カミノ・レバニエゴ、ヴァディニエンセ#ハイキングアドベンチャー #ハイキング #カミノデスアンティゴ
Camino Lebaniego and Vadaniense. Starting from the seaside
resort of San Vicente de la Barquera on the Camino del Norte in Cantabria Follow the Senda Fluvial del Rio Nansa upstream. Cross the longest gorge in Spain Desfiladero de la Hermida to Potes in the historic region of
Liebana surrounded by spectacular mountains. Then to the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liebena to finish
the Camino Lebaniego in Fuente De ride a cable car up to the heart of the Picos de Europa National Park.
Cross the Cantabrian Mountains reaching 1,794 mt at Horcada de Valcavao . Spectacular vistas
walking beside the lake to Riano and go back in time on the Roman road along the Esla
River all the way to Mansilla de las Mulas. I caught a bus from Madrid to San Vicente de la Barquera
with its many beaches, castle and walls, fishing village atmosphere and the exceptional backdrop of
the snow cap mountains of the Picos de Europa. It’s one of the most picturesque sites on the Cantabrian
coast. I was here in 2016 when I did the Camino del Norte, but this time it is the starting point for
my Camino Lebanigo Vadiniense where I will head southwards to the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liebana where pilgrims
for centuries have come to see the great relic the Lignum Crucis supposedly the largest
known piece of wood of the cross of Christ. The Camino Lebaniego Vadiniense according to the gronze app
is the toughest of all the Camino de Santiago routes in Spain. The difficulty is
greatest on the earlier Cantabrian stages with considerable gradients. So only pilgrims
accustomed to mountain hikes attempt it. Hence the low number of pilgrims that do this
challenging but most beautiful camino from San Vicente de la Barquera to Munorrodero.
The signs show both Caminos. The yellow for the Camino del Norte and the
red for the Camino Lebaniego. The first stage normally ends in Cades, some
24 kilometers from San Vicente de la Barquera but I decided to push on to La Fuente a further 10 kms, So it will be a very long day At Munorrodero is the start of an interesting river path known as the Senda Fluvial del Rio Nansa. It has been extremely wet these last few weeks and the river is running
to capacity. There has been violent storms and there are many uprooted trees and quite a lot of debris along this path. It’s now late afternoon and there are ominous dark clouds above. I want to get to La Fuente before the rain comes down as I confront a cow walking towards me and after he
sees me returns from where he came. I came across this group of three Germans.
They are not doing the Camino. They are doing some hikes on the Picos de Europa
which is very popular with hikers. Day two La Fuente to Cabanes 18 kilometres.
Although the distance for today is shorter, there are a few hurdles to get over. Beginning with a climb from Lafuente of some 350 lineal meters before reaching the small village of Cicera. Then
a further 350 m to the top of the ridge where we will have great views of the Deva River and
the Desfiladero de la Hermida Gorge. I came across a few wild horses. The mare
and her foal stand behind the stallion for protection Then there are two more horses,
but they give way pretty easily. The second climb for the day, a further 350 lineal meter gain through a hypnotically beautiful, thickly wooded path. It’s quite enchanting. At the top of the ridge, the views open up in all directions and in front I can see the descent down to the Deva River and the Desfiladero de la Hermida Gorge. and the steep 350 m climb to Cabanes on the other side, Griffin vultures with a wingspan of
more than 2 and 1/2 metres patrol the skies. the descent to the small village of Lebena and
the magnificent church of Santa Maria from the 10th century. Then cross over the Deva River
before the third climb of the day to Cabanes. Third day and the dark clouds have
all disappeared, leaving blue skies and perfect visibility to the Desfiladero de la Hermida
Gorge, where we will follow it to Potes, the main town in the region of Liebana, an area
surrounded by the spectacular mountain range of the Picos de Europa Potes on the Deva River. Its
streets crossed by numerous medieval bridges and its Torre del Infantado tower from the 15th century
is one of the town’s top monuments. The Picos de Europa National Park spreads across
the provinces of Asturias, Leon, and Cantabria in the heart of the Cantabrian Mountains and
the Camino Lebaniego Vadiniense skirts around the edges but tomorrow at Fuente De , I will catch the
cable car to an imposing lookout in the Picos. The monastery of Santo Toribio de Liebana is
where the Camino Lebaniego ends. You can acquire the certificate in the monastery.
