too and it felt very luxurious. Good price but we got a lot of indifferent treatment. But the comfy bed more than made up for it.
Don’t forget to give me a heads up a few days before a place for an Ender meet-up!
And if you meet Adolfo in Nava de Ordunte say hi from Laurie/Laura! He walked with us for a half day and is a wonderful guy. Would love to hear how the albergue there is proceeding. Buen camino, great pics and notes!
Try calling them to see if it's open?That limits my choice. I really wanted to stop at Arroyo.
Had no answer so far.Try calling them to see if it's open?
I have sent the Lobera a message to see if they have a room for the night of the 22 September. Waiting for a reply.I didn't put it in my guide because I could never get a reply from the Albergue.
You can still stay in Arroyo at the Hotel La Lobera but it is expensive. I had coffee and biscuits and the company of Pilar for one hour. Mick.
Olea to Aguilar de Campoo 25 kms
A short day for me. Tried to have a later start but woke up at 0645. Miguel had left the makings for breakfast so I decided to have a bun and marmalade with tea. However, it was green tea that smelt like boiled grass so I reverted to coffee. Delayed leaving until just before 0800 and got here at just before 1300. It was a fairly uneventful day with the exception of three large ‘hunting ‘ dogs just after leaving. Had to resort to throwing a large rock at the more aggressive of the 3. In fact there were a few enthusiastic dogs today and that’s not really been a problem on this camino so far. The way was simple and fairly uninspiring with the exception of a couple of wonderful roman bridges. It was mostly well marked although there were a few places where Ender’s app, Wikiloc track and the metal Camino Olvidado. However, I’m sure they would all end up here. Off to Cervera de Pisuerga tomorrow.
Thanks for the info about the church, it sound fascinating, but it’s too late for me now. The weather has been on the cool side the last 2 days and i have kept my fleece on all day. That’s very unusual for me as I run on the high temperature side! I’m hoping it will warm up again for the mountain route. I’m staying on a room on Airbnb.Aguilar is not a bad place for a few hours’ visit. I would highly recommend taking your passport down to the casa del cura (across from the Colegiata on the main square) and getting the keys to the romanesque church just up on the hill below the castle. It’s only about a ten minute walk and it is quite the eerie feeling to open up an ancient building — even though the keys are modern and not those big clankers on a chain! The capital depicting the slaughter of the Innocents is really a gem. And sitting inside with the church lit up and in total silence is a pretty great experience.
How’s the temperature, Mike? Where are you staying in Aguilar? We wound up in the Valentín because we couldn’t make contact with any of the other places and I was itching to get going to the casa del cura. The convent hotel was full, or that would have been a splurge option!
I followed the route in Enders app (most of the time!). I ignored one bit that took a circuitous route and followed a straight path I could see on google maps. I spent very little time on the road. Plan is still to do the mountain detour route. Having come all this way I would hate to miss it. Fingers crossed for good weather.Would love to hear what route you take into Guardo. We got off the main road even though the arrows were crossed out, and it was fine. Much nicer walking but probably a bit longer. Any way you walk it, it’s a long day but not challenging. The Albergue is very nice in Guardo but if you’re going to take the detour to Caminayo, which is gorgeous, the Albergue is a ways from the start. Hope you get good weather, Mike!
Ps. I agree that the rusty signs are not so pretty.and like you say, hard to see sometimes.
Any other peregrinos out there?
Laurie. Thank you for the info. Velilla is not shown on the route in Enders app! At the moment while looking ahead I am trying to find somewhere to stay in Cistierna. The Albergue Montana is closed and no response from Hostal Moderno I’m ok for Puente-Almuhey but needs somewhere for 27/9.Fingers crossed for good weather. The route is so beautiful. We had cloudy skies for some of the part on the ridge, but even so the views are just glorious. Not sure if this heads up will help you, but we did get a bit confused going through the forest after Velilla. The forest is just gorgeous though! Beech and oak! When you come onto the site of an abandoned mine, we had a heck of a time finding the path. Stay up and go left and around the edge of the site.
