Camino De San Salvador
27.8 km, 1071 m up and 1094 m down, through 10 places, 2 of which have somewhere to sleep. Where you stop is up to you.
Every place on the path in order, with the distance from La Pola de Gordon. Most are too small to sleep in — a fountain, a chapel, a bar that may or may not be open — but they are what the day is actually made of.
When leaving town, keep to your left. The camino does not follow the main road. Instead, it turns off where the guardrail begins and passes through an industrial park. It then crosses the river and enters Beberino. The terrain begins to steepen from here — you're entering the foothills proper.
Pass through Beberino along the road and keep an eye open for a turn to your right along another road signposted "Folledo" and "Buiza." The valley narrows here and the road begins to climb, giving you a taste of what's ahead.
From Buiza the camino ascends to the Alto de San Antón, passing the Forcadas de San Antón — jagged rock formations whose name translates to "pitchfork," an aptly descriptive word. It's about 2.5 km up to the pitchfork. The descent on the far side is more pleasant, passing through a pine forest.
Before the alto, you'll see a yellow arrow pointing along a non-existent path along the stream. Ignore it. A steel arrow indicating "Mieres" is the one you want to follow.
At the end of the pine forest, the camino splits and the marking isn't obvious if you've been lost in thought. On your left is a small concrete block building for pumping water. The official camino turns left here and off the road.
If you miss this turn and follow the road, you'll end up heading toward Rodiezmo. Along that wrong path you'll reach the Cruz de la Salve, where the camino turns sharply left. Miss that turn too and you'll end up in Rodiezmo, which means either following the busy national road back or retracing your steps.
The Alto de San Antón marks the high point after the climb from Buiza, with the jagged Forcadas de San Antón rock formations visible ahead. From here, the descent toward Poladura de la Tercia begins. It's easy to get con…
El Barrancón is a point along the mountain route between the Alto de San Antón and the Tercia valley. There are no services here — just the path, the mountains, and the sky. The name refers to the ravine that the trail f…
San Martín de la Tercia is a tiny village in the valley below the Alto de San Antón. There are no pilgrim services here, but the village is the last sign of habitation before Poladura. A handful of stone houses cluster a…
Leave Poladura along the road. At the first bend to the left, the camino leaves the road to cross a small field. A brown mojón is visible from the road and marks the start of the mountain route. The first 1.3 km go uphill due northwest to an opening between two rocky outcroppings.
Another 300 m of visible paths and the trail turns left, continuing around the hill in a clockwise direction — downhill on your left, uphill on your right. It reaches a low point and begins climbing the next hill to the west. The trail turns south at around 2.3 km and shortly after takes a right turn, followed by another right 300 m on.
Another 500 m on the well-worn path comes to an end, but the camino continues straight, climbing steeply. You'll reach the high point at approximately 1,580 m altitude, about 4 km from Poladura. Markers for the next section are often obscured by ground cover or snow — be extra attentive.
Descend from here due north-northwest for 300 m. The path turns right and then splits. Do not continue straight and downhill. Turn left and begin another climb to a ridge. Follow the natural curve of the ridge for 600 m and turn left toward the ridge to your west. It's that ridge you'll follow into Arbas.
The section between Poladura and Puerto de Pajares is the most challenging on the entire Camino del Salvador. The 8 km climb gains over 350 m through mountainous terrain with no services, no shelter, and limited cell coverage. Snow can cover the path and its markers well into summer. If visibility is poor, conditions are icy, or you're not confident in mountain navigation, consider taking the road via Arbas instead. Your life is worth more than any stretch of Camino.
The only meal in town is at the Posada El Embrujo. Call the day before to give them notice: +34 659 030 282.
At approximately 1,580 m, this is the highest point on the Camino del Salvador. The Cruz del Salvador stands here as it has for centuries — a simple cross marking the spot where pilgrims crossed between the kingdoms of L…
The Collada del Coito is a mountain pass along the descent from the Cruz del Salvador toward Arbas. At roughly 1,500 m elevation, it's an exposed saddle between ridges with no services or shelter. In clear weather it's a…
After the mountain crossing, the sight of Arbas is a relief. The Colegiata de Santa María de Arbas is the reason to pause here — a Romanesque collegiate church with genuine atmosphere. Unlike many churches that feel like…
The camino leaves the main road to follow a trail behind some farm houses at the far end of the alto. If you've gone as far as the old Parador, you'll need to backtrack a bit and avoid the temptation to follow the road. At the farm buildings, turn right and begin a gentle ascent to the border between León and Asturias.
Here you'll pass through a gate and descend back to the national road — which is genuinely dangerous with fast traffic. Cross over the road with extreme caution to resume along a trail down to Pajares.
Along the way to Pajares you'll find a junction requiring you to choose between Pajares or San Miguel. The route through San Miguel also arrives at Pajares but takes 5 km longer. It's only recommended for cyclists or pilgrims who intend to sleep in Bendueños (1.5 km off camino).
Snow is possible at the Puerto de Pajares well into June. If you're crossing in spring or early summer, check conditions before setting out from Poladura. The bar at the pass may keep limited hours outside the summer season — don't count on it.
Leaving Pajares, stay on the road to the village limits. The camino turns left and begins a steep descent into San Miguel del Río in the valley below. The drop is significant — take it easy on your knees.
The only meal in town is at El Mirador. Recommended, but call the day before to give them notice: +34 636 933 069. Closed Tuesdays. No grocery in town.
Distance, climb and descent are measured along the GPS track for this camino — 566 recorded points across this span, the same track the app carries. The town-to-town figures in my data put it at 27.7 km.
Esta entidad ha sido beneficiaria de una ayuda del Programa de incentivos a la movilidad eficiente y sostenible (MOVES III), gestionado por la Xunta de Galicia a través del Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA) en el marco del Real Decreto 266/2021, y cofinanciada por la Unión Europea — NextGenerationEU, dentro del Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia.