LIVE from the Camino Alun and Laurie on the Olvidado

[peregrina2000]

We walked into Santo Domingo from Salinillas on the Vasco expecting to see lots of peregrinos but didn’t. After a very nice lunch, we got a bus to Burgos and a blablacar to Aguilar de Campoo, where we will start walking tomorrow.

I was so happy to be able to walk to the priests’ house, and leave my passport in exchange for the keys to Santa Cecilia, the Romanesque church below the castle. Though it was a little intimidating to open that heavy door and then turn on the lights, it was oh so worth it to see the capital of the slaughter of the innocents. Just mind boggling.

And Aguilar de Campoo is a very nice place!!

 

[RumAndChupacabras]

worth it to see the capital of the slaughter of the innocents

??? Laurie, please give me a bit more info if possible.

 

[RumAndChupacabras]

??? Laurie, please give me a bit more info if possible.

DUH! Nevermind...the images explained what you referred to.

 

[VNwalking]

You go, girl! But mind those knees.
Super buen onward camino to you both...
So glad you're up to the ears in Romanesque!

 

[pelerine]

Lovely photos, thank you! And keep us updated!
Buen camino!

 

[peregrina2000]

Day one to Cervera de Pisuerga. As if I needed to be reminded, the elevation gain is far more a determinant of the difficultly of a stage than length. Today’s 30 km were a piece of cake compared to a 28 km stage on the Vasco.

We left late after the hotel breakfast. It’s a great stage —first up to the reservoir, then around scrub land mixed with planted crops (and past the anthropomorphic graves), down to the Pisuerga River, and all along the river for kms and kms. It was a very nice walk—sunny, cool, the sounds of the river splashing over rocks. Very pleasant into Cervera de Pisuerga, which is a nice town. We are in the Albergue and it’s nice.

Still haven’t met another pilgrim, but I am hopeful that will change.

 

[MikeJS]

Following closely ready for my camino in Sept!

 

[peregrina2000]

Yesterday was a very long day to Guardo. I have taken some notes on the route, the lack of arrows, and the apparent attempt to keep pilgrims on the road instead of the off-road rural view-laden camino. Great day, even though my GPS clicked in at about 40.

Guardo was in fiestas, which meant nothing was open, and we arrived with absolutely no food. Thanks to Segundo at the Bar Montañés and Pablo at the very nice albergue, we were well taken care of. Highly recommend the Albergue.

 

[VNwalking]

Love the pic of those hard-working feet, Laurie!
And all of it. Just...wow.
All I can say is that I'm glad we didn't manage to pull this off trying to walk together. No way could I ever keep up with the likes of the two of you!

 

[peregrina2000]

Now on to today. OMG. The road to Puente Almuhey is about 14 kms, and that’s one Camino route. The other makes a huge “U” and is about 37 kms. We took the long route and it was absolutely great.

First, you are along the road to Velilla. Then off road and up through a forest till you reach one of several abandoned mines. GPS essential here. Then up and up to a ridge that leads you around with great views even as far as to the Picos. It was a bit cloudy but we still had top notch views. After four or five flat kms, the descent to Caminayo begins.

Caminayo is a beautiful little hamlet. We asked the man mowing if there was a bar. He made a phone call and in about two minutes, three women emerged, opened the bar, brought a plate of cheese, ham and tortilla, and made coffee. We had a nice chat with Lourdes and her husband Zosi and learned about all the efforts to revitalize this Camino. I think the odds are good.

The descent from Caminayo has got to be the most gradual and pretty of any I have walked. Along a small river, past meadows, it was gorgeous. We walked through a couple of prettified villages all filled with happy weekenders and then had a 5 km straight shot along the road (but on an off-track dirt path).

We are in Puente Almuhey, a two bedroom touristic apartment with washing machine for 20€ each. And included is breakfast in the bar next door. Heavenly. I will sing the praises of Duende de Carricuende. The owners are lovely people and very much want to see the Olvidado take off. We also ate in their restaurant and the menu del dia was terrific. Highly recommended.

