Salvador must do / don't do

[petersimoons]

Hi All,

Finally I'm back into Camino planning mode after two years of pandemic originated stays at home. Now I'm looking into the Salvador to walk around 18th of July in 5 or 6 days from León to Oviedo. In Oviedo I will connect with my son and consequently we will do the Primitivo together to Santiago.

Any thoughts on do's / don't do's for the Salvador in late July?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jungleboy]

I will be on the Salvador about a month ahead of you and will make a live thread as usual with some thoughts each day.

 

[Elle Bieling]

DO take your time. The mountains are so fabulous so DON'T walk fast or in the dark!

DO time your day out of Poladura de Tercia (on my day three) to arrive at sunrise at the Alto de los Romeros and the Cruz de San Salvador. You will be rewarded on a good day. My photos from this day are amazing and it was the most fabulous experience of the whole Camino.

DON'T try to do Poladura de Tercia to Buendueños or Campomanas in one day unless you have amazing knees and are accustomed to great elevation changes over long distances. There are ways to divide or shorten this suggested third stage, by many. My website of this Camino will explain it all.

DO not miss the hermitage of Santa Cristina de Lena, built in the 9th century and is of the pre-Romanesque style. Santa Cristina is one of five UNESCO world heritage churches in and around Oviedo. It is closely related in style (pre-Romanesque) to the two churches at the Naranco site on a hill just west of Oviedo, the Oviedo cathedral's ancient center remnants called the Cámara Santa, and the fifth is the San Julián de los Prados Church, also in Oviedo proper.

I am sure that many others will share their input. Have a wonderful time!

 

[petersimoons]

I will be on the Salvador about a month ahead of you and will make a live thread as usual with some thoughts each day.

I will keep an eye out online for it!

 

[petersimoons]

DO take your time. The mountains are so fabulous so DON'T walk fast or in the dark!

DO time your day out of Poladura de Tercia (on my day three) to arrive at sunrise at the Alto de los Romeros and the Cruz de San Salvador. You will be rewarded on a good day. My photos from this day are amazing and it was the most fabulous experience of the whole Camino.

DON'T try to do Poladura de Tercia to Buendueños or Campomanas in one day unless you have amazing knees and are accustomed to great elevation changes over long distances. There are ways to divide or shorten this suggested third stage, by many. My website of this Camino will explain it all.

DO not miss the hermitage of Santa Cristina de Lena, built in the 9th century and is of the pre-Romanesque style. Santa Cristina is one of five UNESCO world heritage churches in and around Oviedo. It is closely related in style (pre-Romanesque) to the two churches at the Naranco site on a hill just west of Oviedo, the Oviedo cathedral's ancient center remnants called the Cámara Santa, and the fifth is the San Julián de los Prados Church, also in Oviedo proper.

I am sure that many others will share their input. Have a wonderful time!

Thanks Elle for the useful tips, I will now follow the links to your website!

 

[WestKirsty]

I agree with everything @Elle Bieling has posted above! If you do have some free time in Oviedo betwen Caminos, you might want to walk to the Naranco site mentioned above. The 2 churches on the hill are impressive and the views back over Oviedo are lovely. I had a picninc up there one day and enjoyed the little excursion: https://www.turismoasturias.es/descubre/cultura/prerromanico/santa-maria-del-naranco

Elle also mentioned Buendueños. I stayed at the Albergue there and it was one of the best Albergue experiences I've ever had. Wonderful hosptality, beautiful location. If you can work out your stages, it makes for a great stay.

It's been quite a few years since I was on the Salvador but I loved it! A fair amount of road walking in the beginning and towards the end but those middle days more than made up for it.

Buen Camino!

 

[Stinky Pilgrim]

One thing regarding the first stage from León-La Robla. As you leave Cascantes, you will have the option of taking a dirt path to your left or a route along the highway, both of which take you to La Robla. Although the route via the highway will save you 1km of walking, you will definitely want to avoid this option and take the path. The highway has a metal barrier and no shoulder, meaning you are literally sharing the road with cars traveling at fairly high speeds. Worst stretch of the whole Salvador, in my opinion. The two route options are clearly indicated by painted directions on the sidewalk. Enjoy your trip.

 

[BobY333]

Hi there - I just walked the San Salvador/Primitivo as you plan to do (May 10 - May 25).

I posted "Live from the Camino" for each day, including a Relive video that shows elevation changes and, if you slow it way down, where I went astray a few times... I'm envious that you're going - I'm already looking forward to going back!

I did the San Salvador in 5 days: Leon > La Robla > Poladura de Tercia > Bendueños > Mieres > Oviedo, and the Primitivo in 11 days. In my mind, there is simply nothing like the San Salvador!

Enjoy, and Buen Camino!

Bob

 

[ezbeer]

Just finished it my second time. In my opinion its a must

 

[El Cascayal]

DO take your time. The mountains are so fabulous so DON'T walk fast or in the dark!

DO time your day out of Poladura de Tercia (on my day three) to arrive at sunrise at the Alto de los Romeros and the Cruz de San Salvador. You will be rewarded on a good day. My photos from this day are amazing and it was the most fabulous experience of the whole Camino.

