Which route from Soto de luiña

[Babyboomergirl]

Walking Camino Del Norte and now in Soto de Luiña. Any advice on which route option to Cadavedo Has anyone walked the “official “ mountain route ?

 

[peregrina2000]

Walking Camino Del Norte and now in Soto de Luiña. Any advice on which route option to Cadavedo Has anyone walked the “official “ mountain route ?

Yes yes yes. It is gorgeous and not a high mountain dangerous walk. More info here. See post ten or eleven.

It would not be fun, but not dangerous either, in the rain.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/coastal-alternatives-to-the-nortes-asphalt.49578/

 

[Jan_D]

I would have loved to walk the mountain path last year, but we were warned against it due to torrential rain. So as long as the weather's good, it should be fine. Walking along the coast is also ok, but quite boring - the camino path is basically a "short-cut" across the snaking curves of the N-632, although it's not actually a short cut as you're constantly going up and down into the valleys. Major thigh burn! Some pilgrims decide to continue along the N-632 as it's more even. So yeah, take the mountain path if you can!

 

[Texas Walker]

Walking Camino Del Norte and now in Soto de Luiña. Any advice on which route option to Cadavedo Has anyone walked the “official “ mountain route ?

Yes, we walked it last year. The day started out with light rain and we (mistakenly) thought it would clear up. At the top we were fogged in due to low clouds and rain sometimes blowing uphill at us. Much of the way is gas company service roads, it looks like, with steep slope on one side and a wall on the other. There eventually comes a turnoff through a stile, IIRC, and you spend some time in pastures. The path through the pasture in these conditions was of course a running stream, floored with marble chunks. (Megagrip shoes strongly recommended!) At the end, when we came down, we were tired and had "Camino brain" and missed the turn into Cadavedo. The bright side of all this, we stayed at Hotel Canero and it was lovely.

I'm sure that it would have been stunning if the weather had been better. I do recommend that if the day starts rainy you take the low road. Less wading for one thing! It would be great if someone who walked the low way would post their observations as well.

 

[Jan_D]

It would be great if someone who walked the low way would post their observations as well.

My observations (above) were about the low way.

Just to add: after rain, the low way might involve crossing a couple of streams.

 

[Babyboomergirl]

Thanks everyone for your quick replies. I ended up walking the coastal route ( as advised strongly by Pepe in Soto de Luiña ) since all the pilgrims I asked were going that way. Weather was fine but there had been rain so it was a lot of muddy trails and crossing streams and constant up and down hills so not sure if it was the best choice ! Also although called the coastal route there was not much coastal scenery until the end. Nevertheless it was all part of my Camino journey .

 

[peregrina2000]

This is not intended as a slam on Pepe because I know he is dedicated to the camino. I didn’t stay in the Albergue (4 of us got a fantastic apartment for 15 each) but I went up to hear his comments on the next day. He strongly recommended against the higher route and this was without any weather issues.

Someone suggested to me that he had personally marked the lower route, which might contribute to his opinion. I think it’s too bad that many are deterred from this beautiful option in what seems to me to be a biased evaluation. It is longer and obviously has an ascent but it is not one of the Caminos’ hardest routes by any means. And the walk along the ridge at the top —wow. Perfect for a picnic and lots of feeling grateful.

 

[Jan_D]

This is not intended as a slam on Pepe because I know he is dedicated to the camino. I didn’t stay in the Albergue (4 of us got a fantastic apartment for 15 each) but I went up to hear his comments on the next day. He strongly recommended against the higher route and this was without any weather issues.

Someone suggested to me that he had personally marked the lower route, which might contribute to his opinion. I think it’s too bad that many are deterred from this beautiful option in what seems to me to be a biased evaluation. It is longer and obviously has an ascent but it is not one of the Caminos’ hardest routes by any means. And the walk along the ridge at the top —wow. Perfect for a picnic and lots of feeling grateful.

Yes, I had the same experience last year. Pepe (at least I think it was him) put the fear of God into us about the higher route, and as a result we ended up wading across streams in the valleys, everything got soaked! We thought "if this is how bad it is on the lower route, we can only imagine what they're experiencing in the mountains!" but when we got to Cadavedo, a couple of German lads told us they'd done the higher route and really enjoyed it. Grrrr.

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

I walked the coastal route last year, it was indeed a very muddy business. I chose to stay on the road after a few very muddy descents and ascents. I was not aware of the higher route ( forgotten because I had read about it before starting my camino). This year I will be back and will probably try the high road. I will report back after 23 may

 

[cammano]

I just walked the mountain route and I was terrified do not take this route as it’s completely over grown poor visibility it took me 7 hours to get of that mountain this route should be taken off the guide

 

[trecile]

I walked the coastal route last year, it was indeed a very muddy business. I chose to stay on the road after a few very muddy descents and ascents. I was not aware of the higher route ( forgotten because I had read about it before starting my camino). This year I will be back and will probably try the high road. I will report back after 23 may

I walked this section on a rainy day in June and stayed on the road towards the end too. After several ups and downs I knew what awaited me as the trail went downhill again, and I decided that the road was preferable.

 

[peregrina2000]

I just walked the mountain route and I was terrified do not take this route as it’s completely over grown poor visibility it took me 7 hours to get of that mountain this route should be taken off the guide

Wow, very sorry to hear that. Something drastic must have happened, because two years ago it was in great condition and easy to follow.

I see wikiloc tracks from as recently as May of this year with no mention of this mess, so I wonder what accounts for it.

 

[cammano]

The markers directed me into over grown brush above my head my legs were cut some markers had nothing on so you had to guess which way to go I did not see anyone on there at the top again I had to guess which way to go as you can not see

 

[nickpellatt]

I walked it late May this year ... it was slightly overgrown in places, but I could still easily follow the path. It wasnt anywhere near dangrous, and the advice given by the hospitalero was almost laughable really. I took extra food and water, but it took me less than 4 hours.

The only problem .... DOGS.

Maybe I was very very unlucky, but as I was walking down one stretch (before you go over the stile) I could hear dogs barking, and 2 large ones came out of a field and ran 50 metres toward me barking all the time. They then circled me, and I had no choice but to keep walking, keeping my arms and hands close to my chest, and trying to talk them down. A 3rd then also came out and jumped at my pack. Very scary times. I had no choice but to keep on as backtracking over two hours wasnt really going to happen.

No-one else seemed to have this experience though, so maybe I was unlucky.