We are now lounging around this lovely place. And since we have such a short and pretty day tomorrow, we didn’t bat an eye when she told us breakfast started at 8. What luxury!!!

 

[KinkyOne]

The last photo is very nice - happy pilgrims after 37km!!! Wow!

 

[pelerine]

I am always impressed at the length of the stages you manage to walk! Thank you for the updates!

 

[peregrina2000]

The last photo is very nice - happy pilgrims after 37km!!! Wow!

Well as we were sitting in the bar yesterday evening, a (very inebriated) guy came in. I did not engage but let Alun practice his Spanish. The guy bought Alun a drink, wanted to talk, and asked him if I was his mother. So I guess I didn’t look too great.

 

[peregrina2000]

Wonderful day today. Just great. Up to the Velilla sanctuary with its Santiago Matamoros, then up through the mountains. A short 23 km or so.

We took our time and had a few rest stops. Glorious.

Great little story. Two peregrinas seduced some monks. The abbot found out and turned the peregrinas into mermaids and threw them in the river. Then he made the monks build a church with stone mermaids to remind them of their sins.

We are now in Cistierna, where the private albergue is closed for renovations. We could have gone to the municipal but opted for the 25 € rooms in the Hostal Moderno, where we have just finished an excellent menu Del dia.
I have been here on other Caminos.

When we walked into the hotel, the woman checking us in said —I remember you—you were here a few years ago with a tick in your back. Yes that was me.

Tomorrow Boñar.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[natefaith]

It's a beautiful day today. Glad you could enjoy it! Fun to follow along with you guys.
BC!

 

[VNwalking]

Glorious, Laurie!
On top of everyghing dlse, it's so great that the weather is being kind to you. Being up there without a view would just be sad.

 

[omicko]

Wonderful day today. Just great. Up to the Velilla sanctuary with its Santiago Matamoros, then up through the mountains. A short 23 km or so.

We took our time and had a few rest stops. Glorious.

Great little story. Two peregrinas seduced some monks. The abbot found out and turned the peregrinas into mermaids and threw them in the river. Then he made the monks build a church with stone mermaids to remind them of their sins.

We are now in Cistierna, where the private albergue is closed for renovations. We could have gone to the municipal but opted for the 25 € rooms in the Hostal Moderno, where we have just finished an excellent menu Del dia.
I have been here on other Caminos.

When we walked into the hotel, the woman checking us in said —I remember you—you were here a few years ago with a tick in your back. Yes that was me.

Tomorrow Boñar.

Buen camino, Laurie

Hola Laurie, there was a Romeria de la Virgen de La Velilla on the 9th of June to celebrate Pentecost. I went to the Mass.Cheers, Mick.

 

[pelerine]

How funny remembering you with a tick in your back!

 

[peregrina2000]

Monday, June 17. Cistierna to Boñar. About 28 km. No challenging terrain ( except for the rocky path where I took a hard fall —so far as I can tell, the only thing damaged were my pants). Not an exhilarating day—more of a grind it out kind of day.

Nothing much to report except that Ender drove over for lunch and that perked me up quite a bit. It’s funny—this was kind of a down day for me the last time I walked this route.

We are taking the mountain alternative through Vegacervera tomorrow. Weather is changing. Too bad.

 

[VNwalking]

Falling is never a benign event. So I'm happy to know all is more or less well. But if you're carrying only a few clothes...and something gets ripped? Oh, boy, that's a bummer. May whatever damage be easily repaired.
Rain today in Santiago. I hope not for you, too. No point in walking through the mountains if mountains are hiding in the clouds and taking a bath.
Buen camino, you two!

 

[MikeJS]

Monday, June 17. Cistierna to Boñar. About 28 km. No challenging terrain ( except for the rocky path where I took a hard fall —so far as I can tell, the only thing damaged were my pants). Not an exhilarating day—more of a grind it out kind of day.

