LIVE from the Camino On the Primitivo

[laineylainey]

Hi to all! Totally agree with randomtravela 1. I just loved tbe Salvador although it could be a bit challenging on some wet slippery descents. Was glad of sticks and boots.
Today started the Primitivo from Oviedo and boy is it busy, which is great but after the Salvador it's was a bit of a shock to see so many rucksacks heading west!

 

[peregrina2000]

So, @laineylainey, I don't know if you are interested in reporting in to the Primitivo fanatics on the forum, but I decided to take your comment out of the Salvador thread and move it to the Primitivo subforum. Of course, if you don't feel like being in contact while walking, that's fine (I'll delete this thread if you prefer), but if you do, here is your very own thread.

I was surprised to hear that things are busy in Oviedo! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Bunclody1]

Hi to all! Totally agree with randomtravela 1. I just loved tbe Salvador although it could be a bit challenging on some wet slippery descents. Was glad of sticks and boots.
Today started the Primitivo from Oviedo and boy is it busy, which is great but after the Salvador it's was a bit of a shock to see so many rucksacks heading west!

Hi Lainy, I will start walking from Oviedo next Wednesday, 28th September, and really looking forward to it. I didn't realise it was so busy at this time on the Primitivo. What's the weather like ?
John

 

[laineylainey]

So, @laineylainey, I don't know if you are interested in reporting in to the Primitivo fanatics on the forum, but I decided to take your comment out of the Salvador thread and move it to the Primitivo subforum. Of course, if you don't feel like being in contact while walking, that's fine (I'll delete this thread if you prefer), but if you do, here is your very own thread.

I was surprised to hear that things are busy in Oviedo! Buen camino, Laurie

Of course Laurie. I wondered whether to post under the Primitivo, so thank you for that.
I had a booking at a,small hotel but my walking companion was tve last to get a bed at the Albergue in Grado around 3pm and he told me that at least 6 others within his arrival were turned away.
We counted at least 30 peregrinos during tbe morning all heading to Grado.
Elaine

 

[laineylainey]

Hi Lainy, I will start walking from Oviedo next Wednesday, 28th September, and really looking forward to it. I didn't realise it was so busy at this time on the Primitivo. What's the weather like ?
John

Hi John,
The weather today was lovely for walking around 19 degrees. The forecast was for rain but that only came around 4pm.
Yes it is busier than I expected and much busier than the Salvador. It was a lovely walk to Grado with several places for coffee or something to eat which is different to Salvador. The Albergue is great and is on a first come basis.
Elaine

 

[Bunclody1]

Hi John,
The weather today was lovely for walking around 19 degrees. The forecast was for rain but that only came around 4pm.
Yes it is busier than I expected and much busier than the Salvador. It was a lovely walk to Grado with several places for coffee or something to eat which is different to Salvador. The Albergue is great and is on a first come basis.
Elaine

Hi Elaine,
Sounds great , you were lucky with the rain ! I look forward to reading your posts.
Buen Camino .

 

[laineylainey]

I know it's too late but if anyone is thinking of finishing the salvador or starting the Primitivo/joining the Notte between 14th and 21st September make sure to stop in Oviedo for the wonderful San Mateo annual festival!

 

[alaskadiver]

Of course Laurie. I wondered whether to post under the Primitivo, so thank you for that.
I had a booking at a,small hotel but my walking companion was tve last to get a bed at the Albergue in Grado around 3pm and he told me that at least 6 others within his arrival were turned away.
We counted at least 30 peregrinos during tbe morning all heading to Grado.
Elaine

When we walked in May we didn't stay in Grado. We went to Escamplero and then to La Doriga. By passed Grado and avoided and crowds. It also put us out of sync with anyone who started in Oviedo the same day.

 

[laineylainey]

On a totally different note anyone remember anywhere between Grado and Lugo where I can buy decent socks?
I have managed to lose my spare pair !

