The biggest day of the Primitivo, with two ways over the mountains that meet at the Puerto del Palo (3,760 ft). The Hospitales route is 15.0 miles over open ridges with no village services; the Pola de Allande route is 17.8 miles and 3,990 ft of climbing, but passes the only town with shops and beds. Take Pola de Allande in fog, snow, a bad forecast or winter. Berducedo has 62 dorm beds and few private rooms, so book ahead or plan to sleep in Pola de Allande or La Mesa.
Biggest day: 15.0 or 17.8 milesHospitales: nothing for about 13 milesPuerto del Palo food truck, Holy Week to 31 OctoberPola de Allande route in fog, snow or winterBook ahead: 62 dorm beds in Berducedo
Distance
15.0 miles24.1 km; or 17.8 miles via Pola de Allande
Climbing
3,160 ft up2,280 ft down
High point
4,020 ftLow point 2,070 ft
Walking time
6.5 to 8 (Hospitales); 7.5 to 9 (Pola de Allande) hours
Difficulty
Very hard
Beds in Berducedo
4 placesFew
Map of the stage
Places to stay in Berducedo
Or sleep in Pola de Allande
Or sleep in La Mesa
Look out for
The walkPola de Allande route12Places to stay: green for dorms, blue for rooms3Other places to stayASightsVillages on the wayDashed ring: position approximate
The line is the waymarked route as OpenStreetMap has it. Places to stay are where Gronze or their own websites put them. Tap a marker for details; the numbers and letters match the cards and the lists below.
Where to sleep in Berducedo
4 places · Few
Two albergues with 62 dorm beds, Casa de Aldea Araceli with six private rooms, and Casa Uría, a two-bedroom house let whole. Walkers from both routes end here and the municipal albergue takes no reservations, so book ahead.
Public albergue · dormPilgrims onlyOpen all year
Albergue de peregrinos de Berducedo
The municipal albergue in the old school at the entrance to the village. Cheap and open all year, but first come, first served.
Beds
24 dorm beds in two dorms of 10 and 14
Price
Dorm €10
Season
All year
Where
At the village entrance, on the route
Meals
Kitchen, microwave and fridge; no meals. Disposable sheets, lockers, garden
Booking
No reservations: first come, first served. Check-in from 13:00; doors close at 23:00
A village house with six rooms, each with its own bathroom and TV, and a dining room serving home cooking. The only private rooms in Berducedo apart from Casa Uría.
Beds
Six rooms with private bathrooms: four twins, one with a 105 cm bed, and one family room for four
Price
Doubles from €55 to €70 (Gronze, October 2026)
Where
220 yards from the village centre
Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining room; bar
On the Pola de Allande route, 6.9 miles from Borres and 10.9 miles before Berducedo. Many walkers sleep here instead: Tineo to Pola is 16.8 miles, and from Pola it is 10.9 miles to Berducedo or 13.6 to La Mesa, with the climb to the Puerto del Palo done fresh. Pola has five places to stay and all services; Peñaseita's 12-bed municipal albergue is 1.7 miles further on, before the climb to the pass.
Public albergue · dormPilgrims onlyOpen all year
Albergue de peregrinos de Pola de Allande
Municipal albergue in the centre, open all year and the cheapest bed in town.
Beds
24 dorm beds in one dorm
Price
Dorm €10
Season
All year
Where
Central, Avenida de América 46
Meals
Kitchen without utensils and a fridge; no meals. Dryer; pets allowed
On the main route 2.7 miles past Berducedo; stopping here cuts the next day to Grandas to 9.9 miles. Albergue Miguelín is the only place. The 16-bed municipal albergue in the old school is closed, though some older guides and websites still list it. Gronze warns the hamlet is cold at night, even in summer, and there is no shop: buy food in Berducedo.
Albergue · dorm and private roomsOpen all year
Albergue Miguelín
Dorms, four private rooms and a bar-restaurant, on the route. Book ahead: there is nothing else in La Mesa.
Beds
21 dorm beds in two dorms and four private rooms
Price
Dorm €20; double €65; breakfast €6; menu €15
Season
All year
Where
On the route at La Mesa, 2.7 miles past Berducedo
Meals
Bar-restaurant: breakfast €6, menu €15; washer and dryer; disposable sheets
Booking
Phone or email. Check-in 13:00 to 18:00; doors close at 23:00
Very hardMore than 3,100 ft of climbing by either route, and the Hospitales route spends hours on exposed ridges with no services, shelter or reliable water.
Guides' own ratings: Gronze: 4 (both routes); Eroski (Pola de Allande to La Mesa): alta
Underfoot. Mostly earth and stony tracks and paths over open moorland, with short stretches of road; the Pola de Allande route uses more of the AS-219 and AS-14, and the descent from the Puerto del Palo is steep and loose.
