Hospitales Route

[jane barclay]

My husband and I will walk the Primitivo in May. We’d like to do the Hospitales route if weather permits. I see that there is a new hostel on the Hospitales, at Colinas de Arriba. Gronze lists its location as Hospitales but on the stage map it looks like it’s on the lower route. Anyone know for sure?
And if we stay there, would we be committed to one route or the other, or would it still be possible to decide based on weather.

 

[LynnT]

Gronze indicates that you can connect to either route - Hospitales or Pola de Allande.

 

[jane barclay]

Gronze indicates that you can connect to either route - Hospitales or Pola de Allande.

From Hostel Hospitales?

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks for the heads up. I hadn’t heard about this place. Based on their website, you are right that they are on the route to Pola de Allande, but there is a 1.4 km “shortcut” to get you onto the Hospitales route. My guess is that they have marked it for their clients, or that it was a local trail already.



I know that people think of the Pola de Allande route as the “lower route”, but really that’s a misnomer. Both routes meet up at the highest point, so no matter whether you go via Hospitales or via Pola de Allande, you are going to reach the Puerto de Palo (the pass). The big difference is that the Hospitales route makes a gentler ascent and goes for several kms along a ridge, while the Pola de Allande route makes a more strenuous direct ascent to the Puerto de Palo.

And one more little tidbit. Most people walk either from Campiello/Borres/Samblismo to Berducedo, or from Pola de Allande to Berducedo. The latter option has 400 m more ascent than the Hospitales route, because to get to Pola de Allande you have a descent of that many meters from where the Hospitales route splits off.

 

[jane barclay]

Thanks for the heads up. I hadn’t heard about this place. Based on their website, you are right that they are on the route to Pola de Allande, but there is a 1.4 km “shortcut” to get you onto the Hospitales route. My guess is that they have marked it for their clients, or that it was a local trail already.

View attachment 142567

I know that people think of the Pola de Allande route as the “lower route”, but really that’s a misnomer. Both routes meet up at the highest point, so no matter whether you go via Hospitales or via Pola de Allande, you are going to reach the Puerto de Palo (the pass). The big difference is that the Hospitales route makes a gentler ascent and goes for several kms along a ridge, while the Pola de Allande route makes a more strenuous direct ascent to the Puerto de Palo.

And one more little tidbit. Most people walk either from Campiello/Borres/Samblismo to Berducedo, or from Pola de Allande to Berducedo. The latter option has 400 m more ascent than the Hospitales route, because to get to Pola de Allande you have a descent of that many meters from where the Hospitales route splits off.

Thanks for this helpful info. I guess calling it the Hospitalas Hostel is a bit of a misnomer then?
On the other point, the Pola route shows below the Hospitales on the map because it’s slightly south and so I think of it as lower even though the elevation may be the same. Lol

 

[trecile]

The Albergue de Hospitales website says (translation by Google):

From Colinas de Arriba we have two options to continue the path, proposing the next stage ending in Berducedo:

• By Pola de Allande (28 km)
• By The Hospitals (21 km).

If you choose Los Hospitales, the path that starts from the hostel connects with the one that comes from La Mortera in 1.2 km.
This is a well-signposted route that is feasible for any walker of average physical condition, just be aware of the weather and take the appropriate equipment.

Regarding the Los Hospitales route, in addition to assuming 7 km less, we avoid descending to 524 meters of altitude and then ascending to 1132 of Puerto del Palo; we dispense with roads and enjoy the attractive landscape that ranges from the Picos de Europa to Galicia, passing through the Cantabrian Mountains and the Cantabrian Sea

The site also has these two drawings

 

[LTfit]

My suggestion is to stay with Javi at Albergue Samblismo. It's shortly after Borres on the Hospitales route. He is a good cook and offers a communal dinner and breakfast. I've stayed there twice

 

[jennysa]

My suggestion is to stay with Javi at Albergue Samblismo. It's shortly after Borres on the Hospitales route. He is a good cook and offers a communal dinner and breakfast. I've stayed there twice

I endorse that. I have stayed there and its highly recommended

 

[peregrina2000]

I’ve stayed in Samblismo and in Campiello. Best bread on the camino, made by Javi in Samblismo.

The one advantage I see for this new place is that it breaks up the stage from Tineo to Berducedo (via Hospitales) more evenly. Good for people who want to keep the totals at around 20. Tineo to Campiello is only 13, but going on to this new place makes Tineo to albergue 20, and albergue to Berducedo 20.

