- Time of past OR future Camino
- Francés, Norte, Salvador, Primitivo, Portuguese
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Thanks. I like scenery, but I also really like the social aspect of the Camino.Do it! My favourite combo so far. Especially if scenery is your thing.
Sounds like a good plan, albeit a bit long. I will be doing salvador-primitivo-finisterre-muxia starting may 29, 600 km.Do it! My favourite combo so far. Especially if scenery is your thing.
600 km isn't enough for me!Sounds like a good plan, albeit a bit long. I will be doing salvador-primitivo-finisterre-muxia starting may 29, 600 km.
We were the same and ended up walking 1,500km on that particular hike (although, to be honest, by the time we got to Finisterre, we were ALMOST ready to just take a bus back, but we walked!)600 km isn't enough for me!
Has anyone done this? Sidetracking off the Frances onto the Salvador, then Primitivo before rejoining the Frances at Melide? I'll be starting in SJPDP with a friend, but she will be leaving me around Logroño. I'd like to do something a little different, and thought that this might be a good plan. How many days should I allow for this little detour?
I'll leave my options open though, in case I finding that am walking with people that I enjoy that are doing the Frances straight through.
I also want to walk to Finesterre and Muxia. I don't have anything booked yet. Probably leaving around the last week of June.
Yes, my Camino was similar. Started out walking with a group of people that I met early on, but after about a week people had gone their separate ways. I did end up meeting up with several of them in Santiago. I then became a part of a couple of different groups during the remainder of the Camino, or walked a few days with people here and there.On my Camino Frances, I walked with different people at different times. A couple of the people I walked with went off on other routes or wanted to bus ahead or whatever. And some whom I met at Orisson or in the early part of the Camino, I'd run into at various points along the Way. There was one person I met at Orisson whom I only ran into again in Santiago.
So my Camino was pretty fluid, but still plenty social. I'm still in touch with several of my fluid family members. I'm saying this to say, I don't think I'd let this be a determining factor in making plans. Plus plans can always be changed along the Way.
Has anyone done this? Sidetracking off the Frances onto the Salvador, then Primitivo before rejoining the Frances at Melide? I'll be starting in SJPDP with a friend, but she will be leaving me around Logroño. I'd like to do something a little different, and thought that this might be a good plan. How many days should I allow for this little detour?
I'll leave my options open though, in case I finding that am walking with people that I enjoy that are doing the Frances straight through.
I also want to walk to Finesterre and Muxia. I don't have anything booked yet. Probably leaving around the last week of June.
Hi, Kennedy1,This combo sounds very interesting to me also. I will be starting my 2nd Frances in May of 2017 and this may give me the added adventure I am looking for. How well marked is the Salvador and is there an English guide for this part of the combo. How long will it take to get to Santiago if I do this combo? Does the Salvador only start from Leon? I did the Finisterre/Musial walk back in 2013 when I first did the CF.
When I walked the Frances this year I didn't use a guide book. I used apps and websites for distances, albergues, etc.This combo sounds very interesting to me also. I will be starting my 2nd Frances in May of 2017 and this may give me the added adventure I am looking for. How well marked is the Salvador and is there an English guide for this part of the combo. How long will it take to get to Santiago if I do this combo? Does the Salvador only start from Leon? I did the Finisterre/Musial walk back in 2013 when I first did the CF.
Has anyone done this? Sidetracking off the Frances onto the Salvador, then Primitivo before rejoining the Frances at Melide? I'll be starting in SJPDP with a friend, but she will be leaving me around Logroño. I'd like to do something a little different, and thought that this might be a good plan. How many days should I allow for this little detour?
I'll leave my options open though, in case I finding that am walking with people that I enjoy that are doing the Frances straight through.
I also want to walk to Finesterre and Muxia. I don't have anything booked yet. Probably leaving around the last week of June.
@trecile, I can't comment on the Salvador, but I think you'd love the Primitivo. It's 'proper' hiking - physically demanding, with spectacular scenery. It's also quite social, but in a different way to the Frances.
If you don't have time for the Salvador, there are trains from Leon to Oviedo. The slow one gives a great sense of the Salvador and an incentive to return another time
Buen Camino!
Go for it!!! Is my humble adviseHas anyone done this? Sidetracking off the Frances onto the Salvador, then Primitivo before rejoining the Frances at Melide? I'll be starting in SJPDP with a friend, but she will be leaving me around Logroño. I'd like to do something a little different, and thought that this might be a good plan. How many days should I allow for this little detour?
I'll leave my options open though, in case I finding that am walking with people that I enjoy that are doing the Frances straight through.
I also want to walk to Finesterre and Muxia. I don't have anything booked yet. Probably leaving around the last week of June.
Wow, this is just what I was looking for. Due to calendar commitments i cannot leave Australia until late June and was planning to do the Del Norte then saw how busy it would be with tourists along the coast. Love the Frances and was thinking about this option/variation as have heard it is so lovely. Thankyou everyone for all the wonderful advice and tips. Maybe I will meet some of you along the Way. Buen CaminoGo for it!!! Is my humble advise. Did the Frances, Norte/ Primitivo and the San Salvador but all seperatetely- however did meet plenty of people who came from alternative routes (there are many more should you be interested and I am sure others could tell you more about. Leaving it open makes things generally even better- so than you can see where the camino takes you . Leon- Oviedo will take about one week and from Oviedo to SdC around 2 weeks- depending obviously how quick/ much kilometers per day you would prefer tp walk. Dont forget to take the Hospitales route on the Primitivo and see -if you are interested and if possible- if you can take the alternative route on the Primitivo from Lugo to Ferrol, and Sobrado dos Monxes and from there you join the Camino Frances (after Melide) in Arzua.
