5/2/2025

Primitive Way – Winter 2022

Primitive Way – Winter 2022

I’m back. Although I really don’t know if I’m not still there. This Holy Year extended by the pandemic, I wanted to do the Camino Primitivo in winter. Yes, I knew it was going to be hard. Yes, I knew it was going to rain, snow and eat mud. Yes, I knew that many of the albergues were going to be closed.

First, the data

A very brief summary:

  • Departure: Oviedo, 26/11/2022 (Saturday)
  • Arrival: Santiago de Compostela, 08/12/2022 (Thursday)
  • Total km: 323.11 km
  • Total stages: 13
  • Fellow pilgrims: Between 4 and 8.

Track of the Primitive Way in winter

I leave you the complete track. You can follow it directly from Wikiloc.

The 13 stages

  1. Oviedo – San Juan de Villapañada (30.95 km)
  2. San Juan de Villapañada – Salas (21.72 km)
  3. Salas – Tineo (20.34 km)
  4. Tineo – Pola de Allande (26.46 km)
  5. Pola de Allande – La Mesa (23.20 km)
  6. La Mesa – Castro (22.83 km)
  7. Castro – A Fonsagrada (21.33 km)
  8. A Fonsagrada – O Cádavo (25.49 km)
  9. O Cádavo – Lugo (31.01 km)
  10. Lugo – San Román de Retorta (20.77 km)
  11. San Roman de Retorta – Melide (28.57 km)
  12. Melide – O Pedrouzo (36.97 km)
  13. O Pedrouzo – Santiago de Compostela (20.89 km)

The best of the Primitive Way in winter

This year I wanted it to be special: Holy Year and walk the original route of the first pilgrim, King Alfonso II El Casto. The landscapes, the forests, the thousand streams… are a marvel. But the best part, without a doubt, has been the people: Alessandra, Jesús, Miguel Ángel, Alberto… and the welcome from the hospitaleros.

Camino Primitivo

Truly, this has been a special Camino.