Nothing much to report except that Ender drove over for lunch and that perked me up quite a bit. It’s funny—this was kind of a down day for me the last time I walked this route.

We are taking the mountain alternative through Vegacervera tomorrow. Weather is changing. Too bad.

The new Camino Guide(https://caminoolvidado.com/etapa12A/?eng) offers 2 routes for Cistierna to Bonar (12A and 12B) only about 3kms between them. Do you know which route you took? Do you know what the difference is between them?

 

[peregrina2000]

The new Camino Guide(https://caminoolvidado.com/etapa12A/?eng) offers 2 routes for Cistierna to Bonar (12A and 12B) only about 3kms between them. Do you know which route you took? Do you know what the difference is between them?

@alansykes talked about it in his post. We saw the road sign for San Pedro de Foncallada (?) but no arrows. So we just stayed on the camino. It wasn’t the most magical of stages but the standard on this camino is awfully high.

 

[peregrina2000]

Boñar to Vegacervera. Today was great. Lots of huffing and puffing up and up and then we were in the mountains. indescribable really. There is a 6 km stretch on a road towards the end but the only car we saw was Ender’s as he came to say hi.

After we checked into the Albergue (two pilgrims and about 40 teenagers but luckily we have a cabin ourselves), Ender took us to a late lunch. Then a little car trip up to the nearby gorges —another wow. The area is filled with rock climbers on the weekends, but we had it all to ourselves.

Onwards to Pola de Gordon, where we may see some pilgrims on the Salvador.

 

[NualaOC]

Great posts and photos Laurie! When I met Ender on the Salvador, he did a great job of promoting this route. It's now firmly on my radar for the future.
I felt your pain when you described your fall - hope the rest of your Camino is incident-free.
Nuala

 

[RumAndChupacabras]

...so far as I can tell, the only thing damaged were my pants...

Was just about to ask you, how your new pants were faring. Needle and thread or duct tape?
Buen Camino

 

[VNwalking]

Just an inarticulate 'wow!'
Thanks for sharing so that we can sit here and enjoy the view without having to do any of that huffing and puffing!

 

[pelerine]

Just an inarticulate 'wow!'
Thanks for sharing so that we can sit here and enjoy the view without having to do any of that huffing and puffing!

Looks like quite an articulate wow to me! Let me add mine and I very much agree with the rest. I have the Olvidado on my to do list, but doubt whether I will be able to do it. Am enjoying your posts all the more! Thank you!

 

[peregrina2000]

Vegacervera to Pola de Gordon —the longest 24 km EVER.

We left at 7:15, never thinking it would be nearly 2 pm when we checked into Pension 15 de Mayo.

You should read @alansykes’ account of doing the first half of this stage in the pouring rain. I simply cannot imagine it. The descent in the first half into the gorge is like nothing I have ever done, and it makes the descent from San Juan de la Peña to Santa Cruz de la Seros (on the Aragonés/Catalán) look like a walk in the park.

The first six or seven kms are on a totally untraveled road. When the turn off comes, you start down. First going through lots of very long grass, which makes your feet, socks, shoes, and pants very wet. But then comes the fun. It is a rocky descent like nothing I have ever seen. I gave Alun one of my poles, and together the two of us went step by step, frequently sitting down, frequently looking nervously to the right to see if we are going to plunge down to the river below. It was really pretty scary. Now, the truth is, it takes you to a beautiful place – a gorge with a small river running through it. And then the beautiful beech forest. But I think that if I were sensible, I would not walk it again.

The stop in Ciñera was very nice. The town was clearly a mining town, and now not much is going on. The monument to miners in the square has a clear and loud complaint attached.

We went into the bar where Alan had gotten a ride months earlier (owner and Ender remembered him well), and we sat outside to wring out our socks and try to dry out our shoes. I foolishly thought that the rest of the day would be a piece of cake.

It turns out that there is another ascent, nothing too strenuous, but then the descent to Buiza is through a scrub forest/meadow with no obvious marking.

