Camino Vadiniense in September

[ranthr]

For some years the Picos de Europa has been in my interest and these years I have studied this route reading what all of you have written about it. I would like to walk from Santander, where I ended my camino Norte some years ago, to Funte De and spend som nights there as an end.
See that I can walk shorter days than most of you do, but still wondering whether this is something for a 71 year old woman walking alone. Some of you wrote about being attacked by wild dogs as well¡ Any advise?

 

[Anamya]

Any advise?

Hi ranthr! No advice yet, but I'm ging to do the Lebaniego from Santander to Santo Toríbio this April. I intend to make some notes to post in the forum later, so I hope I'll be able to help with that part of the Camino in he future

I'm 37 but I'm also a fan of shorter days. For that trail, with so many uphills, I intend to walk 4 days. I initially thought of 5, but little annual leave cut that short Are you planning any stages or will leave it for later? I was just worried with the little amount of accomodation options.

 

[peregrino_tom]

hi ranthr, I'll just add a few thoughts at this early stage for you -
I guess your first 3 or so days will just follow the Norte to San Vicente.
I don't think the Lebaniego route is any wilder than other lesser travelled routes like Ingles. The only place where you are really well away from civilisation is on the mountain option after Cicera. There is a lot of small road walking. I met a couple of unfriendly village dogs in Pendes but they retreated at a waved stick - that was all. It's certainly not as wild and challenging as the Salvador (which is still not that tricky really).
You may have to do some more work to factor in the Picos. The camino just skirts the national park at Cabanes and then again at Fuente De I think.
When I stayed at Cabanes the private albergue were taking groups of children on gentle walks up into the hills above, so if you plan to stay there you might adda day and ask for a gentle well used route into the hills above the village. It would seem a shame to miss the opportunity when you've already climed up most of the way already.
Fuente De has the ski lift that can take you up into the gods.
For me one of the most exhilarating parts of the journey was the morning leaving Fuente De when you have a long but gentle climb up to about 1800m on a wide track (took us about 2 hours). At the top your are on the shoulder of the col in amongst the snow capped rocky crags and able to see for many kms in nearly all directions. So if you quickly tire of pampered living in the Fuente De Parador, it might be worth stretching your limbs in that direction on a day's excursion...

 

[caminka]

if you haven't seen them already, here are guides for lebaniego and vadiniense, with suggestions for shorter days: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/guides-to-lebaniego-and-vadiniense.51676/. note: albergues in san vicente and at the monastery of santo toribio are closed!
somewhere on my pc I also have a ramble across picos, I'll take a look.

 

[MethaV]

For some years the Picos de Europa has been in my interest and these years I have studied this route reading what all of you have written about it. I would like to walk from Santander, where I ended my camino Norte some years ago, to Funte De and spend som nights there as an end.
See that I can walk shorter days than most of you do, but still wondering whether this is something for a 71 year old woman walking alone. Some of you wrote about being attacked by wild dogs as well¡ Any advise?

I haven't done the Camino Norte yet but planning to do it this year. I am positive that it's quite ok for you to walk alone, and concerning your age - as long as you can walk, you can walk the Camino! Whether 5 km a day or 25, that is not important. The important is to be there and move along!
On my first Camino I met an Italian couple well over 80, they did the whole Camino Frances.
Buon Camino!

 

[ranthr]

Thanks all of you. I'll reread your advices again later, I have booked 3 nights in Fuente De, thinking of daily walks up in the mountain. Also thinking of staying a couple of days in Potes to walk to the cloister the day between. The idea of a walk from Cabanes is a good idea , I 'll look at the possibility. This will be more of a tourist trip for me so I will prebook my nights, it seems like September is a busy months! I would have liked better to go in October, but I think the buses do not go to Fuente De later than September and I do not want to walk both ways.

