Tineo to Pola de Allande
Length
- Distance
- 28 km
- Climb
- 720 m up, 870 m down
- Ground
- 410 to 870 m
- Time
- 7 to 10 hours
- Difficulty
- hard
- Underfoot
- dirt, forest, mountain
Where this day sits on the Camino Primitivo
Above, the highest and lowest ground of each of its 11 stages. Below, the word each day is given.
From open-pilgrimages: each stage's highest and lowest ground and its interior theme.
The day
Today is the longest day so far. Twenty-eight kilometres of mountain walking, multiple climbs, the body learning what the Primitivo really is. You leave Tineo on a forest path that climbs and descends in turn — never flat for long. Past Borres and Campiello, the route enters the high country. By the final descent into Pola de Allande your legs are arguing with you in earnest. Pola de Allande is a small town at 524 m, in a valley between two ranges. Tomorrow is the famous decision day: do you take the Hospitales variant over the high ridge, or the safer Pola de Allande route over Puerto del Palo?
What pilgrims often meet here
- Deciding the night before whether to take the Hospitales variant tomorrow
- Asking the albergue host about the weather forecast for the highlands
- First seeing other pilgrims at the same dilemma
- A long evening rest in Pola de Allande, knowing tomorrow will be the route's hardest day
When the choice is between the hard scenic route and the safe ordinary route, which version of yourself chooses?
The ground
Long stage with rolling mountain terrain. The path passes through Borres and Campiello — the latter being where the Hospitales variant diverges from the main path the next day. Multiple climbs and descents make this feel longer than its 28 km.
- Long stage with sustained climbs. Start early. Limited services between Tineo and Pola de Allande.
The light
Sunrise and sunset in Tineo depend on the day you walk.
Walk it with Pilgrim
Pilgrim doesn't carry the Camino Primitivo as a route yet. You can still walk it with the app in Wander mode, speaking what arises and keeping it on your phone.