Which Camino Combo

[Gailerart]

Hi All


I am leaving(Australia) on April 23 to hike a Camino combo and having extensively planned my trip am now thinking of changing it. My planned trip was as follows; Camino San Salvador - Camino Del Norte from Aviles –Camino Finisterre – Catching a bus back to Lugo and hiking the Primitivo in reverse to Oviedo (I hiked the Primitivo last year and loved it and as I'm a backpacker, I found it easier than most of my hikes here in Australia )
After watching youtube videos and reading a few blogs I am interested in the Invierno and am tempted to change my route to: San Salvador – Primitivo to Lugo –bus to Ponferrada – Invierno – Finisterre. Is the Invierno as good as most blogs reckon it is (in other words, better than the second half of the Norte with less Pilgrims) What do you experts think of both routes.
Thanks in advance
Ken

 

[sun is shining]

Hi Ken,

I’m doing pretty much exactly this but in reverse: starting with the Invierno from Ponferrada to Santiago - Bus to Leon (ALSA bus at 3pm, takes just under 6 hours) - Salvador to Oviedo, Oviedo to Santiago via the Primitivo - onwards to Finisterre and Muxia.

Initially, I wanted to combine the routes like you suggest in your post. But:
- the Camino de Invierno seems physically less strenuous so a better „warm-up“ option
- climate wise it seems to make more sense. Less heat on the Invierno and less rain (chance of snow??) in the mountains later on

These things might not be important to you if you are in training. We‘ve just finished our post-grad degrees and spent the last months stuck in front of computer screens. Starting with the Invierno gives our legs a comparatively easier start. Weather is a play of chance anyway.

If you do stick to your schedule we might bump into each other on the Salvador - our tentative plan ist to start in Leon on the 23rd with 8 days to Escamplero.

 

[André Walker]

In 2022 I did -more or less- the same as you are considering:
- Started on the Del Norte: Laredo - Villaviciosa - Oviedo.
- Bus from Oviedo to Léon.
- Del Salvador: Léon to Oviedo.
- Primitivo: Oviedo to Melide.
- Bus to Ponferrada.
- Invierno: Ponferrada to Silleda.
- Camino Sanabrés: Silleda - SdC.

So, apart from the start on the Del Norte, this matches what you're thinking of. As for the Camino Invierno: I liked it a lot, more than the last bit of the Del Norte (which I've walked in 2016). Although there a less pilgrims on the Invierno. So if you enjoy meeting others, the Invierno might be a bit too quiet?

 

[jungleboy]

My planned trip was as follows; Camino San Salvador - Camino Del Norte from Aviles –Camino Finisterre – Catching a bus back to Lugo and hiking the Primitivo in reverse to Oviedo

Since you need to take transport to start the Primitivo part of your combo anyway, why walk it backwards?

 

[Gailerart]

Since you need to take transport to start the Primitivo part of your combo anyway, why walk it backwards?

When hiking one doesn't tend to look back very often. I have hiked a trail here in Australia both ways and it was nice to have different views. It felt like a different trail

 

[Gailerart]

Hi Ken,

I’m doing pretty much exactly this but in reverse: starting with the Invierno from Ponferrada to Santiago - Bus to Leon (ALSA bus at 3pm, takes just under 6 hours) - Salvador to Oviedo, Oviedo to Santiago via the Primitivo - onwards to Finisterre and Muxia.

Initially, I wanted to combine the routes like you suggest in your post. But:
- the Camino de Invierno seems physically less strenuous so a better „warm-up“ option
- climate wise it seems to make more sense. Less heat on the Invierno and less rain (chance of snow??) in the mountains later on

These things might not be important to you if you are in training. We‘ve just finished our post-grad degrees and spent the last months stuck in front of computer screens. Starting with the Invierno gives our legs a comparatively easier start. Weather is a play of chance anyway.

If you do stick to your schedule we might bump into each other on the Salvador - our tentative plan ist to start in Leon on the 23rd with 8 days to Escamplero.

I could start with the Invierno like you have suggested, but hiking the Primitivo in reverse still has an appeal because it will feel like a different hike. Thanks for the reply

 

[Gailerart]

In 2022 I did -more or less- the same as you are considering:
- Started on the Del Norte: Laredo - Villaviciosa - Oviedo.
- Bus from Oviedo to Léon.
- Del Salvador: Léon to Oviedo.
- Primitivo: Oviedo to Melide.
- Bus to Ponferrada.
- Invierno: Ponferrada to Silleda.
- Camino Sanabrés: Silleda - SdC.

So, apart from the start on the Del Norte, this matches what you're thinking of. As for the Camino Invierno: I liked it a lot, more than the last bit of the Del Norte (which I've walked in 2016). Although there a less pilgrims on the Invierno. So if you enjoy meeting others, the Invierno might be a bit too quiet?

Thanks. Food for thought, and I do like solitude