LIVE from the Camino Vadiniense October 2023

[Tom Conklin]

I will be starting the Vadiniense/Lebaniego tomorrow (Sunday Oct. 1 2023). If anyone is interested let me know. I plan to walk back up the Salvador if my knees get me to the French. Then I will finish off on the Primitivo.

 

[dbier]

Buena suerte. My back and knees haven't forgiven me yet for the Primitivo...;/

 

[TrailRunner]

I will be starting the Vadiniense/Lebaniego tomorrow (Sunday Oct. 1 2023). If anyone is interested let me know. I plan to walk back up the Salvador if my knees get me to the French. Then I will finish off on the Primitivo.

That's what I've just done over the last 2 weeks. I finished yesterday in Oviedo. But not the Primitivo, that would be too much for me - I am exhausted Have a great time; I found those quieter mountain Caminos really special.

 

[Tom Conklin]

That's what I've just done over the last 2 weeks. I finished yesterday in Oviedo. But not the Primitivo, that would be too much for me - I am exhausted Have a great time; I found those quieter mountain Caminos really special.

Any advice or warnings? Did you double up on any stages? They seem short. How many people? Thanks for responding.

 

[TrailRunner]

Any advice or warnings? Did you double up on any stages? They seem short. How many people? Thanks for responding.

Here's my stages:
Day 1: San Vicente de la Barquera - Cades
Day 2: Cades - Cabanes
Day 3: Cabanes - Espinama
Day 4: Espinama - Portilla de la Reina
Day 5: P de la R - Cremenes (too long)
Day 6: Cremenes - Gradefes
Day 7: Gradefes - Mansilla de las Mulas
Day 8: M de la M - Leon
Day 9: Leon - La Robla
Day 10: La Robla - Poladura
Day 11: Poladura - Llanos de Someron
Day 12: L de S - Pola de Lena
Day 13: Pola de Lena - Oviedo

I should say I am quite fit as I do a fair bit of trail running (as per my account name ), but recognise that these are challenging distances when you factor in carrying a backpack and the steep ascents/descents.

I was doing it alone. I hardly met a soul during the day on the Camino Lebaniego y Vadiniense (mainly if not all Spanish in the albergues); on the San Salvador, there were 11 of us (7 Spanish) doing similar stages so we met up at the albergues in the evening - certainly until Pola.

I would strongly recommend walking along the River Esla into Mansilla de las Mulas. Gronze says to turn right onto the N-625 road. But instead of crossing over the bridge to the road, you can follow the service road that hugs the river.

Please do let me know if you have any further questions and I'll try to help. It will be beautiful when you do it as the leaves are just starting to change colour. At one point around Cremenes, I could hear stags bellowing across the valleys - the start of the rutting season! I wish you a truly buen camino!

 

[Tom Conklin]

Here's my stages:
Day 1: San Vicente de la Barquera - Cades
Day 2: Cades - Cabanes
Day 3: Cabanes - Espinama
Day 4: Espinama - Portilla de la Reina
Day 5: P de la R - Cremenes (too long)
Day 6: Cremenes - Gradefes
Day 7: Gradefes - Mansilla de las Mulas
Day 8: M de la M - Leon
Day 9: Leon - La Robla
Day 10: La Robla - Poladura
Day 11: Poladura - Llanos de Someron
Day 12: L de S - Pola de Lena
Day 13: Pola de Lena - Oviedo

I should say I am quite fit as I do a fair bit of trail running (as per my account name ), but recognise that these are challenging distances when you factor in carrying a backpack and the steep ascents/descents.

I was doing it alone. I hardly met a soul during the day on the Camino Lebaniego y Vadiniense (mainly if not all Spanish in the albergues); on the San Salvador, there were 11 of us (7 Spanish) doing similar stages so we met up at the albergues in the evening - certainly until Pola.

I would strongly recommend walking along the River Esla into Mansilla de las Mulas. Gronze says to turn right onto the N-625 road. But instead of crossing over the bridge to the road, you can follow the service road that hugs the river.

Please do let me know if you have any further questions and I'll try to help. It will be beautiful when you do it as the leaves are just starting to change colour. At one point around Cremenes, I could hear stags bellowing across the valleys - the start of the rutting season! I wish you a truly buen camino!

This is great information. Thank you for taking the time.