I am sure others could add more alternative routes! Enjoy and buen camino!
ps also walked from SdC to Finisterre but this was more than 15 years ago and in those days there was 'nothing': no yellow arrows, no albergues, not many fellow pilgrims just very few- but it was a very nice adventure.
That's the same day I'm leaving St Jean! I'll be stopping at Orisson the first night. I'll be walking with a friend for about ten days, then she has to go back to work. Perhaps I'll see you on the trail.I'm also planning to do this. I'll leave ST Jean on 4th July. Had planned to do it last year but took another variation. I think I just wanted an excuse to go back this year.
I am doing the Camino de Madrid, Salvador, Primitivo, Frances and maybe Finisterre starting 27 March 2017! This is a really exciting combination of routes.
This Brit (from Finland) walked into Finisterre Sept 25th in the company of an Oregonian! Was that you Trecile? If so...I'm afraid to say I spent too long at that beach bar savouring the the idea of the last few km along the sandy shore into town and the end...
I didn't have poles which would have been handy.
Great post, just makes us Salvador fans long to be back there. I can just not imagine ever tiring of the Buiza to Pajares stretch. It is absolutely stunning.
BUT... you walked it without poles? Wow. You must be young and daring.For anyone else, poles are, if not essential, pretty close to it.
One question Oravasaari, just wondering if the bar across the street from the parador (at the Pajares pass, not Pajares town) is open again. When I walked through last summer, they were still repairing the damage from a fire. It would be great if it were open again!
I am sure you're right with your suspicion that Semana Santa has caused a huge spike in traffic. This is a camino that is easily walkable during Semana Santa, and both León and Oviedo are well communicated by train and bus, so it seems like it would be an obvious choice. I expect the numbers will fall again, at least till August. I walked in late June last year and there were very few of us, no more than 6 a night.
buen camino, Laurie
Laurie - Yes the cafe/bar is open. I did wonder why it was so swish and new inside.
Poles - No longer a young man and so could gave benefitted from poles!
Thanks for posting about your walk. I am looking forward to experiencing it myself in July!Not had wifi for a while but here id the final few couple of days account if my San Salvador camino....
Fourth day was Pajares to Pola de Lena. Another spectacular mountain walk descending down (on average) but the route makers have you zig-zagging up snd down the valley sides so as to avoid walking on the N630. So plenty ups as well as mostly down. Massive descent from Pajares (think Roncesvalles x 3 and steeper). Walk is through beautiful lanes and up/down tracks. Plenty of gates to go through on this leg. Also some sheep dogs (70kg booming bark but tail wagging). Harmless...just wants a stroke and to sniff your pack pockets for biscuits etc. The tracks are also deep in leaflitter which would be great if there were not cobbles and boulders lurking under a foot of leaves. Tread lightly. Pola de Lena is not a pretty town for the most part but has a lively plaza and Sidreria etc. I am now an expert at pouring cider from a bottle above my head into a glass below my waist! . The alburgue is in the govt offices so very institutional in nature and no kitchen. "No eating in the alburgue!" They say as they stamp you in with two carrier bags full of groceries......Clean and tidy though.
On the fifth day I walked the 33km from Pola de Lena to Oviedo which I do not recommend too highly due to there being 25km of tarmac walking and very straight sections following the N630 or along the river. There is also a 500m elevation gain and loss which makes the 33km that much tougher. Maybe I still had the mountain stages causing fatigue but I found it a bind. If you are short of time consider skipping a few towns along the river by hopping on the train that follows the route exactly.
All in all I liked the San Salvador, especially the higher mountain sections or days 2, 3 and 4. More road walking than I anticipated especially on days 1 and 5.
The Primitivo
Pretty tough day after the San Salvador in my legs. Too much road walking. Too many dogs! Dogs all within their property boundary but rabid still the same. I much preferred the dogs in the San Salvador just " Doing their job but tails wagging like mad" . In one day of the Primitivo I've had more dogs bark at me than on all previous caminos combined. Did I say there are loads of dogs? Made me kind of pine for that big 70kg fella below Pajares who was "doing what sheep dogs do" but just wanted to be loved.
Anyway. Great scenery and quite a bit of up and down to complete the stage...31km Oviedo to Dan Juan de la Villapena. Great alburgue by the way.
Second day Villapena to Bodenaya 28km. Very nice walk and plenty of up and down. 400m plus final climb to arrive in Bodenaya. The alburgue is a donativo run by a lovely character "David" who will welcome you warmly with coffee. A log burning stove heated kitchen. Will do your laundry and cook a communal meal all for a donation. Heaven!
Thanks for the good info. We start walking the Primitivo on May 14th.Day 3 Bodeneye to Borres
Day 4 Borres to Berducedo
Day 5 Berducedo to Castro (very good albergue)
Day 6 Castro to Fonsegrada
Primitivo observations so far...
All the munis in Asturias are pretty basic Franco era standard design school buildings now repurposed. All cheap thou at 5€. Muni kitchens very basic, sometimes only a microwave. Usually wery limited utensils and pans plates.
More tarmac walking than I imagined the Primitivo would entail. Elevated sections and almost always having a splended view makes up for tarmac sections though. Many fewer dogs since leaving the Oviedo region.
Very hilly. Feels like you are either climbing or descending and very little flat walking. Superb views and countryside. I would say the Primitivo is not the camino people should choose to do first and they really do need to be fit (no getting fit over the first few days unless you like torture.
Edit-Have added some photos.
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