Camino Primitivo: Stage 1

San Salvador cathedral is the starting point of the Primitive Way. It is a gothic cathedral better known as Sancta Ovetensis due to a lot of relics that has inside. It was built on the remains of a pre-Romanesque building of the 9 century. Its Cámara Santa (Holy Chamber) was declared World Heritage Site, there you can find some relics.

After visiting the cathedral you will have to turn left through the Calle Schutz street and then go through the Calle San Juan street to get to Jovellanos. Then you will have to cross some streets such as Luna, Covadonga, Melquíades Álvarez and Independencia. Once you have crossed all these streets you will have to turn left and then get to the Avenida Príncipe de Asturias avenue and go through the Plaza de la Losa square. Here you will find some sculptures, fountains and gardens. You will have to go through the Calle Samuel Sánchez and cross to a neighborhood called Argañosa. You will have to continue through this street until you see a yellow arrow indicates you that you should go to the right towards the train rails, you should cross them and then continue through a street called Bermudo I El Diácono, then to the left through José María Fernández Bueltaand at the end to the right to go through the Calle Illas street towards a neighbourhood called Florida. You will get to a roundabout where you will have to turn right and leave the city through a park called Camino de Santiago. Here you will have to go through San Lázaro de Paniceres. In the 14 century here there was a leper colony but some writings say that the leper colony was here before that date. There is a historical link between this type of buildings and pilgrims hospitals, as traditionally, the term “hospital” referred to a place for rest and fostering of old people and pilgrims. You will continue your way through the Sierra del Naranco mountain pass, you will continue through a path on the right side that will lead you to Llampaxuga, where you can visit a chapel devoted to Virgen del Carmen and also where you can ask for a stamp for your credencial. After this stop and after resting for a while you will leave this temple on the right side and then you will cross Reguero de la Huerta first and then get to Lubrio and Lloriana where you will see a church devoted to Santa María. The following stop will be La Bolguina, you will get here through the AS-232 and then you will get to Fabarin a place where you will leave the asphalted road to cross abridge called Gallegos over the Nora river. After crossing this bridge you will have to turn right to walk through a path surrounded by many types of trees, you are walking now through the Asturian rural area. After walking through the asphalted road for a while to cross a village called Gallegos you will return to the riverside, you will see the Molino de Quintos mill and also a place called Arroxos where you will return to the AS-232. A little bit after you will have to go through Valsera and Santullano, crossing a bar and a hostel, then you will have to go through the left.

You will leave the road for a while going through the left and then you will return to get to Valsera and to a chapel devoted to Fátima. You will leave the asphalted road again to get to the Valle de Ansallón valley, you will cross it after crossing a river with the same name. you will get to a path that will lead you to Premoño a place where you will find an old pilgrim’s hospital that is a chapel nowadays. Then you will have to turn right to get to the Valle de Ardaje valley and get to a path surrounded by many kinds of different trees. You will walk near the Termas de Santa Eulalia thermal baths that are located just 300 meters from the original way and where you will find a bar and a shop. You will continue through the path to get to a big house called Alonso Pevida and after going through the road for a while you will have to turn right again to get to the Nalón river.

After getting to Puerma you will have to turn left once you get to El Fornu and go through a path that will lead you to the AS-224 and then to Laracha. A little bit after you will have to cross the river through a bridge called Peñaflor, in Grado and then you will have to turn right to go through an underpass under the train rails. You will get to Peñaflor where years ago when Alfonso VII of León was the king, there was a pilgrim’s hospital. You will also see a church that has part of its Romanesque structure. Then you will go through a neighborhood called San Pelayo and you will cross the train rails to continue through the right, through the Calle Ferrocarril street, then you will turn right through a street called Puente. You will have to cross the river to get to the Parque de San Antonio park where you will see the city hall that is from the 19 century.

Bear in mind

When you have to walk through the road you will have to be careful due to the traffic. The walking up could be a little bit difficult but there are no problems or difficult parts in this stage.

The hostel is located in San Juan de Villapañada but is you need to buy something you will have to go to the following village: Grado.