Map and Elevation
Elevation Profile by Stage
Pensión Casa Marqués, Berducedo. Stage Distance: 17.32 miles (27.87km); Total Distance: 69.73 miles (112.2km)
Crossed the Hospitales today. We both did. The weather could not have been much better. No rain. Sunny except for the clouds that chased us across the summits. Windy; were it not for my hoodie my hat would be somewhere in the Bay of Biscay.
Tired, sore and stressed. Callouses and blisters spread across my left foot like a coral reef. There was one section, roughly three-quarters of a mile long (about 1.2 km), that was a nearly straight-down descent. I hopped rock to rock testing with my poles to ensure there was good purchase. This section was effectively single-file, and the prospect of having to pass someone was the worst possible scenario. As a result, pilgrims waited on the road to maintain a safe and ample distance. Tomorrow’s route is a steep and long descent to the Presa de Salime dam. If it is anything like the downhill section today, I am going to be a wreck.
I ended up with plenty of food, primarily because I could not eat. Knowing that I needed the fuel, I forced myself to eat one of the bocadillos. As expected, I got quite hungry later once I arrived in Berducedo.
The choice
To get a head-start, Anna took a cab to the Chapel of San Pascual in the little town of La Mortera. That trimmed about 5k off of her hike. For the most part, it was the right choice. The section from El Espin to Borres was all mud. Considering all of the cattle in the area, I’m pretty sure there was other stuff in the mud as well.
But she also missed the split.
There are two major routes for this section of the Primitivo: the Hospitales route that we took which goes over the mountains and past ruins of pilgrim’s hospitales; and the Pola de Allande route which descends into the valley to the town of Pola de Allande. Both routes rejoin before descending to the abandoned village of Montefurado. The hike out of Pola is steep and brutal. But since weather conditions may make the Hospitales impassable, sometimes Pola is the only choice.
At the route split, numerous signposts and markers aid in decision-making. A charming bench with a carved Yoda adds a nice touch. The good weather made the Hospitales route a possibility for us, but it’s not always an option; the weather makes it unadvisable more often than I realized.
After the route split, it was a short distance to La Mortera (and the chapel). Nothing but trail for the next 20km starting with a 600m (2000ft) climb.
Los Hospitales to Berducedo
The Hospitales route gets its name for the ruins of three pilgrim’s hospitals along the way: Paradiella, Fonfaraon, and Valparaiso. These hospitals operated around the 13th to 15th centuries by some religious order of the Catholic Church. They provided support for pilgrims on the route because there was not f-in much up here. It is so remote, I cannot imagine how these particular sites were selected, built and staffed.
The sites are in various states of disrepair, which makes complete sense since they are – y’know – ruins. The areas around them made for good picnic spots if you could find a manure free location. People have cattle and horses grazing up here. They seem comfortable with humans around – I only had one stand off with a large horned beast on a very narrow trail. It eventually wandered off.
This section of the trail was the best marked of anything in Asturias. At the higher elevations, there were markers about every 20 meters. Although it was sunny, the wind blew thin clouds across the summit. Given that, any sort of bad weather could block sight of the trail. There are a few scrub trees and not much else – very exposed to the elements and with no major landmarks; very easy to get off the path (as I almost did on occasion).
The landscape was stunning. Nothing to block the view for miles. The wind roaring in my ears looking across canyons etched into the green mountains; the path and roads snaking into the distance. Nonchalant cattle. After the stressful descent, the last few miles were through pine forest – a relaxing departure and a restorative way to end the day. It was the best groomed trail I have seen in Asturias. The local artisans in the village of Lago left words of encouragement along the route.
I spent a lot of time in my head. On the trail, I can get very myopic: maintaining a good rhythm with the stride and poles, checking for the best footing. For the most part, that mentality served me well on the descent – keeping focus on the next step. At some point, that focus fades into the background and you are left with your remaining thoughts.
Next stage
Tomorrow is the huge descent to the Embalse de Salime reservoir and the sharp ascent into Grandas de Salime. Back of the napkin, there is a 2700ft (825m) drop in elevation in a very short time – sharper and longer than the worst part of the route today. To say I am anxious is understatement. Anna will take a bus or taxi to Grandas – her knees and feet are still causing issues and descents are even harder on her. At this point, we are thinking she will taxi to Lugo and then plan to walk the last 100km to Santiago to earn the Compostela.
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