Linking the Norte to the San Salvador

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I'm currently playing with some ideas for next year. Sometime ago I recall reading a thread about connecting the Norte to the San Salvador. Search as I might I can't find the thread that I'm looking for.

I've found this :
Thread 'Combined Camino.... Norte - Lebananiego - Vadienese - Olivado - Salvador - Primitivo' https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...o-vadienese-olivado-salvador-primitivo.84059/

But it's not the one that I was thinking of.
Ideas anyone?

Edited to add: please read post four for further clarification before answering

 

[Mananath]

You could just go via Oviedo? From there you can walk to the Norte.

 

[André Walker]

I'm not sure what kind of connection you are looking for.
In 2022 I started on the Del Norte, took a left turn in Villaviciosa towards Oviedo.
Took a bus from Oviedo to Léon. Walked back to Oviedo (Del Salvador).
Walked the Primitivo from Oviedo to Melide. But, as Mananath said: there is a track connecting Oviedo to the del Norte (Oviedo-Avilés).

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I'm not sure what kind of connection you are looking for.
In 2022 I started on the Del Norte, took a left turn in Villaviciosa towards Oviedo.
Took a bus from Oviedo to Léon. Walked back to Oviedo (Del Salvador).
Walked the Primitivo from Oviedo to Melide. But, as Mananath said: there is a track connecting Oviedo to the del Norte (Oviedo-Avilés).

As neither of you understood what I was asking obviously that wasn't perhaps as clear is it could have been. Apologies.

The background: I'm walking from home to Santiago. Planning to walk: Germany, (various), the GTJ, the Via Gebennensis, then the Via Podiensis.

I have zero desire to walk the camino Frances.

I want to connect the VP with the Salvador, preferably via the early stages of the Norte (I like the idea of those first few days out of Irun, a little further would be nice).

What I'm looking for is a Walking connection (no buses trains or planes) early on, preferably something that starts a few days - even a week or two - into the Norte (not right at the beginning), and then cuts through to join with the Salvador - partway will be fine. I don't particularly want to go to Leon. In fact, I would prefer not to go to Leon at this stage.

I plan to continue from the Salvador onto the Primitivo, I really want to re-walk the Primitivo and Verde. Cutting over from Villaviciosa is not my preferred option, that connects me directly with Oviedo, not the Salvador - which I would quite like to walk.

If there is another route that I can take to get me from the VP to Oviedo, preferably via the Salvador I'm open to it. Whether that is via SJPP or another alternative.

I'm pretty sure I read a thread (other than the one I have linked) that covered such an option, but I cannot find it.

Thanks

 

[Tincatinker]

As neither of you understood what I was asking obviously that wasn't perhaps as clear is it could have been. Apologies.

The background: I'm walking from home to Santiago. Planning to walk: Germany, (various), the GTJ, the Via Gebennensis, then the Via Podiensis.

I have zero desire to walk the camino Frances.

I want to connect the VP with the Salvador, preferably via the early stages of the Norte (I like the idea of those first few days out of Irun, a little further would be nice).

What I'm looking for is a Walking connection (no buses trains or planes) early on, preferably something that starts a few days - even a week or two - into the Norte (not right at the beginning), and then cuts through to join with the Salvador - partway will be fine. I don't particularly want to go to Leon. In fact, I would prefer not to go to Leon at this stage.

I plan to continue from the Salvador onto the Primitivo, I really want to re-walk the Primitivo and Verde. Cutting over from Villaviciosa is not my preferred option, that connects me directly with Oviedo, not the Salvador - which I would quite like to walk.

If there is another route that I can take to get me from the VP to Oviedo, preferably via the Salvador I'm open to it. Whether that is via SJPP or another alternative.

I'm pretty sure I read a thread (other than the one I have linked) that covered such an option, but I cannot find it.

Thanks

Peter, one possibility is the Olvidado from Bilbao which intersects the Salvador at La Robla. Happy researching!!

