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San Salvador Camino
  • Tom and Janet Hayes
  • Tom and Janet Hayes

San Salvador Camino

Father and son walking the San Salvador Camino over six days from Leon to Oviedo, Spain. Walking 100 kilometers over the Cantabrian Mountains. Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 5, 2026
    Tom and Janet HayesSan Salvador CaminoTraveler
    1Ryan giving his back some care
    1Ryan giving his back some careOn our flightWaiting in long immigration queue to see if Spain will let us in1Taking a break before our train rideOur wonderful hostess Maria

    California to Spain

    September 5 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    Spent over 30 hours traveling to reach Leon, Spain. Ryan and I met up at LAX before boarding our Iberia jet for the loooong, 11 hour, flight to Madrid. Neither slept more than a few minutes. Then to a high speed train to Leon where we are looking forward to a good nights sleep.Read more

  • Tom and Janet HayesSan Salvador CaminoTraveler
    Linear park along both sides of Bernesga River
    Linear park along both sides of Bernesga RiverPilgrim statue marking the beginning of the San Salvador Camino.Roman walls dating to 3rd centuryRegional parliament buildingFestival celebrating modernist eraCathedral of St. IsadoroGuadi's Casa BotinesCathedral featuring many large stain glass windowsRoman wall and parliament building tower2

    A day in Leon

    September 6 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

    Ryan and I enjoyed a much needed rest day to enjoy León. Early walk to find a supermercado open on Sunday. Not easy to find. Ryan cooked up a great breakfast of potatoes and onions and fried eggs. Later walked the old town where our apartment is located. Great little festival happening celebrating the modernists era and a Guadi building on the main square. Visited the cathedral and later took a nap while Ryan went out for a walk along the River. Beautiful park that runs along both sides. Here are some photos from the day. Later a fine mixed green salad with mucho veggies and some tuna for dinner.Read more

  • Tom and Janet HayesSan Salvador CaminoTraveler
    Pretty pasture
    Pretty pastureThe Bernesga RiverAn aqueduct dating the late 18th centuryThe Main Street of La Pola de Gordon

    First into La Pola de Gordon

    September 7 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Big adventure getting to La Pola de Gordon.
    The walk to La Pola de Gordon was made more interesting by making a wrong turn at Puente de Alba and walking an additional 3.5 miles. The first half of that included an 800 foot climb before realizing we were off course
    and returning to Puente de Alba. Made for a 14.5 mile day.    Read more

  • Tom and Janet HayesSan Salvador CaminoTraveler
    1Leaving La Pola de Gordon and the Bernesga River
    1Leaving La Pola de Gordon and the Bernesga RiverChurch on way out of GordonProtector wolf guarding BuizaLittle plateau pastureLittle purple flowers along the pathClimbing to the passPurple flowers dot the ground at the passRyan checks out vista at the topEarly afternoon - it's siesta time

    Over the mountains to Poladura

    September 8 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    A wonderful day of walking. Up and over Alta de San Anton, our first of two passes. Arrived in Poladura de la Tercia around 2 p.m. Family style dinner here at 7. Nice couple that runs this place called ahead to our next nights location to arrange a stay in a pension. Place I thought I had reservation is apparently closed for a holiday tomorrow.Read more

  • Tom and Janet HayesSan Salvador CaminoTraveler
    1Starting up the Canto La Tusa
    1Starting up the Canto La TusaIncredible mountain landscapeSan Salvador CrossCross atop Vista Aruba'sOld stone buildings and cowsDescending Vista ArabsHeading down to PajaresBirch forest frames our pathSt.Isabella Church in PajaresThe amazing food truckThe view from our pension

