Advice of connecting to the Camino Frances from the Camino del Norte

[Bill Anlyan]

I am planning my second Camino this summer. I'm thinking of doing the Camino del Norte; but connecting with family in Sarria (as they are walking the last 100km). It looks like I would get off the Camino del Norte around Oviedo to work my way south to the Camino Frances. Has anyone done this? Thanks!

 

[sharon w]

Yes Bill. My friend and I did it last year. We walked Camino del Norte to Llanes, then caught the train to Oviedo. From there we caught a train to Leon and another to Astorga where we started walking again. I had already walked from Le Puy so a couple of nights in Oviedo was a nice rest. My husband and another friend walked Camino del Norte to Oviedo then Primitivo route but it joins the Frances near Melide.
The train route from Oviedo to Leon is stunning.
Sharon

 

[peregrina2000]

I am planning my second Camino this summer. I'm thinking of doing the Camino del Norte; but connecting with family in Sarria (as they are walking the last 100km). It looks like I would get off the Camino del Norte around Oviedo to work my way south to the Camino Frances. Has anyone done this? Thanks!

Hi, Bill, Welcome to the forum.

If you want to get to Sarria on foot from the Norte, and if you want to stay on Caminos, you are going to have to jerryrig things a bit. You're right that from the Norte, you can head south at Villaviciosa to Oviedo, and then get on the Primitivo, which is an absolutely stunning Camino. But the Primitivo joins up with the Frances in Melide, which is two long or three short days after Sarria on the Camino Frances. So you would have to walk "backwards" from Melide to Sarria to meet your family. That should not be a problem if you're walking in summer, you will have the crowds coming towards you and that will show you the way backwards from Melide to Sarria. And then you can turn around and walk west again! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Tia Valeria]

An alternative to Laurie's suggestion is to take the side road at Casa De Ponte (Ferreira) and turn left at the Roman bridge instead of right towards the albergue. Then follow the road signs to Palas de Rei and backtrack to Sarria, rather than going all the way to Melide.

 

[Al the optimist]

Why not complete the Primitivo and bus back to Sarria or bus from Oviedo to Leon?

 

[oursonpolaire]

Or take the Primitivo to Lugo, then head south to Sarria--- it's 30km. This shorter route would be roadwalking along the LU-546 and by a look at the map, the last third (after Pobloa de San Xiao) doesn't look like much fun. A 34km walk along the LU-P-2904 looks more bucolic and there appears to be a restaurant at the Rio Neira crossing, about two-thirds of the way. after which one turns off the LU-P-2904 on to a country road leading to LU-P-4304 for a few hundred metres and then south again over the autoroute, and then on to the LU-546 by O Meson and into Sarria. I think that you would need a good local map to do the LU-P-2904 route and I doubt very much if it has Camino markings. Or you could just bus from Lugo to Sarria.

 

[Castilian]

You could make the Camino del Norte till San Vicente de la Barquera from where you would take the Camino Lebaniego plus the Camino Vadiniense to join with the Francés at Mansilla de las Mulas.

 

[jpflavin1]

I am planning my second Camino this summer. I'm thinking of doing the Camino del Norte; but connecting with family in Sarria (as they are walking the last 100km). It looks like I would get off the Camino del Norte around Oviedo to work my way south to the Camino Frances. Has anyone done this? Thanks!

Bill:

I have never walked the Salvador backwards but you could pick it up in Oviedo and walk to Leon (4-6 days). Then head West on the Frances to Sarria.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Castilian]

I have never walked the Salvador backwards but you could pick it up in Oviedo and walk to Leon (4-6 days).

I don't have personal experience with the option you quote but several users advise against walking the Camino del Salvador backwards on this thread: www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/oviedo-to-leon.30066

 

[jpflavin1]

I don't have personal experience with the option you quote but several users advise against walking the Camino del Salvador backwards on this thread: www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/oviedo-to-leon.30066

Castilian:

I accept that Ender is the local expert on this route and would consider his opinion to be noteworthy. That said, I walked in April over Snow drifts and a lot of snow melt. I believe I could have turned around and walked back the way I came. That said, if I had not walked the route South to North, I would probably heed his advice.

Joe

 

[Castilian]

Just to clarify my previous post: what I was trying to point out is that, judging from what several users said on the thread I linked, walking backwards the Camino del Salvador doesn't seem to be the no-brainer it may seem at first sight. That's all. I wasn't making any comment(s) myself about the feasibility of the route as well as I wasn't neither encouraging nor discouraging it because, as I said, I don't have personal experience with it.

 

[Deleted member 34316]

Bill, I have a good solution for you: Suggest your family to walk the last 100 km not from Sarria but from Lugo That's another starting point which becomes more and more popular every year. Pilgrims start from Lugo (which entitles them to receive Compostela in Santiago), walk 50 km on Camino Primitivo to Melide and from there they follow 50 km of Camino Frances. Lugo is a beautiful Roman town surrendered by fantastic stone walls and you can walk on top of them, I am sure your family would love it!

Lugo walls
Lugo walls walk

This arrangement would let you follow Camino del Norte all the way to Villaviciosa, take the turn to Oviedo and then follow the Camino Primitivo until meeting your family in Lugo and walking together to Santiago from there.

Well, if it doesn't work, I agree with Polar Bear's advice (above) on walking from Lugo to Sarria - the distance is 30 km.
There is a local road LU-546 that connect both towns. What's more, it seems like it is fairly traffic-free, as the parallel highway took over most of the traffic from it. There is a little town more or less half way between (Pobra de San Xiao) to take a rest.

This is what it looks on the Street view (I am not sure if the links will work):

LU-546 Street View
A bar in Pobra de San Xiao

Buen Camino!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

@arthur1218 , what a great idea, if the OP has time to walk the Primitivo. Plus the relatives will have a few days of relative peaceful walking until hitting the crowds, so will be able to netter relate to the OP's experience on the Norte. Some lovely places to stay, such as San Roman's muni, or the private, and As Seixas.

 

[OzAnnie]

Pilgrims start from Lugo (which entitles them to receive Compostela in Santiago), walk 50 km on Camino Primitivo to Melide and from there they follow 50 km of Camino Frances. Lugo is a beautiful Roman town surrendered by fantastic stone walls and you can walk on top

Lugo walls
Lugo walls walk

Arthur , thankyou for the links to pics to bring Lugo memories back so vividly. It's a unique town and I'm glad I didn't miss that walk on top.
Great idea you suggested too for Bill and his meet up plan.
Annie