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Peter, one possibility is the Olvidado from Bilbao which intersects the Salvador at La Robla. Happy researching!!

Perfect!! 'The Forgotten Way' - literally in my case because I had forgotten it!!

I did find the thread I was looking for shortly before you posted: Lebaniego, Vadiniense, Olvidado and San Salvador. Also very tempting.

Just arrived to San Vicente de la Barquera to start Camino Lebaniego tomorrow. Staying at the albergue municipal which is very nice. The plan is to connect more caminos: Lebaniego, Vadiniense, Olvidado and San Salvador, thus ending it in Oviedo. I just love the mountains, that is how the idea came up.Hope, everything goes well.

But the Olvidado will suit even better I suspect. I love having options!

Many thanks

 

[peregrina2000]

I would suggest a slight modification, which would let you add in two of the Olvidado’s best days.

Instead of taking thte route from Boñar to La Robla, go from Boñar to Vegacervera and then Vegacervera to Pola de Gordón. From there “backwards” on the Salvador is less than 15 kms. Or you could stopin Buiza instead of Pola de Gordón and have a longer day to La Robla the next day.

 

[caminka]

I would suggest a further modification to Laurie's post above. If your plan is olvidado then salvador, I suggest going from Cinera (on the olvidado) to Pola de Gordon on the 'winter' alternative along the valley. Pola is both on olvidado and salvador (as is Buiza but there is nothing there aside from an albergue and fountains). Pola has two supermercados. I remember posts about this alternative which was developped by Ender when albergue in Buiza was closed.
This way you can resupply before continuing from Pola north on the salvador.

But if for some reason you find yourself in Pamplona, you can pick up viejo camino which joins with olvidado in Aguilar de Campoo.

 

[peregrina2000]

Another option would be from Bayonne (a few days walk from Irún) on the Baztán, into Pamplona, then the Viejo from Pamplona to Aguilar de Campóo, and then the Olvidado from Aguilar to Pola de Gordón.

The second half of the Olvidado (from Aguilar onwards) is chock full of beautiful mountain days. The part before is very nice but the second part is spectacular.

I’m not sure if mountains are a high priority, but Pamplona to Aguilar (Viejo) and Aguilar to Pola de Gordón (or other stops as suggested by @caminka) would be like having an etapa reina every other day, or sometimes several days in a row.

 

[peregrina2000]

I remember posts about this alternative which was developped by Ender when albergue in Buiza was closed.

Yes, this alternative would take you through his town; wikiloc tracks and some more explanation here.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Thanks, I'll have a look at them over the weekend but generally speaking if I can avoid the larger towns / cities then I shall. No, mountains are not a priority, although the less I have to walk on tarmac the happier I shall be.

 

[caminka]

Or another option: taking Camino Vasco from Irun via the mountains to Miranda de Ebro and joining Viejo Camino there.

I am walking in France this year, okay? Stop making me wanna go to Spain and its mountain caminooos!

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Or another option: taking Camino Vasco from Irun via the mountains to Miranda de Ebro and joining Viejo Camino there.

I am walking in France this year, okay? Stop making me wanna go to Spain and its mountain caminooos!

GTJ !

Gonna do that too...

 

[Eamonrodden]

I'm currently playing with some ideas for next year. Sometime ago I recall reading a thread about connecting the Norte to the San Salvador. Search as I might I can't find the thread that I'm looking for.

I've found this :
Thread 'Combined Camino.... Norte - Lebananiego - Vadienese - Olivado - Salvador - Primitivo' https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...o-vadienese-olivado-salvador-primitivo.84059/

But it's not the one that I was thinking of.
Ideas anyone?

Edited to add: please read post four for further clarification before answering

Walked the Salvador to Oviedo and then the Norte. Used gronze. Waymarked, places to stay and eat.

 

[Beeman]

As neither of you understood what I was asking obviously that wasn't perhaps as clear is it could have been. Apologies.

