Ruta Vadiniense

[jerry lordan]

Hoping to walk from San Vincente de la Barquera to Santiago on the Ruta Liebana/ RutaVadiniense and the Frances from Mansilla de los Mulas does any one know if the route is passable starting last week march 2015
Any info would be great many thanks Jerry
A year later than planned but now only 5 weeks to go flying in to Santander on the 10th May and starting from the Cathedral the following morning looking forward to it.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Jerry,
Welcome to the forum! I walked this route several years ago in May/June, so I can't tell you anything about March from personal experiences, but I would bet there's likely to be a lot of snow still. Very possible in the ascent between Cicera and Lebena, but extremely likely between Potes and Espinama and up through Fuente De and the Senda de Remona. From Fuente De there is no alternative road walking, it's 12 kms of just mountain paths connecting two roads, so I think that's likely to be hard to get through.

I did enjoy this Camino, but there is a LOT of asphalt. My blog is in a link at the bottom of this post. And I have also posted info on stages here https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/my-caminos-lebaniego-and-vadiniense.14649/ Several of us on the forum have walked it, so we can try to answer questions. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[jerry lordan]

Hi Laurie,
Thanks for your reply maybe I will put it off untill the start of May as I will be walking alone. It may be wiser to wait for the thaw I hope I can last that long as it seems to have been forever since my last camino. Once again thanks for the info and the link to the photos it does look like a beautiful camino.Well it looks like I have lots to read up on and I guess I will have wait a little longer before returning. I realise now that there is no cure for this Camino bug so I guess we just keep on planning the next and remembering the last.Regards Jerry.

 

[peregrina2000]

There are some warmer caminos that you might consider, where snow won't be a problem, but in March, rain might be. I have walked both the Levante (from Valencia) and the Via de la Plata (from Sevilla, though you can also walk from Cadiz or Malaga), as have many other forum members, and though you would have one snow possibility in the mountain crossing before Avila on the Levante, the proximity of roads would probably give you a good road alternative if the camino were blocked with snow. The roads aren't heavily travelled, but hopefully the snow would be removed. On the Vdlp, I don't think snow is a problem at all, and there are people walking this route year round, though the killer months of summer are usually not recommended.
Or wait till later. I walked the Lebaniego/Vadiniense in June and it wasn't high summer yet, so May is likely to be on the chilly side in parts.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[jerry lordan]

There are some warmer caminos that you might consider, where snow won't be a problem, the but in March, rain might be. I have walked both the Levante (from Valencia) and the Via de la Plata (from Sevilla, though you can also walk from Cadiz or Malaga), as have many other forum members, and though you would have one snow possibility in the mountain crossing before Avila on the Levante, the proximity of roads would probably give you a good road alternative if the camino were blocked with snow. The roads aren't heavily travelled, but hopefully the snow would be removed. On the Vdlp, I don't think snow is a problem at all, and there are people walking this route year round, though the killer months of summer are usually not recommended.
Or wait till later. I walked the Lebaniego/Vadiniense in June and it wasn't high summer yet, so May is likely to be on the chilly side in parts.

Buen camino, Laurie

Hi again Laurie,
Thanks again for your reply I have been walking for a few years myself but have nothing like your knowledge I have walked the Camino Frances a few times and have done the VDLP from Seville also the Primitivo from Oviedo and the Portugese from Porto and the Camino del Norte from Irun to Santander. I have chosen the Ruta Vadiniense as my next Camino because from what I have seen and read it looks like a scenic and peaceful route so I will go ahead and make plans for May next. Once again thanks for your advice regarding the timing I can now begin to look forward to being a pilgrim again.
Regards Jerry

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Jerry,
You have probably already seen Rebekah's Vadiniense guide in the resources section. I wrote up a bunch of comments, etc, based on my walk, and I have them and can send them to you or anyone else who may want them. Just send me a pm. I think you'll love this walk, there are some incredibly beautiful sections. I will also say, though, that I found this walk to have less of the human warmth of, say, the Invierno or the Portugues, where the local people make up for the lack of pilgrims. There was less of that here, not sure why, or at least that was my experience. Enjoy the planning and Camino dreaming! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I too will advise against a Vad in March. The high-altitude sections are not patrolled until April, so if you go there any sooner it is at your own risk -- they won't come looking for you if you go missing!

 

[jerry lordan]

I too will advise against a Vad in March. The high-altitude sections are not patrolled until April, so if you go there any sooner it is at your own risk -- they won't come looking for you if you go missing!

I too will advise against a Vad in March. The high-altitude sections are not patrolled until April, so if you go there any sooner it is at your own risk -- they won't come looking for you if you go missing!

Hi Rebekah,
Thanks for the advice I have now decided that I shall wait until May to walk this camino and am thinking on finishing with the Invierno as the Frances will be very crowed in May thanks for making your guide available for download it will be a great help.Regards Jerry

 

[peregrina2000]

One other thing, Jerry, Econodan and his wife walked the Labaniego/Vadiniense (and the Invierno) this year and his blog may be of interest: http://camino-our-way.blogspot.com

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[mikevasey]

My friends who are walking to Rome and Jeuraslem via Potes went through the high sections on this route 3 days ago and said the snow was a massive problem, they still did it but said it was quite dangerous in parts.
They left Raino yesterday and ended up taking the wrong way and climbing up to the snow again. They ended up in Las Salas not Cistierna which was their intended target.

 

[mikevasey]

They are in Cistierna tonight, spoke to them a few hours ago just as they were getting puzzled about the way to get out and go from the abandoned industrial plant, read them Laurie notes from her post. A thanks from me from them.

 

[peregrina2000]

They are in Cistierna tonight, spoke to them a few hours ago just as they were getting puzzled about the way to get out and go from the abandoned industrial plant, read them Laurie notes from her post. A thanks from me from them.

Hi, Mike,
Glad your friends got out of Cistierna -- not much of a town to look at, but very nice people. Would love to hear any comments they have about the Vadiniense, especially on whether there's been more re-routing off the road. I'd love to walk the Lebaniego/Vadiniense again, but all that asphalt was a killer. I know there was some re-routing further south, around Gradefes, but that earlier part is hard on the feet. What are your Camino plans, I know you must have some! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[mikevasey]

Hi Laurie spoke to them on Sunday, they had just arrived in Mansillas, I think they were feeling a bit down, the last couple of days had been flat sections and it was needing some mental adjustment after the beauty of the mountains. They went without guides, but did use the Gronze accommodation lists, after hearing of some of their experiences I think I will take yours and Rebekahs guide with me when I do go. I might try and catch up with them somewhere, Florence to Assisi, if they stick to their plans stands out for me. Thanks for notes on the Vad , it helped them find their way.

Mike