There are about four people living in Caminayo. But they LOVE seeing peregrinos, and if you see anyone out and about, just ask and they will open up the social center for you. They are totally wonderful people. I think we should start the drumbeat that they should open an albergue there, because a lot more people would take the detour if they didn’t have to walk 40 km in one day. So totally worth it though. Fingers crossed for you, Mike. Buen camino, Laurie
Mike, Velilla is the first town after Guardo, after you walk through some weird little residential groupings that was formerly worker housing at some nearby utility. The forest begins after that. Shown on the map from the app, which I have tried to paste in.Laurie. Thank you for the info. Velilla is not shown on the route in Enders app! At the moment while looking ahead I am trying to find somewhere to stay in Cistierna. The Albergue Montana is closed and no response from Hostal Moderno I’m ok for Puente-Almuhey but needs somewhere for 27/9.
I have seen Velilla now! Could not see it properly on my phone. Thank you re WhatsApp message. I didn’t realise they were on it from their web site. I’m very new to WhatsApp!Mike, Velilla is the first town after Guardo, after you walk through some weird little residential groupings that was formerly worker housing at some nearby utility. The forest begins after that. Shown on the map from the app, which I have tried to paste in.
I have taken the liberty of writing a WhatsApp to the Moderno and asking if they have a single room for Friday the 27th. I’ll let you know what they say. And btw, I hope you are going to be in those wonderful apartments in Puente Almuhey. The owners are great. Excellent food in the restaurant if you get there in time for a menu del día.
You are filling me with longing for the Olvidado!
Didn’t notice any info about the municipal. I’ve also sent a message to the place mentioned in the CaminOlvidado app for route 12b called La Ercina as the Puente-Almuhey to Cistierna stage is a bit short for me!And p.s. The municipal albergue is not bad at all, I think it was fairly clean. Just not getting a lot of TLC. In a pinch, though, you’d be fine there.
Well, just let me know. I heard from Moderno and you have a reservation, But they just asked me to confirm, so not a problem either way. The menú del día there is fabulous, too!I have seen Velilla now! Could not see it properly on my phone. Thank you re WhatsApp message. I didn’t realise they were on it from their web site. I’m very new to WhatsApp!
Cervera de Pisuerga to Guardo 40kms
When entering one of the very small villages, I think it was the one just before Santibanez, I saw an old lady struggling up the hill with two bags in her hand at a walking stick. She was very bent over and about half way up placed one bag on the floor. I assume to walk back and collect later! I could hardly go strolling past, so I picked up the dropped bag and offered to take the other one to help her home. Her house mush have been about 700m away and she had gone to her plot to get today’s vegetables. Needless to say, it took a while to get to her house and she nattered all the way, despite me saying how little Spanish I had. However, once we got to her house she gave me a wonderful tomato and then insisted on taking me to the church. It was next to her house and she wanted to show me the very old stone with the pilgrim symbols on it. Well worth the detour as it looks like it may come from the days of the original pilgrims.
There are many similarities between the 2. Especially, that few people walk them and the services can be limited. However, they are both wonderful.I am enjoying reading your posts and seeing your photos @MikeJS ! My encounters with local people and the wonderful unexpected experiences they brought were a highlight of my recent walk on the Invierno. I'm feeling so drawn to the Olvidado! Thank you so much for your daily posts!
I was looking at the map of Caminos de Santiago on my wall here at work, and I see the Ruta Vadiniense comes down from the Norte through Cistierna and south to the Frances just before Leon. Perhaps that was the route the fungi hunter was telling you about. I am really enjoying hearing about your camino. I don't know how people have the time and energy to write about the camino each day after walking, but I love following along from my office. Thank you for keeping us updated.
Sunday today so nothing open. I’ll keep my eyes peeled tomorrow.Oh the memories. This is such a glorious stage that even those last kms on the side of the empty road do not diminish the glow. Hope you can find some Coladilla yoghurt. It’d be the icing on the cake!
Thank you. I’m hoping theLovely pictures! I am really enjoying reading about your trip. You mention that tomorrow you will walk 9 km of the Salvador from Buiza. I got out my diary from my Salvador trip and not to put you off, but I wrote that it was like climbing the CN tower for 2 hours. But the views were amazing. Then I mention the fabulous dinner we had in Poladura, how much fun the group of pilgrims were that night and that I had had an absolutely perfect day and I couldn't be any happier. I'm sure you will find the hills much easier than I did since you have been doing lots of climbing on the Olvidado. Buen Camino!
