HELP -- From the Puerto de Pajares to the Pueblo de Pajares on the Salvador

[notion900]

@laineylainey I did walk the yellow route on Gunner's map, which is the current marked route. My companions, who had been way ahead of me, went into the bar to eat and then walked in front of and around the bar, I caught up with them where the two paths join. Problem is I can't seem to work out exactly where this path leaves the road by looking at Google Street View. There is a very steep section just after the bar and I would not like to have climbed up it because if you slipped you would fall into the path of traffic travelling at speed. Can anyone comment on this?

I walked with a fabulous group of 13 Spanish from all over Spain and one British guy who lives in Madrid. It was quite busy, there was some pressure on the albergues on the first couple of stages and I initially had to change plans as I am a slow walker.

@peregrina2000 I didn't stay at Bendueños.

I was quite surprised that the alternative routes which appear so prominently in Gronze didn't seem to be marked on the ground at all, not even the turning off places for them.

Overall it was fabulous, but harder than I expected. The hospitaleros are fantastic.

 

[camino07]

Thanks for that @notion900 . Can I check then, you walked the official yellow route on Gunner's map?
Also has anyone rejoined the yellow route easily enough by not going through industrial estate but by going in front of the bar?
Its great to have different options.
@notion900 did you many others on route?

I got a bit lost by following the blue line behind the bar(which was still closed last Sept) .I stupidly turned left too early and had to backtrack to get onto the yellow path.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks for that @notion900 . Can I check then, you walked the official yellow route on Gunner's map?
Also has anyone rejoined the yellow route easily enough by not going through industrial estate but by going in front of the bar?
Its great to have different options.
@notion900 did you many others on route?

I have walked permutations of all of these options. I think the easiest way to get back on the yellow route if you want to stop at the bar, is to stay along the road till the bar, which is right at the pass. Then backtrack (I know pilgrims hate to backtrack, but this is a couple hundred meters at most) and then take the turnoff at point b. Or you may see an easy way to rejoin the camino from just before the bar, in between the industrial spot and the bar. I agree with notion900 that it is not a good idea to scale the hill right after the bar, it is too steep and there is no path.

I have also walked alone through that industrial part (a very short stretch) and wasn't spooked at all. It is very close to the road and during the week at least there are people around.

 

[laineylainey]

Think when I get to the bar, I will see what the best way is. At least I know generally what the options are (apart from down the hill to the left by the looks of it) and I am very grateful to all of you who have given advice, maps and hair-raising photos!
I will post what I ended up walking in Sept - thanks again

 

[Anthony Rocco]

All: Thank you so much for your valuable insights. My wife and I are walking the Salvador, starting in Leon on Sept 10. We are putting together every possible piece of advice we can get to avoid all the possible pitfalls. We did this last year for the Ignaciano, and it proved a lifesaver. Oddly, what was most useful to us was commentary on mistakes actually made and how to avoid them.

Our dilemma now is to make this a manageable five-day trip with stops as follows: Robla, Poladura, Benduenos and Mieres. We truly do not want to do that last day long slog into Oviedo.

We have read site after site, blog after blog, and cannot figure out the actual walking distance from Poladura to Benduenos (actually Herias...Sandra will pick us up there to go to Benduenos). One site indicates that Herias is 6km before Campomanes, but that simply doesn't match any maps. A blog noted that there is a path to bypass Pajares which saves 5km for thru travelers. Can anyone provide ground truth on how long the actual hike would be and whether it is manageable?

We recently experienced the difference in mountain day hiking compared to what we have been used to on caminos. We did the C2C in England, and the first part in the Lake District is beaucoups up and down. 10 hour days were the normal. We prefer 6-8 hour days, with plenty of time for enjoying the scenery, visiting old churches, etc. The scenery will be the draw on the Poladura to Benduenos stretch, so we want to savor it, not racing. Please advise.

Jim and Janet
Alexandria, VA

 

[peregrina2000]

We have read site after site, blog after blog, and cannot figure out the actual walking distance from Poladura to Benduenos (actually Herias...Sandra will pick us up there to go to Benduenos). One site indicates that Herias is 6km before Campomanes, but that simply doesn't match any maps. A blog noted that there is a path to bypass Pajares which saves 5km for thru travelers. Can anyone provide ground truth on how long the actual hike would be and whether it is manageable?