The present monastery was completed in the 12th century. Originally founded prior to
the sixth century, its importance in the Roman Catholic Church lies on the fact that it
holds the Lignum Crucis wood of the true cross believed to be the biggest surviving piece of
the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. Day four. This is regarded as the
premier stage of the Camino Vanidiense I will say that it’s perhaps one
of the best stages of any Camino. From Espinama to Portilla de la Reina is just over
26 km. But I will take a detour at Fuente De. Catch the cable car to the heart of the Picos de Europa.
It will climb 750 mts in just over 4 minutes. We are climbing 750 m in 4 minutes, lifting
us to a height of 1,823 mts. At the top station, there is a metal see-through lookout with
magnificent vistas of the valley below and the surrounding area. The landscape
of enormous beauty is breathtaking and the countless possibilities to practice a
multitude of sports is on offer. This is not the Camino and I have given
myself a reward. And as much as I would like to venture into the Picos, I have to
sadly leave this magical place. I came across a shepherd with a flock of
sheep. But what surprised me was that he had almost as many dogs as sheep. So I asked
him why so many dogs. It’s the wolves. The Picos de Europa is renowned not only for wolves
but also bears. This is a very remote area and I might not come across anybody.
So I will have to be on guard. I have left the province of Cantabria and
crossed into the province of Leon. The climb has been constant all
day. Where I started in Espinama, it was at 817 mts. And the highest point, Horcada
de Valcavao is at 1,794 m. That’s a 900 metre gain. There has been some clearing done by a
snow plow. This has made progress that much quicker rather than having to step
over freshly fallen snow where I could easily sink up to my knee. And I feel
relieved to reach the highest point, Horcada de Valcavao 1,794 m because for
the next 14 km it should be all downhill. I have followed comfortable dirt
tracks until Mirador de Pandetrave lookout at 1,562 mts and unfortunately the next 10 kilometers is along a seal monotonous mountain road to Portilla de la Reina. Day five, today’s stage, Portilla de la Reina to Cremenes.
A rather long, almost 40 kilometers stage, but it’s fairly flat as the difficult stages in
Cantabria are behind us. Again, like late yesterday, we follow a road for about 8 km. Fortunately,
it has little traffic. Then we follow along the banks of a large reservoir to the town of Riano,
relocated after the building of the dam. There are few facilities. So I plan to have lunch at Riano
which is about 5 hours from Portilla de la Reina The dam and reservoir built in the 1980s flooded the old town of Riano and six other villages. The new town built along the banks has spectacular vistas of the Picos the Europa Late in the afternoon, I reached the dam wall
and I follow the Esla River downstream. I have left the monotonous walking beside a modern road
and in its place is a Roman road built in 26 BC. The day has been long, close to 40 kms but these last seven kilometers are the most enjoyable of the whole day. Day six, Cremenes to Gradefes. A repeat of
yesterday’s long near 40 km. It’s a fairly flat stage following the river Esla downstream and continuing on the Roman road I walked along late yesterday. Today we follow it for a further 5 kilometres. The Camino Vadiniense finishes in Mansilla
de las Mulas and today’s main cultural feature is the Monasterio de San Miguel de
Escalada founded in the 10th century. the end of the Camino Lebaniego in Mansilla de las Mulas And these are the walls of Mansilla. the river Esla at Mansilla de las Mulas
the river that I have followed on the Camino Vadiniense for about 100 kms
PLEASE COMMENT LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE
0:00 Intro
01:17 San Vicente de la Barquera
03:17 1st day to La Fuente
08:25 day 2 La Fuente to Cabanes
14:34 day 3 Cabanes to Espinama
19:00 day 4 Espinama to Portilla de la Reina
27:40 day 5 Portilla de la Reina to Cremenes
33:58 day 6 Cremenes to Gradefes
38:42 day 7 Gradefes, Mansilla de las Mulas- Leon
Camino Lebaniego Vadinense starting from the seaside resort town in Cantabria and travel southwards along the senda fluvial del Rio Nansa upstream, cross the longest gorge in Spain the Desfiladero de la Hermida to Potes in the historic region of Liebana sorrounded by spectacular mountains and up to the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liebana to finish the Camino Lebaniego. In Fuente De ride a cable car up to the heart of the Picos de Europa National park. Cross the Cantabrian Mountains climbing to 1794mts at Horcada de Valcavao. Spectacular vistas walking beside the reservoir to Riano and go back in time on the Roman road along the Esla River all the way to Mansilla de las Mulas
