Aglass
Andrew
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Walked el Camino Frances in 2003. Did the Primitivo in August 13 and Ruta lebaniega in July 14. Summer 2016 - Camino del Salvador.
One day: Ruta de la Plata into the Sanabres, maybe part of the Norte, and perhaps the Olvidado.
3 in one
I walked the Camino Del Salvador from 30 June to 4 July this year and would like to share my thoughts for anyone thinking of doing it. It is a stunning route and one I would fully recommend. I have previously done the Frances in 2003, the Primitivo in 2013 and the Lebaniego (also a little gem) in 2014.
The Salvador wins in the beauty of the countryside, the fact that you can still feel you are doing something a bit special and, related to that, the tranquility. There are a couple of things to bear in mind however – see below!
The route is stunning and varied. Day one coming out of Leon reminded me not unreasonably of some of the scenery on the Camino Frances near Leon. What is great is that you get out of the city of Leon so quickly after San Marcos past new residential districts and not the endless industrial or post-industrial cityscape on the French route. Days four and five as you get into Asturias and near Oviedo are quite similar to the Primitivo, but hillier. The second and third days are real hill or even mountain-walking, really spectacular and quite unlike anything on either of the other caminos. Day three going over the pass of Pajares has so many different landscapes in one day.
The hostels I stayed in (La Robla, Poladura de Tercia, Pajares and Pola de Lena) are all newish, good and well-equipped. The first two nights there were six of us – a group of 3 Spanish men from Madrid, two men from Spain walking solo and me. By day three we had thinned out to two of us – four did a ‘double day’ including Pajares (rather them than me!) and the fourth night I was alone in the hostel, definitely a first, as the other man had returned to Leon. From what I have read on here, around six people is the norm in summer.
It isn’t a route which stands out for its historical buildings and art but when you have Leon and Oviedo at the beginning and end you can hardly complain! There is a pearl of pre-Romanesque art in Santa Cristina de Lena. The villages are pretty - most houses are renovated, looked after and with plentiful flowers. The small towns are workaday with some evidence of decline – lots of posters and graffiti talk about the mines closing – though I am not sure when that is or was.
A couple of things to bear in mind. It is quite tough. Even if you only average 25km a day, the hills on most days make it seem far more. It is not a walk to launch straight into if you are not pretty fit. I am pretty fit though my preparation was definitely not the best – a 22 hour flight via London from Bangkok on the Tuesday with six hours of time difference, then one day of semi recovery, which included the bus to Leon, and then off on Thursday morning after two fairly sleepless nights! You also have to carry food – once for lunch, breakfast and the next day’s lunch. You could get dinner every night even if you had to reserve it twice! There are not so many fountains. It is well worth checking the guide on this point.
The only other downside is that it is only five days, though you can continue on the Primitivo. Just as you get into your stride and routine, fully relaxed and have cast off the rest of the world, it finishes. It is still wonderful. So, which route next?
I walked the Camino Del Salvador from 30 June to 4 July this year and would like to share my thoughts for anyone thinking of doing it. It is a stunning route and one I would fully recommend. I have previously done the Frances in 2003, the Primitivo in 2013 and the Lebaniego (also a little gem) in 2014.
The Salvador wins in the beauty of the countryside, the fact that you can still feel you are doing something a bit special and, related to that, the tranquility. There are a couple of things to bear in mind however – see below!
The route is stunning and varied. Day one coming out of Leon reminded me not unreasonably of some of the scenery on the Camino Frances near Leon. What is great is that you get out of the city of Leon so quickly after San Marcos past new residential districts and not the endless industrial or post-industrial cityscape on the French route. Days four and five as you get into Asturias and near Oviedo are quite similar to the Primitivo, but hillier. The second and third days are real hill or even mountain-walking, really spectacular and quite unlike anything on either of the other caminos. Day three going over the pass of Pajares has so many different landscapes in one day.
The hostels I stayed in (La Robla, Poladura de Tercia, Pajares and Pola de Lena) are all newish, good and well-equipped. The first two nights there were six of us – a group of 3 Spanish men from Madrid, two men from Spain walking solo and me. By day three we had thinned out to two of us – four did a ‘double day’ including Pajares (rather them than me!) and the fourth night I was alone in the hostel, definitely a first, as the other man had returned to Leon. From what I have read on here, around six people is the norm in summer.
It isn’t a route which stands out for its historical buildings and art but when you have Leon and Oviedo at the beginning and end you can hardly complain! There is a pearl of pre-Romanesque art in Santa Cristina de Lena. The villages are pretty - most houses are renovated, looked after and with plentiful flowers. The small towns are workaday with some evidence of decline – lots of posters and graffiti talk about the mines closing – though I am not sure when that is or was.
A couple of things to bear in mind. It is quite tough. Even if you only average 25km a day, the hills on most days make it seem far more. It is not a walk to launch straight into if you are not pretty fit. I am pretty fit though my preparation was definitely not the best – a 22 hour flight via London from Bangkok on the Tuesday with six hours of time difference, then one day of semi recovery, which included the bus to Leon, and then off on Thursday morning after two fairly sleepless nights! You also have to carry food – once for lunch, breakfast and the next day’s lunch. You could get dinner every night even if you had to reserve it twice! There are not so many fountains. It is well worth checking the guide on this point.
The only other downside is that it is only five days, though you can continue on the Primitivo. Just as you get into your stride and routine, fully relaxed and have cast off the rest of the world, it finishes. It is still wonderful. So, which route next?