Because my GPS tracks have a maximum of 500 points, the track is hard to follow at the micro level. We wound up weaving around, up-and-down, back-and-forth, until we finally made our way to Buiza. Very wet, very slow going.

We then took five more kilometers along the side of the road, very lightly traveled, and made our way into Pola De Gordon. We have had a good menu Del dia in meson de Miguel and each have a 20€ single room with private bath in 15 de Mayo. All is well, but I think future peregrinos should think twice about this stage. Here’s a YouTube. I think there was little time for photography while navigating those rocks but there is a shot or two.

 

[Former member 49149]

Vegacervera to Pola de Gordon —the longest 24 km EVER.

We left at 7:15, never thinking it would be nearly 2 pm when we checked into Pension 15 de Mayo.

You should read @alansykes’ account of doing the first half of this stage in the pouring rain. I simply cannot imagine it. The descent in the first half into the gorge is like nothing I have ever done, and it makes the descent from San Juan de la Peña to Santa ?? De la seros look like a walk in the park.

The first six or seven kms are on a totally untraveled road. When the turn off comes, you start down. First going through lots of very long grass, which makes your feet, socks, shoes, and pants very wet. But then comes the fun. It is a rocky descent like nothing I have ever seen. I gave Alun one of my pools, and together the two of us went step by step, frequently sitting down, frequently looking nervously to the right to see if we are going to plunge down to the river below. It was really pretty scary. Now, the truth is, it takes you to a beautiful place – a gorge with a small river running through it. And then the beautiful beach forest. But I think that if I were sensible, I would not walk it again.

The stop in Ciñera was very nice. The town was clearly a mining town, and now not much is going on. The monument to miners in the square has a clear and loud complaint attached.

We went into the bar where Alan had gotten a ride months earlier (owner and Ender remembered him well), and we sat outside to wring out our socks and try to dry out our shoes. I foolishly thought that the rest of the day would be a piece of cake.

It turns out that there is another ascent, nothing too strenuous, but then the descent to Buiza is through a scrub Forest/meadow with no obvious marking.

Because my GPS tracks have a maximum of 500 points, the track is hard to follow at the micro level. We wound up weaving around, up-and-down, back-and-forth, until we finally made our way to Buiza. Very wet, very slow going.

We then took five more kilometers along the side of the road, very lightly traveled, and made our way into Pola De Gordon. We have had a good menu Del dia in Neson de Miguel and each have a 20€ single room with private bath in 15 de Mayo. All is well, but I think future peregrinos should think twice about this stage.

Just happy to know that you are all in one piece.

 

[peregrina2000]

Was just about to ask you, how your new pants were faring. Needle and thread or duct tape?
Buen Camino

I can’t really sew this high tech material. I think it will be fine till I get to Santiago and can find a patch to put on the hole. Just a little tear near the left knee. But far more importantly, my knees seem to be fine. Knock on wood.

 

[AlanSykes]

Tomorrow, for me, was la reina de las etapas on the Olvidado, possibly of any camino I've ever walked. It'll take you to nearly 1700m up, probably in near total solitude, with fabulous views on every side, and then through the utterly spectacular gorge of Los Calderones.

Disfrutan.

 

[pelerine]

Well, your description certainly means this is beyond my capacities. So I will content myself with reading you and enjoying your beautiful photos!

 

[VNwalking]

nearly 1700m up

Woah. Crossing this one off my list.

 

[peregrina2000]

Tomorrow, for me, was la reina de las etapas on the Olvidado, possibly of any camino I've ever walked. It'll take you to nearly 1700m up, probably in near total solitude, with fabulous views on every side, and then through the utterly spectacular gorge of Los Calderones.

Disfrutan.

Well I am not sure the weather is going to cooperate. Looking like rain. But we will see.

But Alan, how in the world did you do that descent to the bosque in the rain? It nearly did me in in good weather.

 

[AlanSykes]

Well I am not sure the weather is going to cooperate. Looking like rain. But we will see.

But Alan, how in the world did you do that descent to the bosque in the rain? It nearly did me in in good weather.