 

[Tia Valeria]

On a totally different note anyone remember anywhere between Grado and Lugo where I can buy decent socks?
I have managed to lose my spare pair !

Tineo might be a good place to look. There are many shops, some hidden down side streets. Also an open air market. (Sorry I cannot remember which day of the week that is.)

 

[laineylainey]

Thank you.

 

[NualaOC]

Hi Elaine, greetings from the Camino del Norte! Well done on completing the San Salvador and wishing you well on the wonderful Camino Primitivo.

 

[laineylainey]

Great day today Grado to Salas. It was raining during the night and a little damp early on but it cleared up.
I enjoyed the walk from Grado and had a great tortilla pincho in the lovely town of Cornellas and then another 4 or 5 km we had a wonderful cold coke from an unexpected vending machine at Llamas.
I found the walk to Grado okay albeit a bit muddy in parts but not that bad
Lovely town of Salas with 2 Albergues and 2 hotels.
The Primitivo so far to me seems more sophisticated than the Salvador. I would make the comparison that the Salvador was for me is like the Scottish highlands and the Pimitivo is like the Lake District in Northern England. Both beautiful but different.

 

[laineylainey]

Hi Elaine, greetings from the Camino del Norte! Well done on completing the San Salvador and wishing you well on the wonderful Camino Primitivo.

Thanks Nuala. I have met a few people who have joined from the Norte from Oviedo. Hope you are having a great Camino as well.

 

[laineylainey]

We had a good pilgrim meal in Castillo de Valdes hotel last night. I thought it was good for 10euros.
The walk today is so lovely. Initially a climb up through a woodland path although quite muddy (like quite a bit of both walks -my boots are layered with mud from several days!).
The weather is beautiful and we are now having a coffee from La Espina and looking foward to the walk to Tineo.

 

[laineylainey]

I very much enjoyed the route today but from La Espina to a couple of km outside Tineo it is soooo muddy. Not surprising really as it is a track much used by tractors and is very rutted with deep puddles and little escape either side. My boots have never been so soaked in mud. Had I known I might have walked the main road if that is a possibility , but probably not!
Tineo is lovely and the Palacio de Meras has a great modern albergue with the availability of a free sauna or turkish bath and pilgrim menu.

 

[Bunclody1]

I very much enjoyed the route today but from La Espina to a couple of km outside Tineo it is soooo muddy. Not surprising really as it is a track much used by tractors and is very rutted with deep puddles and little escape either side. My boots have never been so soaked in mud. Had I known I might have walked the main road if that is a possibility , but probably not!
Tineo is lovely and the Palacio de Meras has a great modern albergue with the availability of a free sauna or turkish bath and pilgrim menu.

Hi Elaine,
Sounds great . Only 4 days left before I go, can't wait ! Did u get the socks ?
John

 

[peregrina2000]

I very much enjoyed the route today but from La Espina to a couple of km outside Tineo it is soooo muddy. Not surprising really as it is a track much used by tractors and is very rutted with deep puddles and little escape either side. My boots have never been so soaked in mud. Had I known I might have walked the main road if that is a possibility , but probably not!
Tineo is lovely and the Palacio de Meras has a great modern albergue with the availability of a free sauna or turkish bath and pilgrim menu.

Thanks for your reports, really enjoying them. So what decision did you make--walk to Campiello tomorrow for Hospitales or continue to Pola de Allende for the steeper ascent? Both IMO are perfectly wonderful so you can't go wrong!

 

[laineylainey]

Hi Elaine,
Sounds great . Only 4 days left before I go, can't wait ! Did u get the socks ?
John

John you will love this Camino. Thank you for asking about the socks. My walking companion has given me a spare pair. As some people say -the Camino will provide -and for the socks I am very grateful!

 

[laineylainey]

Thanks for your reports, really enjoying them. So what decision did you make--walk to Campiello tomorrow for Hospitales or continue to Pola de Allende for the steeper ascent? Both IMO are perfectly wonderful so you can't go wrong!

