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Anybody done a deviation to go to "Ruta del Cares" ?

Barbara06

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Le Puy - Pamplona (2011-14)
VDLP (2015)
Portuguese (2015)
Francigena (2016)
Primitivo (2017)
Hello,
There seems to be a beautiful day trail called "Ruta del Cares" in the Picos de Europa, south of the camino Norte (at the level of Llanes) and west of the camino Lebaniego. Has anybody ever left the camino for a day or two to do this trail ?
If so could you please say how you got there and back ?
I think it goes from Poncebos to Cain del Valdeon.
Thank-you
 
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It is one of the most amazing trails and definitely worth the detour if you can do it.

You don't say where you need to get there and back from, but assume the Norte - you should easily be able to get a bus from either Colombres or Naves to Poncebos. You would walk to Cain de Valdeon and then walk back again. It is possible to get a taxi at Cain de Valdeon but it will take several hours to get back via taxi and most people just walk there and back - it is possible to stay in Cain de Valdeon if you wanted to. It's about 4 hours each way. However depending on how much time you have and how adventurous you are then you could deviate off the Cares path on the return journey on the path up to the Covadonga lakes and then Covadonga which is a magical place also. from Covadonga/Cangas de Onis you can easily get back to the Norte.

If coming from the Lebaniego/Olvidado then you would head down towards Valdeon from Puerto Pandetrave (my second favourite place in the Picos).

If you had time you could pick up the Lebaniego from the Norte as this Camino cut's through some of the most beautiful and wild mountains.

Of course it is possible to deviate to the Cares from one Camino and continue on another one if you wished to.

It can be a popular trail and is very narrow in places with vertiginous drops in places so always try and avoid it on a weekend/public holiday etc to get the most enjoyment from it.

Just in case you need some encouragement:
 
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Thanks so much for your reply Davesjy,
I haven't yet decided wether to go there from the Norte or the Labaniego, it all depends on the feasability.
According to what you say from the Norte it seems quite easy to get there and start walking, so that's already a good thing.
But I had a little preference to get there after walking on the Lebaniego.
You say : "If coming from the Lebaniego/Olvidado then you would head down towards Valdeon from Puerto Pandetrave", but if you are on the Lebaniego you end up at Potes, so how do you get from Potes to Puerto Pandetrave ? (I won't be walking with a tent).
I was thinking of doing this beginning of september.
Thanks for the photos. I had already seen some before and since then I really want to go there.
 
Barbara06 said:
Puerto Pandetrave", but if you are on the Lebaniego you end up at Potes, so how do you get from Potes to Puerto Pandetrave ?
Click to expand...
The Vadiniense picks up where the Lebaniego leaves off and takes you up through Espinama, Fuente Dé and on to Puerto Pandetrave, through a really beautiful trail called Senda da Remona. @Bad Pilgrim walked this route just a month or two ago and had an excellent live thread.

I have walked the Ruta de Cares on two different occasions. In 1995, we unknowingly went on an August weekend, and it was wall to wall people, sort of like walking throug the palace of Versailles or Notre Dame Cathedral. We had no idea it was that popular. I had been there several years earlier itwas more like the pictures @davejsy posted. I’m sure the numbers have increased since 1995!!! So I strongly second his advice to avoid weekends, holidays and high summer.
 
Barbara06 said:
But I had a little preference to get there after walking on the Lebaniego.
Click to expand...
For sure this would be the most beautiful way, and @peregrina2000 has explained how you do this. If approaching from there there is also a wonderful hostel in Santa Marina de Valdeon just down from Pandetrave, and further accommodation in Valdeon itself, Cordianes and then of course in Cain de Valdeon.

I guess the question would be if you walk back along the route from Poncebon to rejoin the Vadiniense or decide to head on to the Norte from there. To get back to the Vadiniense is quite a climb back up to Pandetrave, or technically you could take the other Pass (Panderubba or similar) out which takes you to Riano. Or as mentioned there is a steep but well walked path from about half-way along the Cares route that takes you ultimately to Covadonga which is an amazing place with easy access back to the Norte via Cangas.

Some people lament the amount of tarmac walking if going back to the Vadiniense but I think it is now possible to miss the worst of it on an alternative route (via Prioro) - ultimately you will end up back on the Frances.

This area is like my second home and I've been lucky enough to walk the Cares route several times over the years.

*edited to change Olvidado to Vadiniense as rightly mentioned in @peregrina2000 post. Vadiniense does meet the Olvidado somewhere though (especially if you go via Prioro instead of Riano)).
 
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