 

[ranthr]

Booked my flight and ready for a very slow walk from San Vicente in September.
Day 1: San Vicente to Puente de Arrudo
Day 2: Puente de Arrudo to La Fuente or Cicera
Day 3: To Cabañas (or Potes if the albergue is full)
Day 4: To Potes
Day 5: T/r to the cloister
Day 6: From Potes to Areñas
Day 7: To Funte De
I have seen that there are only busroute to Funte De June/August so I guess I have to walk back to Potes. No return ticket , so may be I walk the Vadiense from Funte De. Time will show.

 

[Michael; Camino-addicted]

Hallo ranthr,

We walked the Camino Lebaniego/Vadiniense in June 2017 and it was great. We started on the Camino Norte to get in the mood and then we changed to the Lebaniego. For the beginning of the Lebaniego I have a recommendation for you. We were told, that the road from Hortigal to Cades only goes on asphalt and we were advised to take the path along the Rio Nansa. And it was like the Garden Eden.
We walked from San Vicente to Serdio on the same way than the Camino del Norte. We slept there in the Albergue. Maybe 1 km behind Serdio the Lebaniego splitted from the Norte and after one hour we arrived near Munorrodero at the Rio Nansa. There was the beginning of paradies.
For 10 km you can walk along the riverside, sometimes on wooden galleries which are build directly on the rocks. When you leave the river you have to walk 4 for kilometers to Cades. From there it´s one a"little step" to Puente el Arrudo.
May be it´s an idea to think about.

I think you know this: www.gronze.com

Here you can see the map and get a few information of this alternative route.

All the best for you

Michael

P.S. Sorry for my bad english, I´m German and I don´t use it, except on the Camino

 

[Anamya]

We were told, that the road from Hortigal to Cades only goes on asphalt and we were advised to take the path along the Rio Nansa. And it was like the Garden Eden.

So glad to read that! I'm going to walk the Lebaniego in April and plan to go via River Nansa too.
And your En glish is great, don´t worry

 

[ranthr]

Hallo ranthr,

We walked the Camino Lebaniego/Vadiniense in June 2017 and it was great. We started on the Camino Norte to get in the mood and then we changed to the Lebaniego. For the beginning of the Lebaniego I have a recommendation for you. We were told, that the road from Hortigal to Cades only goes on asphalt and we were advised to take the path along the Rio Nansa. And it was like the Garden Eden.
We walked from San Vicente to Serdio on the same way than the Camino del Norte. We slept there in the Albergue. Maybe 1 km behind Serdio the Lebaniego splitted from the Norte and after one hour we arrived near Munorrodero at the Rio Nansa. There was the beginning of paradies.
For 10 km you can walk along the riverside, sometimes on wooden galleries which are build directly on the rocks. When you leave the river you have to walk 4 for kilometers to Cades. From there it´s one a"little step" to Puente el Arrudo.
May be it´s an idea to think about.

I think you know this: www.gronze.com

Here you can see the map and get a few information of this alternative route.

All the best for you

Michael

P.S. Sorry for my bad english, I´m German and I don´t use it, except on the Camino

Thanks,Michael, for your advice! I have not decided yet the route for the first day. I am an old woman walking alone and some streches along the river Nansa looks a bit difficult after reading some posts here in the forum. Like before all caminos I have to build up my soul for what I can manage or not, so time will show.
As Anamya mentioned, your English is good, much better than my German. When I am in Germany, most people turn to English when I try to use my schoolgerman.

 

[ranthr]

A bit curious whether this camino will become true this autumn since an eye operation is annonced when I planned to be in Spain. Time will show.Still more possibilities, I hope.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I have walked from Potes up to Fuente De and "over the top" as well, a few times. It is a heavily touristed area, but the paths are well-marked and you are never very far from civilization. It is uphill, though, and you have to take it easy because you´re gaining altitude all the time.
Treat yourself to a night at the deluxe Hotel del Oso if you can! Their breakfast buffet puts the Parador in the shade.
The local cheese up there is amazing.