Well the weather looks good for the next few days so it's Campiello tomorrow. Hospitales is calling!

 

[laineylainey]

Lovely day and a really lovely walk (very short only 12.5k) to Campiello. It was glorious leaving Tineo and the view of the town shrouded in mist was a fabulous sight. This day was really easy and the albergue Casa Ricardo is great. I am only a bit concerned about signage for the Hospitales route after Borres tomorrow as my walking colleague today walked on to Pola Allande and said signs were not great.
Any advice from those who have walked the Hospitales route - is signage okay?

 

[peregrina2000]

Lovely day and a really lovely walk (very short only 12.5k) to Campiello. It was glorious leaving Tineo and the view of the town shrouded in mist was a fabulous sight. This day was really easy and the albergue Casa Ricardo is great. I am only a bit concerned about signage for the Hospitales route after Borres tomorrow as my walking colleague today walked on to Pola Allande and said signs were not great.
Any advice from those who have walked the Hospitales route - is signage okay?

Hi, @laineylainey, No worries at all with the signage. In fact when you get up on the ridge, the signs are extremely close to each other. This is to make it possible for people to walk even in a thick pea soup fog, not that I recommend that of course.

Hope you have a wonderful walk tomorrow. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[laineylainey]

Thanks Laurie

 

[Bunclody1]

Thanks Laurie

Hi Elaine,
How was today ?
John.

 

[laineylainey]

I had the most wonderful day walking Hospitales. The weather was perfect and it is what all others say - amazing!
The views going up,at the top and going down were simply incredible.
For me the only really challenging part was the bit of vertical climb but on the whole it is a great walk . It took me about 8 hours and then a welcome beer at the pub about 3 or 4km before Berduceo!!
Then a lovely flat walk through a piece of the most enchanting wood.
Stayed at Casa Marques and had a fine meal.
I am so happy that I was able to do this walk although I recognise weather is the main factor.

 

[laineylainey]

The walk today from Berducedo to Grandas de Salime felt like a walk of 3 parts!
There's the initial bit of a road ascent slog. Then the most incredible walk down through the wonderful woodlands whoch have been partially devastated by fires (about 5 months ago I was told). The most amazing thing was walking down through the low cloud that enveloped the forrest and there was a small cloud rainbow!
Then walking past the fabulous dam to las Grandas restaurant for coffee andunch overlooking the dam. Just the most amazing views.
Then a 5km road walk into Grandas de Salime,with a lovely woodland path detour for the last 1.5km.
Grandas is,a lovely town with a beautiful church (pilgrims mass on a Sunday)
There are plenty of places to stay.

 

[laineylainey]

Another beautiful day weatherwise. The walk from Grandas started with very steep road walk. Beautiful walk up to the wind turbines which seemed never ending! Then down crossing the stones denoting the "border" between Asturias and Galicia. Shame about the grumpy bar owner (of a very expensive place to stop)at the bottom of the path before joining the road to Fonsegrada.
The 11 to 12 km to Fonsegrada winds in and out up and down of the main road so is not so bad. The real walking shock for me was the forest vertical path up into the town- I was wasted by the time we ended up at the top! But then it was hot today.
Staying at Albergue Cantábrico and it is great.

 

[Bunclody1]

Another beautiful day weatherwise. The walk from Grandas started with very steep road walk. Beautiful walk up to the wind turbines which seemed never ending! Then down crossing the stones denoting the "border" between Asturias and Galicia. Shame about the grumpy bar owner (of a very expensive place to stop)at the bottom of the path before joining the road to Fonsegrada.
The 11 to 12 km to Fonsegrada winds in and out up and down of the main road so is not so bad. The real walking shock for me was the forest vertical path up into the town- I was wasted by the time we ended up at the top! But then it was hot today.
Staying at Albergue Cantábrico and it is great.

