From San Vicente to Leon

[peregrina2000]

I am beginning to plan my next Camino and have been thinking about the Vadiense/Liebana combination. I'm trying to figure out how much time I would need.

My first of undoubtedly many questions is this. Based on the guides I've looked at, I'm guessing that I should plan on 10 days to walk from San Vicente de la Barquera to Leon. For those of you lucky enough to have walked this route, how does that match up with your experience? The information I have is kind of sketchy, so I may be way off and would appreciate some guidance.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[sillydoll]

Laurie, I haven't been lucky enough to walk it yet but I did include it in my book.

Ruta Vadiniense Picos de Europa: 134 km from Potes to Mansilla de las Mulas
There is an oral tradition and archaeological evidence for this route which passes through the spectacular landscape of the Picos de Europa joining two of the three holy cities in Spain – the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liebana (whch houses a piece of the true cross) and Santiago de Compostela. The route starts at Potes on the Cantabria coast and flows south where it joins the Camino Frances at the city of León. http://www.rutavadiniense.org

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks, Sil. I have used that website and it's pretty helpful, though not up to mundicamino or Eroski standards. Potes is not on the coast, and I think it's about a 3 day walk from San Vicente de la Barquera, which is on the coast. And by my rough calculations, that adds another 60 km to the route. If those distances are roughly correct, that makes a 10 day timeframe seem pretty do-able. I guess the main issue is the elevation gain, but on the Vadiniense website there are a few days that seem to be about 800 m (around Fuente De). The rest is pretty tame, at least that's how it looks.

What I don't know is what the elevation gain is like during the days from San Vicente to Potes. This website is all I've found on that score. http://www.mosheh.net/Toribio/Camino.htm

I know Reb is working on a guide for this route and I'm sure she has all the answers to my many questions. Sorry to be a pest, Reb, but your postings are what got me going on this.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[mikevasey]

Hi Laurie try this one it getting on for two years old but it does give you a profile of the stages and intermediate places http://www.cantabriajubilar.com.

I remember walking from San Vincente and seeing these other arrows pointing off to the hills, my German walking companions said it was another route according to their stein book.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Hey Laurie, It was the Cantabria Jubilar people who provided the info I used the the guide. If you have the beta version, look at the appendix in the back: the route from San Vicente to Liebana is in there, as well as I could get it. (If you don´t have the guide yet, say the word and I will send you one.)

I have NOT walked this route. I hope to do it in the spring.

Off the top of my head, I recall two days of serious mountain in that route, then descent to follow the valley into Potes.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks to Mike and Reb,
The online Cantabria Jubilar guide is very helpful, and it has lots of beautiful pictures to instill longing and yearning to walk the camino from San Vicente de la Barquera.

Can't wait to see your guide, Reb, this is getting to be quite a pattern. You walk first and write the guide, then I follow in your footsteps and use the guide.

Depending on how much time I can get for this summer, I would like to start in either Santander or Bilbao, and combine the Toribio/Vadiense with the Salvador/Primitivo. Not exactly a direct route to Santiago, but the mountains are calling!

Looking forward to hearing from anyone else who has walked this way.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

Just thought I'd share some pictures of this camino taken by a Spaniard who started in Leon and walked to Santo Toribio/Potes.

http://fsvr1.ibdinternet.com/read.php?6 ... msg-297712

And btw, there is a bit of information on this camino on that general Spanish forum. Lots of the comments say that there is a ton of asphalt, which could be a deal-breaker for me. Elevation gain I can handle, it's the asphalt that does me in. The post I linked to, for example, estimates that 50% is on roads. Any confirmation of that?

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Rebekah Scott]

It does follow a good number of little back roads, but you don´t have to stay on the pavement. If you use common sense, esp. in the last couple of days, you can follow the irrigation canals instead of the roadsides, save your knees, and trim a couple of km. off the mileage as well.

I would not say 50 percent. Maybe 40 percent. Only a 10 percent bit of that on a road that is anywhere near busy.

 

[DougWilliams55]

I have just read an article about this Camino route (http://www.independent.ie/life/trav...-santiagos-most-scenic-shortcut-35874163.html) and it sounds fascinating. With a bit of searching, I came across this thread, dating from 2011. Most of the links mentioned above however seem defunct ... is anyone aware of more recent information about this route?

 

[peregrina2000]

There is s separate sub-forum on this route.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/camino-vadiniense.100/

Scroll through them and I think you'll find pretty up to date information, such as details about the re-routing around Cades, etc.

Both peregrinoTom and I have threads about our experiences.