DON'T try to do Poladura de Tercia to Buendueños or Campomanas in one day unless you have amazing knees and are accustomed to great elevation changes over long distances. There are ways to divide or shorten this suggested third stage, by many. My website of this Camino will explain it all.

DO not miss the hermitage of Santa Cristina de Lena, built in the 9th century and is of the pre-Romanesque style. Santa Cristina is one of five UNESCO world heritage churches in and around Oviedo. It is closely related in style (pre-Romanesque) to the two churches at the Naranco site on a hill just west of Oviedo, the Oviedo cathedral's ancient center remnants called the Cámara Santa, and the fifth is the San Julián de los Prados Church, also in Oviedo proper.

I am sure that many others will share their input. Have a wonderful time!

Elle, roughly how long did it take you to reach La Cruz de San Salvador? It seems uphill all the way from Poladura. Going in late September, if all goes well. Appreciate all the tips you Salvador veterans are highlighting with such enthusiasm.

 

[BobY333]

Elle, roughly how long did it take you to reach La Cruz de San Salvador? It seems uphill all the way from Poladura. Going in late September, if all goes well. Appreciate all the tips you Salvador veterans are highlighting with such enthusiasm.

According to my photos, we left the albergue at 6:47 and arrived at the cross at 7:38.

 

[El Cascayal]

Love it, I also figure where I’ve been from the photos. A picture IS worth a thousand steps/km or however that goes.

 

[Tincatinker]

roughly how long did it take you to reach La Cruz de San Salvador? It seems uphill all the way from Poladura.

It took us about an hour, and after a dip its up-hill some more but nothing heart breaking. It's the route on from the Collado del Canto to Pajares that has been described as "the never-ending road". I remembered from my first time a short sharp hill that brought me to a complete halt, legs that just didn't want to play anymore. Second time around there wasn't a hill that fitted my memory....

 

[Anthony Rocco]

I agree with everything @Elle Bieling has posted above! If you do have some free time in Oviedo betwen Caminos, you might want to walk to the Naranco site mentioned above. The 2 churches on the hill are impressive and the views back over Oviedo are lovely. I had a picninc up there one day and enjoyed the little excursion: https://www.turismoasturias.es/descubre/cultura/prerromanico/santa-maria-del-naranco

Elle also mentioned Buendueños. I stayed at the Albergue there and it was one of the best Albergue experiences I've ever had. Wonderful hosptality, beautiful location. If you can work out your stages, it makes for a great stay.

It's been quite a few years since I was on the Salvador but I loved it! A fair amount of road walking in the beginning and towards the end but those middle days more than made up for it.

Buen Camino!

Yep. All great advice. This is a wonderful camino. Do spend time in Oviedo, including receiving the Salvadorana at the Cathedral. This is their version of a compostela. And do stay in Pajares and enjoy the relative;y short walk to Benduenos. We did this, arriving noonish. They fed us a wonderful lunch, we helped them clean the church, we then sat on the veranda looking at the mountains as they taught us how to pour cider Asturian style. Great dinner. Great breakfast. All donativo. We were generous in our donation as the visit from start to finish was priceless.

 

[neverlost4good]

Hi there - I just walked the San Salvador/Primitivo as you plan to do (May 10 - May 25).

I posted "Live from the Camino" for each day, including a Relive video that shows elevation changes and, if you slow it way down, where I went astray a few times... I'm envious that you're going - I'm already looking forward to going back!

I did the San Salvador in 5 days: Leon > La Robla > Poladura de Tercia > Bendueños > Mieres > Oviedo, and the Primitivo in 11 days. In my mind, there is simply nothing like the San Salvador!

Enjoy, and Buen Camino!

Bob

Where is t

Hi there - I just walked the San Salvador/Primitivo as you plan to do (May 10 - May 25).

I posted "Live from the Camino" for each day, including a Relive video that shows elevation changes and, if you slow it way down, where I went astray a few times... I'm envious that you're going - I'm already looking forward to going back!

I did the San Salvador in 5 days: Leon > La Robla > Poladura de Tercia > Bendueños > Mieres > Oviedo, and the Primitivo in 11 days. In my mind, there is simply nothing like the San Salvador!

Enjoy, and Buen Camino!

Bob

Do you have a link to your Relive video?

 

[BobY333]

Where is t

Do you have a link to your Relive video?

If you search "BobY333 on" then you'll see all of my posts from the Salvador and Primitivo. Within them you'll see the Relive link at the bottom. Or, if you have Relive, I think you can just find me as "Bob Young". Enjoy!

 

[Elle Bieling]

Elle, roughly how long did it take you to reach La Cruz de San Salvador?

It is all uphill, but I agree it takes about an hour.

 

[trecile]

Do split up the walk between Poladura de Tercia to Buendueños or Campomanes if possible. I did it in one very long day because it was a beautiful day, and there was rain in the forecast for the following day. Though it was a tough and exhausting day, I'm glad that I didn't do the second part in the rain.

 

[Former member 99290]

Elle also mentioned Buendueños. I stayed at the Albergue there and it was one of the best Albergue experiences I've ever had. Wonderful hosptality, beautiful location. If you can work out your stages, it makes for a great stay.

Yes, totally agree. About 1.5 kms up hill off the Camino - worth every extra step.