Help with route Aviles to Soto de Luiña

[Aaronloughrey]

We are on our way and have taken a days respite halfway through our planned trip. We are very unclear about the route forward to Soto de Luiña - gronze.com, our english guide book, our online map and another Spanish site list quite a few variables. We have no idea how to proceed - is this doable in one day or not? Are there signs? Have roadworks finished? Any advice on this section would be appreciated!!!

 

[Donovan]

We are on our way and have taken a days respite halfway through our planned trip. We are very unclear about the route forward to Soto de Luiña - gronze.com, our english guide book, our online map and another Spanish site list quite a few variables. We have no idea how to proceed - is this doable in one day or not? Are there signs? Have roadworks finished? Any advice on this section would be appreciated!!!

Aaron, just follow the arrows. We did just that last October and I can’t remember any problems with route marking. We split this stretch into two days, staying at the very good Casa Carmita in Muros de Nalon. Aviles to Soto is a fairly long day, about 38km, over moderately undulating territory. So, doable, but only you can judge your capacity.

 

[Aaronloughrey]

Thanks for that - we've walked that distance several times already on what looks like similar terrain. We will evaluate as we go! Good to know it's clearly marked!

 

[AlanSykes]

We are on our way and have taken a days respite halfway through our planned trip. We are very unclear about the route forward to Soto de Luiña - gronze.com, our english guide book, our online map and another Spanish site list quite a few variables. We have no idea how to proceed - is this doable in one day or not? Are there signs? Have roadworks finished? Any advice on this section would be appreciated!!!

I spent most of the day in Oviedo and Aviles, and then walked out to Piedras Blancas and stayed the night there. Piedras Blancas was still on the edge of Asturias' urban sprawl, but the next day to Soto de Luiña was great, a bit under 32km. A young Spaniard had walked all the way from Aviles to Soto de Luiña in one and got bad blisters and I think gave up (I never saw him again after breakfast in SdL). This is my wikiloc from Piedras Blancas, a lovely day:

https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=11381462

 

[oursonpolaire]

39km with pack is a very long day with perhaps ten hours walking time, and there are a couple of very stiff climbs in the first half. I couldn't do it in one day, but perhaps others can. I would suggest that you either begin in Salinas or Piedras Blancas (as alansykes suggests), or break it in two days, stopping at Muros de Nalon or Cudillero (or taking a 4km detour down to the stunning Playa de Aguilar).

 

[danioku]

i was in Gijon the 5 july and i walked directly to San Martin de Laspra that is 7.2 km after Aviles. I cant say it was an easy walk, i had to get out the industrial area of Gijon and then to pass through the industrial area of Aviles that was much worst being one of the most polluted city of Spain. I remember i liked the city center and the casco viejo of Aviles but the industrial part was aweful and neverending.

You can find the Albergue San Martin (in San Martin de Laspra) on Gronze, it's a lovely place and the hospitalero is just one of the best i met on the Camino. If you go there, dont miss the walk with him till the "mirador" at 7.00 pm. It's "donativo" and the dinner is offered and shared with the other pilgrims. Coffee and tea are also offered at breakfast.

If you plan to go there just be carefull with the arrows because it's a little bit messy between Salinas and Piedras Blancas. My friends walked through Salinas and they did some km less than me, I walked till Pietras Blancas an i didnt pass Salinas, dunno why.
Ask to people for San Martin de Laspra if you arent sure you are on the right path.

The day after i did San Martin da Laspra - Soto de Luina, 31 km, perfectly doable and i saved 1 day.

 

[Kanga]

Isn't it interesting how we can all see things differently? I agree with you about the industrial areas of Gijon and Aviles, but my husband and his engineering friend found those about the most interesting part of the whole Norte. They were equally impressed with some of the massive road overpasses we walked under and took masses of photos - I thought they were a blot on the landscape!

 

[Donovan]

Isn't it interesting how we can all see things differently? I agree with you about the industrial areas of Gijon and Aviles, but my husband and his engineering friend found those about the most interesting part of the whole Norte. They were equally impressed with some of the massive road overpasses we walked under and took masses of photos - I thought they were a blot on the landscape!

