Stage 1. Oviedo – Grado (25.2 km)

We start our pilgrimage adventure in front of the Cathedral of San Salvador. To leave the Asturian capital we must pay attention to the bronze scallops placed on the ground and arm ourselves with patience, as the way out of the city is long and tedious. You will pass through the streets of San Juan, La Luna, Covadonga, Melquíades Álvarez, Independencia and La Argañosa. After crossing the railway tracks over a footbridge you will cross a housing estate, which indicates that we are leaving Oviedo, and at the roundabout you must turn right to leave the city next to the “Camino de Santiago” park, in the direction of the town of Grado.

We continue along a road until we reach the first village, San Lázaro de Paniceres.

We continue alternating dirt and asphalt roads with some unevenness, walking under the Naranco mountain range. When you get to Llampaxuga you will find the solitary chapel of the Virgen del Carmen, where you can get your credential stamped. We go down through a forest of eucalyptus trees and ascend to Lubrio and the parish of Lloriana.

From Lloriana we follow the AS-232 road to Fabarín, we leave the asphalt and cross the medieval bridge of Gallegos over the river Nora. We cross the village of Gallegos and take a riverside path through a beautiful forest of chestnut and oak trees. The downhill path will end up becoming a hard climb that will test more than one. After overcoming it successfully we will arrive at Escamplero, which has a bar-restaurant where we can recover our strength.

We continue on the road, leave it to take a short cut and take it again at Valsera and the chapel of Fatima. We continue descending through the bucolic forest of the Andallón valley, crossing the river we will reach Premoño, where you will find a bar and an old pilgrims’ hospital that worked until the 18th century, today converted into a chapel.

We leave Premoño and turn off onto a path that leads back to the road to Paladín, where there is a hostel. We continue crossing the Soto river and a path that goes along the Nalón river, the most important river in Asturias. We reach a stretch of road and cross the bridge over the river until we reach the village of Peñaflor.

We leave the village by crossing the railway tracks. The road begins to level out and we will see Grado in the distance. We finally arrive at the end of our stage where we will find all the services.

To consider

Pilgrims have a discount to visit the Cathedral of Oviedo. The general visit with audioguide will cost 4€ and the partial visit 3€ (Holy Chamber, Museum and Cloister).

If you are going to visit Oviedo in the morning you can make the stage a little shorter by staying overnight in Paladín instead of in Grado. But if you feel strong enough you can also make it longer to the hostel of San Juan de Villapañada (public hostel).

Places of interest

• Oviedo’s historic centre and San Salvador Cathedral
• Llampaxuga, Lloriana and Premoño Chapels
• Valdecarzana Palace – Grado
• Chapel of Sorrows – Grado
• Butterfly Garden – Grado
• Ethnographic Museum – Grado

Typical dishes

• Afuega’l pitu cheese
• Tocinillo de cielo
• Gochu asturcelta
• Spelt
• Red meat
• Cider