Unfortunately, the leaves are still green!Tomorrow Mike will be walking through the lovely beech forest near Ciñera. But he’ll have to endure a hellish descent first. I’ll be eager to hear if the leaves have turned, since I just saw a link to this article describing this beech forest as one of the ten best in Spain. I was there in summer, and it was green, cool, and lush. In fall colors, I imagine it would be really awesome!
Los 10 mejores hayedos para perderse este otoño
El otoño pinta los bosques de multitud de tonalidades: ocres, dorados, rojos, naranjas... Un festival de color que invita a soñar y a perderse por la geografía española. Por eso, te recomendamos una decena de hayedos en los que disfrutar de la naturaleza.www.lasexta.com
Elena, you mention to carry 2 days of food at all times. Is that really necessary, or just a good idea. I had planned to walk the Olvidado this Sept-Oct, but may have to wait until 2021. ThanksHi Mike - we've just walked the Olvidado from Bilbao to La Robla then the San Salvador and have arrived in Oviedo about an hour ago. If you have any questions about Olvidado, please feel free to ask. Carry 2 days of food at all times and you should be fineIt's a fabulous camino. We met lovely local people, but no other pilgrims. Enjoy!
Elena, you mention to carry 2 days of food at all times. Is that really necessary, or just a good idea. I had planned to walk the Olvidado this Sept-Oct, but may have to wait until 2021. Thanks
Thanks, Laurie. I do plan to swing down to Ponferrada and use the Invierno to Santiago.I am not Elena, but I have walked this route twice and never carried food for two days. There may be an albergue or two (like Buiza, if you opt to stay there rather than Pola de Gordón, or Fasgar where the only option is a nice restaurant) where no food is available in town. I usually carry water, one or two little yoghurts, maybe a handful of nuts and raisins, and a piece or two of fruit. I don’t like to eat a big meal in the middle of a stage, so I always have something to tide me over, but I never had a problem getting a meal after walking.
It may be that when the camino reopens, some of the little towns, like Vegarienza or Fasgar, will lose their restaurants, but you will most likely be able to get this information from the people in the towns before.
It’s a beautiful camino @Fred Gaudet, and if you are flush with time, a perfect combination would be to detour down to Ponferrada at the end and continue on the Invierno into Santiago. That combination, IMO, is absolutely perfect. Buen camino, Laurie
I am not Elena, but I have walked this route twice and never carried food for two days. There may be an albergue or two (like Buiza, if you opt to stay there rather than Pola de Gordón, or Fasgar where the only option is a nice restaurant) where no food is available in town. I usually carry water, one or two little yoghurts, maybe a handful of nuts and raisins, and a piece or two of fruit. I don’t like to eat a big meal in the middle of a stage, so I always have something to tide me over, but I never had a problem getting a meal after walking.
It may be that when the camino reopens, some of the little towns, like Vegarienza or Fasgar, will lose their restaurants, but you will most likely be able to get this information from the people in the towns before.
It’s a beautiful camino @Fred Gaudet, and if you are flush with time, a perfect combination would be to detour down to Ponferrada at the end and continue on the Invierno into Santiago. That combination, IMO, is absolutely perfect. Buen camino, Laurie
How timely. .
I just finished watching a YouTube playlist of a wife-husband pair, doing a bicycling pilgrimage on Camino Olvidado to Santiago. Each video covers one stage. The video is great quality, and gives a good look at the Camino route. They show quite a few interesting churches and chapels along the way.
They call their video channel and video production business venture 'De Rutas y Sendas'
They have a lot of the other Camino routes on their channel. Both Camino de Santiago routes, as well as others like the Lebaniego. Some of the Caminos they walk, others the bicycle.
Hi Fred - Just a good idea I think. We walked in September last year and found that there weren’t many places open - particularly in the evenings. We stayed in lots of quiet villages. It’s a beautiful route- loved it. But be prepared not to meet other pilgrims. I have lots of notes etc - so let me know if you need any info.Elena, you mention to carry 2 days of food at all times. Is that really necessary, or just a good idea. I had planned to walk the Olvidado this Sept-Oct, but may have to wait until 2021. Thanks
Elena, if you could send me your notes, that would be great. I'm still planning on doing the Olvidado, but not sure what year. The following is an email address:Hi Fred - Just a good idea I think. We walked in September last year and found that there weren’t many places open - particularly in the evenings. We stayed in lots of quiet villages. It’s a beautiful route- loved it. But be prepared not to meet other pilgrims. I have lots of notes etc - so let me know if you need any info.
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