 

[Tom Conklin]

Here's my stages:
Day 1: San Vicente de la Barquera - Cades
Day 2: Cades - Cabanes
Day 3: Cabanes - Espinama
Day 4: Espinama - Portilla de la Reina
Day 5: P de la R - Cremenes (too long)
Day 6: Cremenes - Gradefes
Day 7: Gradefes - Mansilla de las Mulas
Day 8: M de la M - Leon
Day 9: Leon - La Robla
Day 10: La Robla - Poladura
Day 11: Poladura - Llanos de Someron
Day 12: L de S - Pola de Lena
Day 13: Pola de Lena - Oviedo

I should say I am quite fit as I do a fair bit of trail running (as per my account name ), but recognise that these are challenging distances when you factor in carrying a backpack and the steep ascents/descents.

I was doing it alone. I hardly met a soul during the day on the Camino Lebaniego y Vadiniense (mainly if not all Spanish in the albergues); on the San Salvador, there were 11 of us (7 Spanish) doing similar stages so we met up at the albergues in the evening - certainly until Pola.

I would strongly recommend walking along the River Esla into Mansilla de las Mulas. Gronze says to turn right onto the N-625 road. But instead of crossing over the bridge to the road, you can follow the service road that hugs the river.

Please do let me know if you have any further questions and I'll try to help. It will be beautiful when you do it as the leaves are just starting to change colour. At one point around Cremenes, I could hear stags bellowing across the valleys - the start of the rutting season! I wish you a truly buen camino!

I am in Espinama and have just had a whirlwind of half Spanish conversations trying to book my way off the Vadiniense.

 

[Tom Conklin]

I am in Espinama and have just had a whirlwind of half Spanish conversations trying to book my way off the Vadiniense. There are very few pilgrims so there are very few cheap accommodations.

I have managed to book into Hostals and Casa Rurales but it is costing 30 to 50€ a night for the four penultimate stages. It also means my days are 26, 26, 20, 37, 23 and 23k to Mansillas de las Mulas. Luckily the long one is a pretty flat stage.

So far the beauty and challenge has been worth it but the expense is more than I expected.

 

[TrailRunner]

I am in Espinama and have just had a whirlwind of half Spanish conversations trying to book my way off the Vadiniense. There are very few pilgrims so there are very few cheap accommodations.

I have managed to book into Hostals and Casa Rurales but it is costing 30 to 50€ a night for the four penultimate stages. It also means my days are 26, 26, 20, 37, 23 and 23k to Mansillas de las Mulas. Luckily the long one is a pretty flat stage.

So far the beauty and challenge has been worth it but the expense is more than I expected.

In Espinama, Albergue Briz has dorm rooms for 20€ (I had a whole dorm room to myself).
If you stay at the lovely albergue in Portilla de la Reina, the ensuite room is 45€ which includes dinner and breakfast.
In Gadefes there's the public albergue which is only 5€. It is unstaffed - you need to collect the key from the small bar on the right as you walk into town. It is fairly basic, but has everything you need, including a fully functioning kitchen and washing machine. Unfortunately the supermarket has closed down, so you need to carry your own supplies (so disappointing, given the kitchen facilities!). Again, I had the entire place to myself.
Mansilla de la Mulas was busy as it joins the Camino Frances at this point - I couldn't get a dorm room so had to splash out on a private room (40€).

 

[Tom Conklin]

In Espinama, Albergue Briz has dorm rooms for 20€ (I had a whole dorm room to myself).
If you stay at the lovely albergue in Portilla de la Reina, the ensuite room is 45€ which includes dinner and breakfast.
In Gadefes there's the public albergue which is only 5€. It is unstaffed - you need to collect the key from the small bar on the right as you walk into town. It is fairly basic, but has everything you need, including a fully functioning kitchen and washing machine. Unfortunately the supermarket has closed down, so you need to carry your own supplies (so disappointing, given the kitchen facilities!). Again, I had the entire place to myself.
Mansilla de la Mulas was busy as it joins the Camino Frances at this point - I couldn't get a dorm room so had to splash out on a private room (40€).

Briz, closed. Albergue in Portilla is closed for the day. Staying at Invernal in Portilla which is quite nice. I managed to book in Raina and Cistierna. Thanks for the Mansilla warning.