It was one of the toughest days I've ever walked, and I don't know how I could have carried on had angelic Ender not miraculously emerged at Ciñera and taken me on his magic carpet (or possibly SEAT car, I forget) to La Pola de Gordon.

My weather forecast says you should be cloudy but dry for tomorrow's wonders. Hope it goes well, it really is beyond my superlatives.

And to answer @MikeJS ' question above, Ender's new 12B trail from Cistierna takes you down the lovely Esla river for an hour or so, then sharply up to the pretty, almost depopulated village of San Pedro de Foncollada, then down to La Ercina and on to the slightly dull countryside that Laurie describes. A bit longer, but I had a nice day and Laurie clearly didn't, although I had almost perfect weather, which also makes a difference.

 

[peregrina2000]

In La Magdalena. What a day. We had no rain and the views were absolutely gorgeous. This is a very remote walk, so I was glad to have Alun’s company and my GPS. It was a hard day, but not punishing. None of the ascents or descents were particularly steep, so my knees were very happy.

Los Calderones is a crazy geological spot. Kind of like being on the moon. We didn’t see anyone for about 25 km, one of the more remote stretches I’ve ever walked.

Alun has left for home on the afternoon bus to Leon, and I will carry on alone. The transition is always hard, but I have walked this route alone before. Looks like the weather will cooperate, too!
View attachment BFE0BC89-CD37-429F-9352-1D4106BACD7D.MOV

 

[VNwalking]

So enjoying following your progress, peregrina!
I take back what I said yesterday of not considering this one.
It looks really special!

 

[pelerine]

I does look very special! However I do not think I could walk it. So regretfully.....

 

[peregrina2000]

There are some steep (and one dangerous) descents on this camino, but make sure to check out the alternatives. From Boñar, for instance, you don’t need to do these two mountain stages. You can go to La Robla, which is not tough. And Ender assured me that he had gotten a lot of that off road. I would, however, have either a GPS or @VN’s sense of direction.

And btw, Alan’s reference to 1900 m was not the ascent we had to climb, but rather the highest point we reached. I don’t think the elevation gain today was more than 700 or 800 m and it was not steep. La Robla to here is about 200 m total gain. So there are options.

 

[pelerine]

Thank you! Will reconsider! In due time - not possible before 2021! Are you going to publish this thread in resources? If not, I will copy the link into my Olvidado planning folder.

 

[Aglass]

I am planning to start from probably just outside Bilbao on 10 or 11 July. Anyone else around?
Laurie - any other pilgrims around on your Camino? I love your descriptions and stories.

 

[grayland]

Thanks for taking us along, Laurie!

 

[peregrina2000]

Yesterday was my first day alone. Though I love walking alone it’s always a hard transition. The stage from La Magdalena to Vegarienza is fabulous—not so much for its spectacular beauty but for the fact that virtually every step was off-road. It’s about 30 when all is said and done. Lots of little hamlets impossibly continuing to exist, wide open vistas, a steep up to Arielle and down to Omaña, and then a gorgeous walk alongside the Omaña River.

The Vegarienza albergue is an apartment turned Albergue above the doctor’s office. Very comfortable, full kitchen. The hospitalera Estela is from the town, spent her life in Madrid, and returned home when she retired. She does this because she sees it as the only viable option right now—something to keep the town from dying. She’s a real sweetheart.

There is a bar/meson in town that is crammed at lunch and does a mean 10€ menu Del dia. The women who run it are both 85+ and probably won’t be doing it much longer. No one to take it over, so it will probably just close it’s doors. So sad. But for now it’s a great place to stop.

 

[RumAndChupacabras]

Awwww, so sweet these women are! God Bless them!