 

[caminka]

if you haven't seen them already, here are guides for lebaniego and vadiniense, with suggestions for shorter days: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/guides-to-lebaniego-and-vadiniense.51676/. note: albergues in san vicente and at the monastery of santo toribio are closed!
somewhere on my pc I also have a ramble across picos, I'll take a look.

finally remembered this post. here is the file with the off routes from lebaniego and vadiniense. the first is a day out of potes, the second a multi-day hike (no climbing) through picos. from november 2017, so check the relevant information on accommodation and other things accordingly, please.

 

[ranthr]

I am not happy to say that today I have cancelled my camino in September due to different health problems within my family.
First year for years without some sort of camino or other walkingtours.
My luck is that I live in a place where I can walk out of my house and walk for hours if I want out in nature,
so I am one of the lucky ones in that way.
Hope to be back in spring.

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi ranthr
Sorry to hear that. I wish you well with the family and their health.
You know sometimes a year away from the camino can be a good thing. You'll come back all the more excited and savour every step...
Best wishes, tom

 

[ranthr]

Hi ranthr
Sorry to hear that. I wish you well with the family and their health.
You know sometimes a year away from the camino can be a good thing. You'll come back all the more excited and savour every step...
Best wishes, tom

Thanks Tom! My husband is recovering and I just had an eyeoperation, going tomorrow for a 800 km trip for a control in the next hospital city nearby. I quess not going to Spain this autumn gives me an opportunity to enjoy autumn at home for once, since we often spend some weeks in Spain in autumn. We have lots of free space where we live and daily trips on small hills is possible.

 

[peregrina2000]

I am not happy to say that today I have cancelled my camino in September due to different health problems within my family.
First year for years without some sort of camino or other walkingtours.
My luck is that I live in a place where I can walk out of my house and walk for hours if I want out in nature,
so I am one of the lucky ones in that way.
Hope to be back in spring.

Hi, @ranthr, I have just seen your note. I feel your pain. I was almost unable to have a camino this year, but everything worked out. Next year, who knows, hope springs eternal. But we both should have a pretty huge reservoir of wonderful memories and gratitude for all the walking we have been able to do -- hope that gets you to next year and another Camino! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[VNwalking]

I had missed this, @ranthr , and am sorry to hear your news.
May your health problems and those of your husband resolve very soon - the camino is not going anywhere so it will be there for you when you are ready to walk again.
Buen camino de la vida, peregrina!

 

[peregrino_tom]

Thanks Tom! My husband is recovering and I just had an eyeoperation, going tomorrow for a 800 km trip for a control in the next hospital city nearby. I quess not going to Spain this autumn gives me an opportunity to enjoy autumn at home for once, since we often spend some weeks in Spain in autumn. We have lots of free space where we live and daily trips on small hills is possible.

"I can see for miles". Good nutrition for the human spirit.

 

[ivar]

Thanks Tom! My husband is recovering and I just had an eyeoperation, going tomorrow for a 800 km trip for a control in the next hospital city nearby. I quess not going to Spain this autumn gives me an opportunity to enjoy autumn at home for once, since we often spend some weeks in Spain in autumn. We have lots of free space where we live and daily trips on small hills is possible.

God bedring!

 

[ranthr]

God bedring!

Takk, Ivar, bare normale grå stær skifte av linser for oss gamlinger. Du som har vært her i nord vet at jeg har nok av natur for daglige caminoer, så ingen nød å bli hjemme.

 

[ranthr]

I had missed this, @ranthr , and am sorry to hear your news.
May your health problems and those of your husband resolve very soon - the camino is not going anywhere so it will be there for you when you are ready to walk again.
Buen camino de la vida, peregrina!

Thanks, soon back again I suppose!

 

[ranthr]

Hi, @ranthr, I have just seen your note. I feel your pain. I was almost unable to have a camino this year, but everything worked out. Next year, who knows, hope springs eternal. But we both should have a pretty huge reservoir of wonderful memories and gratitude for all the walking we have been able to do -- hope that gets you to next year and another Camino! Buen camino, Laurie

Thanks, would have been great to meet you once on a camino in the future, but I would never been able to follow your long stages.