HI Kanga, Good point, though I wouldn’t go so far as to nominate it as a highlight of my camino. As a chemical engineer I amused myself by trying to work out what each of the various factories made. The steelworks in particular was in sight for ages and I spent some time explaining to my walking buddy (daughter) the purpose of those conveyors, chimney stacks, cooling towers and furnaces. Fairly made the time fly by – well, for me at least. You can take the boy out of engineering……..

 

[KatWanderlust]

HI Kanga, Good point, though I wouldn’t go so far as to nominate it as a highlight of my camino. As a chemical engineer I amused myself by trying to work out what each of the various factories made. The steelworks in particular was in sight for ages and I spent some time explaining to my walking buddy (daughter) the purpose of those conveyors, chimney stacks, cooling towers and furnaces. Fairly made the time fly by – well, for me at least. You can take the boy out of engineering……..

It certainly helps having an expert on hand to explain everything so well! Thanks to Dad it was a fascinating day and one I didn't expect to enjoy that much after reading how industrial this stretch was.
To be fair, we were also lucky to have a cool, overcast day with little traffic due to a Public Holiday. I can imagine walking this part in the heat with trucks/cars on the major roads would be a bit different. However I found the massive structures, pipelines, machinery interesting to look at (along with those huge road underpasses - probably Dad's influence over the years there ) But it's always nice to get back into the villages and nature for the 2nd half of the day.

 

[Maggie Y]

Does anyone know how the mountainous route via Las Palancas after Soto de Lunia compares to the coastal route Cami Real de Las Bellotas

 

[peregrina2000]

Does anyone know how the mountainous route via Las Palancas after Soto de Lunia compares to the coastal route Cami Real de Las Bellotas

Hi, Maggie, I walked the Norte in June.

There were four of us walking together leaving Soto de Luiña. One went on the low route, three of us took the Palancas route. I can only give you a first hand report to the higher route, and the best way to do that is with one word-- wow. My friend said the lower route didn't have much in the way of "coast" in it, but that it was pleasant and not all on the road.

As I wrote in my "live from the Camino" thread: Extremely well marked, cleared tracks and only one short-ish rocky part on the descent. There are essentially two different parts to the route. The first part takes you up on forest tracks,and you get some good views of the ocean. Then a few K on the side of the traffic-free road. Then a turn off onto dirt, and a slog up to a cell phone tower. From there the views are to die for. We had an hour break there soaking it all in.

If you get bad weather, I wouldn't do it, not because it would be dangerous but because you wouldn't get good views. The hospitalero in Soto is less than enthusiastic about this route, but in large part I think that's because he did a lot of work to re-route the lower route. But I don´t know anyone who walked the higher route and regretted it.

I don't know if you are walking now or just planning, but if you are interested in coastal views, there are many ways to get off the camino, particularly where it is plodding alongside the national highway and enjoy the coastline. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Maggie Y]

Thankyou so much. We re walking this stretch to Ribadeo in Sept. One of my friends is very keen to explore the Palancas mountainous route. I'll check out your blog. Thanks so much for your response Maggie

 

[Maggie Y]

We are on our way and have taken a days respite halfway through our planned trip. We are very unclear about the route forward to Soto de Luiña - gronze.com, our english guide book, our online map and another Spanish site list quite a few variables. We have no idea how to proceed - is this doable in one day or not? Are there signs? Have roadworks finished? Any advice on this section would be appreciated!!!

Plea

 

[Maggie Y]

Plea

Please keep me posted if you find any update as we re walking this section on 9 th September. I have Gronze and we plan to stop at Muros de Nalon

 

[peregrina2000]

Please keep me posted if you find any update as we re walking this section on 9 th September. I have Gronze and we plan to stop at Muros de Nalon

Hi,Maggie, I walked from Avilés to Muros de Nalón in June. It isn't one of the Norte's more spectacular stages, but it was pleasant enough. I don't know if the Norte gets record numbers in September as the Francés seems to, but if you plan to stay at Casa Carmina (which I highly recommend), you might want to call a day or two before.

And on other thing -- try to get in early enough for an afternoon bus ride to Cudillero. It is a beautiful little port town, very touristy and cute. It's about 6 km away and the bus stop is very close to the albergue. Cabs are possible, too, and with a group would be cheap.