The website also says they have private rooms, but what I see are two rooms for 4 and two for 6, with the notation that you can rent an entire room. So it’s not entirely clear whether the notation of “private room” showing a double bed is an additional offer or not. But in any case, this new place opens up 20 more spaces in a place where things can get tight.

 

[jane barclay]

I’ve stayed in Samblismo and in Campiello. Best bread on the camino, made by Javi in Samblismo.

The one advantage I see for this new place is that it breaks up the stage from Tineo to Berducedo (via Hospitales) more evenly. Good for people who want to keep the totals at around 20. Tineo to Campiello is only 13, but going on to this new place makes Tineo to albergue 20, and albergue to Berducedo 20.

The website also says they have private rooms, but what I see are two rooms for 4 and two for 6, with the notation that you can rent an entire room. So it’s not entirely clear whether the notation of “private room” showing a double bed is an additional offer or not. But in any case, this new place opens up 20 more spaces in a place where things can get tight.

Reviews on Gronze are very good, though there are only a few because it’s so new.

I just had an email from owner Jose confirming that they could give us a private room. Not sure, but they might just give us one of the four bed rooms to ourselves (for the cost of all 4 beds) but that’s ok with us.

May 11 - we’ll let you know how it goes

 

[green_spork]

My suggestion is to stay with Javi at Albergue Samblismo. It's shortly after Borres on the Hospitales route. He is a good cook and offers a communal dinner and breakfast. I've stayed there twice

Great guy, also gives a free weather updates and takes time to explain both route options to anyone still undecided.

 

[AK2112]

My suggestion is to stay with Javi at Albergue Samblismo. It's shortly after Borres on the Hospitales route. He is a good cook and offers a communal dinner and breakfast. I've stayed there twice

Cheers, I just contacted them.

 

[AK2112]

The Albergue de Hospitales website says (translation by Google):

From Colinas de Arriba we have two options to continue the path, proposing the next stage ending in Berducedo:

• By Pola de Allande (28 km)
• By The Hospitals (21 km).

If you choose Los Hospitales, the path that starts from the hostel connects with the one that comes from La Mortera in 1.2 km.
This is a well-signposted route that is feasible for any walker of average physical condition, just be aware of the weather and take the appropriate equipment.

Regarding the Los Hospitales route, in addition to assuming 7 km less, we avoid descending to 524 meters of altitude and then ascending to 1132 of Puerto del Palo; we dispense with roads and enjoy the attractive landscape that ranges from the Picos de Europa to Galicia, passing through the Cantabrian Mountains and the Cantabrian Sea

The site also has these two drawings

View attachment 142580View attachment 142581

I stayed in that albergue in April. It was the night before I did the Hospitales route. Great Albergue, run by a lovely young spanish couple. The signs going ut på the Hospitales are very good, you can not miss it. The walk up to the Hospitales route is quite steep, takes about 40 mins. I recommend it!

 

[ratherbefollowingflechas]

May 11 - we’ll let you know how it goes

Hi, how did it go? We booked this alberque for the 22nd of May. Also curious as to availability of breakfast? Sounds like connecting to the Hospitales route is well marked...

Thanks!

 

[RhysB]

Hi, how did it go? We booked this alberque for the 22nd of May. Also curious as to availability of breakfast? Sounds like connecting to the Hospitales route is well marked...

Thanks!

I stayed there a week or so ago, it was great! With food available Morning, noon and night

 

[jane barclay]

Hi, how did it go? We booked this alberque for the 22nd of May. Also curious as to availability of breakfast? Sounds like connecting to the Hospitales route is well marked...

Thanks!

The place is great! The couple that run the place, Jose and Noelia, are lovely and so hard-working. They have one private room and 4 rooms with bunks. They serve both dinner and breakfast and both were quite good. The trail that connects to the Hospitales route is very well marked. I would recommend it.

 

[Telelama]

Hello All, we stayed here last week. Lovely place with wonderful people. The food was delicious and plentiful. The albergue is modern, quiet and very clean. They do offer laundry service for 6 Euro.

They'll make you a sandwich to go for the hike over the Hospitales route, just order the night before. This was really great, and most perigrinos took advantage of this.

We had an issue with having left something behind in Tineo. The Camino Taxi was supposed to bring it to us at the albergue, but didn't. Even though we were two towns down the road, Jose was kind enough to continue to assist us with getting my lost stuff back to us. Cannot say enough nice things about Jose and Noelia!

Stay here!