Hi Elaine, well arrived in the one piece and starting from Oviedo in the morning. Just saw the forecast on TV and it's going to be hot for the next few days seemingly ! Hopefully I'll miss the grumpy bar tender. Keep the posts coming.
Burn Camino,
John

 

[laineylainey]

John have a great Camino. Isn't Oviedo a great City?
If you can do the Hospitales route -I don't think you will do a better walk.
Buen Camino
Elaine

 

[laineylainey]

Great day today again from Fonsegrado to Cadavo. I left the town in the early morning cloud and the walk was lovely. You can start to see the difference in the landscape between Asturias and Galicia and the Camino markers now have the km to Santiago.
Lovely stop at a recommended cafe Cafe Meson about half way. Great bocadillos for 3 euros- enough lunch and dinner!
There are some climbs tbrough woodland and path but a couple of welcome cafe/pubs along the way.
Cadavo is small but there's an albergue and food at the hotel Mondea is recommended.

 

[alaskadiver]

Another beautiful day weatherwise. The walk from Grandas started with very steep road walk. Beautiful walk up to the wind turbines which seemed never ending! Then down crossing the stones denoting the "border" between Asturias and Galicia. Shame about the grumpy bar owner (of a very expensive place to stop)at the bottom of the path before joining the road to Fonsegrada.
The 11 to 12 km to Fonsegrada winds in and out up and down of the main road so is not so bad. The real walking shock for me was the forest vertical path up into the town- I was wasted by the time we ended up at the top! But then it was hot today.
Staying at Albergue Cantábrico and it is great.

Too bad you didn't read the entries that tell you to not take the road to the left and go right toward Buron into Fonsagrada. you would have totally avoided the needless steep ascent at the end

 

[peregrina2000]

Too bad you didn't read the entries that tell you to not take the road to the left and go right toward Buron into Fonsagrada. you would have totally avoided the needless steep ascent at the end

WHAT????!!!!! I've walked the Primitivo three times and I never knew that! But for those who like to suffer, it is a great way to end the stage. Especially since the crushed rock camino into Santiago begins at the dividing line with Galicia and that just increasing the foot pounding.

 

[alaskadiver]

WHAT????!!!!! I've walked the Primitivo three times and I never knew that! But for those who like to suffer, it is a great way to end the stage. Especially since the crushed rock camino into Santiago begins at the dividing line with Galicia and that just increasing the foot pounding.

Yeup, going right toward Buron brings you into Fonsagrada up through the street where Casa Manolo Pension is located (where we stayed). The townspeople try to divert Pilgrims when they see them but I guess they miss a lot of them. The old lady in the farm by the intersection is the one who told me not to go left through the trail. That it was a needless diversion in the trail and an unnecessary uphill. She was right!

 

[laineylainey]

Well Fridays walk from Cadavo to Lugo was my last day as I leave from Lugo to Santiago by bus to fly home.
The walk is long by km-30, but I felt it probably the easiest (except the short day to Campiello ). But it did rain a gair bit!
About 3 or 4km out of Cadavo the road spilts and there's a map showing the real Camino to the left and the Complimentario to the right which was longer but with places to visit. I went left towards Castroverde. There are lots of cafes in Castroverde and a lovely modern looking Albergue just coming into the town on the right. There's a food stop another 4km on and then nothing until Lugo. The walk was fairly flat.
So that's my Camino finished. I loved both the Salvador and the Primitivo and I am so grateful that I walked them. They are both a fair stretch of the legs tbough!
Apart from yesterday I think there was always a good heart racing climb first thing in the morning and at the end of the day! But the memory of the local people and the fabulous scenery of Austurias will hopefully stsy with me for a long time.