The background: I'm walking from home to Santiago. Planning to walk: Germany, (various), the GTJ, the Via Gebennensis, then the Via Podiensis.

I have zero desire to walk the camino Frances.

I want to connect the VP with the Salvador, preferably via the early stages of the Norte (I like the idea of those first few days out of Irun, a little further would be nice).

What I'm looking for is a Walking connection (no buses trains or planes) early on, preferably something that starts a few days - even a week or two - into the Norte (not right at the beginning), and then cuts through to join with the Salvador - partway will be fine. I don't particularly want to go to Leon. In fact, I would prefer not to go to Leon at this stage.

I plan to continue from the Salvador onto the Primitivo, I really want to re-walk the Primitivo and Verde. Cutting over from Villaviciosa is not my preferred option, that connects me directly with Oviedo, not the Salvador - which I would quite like to walk.

If there is another route that I can take to get me from the VP to Oviedo, preferably via the Salvador I'm open to it. Whether that is via SJPP or another alternative.

I'm pretty sure I read a thread (other than the one I have linked) that covered such an option, but I cannot find it.

Thanks

You could walk the vasco from Irun to burgos( train from st.jean to bayonne then down the coast to irun). Very rural and quiet.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Ok, I've just updated my plans:

Route update:

So I've been spending some of my convalescence time wishing dreaming and of course planning. Now the planning is pretty loose still predominantly just focusing on the route - I have no intention of trying to figure out the various stops because I've got no idea how far I'm going to want to go each day. And time is not of the Essence. Enjoying myself and funds however are.

Gear
So with that in mind I'm going to be updating some of my camping gear. I don't particularly want to camp but it will make staging significantly easier. Yes, free camping in Germany is technically not legal in most areas, but there are often work arounds ( People's gardens etc), and once I get to France it'll be relatively easy to switch between gite de etapes & official campsites.

The start

Logically this will be this will be on the path right by where I broke my ankle just outside Plauen. I'll continue on the Via Imperii to Hof, then take the Fränkischer Jakobsweg to Nuremberg
Nuremberg - Neresheim
N - Tübingen
T - Freiburg im Breisgau

France

Freiburg -Belefort,
B - Manfeure ( beginning of the Grandes Traversées du Jura - GTJ).
M - Culoz, around 10 km downstream from Motz. Cross the bridge and join the Via Gebennensis.
VG - VP - SJPdP

Spain
SJPdP - Irun , probably on a mix of the GR10 and the VNB
I - Bilbao, predominantly coastal (Gr121 & Gr123), occasionally on the Norte.
Bilbao - Oviedo via the Camino Olvidado and the Salvador ( joining at La Pola de Gordon).
O - Lugo

This is where it gets interesting. I've got a couple of options:

1/switching onto the Verde ( love that) and back across to the Norte, through Santiago and on to Muxia

2/Verde, then backwards up the Norte to San Alberte, turning onto the PR-G99 to Guitiriz then 'Ridge running' to Fene & into to Ferrol. 140km, no service's between Guitiriz and Pontedeume (around 55km) except for a bar at O Gallardo, about 15km in.
Now I'll carry my water filter however that's not much good to me on a ridgeline. Which this most definitely is because it's following the windmills! I see the trail drops down just past a dam about 24 kilometers later, that's only 3 litres so I can handle that. Assuming, of course that the bar is open.
There are a good few houses, worst case I'll have to hope for friendly Farmers (and dogs!).

I'm very open to alternative suggestions for this piece!!

Logically, from Pontedeume I'd head up the Inglès. But then again there's the coastal alternative - all the way to Muxia.
And finally Muxia - Finistere - Santiago.
Much better!

I haven't calculated the mileage yet, I need to finalise that route to Muxia first ( I've got it bookmarked, just have to plug it into mapy)

Other than "you're absolutely bloody nuts" thoughts anybody?

Of course this is all subject to my ankle behaving itself, if it doesn't all bets are off. Gotta have a dream though!

Thanks everyone!