    The Canto La Tusa and Vista Artas ascents

    September 9 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Today we attempted to taxi into a small town with a Mercado to buy supplies for a dinner and trail food for the next couple of days. The taxi didn’t come after a half hour wait. We decided to just go with what we had and trust we would find something in Pajares. There is no market in Pajares and no dinner at our new reservation at the Posada Real pension. We managed to find some lunch at a road stop on the highway before descending 3 more miles on slippery steep trails into Pajares. We had accepted our fate of a trail mix dinner when just as we had walked past the church a mobile food service truck (Servdinos) stopped in front of us and locals began coming out to buy their groceries. Not your ordinary food truck, it had anything a small grocery store would have. We bought black beans, rice, green peppers, cheese, and sausage. We believed our reserved apartment room had a small kitchen for cooking up a meal. Wrong. But lo and behold God got right in the middle of our predicament again by bringing us together with the owner and her son who graciously offered their own kitchen for us to use. The son and daughter-in-law, who are expecting their first child in February, and mom and dad sat in an adjoining sun room while we cooked dinner and ate dinner in their dining room. To boot they gave us a bottle of their family produced wine. God is good.Read more

  • Tom and Janet HayesSan Salvador CaminoTraveler
    What a view
    What a viewDescended to this small villagePretty section of trailBeautiful mountains as we climbPassing through small villageRyan finds a nice shaded break spotSmall villages dot the valleys and hillsides2Our stay at Benduenos albuergueThe small church next to our albuergueOur Albuergue family

    On to Benduenos

    September 10 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    It’s funny how you imagine what the new day’s journey will be like. I think Ryan and I thought today’s walk would be easier mostly a gradual downhill to the village of Herias and then a mile walk up hill to Benduenos where a small church hosts a very traditional Albuergue for 8 pilgrims. I’ve been looking forward to experiencing this place. The walk here was much harder than expected with a lot of ascents and descents throughout the day. Our six fellow pilgrims are from Slovakia, Argentina, Denmark, and Spain. A traditional Albuergue supports themselves through donations only, while pilgrims prepare food and eat communally and do meal clean up. The sleeping area is a single room with each bed provided a pillow case bottom sheet and a blanket. No WiFi here so will be a day or so before I can send this.Read more

  • Tom and Janet HayesSan Salvador CaminoTraveler
    2Leaving the mountains behind
    2Leaving the mountains behind1

    Benduenos to Mieres

    September 11 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    After descending to the valley from our beautiful Albuergue we dropped elevation gently until reaching Mieres fifteen miles later. We cleaned up and had fun walking around the action area of downtown Mieres. We were looking for a dinner meal but learned that restaurants don’t begin service until 8:30 or 9:00. We found a place on their nice pedestrian street to have a beer, talk and live life like a Spaniard. Ordered some food at 8:30 and walked back to the hotel. Will finish our Camino into Oviedo tomorrow. Pictures from the day include the different surfaces we traveled over today.Read more

  • Tom and Janet HayesSan Salvador CaminoTraveler
    1Climbing up out of Mieres
    1Climbing up out of MieresRyan meets a friend along the wayOlloniego five miles into walk stopped for coffeeAsturian horses dating to Roman timesNice grassy trailWay markers got newer as we approached OviedoThe Sacred Room and Shroud1The cloister area was peacefulSan Salvador CathedralThe main cathedral square continued to lively into night

    Visiting the Savior

    September 12 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Walked 11.5 miles today with three climbs and descents before reaching Oviedo’s San Salvador Cathedral. The sounds of music, very loud music, and throngs of people grew greater until we stood in front of the cathedral. Apparently we landed in the midst of the annual San Mateo festival, a celebration of music, culture and children’s activities culminating on September 21st with the feast of San Mateo. We immediately sought sanctuary in the cathedral receiving our final San Salvador stamp and certificate and enjoying some time for reflection in the cloister area and visiting the sacred room where the many sacred relics are housed including the shroud that is believed to have covered Christ’s face in the tomb.
    Got to our hotel for a shower and then Ryan found us a great little pizza place away from all the festival happenings. Walked back through the lively streets to our hotel and now ready for some sleep while the festival goers continue celebrating.    Read more

    Trip end
    September 12, 2026