 

[peregrina2000]

Today was a long day. I decided to combine Vegarienza-Fasgar-Igueña into one and break it up with a stop inFasgar to see Rosi (who is now alcaldesa btw). The first 6 are along an untraveled road and then comes the turnoff for Fasgar. There are several off-road options and I would recommend all of them except the one after Marzan. It’s a yellow arrow on the road taking you off to the left. I had trouble there the last time but since Ender has been through, I decided to give it a try. Bad idea. One owner has blocked passage after about 10 or 15 very nice minutes. At that point I decided to try to go around the barrier, which meant going down to the meadow by the river. What a mess. I finally got my way back up to the camino but it wasn’t easy or fun. Rosi in Fasgar knows about this and promises to do something but I would check back before taking that arrow. But all the rest are phenomenal. Don’t even think about staying on the side of the road!

Things have changed a lot in Fasgar since I was there 5 years ago. There is now a very nice albergue, a bar that is open every day, and a restaurant open every weekend and every day in July and August. It’s a beautiful little town.

After about two hours with Rosi and family (way too long but so fun), I started the 19 kms to Igueña at about noon. First comes the ascent up to the viewpoint over Campo Santiago, then down to the campo. Then more descent along the river to Campo Martin Toledano ( that’s my shorthand for the longest name of a town in all Spain). It’s a picture perfect place, and since it was Saturday, bars were open. A good Kas Limón break before the last 7 into Igueña. Though it was all off road and along the river, I was VERY glad to enter the albergue in Igueña at about 4:30. All alone again!

But numbers are increasing. Rosi told me she had more pilgrims this May than she had all last year. Maybe in a year or two you will have a fighting chance of running into another pilgrim!

 

[peregrina2000]

So glad I walked through the Campo de Santiago yesterday, because it would not have been fun in today’s rain. From Igueña to Cobrana, it’s great off road walking. Lots of hills, nothing too strenuous, pleasant countryside. But I would estimate that 25 of the 32 kms I walked in the rain. Once you’re soaked all the way through it really doesn’t matter because you can’t get any wetter. But it was so great to get to the bar in Cobrana and get the keys to the little casa rural. The angel behind the counter, Gelines, brought me up a great meal. After a hot shower and clean, dry clothes, everything was fine.

Short note for anyone walking this route. If the weather is awful when you get to Labaniego, stay off the camino for the approximately two kms into Arlanza. I started down and it was just awful, so I went back into town and got the good advice to stay on the road. You will see the arrows again when you get to the church in Arlanza. All of the day except that short bit is fine in the rain.

 

[MikeJS]

It was one of the toughest days I've ever walked, and I don't know how I could have carried on had angelic Ender not miraculously emerged at Ciñera and taken me on his magic carpet (or possibly SEAT car, I forget) to La Pola de Gordon.

My weather forecast says you should be cloudy but dry for tomorrow's wonders. Hope it goes well, it really is beyond my superlatives.

And to answer @MikeJS ' question above, Ender's new 12B trail from Cistierna takes you down the lovely Esla river for an hour or so, then sharply up to the pretty, almost depopulated village of San Pedro de Foncollada, then down to La Ercina and on to the slightly dull countryside that Laurie describes. A bit longer, but I had a nice day and Laurie clearly didn't, although I had almost perfect weather, which also makes a difference.

Thank you very much for the extra info - 12B it is then!

 

[peregrina2000]

Thank you very much for the extra info - 12B it is then!

I had planned to go the way Alan went, but I didn’t have the GPS tracks and thought I would see the arrows at the split. I later learned that the two alternatives leave from different spots in cistierna, so you have to know where you are going.

 

[MikeJS]

I had planned to go the way Alan went, but I didn’t have the GPS tracks and thought I would see the arrows at the split. I later learned that the two alternatives leave from different spots in Boñar, so you have to know where you are going.

I plan to use the Olvidado app (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/camino-olvidado/id1446000436) so should be OK!

Thank you for all of your info, I am sure it will come in handy when i walk in Sept.

 

[peregrina2000]

I plan to use the Olvidado app (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/camino-olvidado/id1446000436) so should be OK!

Thank you for all of your info, I am sure it will come in handy when i walk in Sept.

MAke sure the stages all open on your phone. A couple always crashed on my phone.