Hi, Jim and Janet,

Ender has told me that the distance is about 30 km. As you point out, some of the discrepancies come from where you turn off to go to San Miguel (there are two), but you surely want to avoid the village of Pajares if you are not going to sleep there. I am not sure it really is a 5 km savings, though. Probably one of the best ways to get a solid estimate is on wikiloc.com, these are GPS tracks posted by those who have walked it. I think this one is as good as any I have seen, and its distance is about 31 km. So I think you've got a ballpark figure to work with.

https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=13524961

And you are right that the 6 km before Campomanes statement seems grossly overstated (that's always been the figure I used, so your comment has been educational for me). Looking at this track, https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=11394374 it seems to be no more than 2 or 3. Is that what you were thinking? In any event, Bendueños to Mieres is a very doable day. Lots of asphalt on the way along the river into Mieres, but I was frequently able to get onto a narrow dirt path paralleling the asphalt.

And since you say you enjoy old churches, do not even think about not stopping at Santa Cristina. It is a WONDER, both inside and out. Sandra will call the caretaker for you the night before, to arrange an earlier visit. The door of the church gives her phone number (she lives a few houses below) and states certain regular visiting hours. But I have visited this church four or five times, never during normal visiting hours (but always during normal daylight hours), and she has always been happy to come up to open up. I think pilgrims get special treatment in this regard.

Poladura to Bendueños is probably no harder than stages many of us have done, such as Pola de Gordón to Pajares. But it does pretty much wrap all of the challenging parts into one day -- the ascent after Poladura, the descent after the Puerto de Pajares, the sometimes overgrown and usually wet hugging the edge after San Miguel. But there is just no way to divide the stages perfectly. Of course if you had the time, you could give yourselves the 5 star treatment and split Poladura to Bendueños into two with a stop in Pajares. I did walk last year from Pajares to Bendueños and it is a VERY short day. But I enjoyed every minute of that very short walk and every minute of my time in the albergue, in the church across the way, and just soaking up the lovely scenery (admittedly slightly marred now by the Autovía, but hey).

Having done the 4, 5, and 6 day plan, I can say I enjoyed them all and can't wait to get back again. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[KinkyOne]

In 2016 I walked from Buiza to Pajares through Villamanin so can not give you Poladura - Herias exact mileage on official Camino. But Pajares - Herias was 15,6km and Herias - Campomanes was 3,1km. All by Wikiloc.

Buen Camino!

 

[laineylainey]

Hi Jim and Janet hope you have a wonderful Camino. I will be 2 days behind you so if you have time or are inclined to post anything about your trip I will read it with great interest.
More importantly I wish you both a buen camino.
Elaine

 

[laineylainey]

Well I am walking this wonderful Camino and although I found La Robla a bit challenging -wow what views!
Today we got to the bar and Parador at Puerto de Parajes and I just wanted to say but we decided to walk, given all the great advice from this forum.
We left the bar and crossed the road and walked about 1km? On the main road which wasn't so bad because there are road works at the minute so we could walk behind the orange cones. Then at the corner opp the gate on the left we turned down the hill at the camino sign and descended for a while. All I would say is be careful and I was glad I had my 2 sticks because it was a bit slippery in parts. Also watch out for a yellow arrow on a tree on the left as if you miss it you will end up going slightly left through gorse.
The walk through the little forest area to the little road towards the village of Parajes is lovely but the last 2 km into the village feels much longer. But, what a wonderful Albergue and welcome from Marisa! This is a wonderful Camino and it's good to report that there are 12 of us from all over sharing this route.
By the way the Albergue at La Robla is fantastic.
Looking forward to the walk to Herias tomorrow. This is a fabulous Camino.
Elaine

 

[peregrina2000]

Well I am walking this wonderful Camino and although I found La Robla a bit challenging -wow what views!
Today we got to the bar and Parador at Puerto de Parajes and I just wanted to say but we decided to walk, given all the great advice from this forum.
We left the bar and crossed the road and walked about 1km? On the main road which wasn't so bad because there are road works at the minute so we could walk behind the orange cones. Then at the corner opp the gate on the left we turned down the hill at the camino sign and descended for a while. All I would say is be careful and I was glad I had my 2 sticks because it was a bit slippery in parts. Also watch out for a yellow arrow on a tree on the left as if you miss it you will end up going slightly left through gorse.
The walk through the little forest area to the little road towards the village of Parajes is lovely but the last 2 km into the village feels much longer. But, what a wonderful Albergue and welcome from Marisa! This is a wonderful Camino and it's good to report that there are 12 of us from all over sharing this route.
By the way the Albergue at La Robla is fantastic.
Looking forward to the walk to Herias tomorrow. This is a fabulous Camino.
Elaine

Hi, Elaine,
The walk from Pajares to Herias and then up to Bendueños is decadently leisurely. I hope the weather cooperates for you. And I agree, that those last couple of kms into Pajares seem to never end! But after the views you've had, who can complain! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[laineylainey]

Thanks Laurie and you are so right in recommending Sandra's Albergue at Herias. What an oasis and what an angel hospitaleria!