 

[alaskadiver]

Well Fridays walk from Cadavo to Lugo was my last day as I leave from Lugo to Santiago by bus to fly home.
The walk is long by km-30, but I felt it probably the easiest (except the short day to Campiello ). But it did rain a gair bit!
About 3 or 4km out of Cadavo the road spilts and there's a map showing the real Camino to the left and the Complimentario to the right which was longer but with places to visit. I went left towards Castroverde. There are lots of cafes in Castroverde and a lovely modern looking Albergue just coming into the town on the right. There's a food stop another 4km on and then nothing until Lugo. The walk was fairly flat.
So that's my Camino finished. I loved both the Salvador and the Primitivo and I am so grateful that I walked them. They are both a fair stretch of the legs tbough!
Apart from yesterday I think there was always a good heart racing climb first thing in the morning and at the end of the day! But the memory of the local people and the fabulous scenery of Austurias will hopefully stsy with me for a long time.

Good job! Safe travels home.

 

[laineylainey]

Thanks to you and others for all your own great blogs and information about these caminos. That's what made we know that I would enjoy them!

 

[laineylainey]

Hi Elaine, well arrived in the one piece and starting from Oviedo in the morning. Just saw the forecast on TV and it's going to be hot for the next few days seemingly ! Hopefully I'll miss the grumpy bar tender. Keep the posts coming.
Burn Camino,
John

Hi John how's it going ?
Elaine

 

[Bunclody1]

Hi John how's it going ?
Elaine

Hi Elaine, great reading your posts
I am sitting in a beer garden in Borros at the moment, end of day 3 .Hoping to go by Hospitals tomorrow ! So your heading home tomorrow ? Safe travels

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Lainey, I didn't know you were going to stop short of Santiago, or at least I didn't remember that if I did. But I can tell you without a bit of hesitation that walking Leon to Oviedo is a million times more wonderful than the walk from Lugo into Santiago. IMO, you made the right choice

 

[Pete Dunn]

Hi Elaine, well arrived in the one piece and starting from Oviedo in the morning. Just saw the forecast on TV and it's going to be hot for the next few days seemingly ! Hopefully I'll miss the grumpy bar tender. Keep the posts coming.
Burn Camino,
John

We met the grumpy bartender a couple of days ago. He will also try to rip you off if he can... See Wise Pilgrim comment too. He filled a pretty girl's water bottle for free, but refused to do so for my friend, saying it was not drinkable and he'd have to pay €1.50 for a small bottle of water...

But the first experience of Galicia was countered by the lovely lady who runs the next café, right where it's needed at the top of the very long climb through woods. She kept piling us with pinchos and her prices were very reasonable too.

And a great view out from the toilet!

Pete

 

[laineylainey]

H

Hi Elaine, great reading your posts
I am sitting in a beer garden in Borros at the moment, end of day 3 .Hoping to go by Hospitals tomorrow ! So your heading home tomorrow ? Safe travels

Enjoy the beer and rest up for Hospitales!

 

[Bunclody1]

Hi Elaine,
How was today ?
John.

H

Enjoy the beer and rest up for Hospitales!

No water for showers or toilet in the alburgue In Borras tonight. It seems to be a local area problem . It would have been a lovely stay otherwise as the food in the bar was very nice and friendly service. All pilgrims are nice also

 

[Kiwi-family]

WHAT????!!!!! I've walked the Primitivo three times and I never knew that! But for those who like to suffer, it is a great way to end the stage. .

We got to the bottom of that descent and realized one of my sons had dropped two of his socks off his pack!
I went back and found them caught in the bushes near the top. The descent was no easier the second time!

 

[laineylainey]

Oh no! If I had had to do that climb again I would have got a taxi to Santiago airport !

 

[Beeman]

Lovely day and a really lovely walk (very short only 12.5k) to Campiello. It was glorious leaving Tineo and the view of the town shrouded in mist was a fabulous sight. This day was really easy and the albergue Casa Ricardo is great. I am only a bit concerned about signage for the Hospitales route after Borres tomorrow as my walking colleague today walked on to Pola Allande and said signs were not great.
Any advice from those who have walked the Hospitales route - is signage okay?

Walked in early September and was easy to find the way,as it is well marked!

 

[laineylainey]

Thanks, yes I found that.