 

[peregrina2000]

Not one drop fell while I was walking today, how lucky was that. It’s not a terribly scenic day anyway, so the pea soup fog most of the way wasn’t a problem.

I used GPS tracks that followed the official Camino Olvidado till a split a few kms after the dam. It was spottily marked and I needed the GPS in several places. In one spot the trail was so overgrown that I decided to follow a dirt path up to an electric transmission line. Just as I was nearing the top, a bunch of cyclists started down. They helped get me back on track. A very nice German-Spanish group. They all have diabetes and are riding to show that even with diabetes, life can be good.

Tomorrow Peñalba, can’t wait. Looks like the weather is changing for the better.

@KinkyOne I thought of you today!

 

[VNwalking]

Wow, you're already in Ponfi, Laurie.
Buen camino invierno!!!

 

[MikeJS]

MAke sure the stages all open on your phone. A couple always crashed on my phone.

Thank you for that info. I have just checked and stage 15B crashes on the app! However, that may not be a problem as I will probably turn right around La Robla onto the Camino de San Salvador and then follow the Camino Primitivo to avoid the crowds.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thank you for that info. I have just checked and stage 15B crashes on the app! However, that may not be a problem as I will probably turn right around La Robla onto the Camino de San Salvador and then follow the Camino Primitivo to avoid the crowds.

I have told Ender to check the app. I know you didn’t ask my opinion, but I will say that the stages from Boñar to Vegacervera, and then Vegacervera to Buiza are really great — Boñar to Vegacervera has many incredible 5 star views. The Boñar to La Robla stage is quite ho-hum, unless you like flat roads and coal mines. You could also pick up the Salvador in Buiza or Pola de Gordón instead of in La Robla. That would add a day to your Olvidado but take away a day from your Salvador. And the best part of the Salvador is after Buiza anyway. OR... you could also continue on the Olvidado, take it to Ponferrada, and finish on the Invierno. But I see you have already walked the Invierno.
But the Salvador/Primitivo combo has got to be one of the best out there, too. None of my business of course, but I am in the Camino Olvidado Fanatic group now that I have done the mountain alternatives.

 

[KinkyOne]

...
Tomorrow Peñalba, can’t wait. Looks like the weather is changing for the better.

@KinkyOne I thought of you today!

I don't know how I missed your last post on Olvidado and coming into Ponferrada... Only read it today.

How come I was on your mind?

 

[peregrina2000]

I don't know how I missed your last post on Olvidado and coming into Ponferrada... Only read it today.

How come I was on your mind?

Look at the bottom line of graffiti on the metal fence.

 

[KinkyOne]

AHAHAHAHA

 

[MikeJS]

I have told Ender to check the app. I know you didn’t ask my opinion, but I will say that the stages from Boñar to Vegacervera, and then Vegacervera to Buiza are really great — Boñar to Vegacervera has many incredible 5 star views. The Boñar to La Robla stage is quite ho-hum, unless you like flat roads and coal mines. You could also pick up the Salvador in Buiza or Pola de Gordón instead of in La Robla. That would add a day to your Olvidado but take away a day from your Salvador. And the best part of the Salvador is after Buiza anyway. OR... you could also continue on the Olvidado, take it to Ponferrada, and finish on the Invierno. But I see you have already walked the Invierno.
But the Salvador/Primitivo combo has got to be one of the best out there, too. None of my business of course, but I am in the Camino Olvidado Fanatic group now that I have done the mountain alternatives.

Your opinion is most welcome. It was really my rush saying I would turn right at La Robla as i just glimpsed at my wall map! I intend to walk the ‘mountain’ route and go via Boñar to Vegacervera, and then to Buiza. At that point I will decide if I will head for the Salvador/Primitivo option. As you noticed, I walked the Invierno after my camino on the Sureste in 2017 and don’t really want to repeat it and I am not sure I want to face the hordes on the Frances! I quite like walking by myself, which is a good thing given that I did not see another pilgrim on the Sureste until I got to Astorga.