From Borres the path climbs for three-quarters of a mile to a marked milestone where the two routes part. The Hospitales route passes La Mortera, the last village for about 13 miles, and climbs onto the open ridges of the Sierra de Fonfaraón, staying mostly above 3,300 ft and peaking at about 4,000 ft, past the ruins of the Paradiella, Fonfaraón and Valparaíso hospitals, to reach the Puerto del Palo after 9.3 miles. The Pola de Allande route instead follows tracks beside the AS-219 through La Mortera and Porciles, with short steep drops and climbs across streams, then descends steeply into Pola de Allande (1,720 ft) at 6.9 miles. From Pola it climbs gently up the Nisón valley past Peñaseita and La Reigada, crossing the river twice on wooden footbridges, then steeply over the last stretch to the pass at 12.1 miles: about 2,040 ft of climbing from the town. From the Puerto del Palo both routes share a steep, rocky and poorly kept path down to the hamlet of Montefurado, crossing the AS-14 on the way. A climb over a gap with wide views follows, then a track down to the AS-14 and a parallel track into Lago. The last 2.2 miles leave Lago through pine forest, touch the AS-14 again and finish on a track into Berducedo (about 2,950 ft).
Route
Distance
Climbing
Hospitales route
15.0 miles
3,160 ft
Over the ridges past the ruined hospitals, mostly above 3,300 ft and peaking at about 4,000 ft. No village services for about 13 miles. Only in good weather, and not alone.
Pola de Allande route
17.8 miles
3,990 ft
Through Pola de Allande, with shops, bars and beds, then a climb of about 2,040 ft up the Nisón valley to the Puerto del Palo. The choice in fog, snow, a bad forecast or winter.
Good to know
Choose the Hospitales route only in settled weather: Gronze says to go by Pola de Allande in fog, snow or a bad forecast, and in winter.
In snow the waymarks on the ridges disappear, and Senditur rates the Hospitales route as suitable then only for walkers with winter mountain experience and gear.
In fog, follow the wooden marker posts, which Gronze says stand every few yards across the high ground; there are no exposed or vertiginous sections.
Gronze advises not to walk the Hospitales route alone and to carry warm, windproof layers even in summer.
Carry all your water and food over Hospitales: the only water is a private tap in Montefurado that is not always reachable and a fountain in Lago that is usually broken.
The food truck at the Puerto del Palo is the only food on the Hospitales route, and only from Holy Week to 31 October, 8:30 to 16:00 (Gronze, 2026).
On the Pola de Allande route, buy food in Pola; between La Mortera and the Alto de Lavadoira it takes up to three shortcuts off the AS-219 that drop steeply to cross streams, and in rain Gronze suggests staying on the road.
Take the shared descent from the Puerto del Palo to Montefurado slowly: Gronze calls it very steep, rocky and poorly maintained.
Cattle, guard mastiffs and wild horses graze the ridges; give cows with calves room, and don't drink from springs the animals use.
There is almost no shade on the ridges, so bring sun cream and a hat, and keep your phone charged for the GPS track.
Gronze says meeting a brown bear on the Hospitales route is possible but extremely unlikely; they avoid people.
Berducedo fills up with walkers from both routes: book the private albergue or a room ahead, or plan to stop in Pola de Allande or La Mesa.
Along the way
Start
Borres
Two albergues; no shop, and its only bar was closed in 2026
Mile 1.8
La Mortera
Small roadside bar-shop at the top of the village, open only some days; on both routes
Mile 2.8
Colinas de Arriba (Pola de Allande route)
Albergue Los Hospitales: dorm €19, or €22.50 with breakfast
Mile 4.0
Porciles (Pola de Allande route)
Bar at the village entrance, open daily 10:00 to 23:00; a bar-shop by the San Roque church just before
Mile 6.9
Pola de Allande (Pola de Allande route)
All services: shops, bars, restaurants and five places to stay
Mile 7.6
El Mazo (Pola de Allande route)
Bar
Mile 8.6
Peñaseita (Pola de Allande route)
Municipal albergue and bar Casa Viñas, down a signed turn to the right
Mile 9.3
Puerto del Palo
Food truck with coffee, drinks, sandwiches and fruit, daily 8:30 to 16:00, Holy Week to 31 October; 12.1 miles in by the Pola de Allande route
Mile 10.3
Montefurado
Drinking-water tap on a courtyard wall, not always accessible; no other services
Mile 12.7
Lago
Public fountain, usually broken
Mile 15.0
Berducedo
Two albergues, a casa rural, a holiday house, a bar-restaurant and a shop; 17.8 miles in by the Pola de Allande route
The high route over the Sierra de Fonfaraón is the older way to the Puerto del Palo. Senditur says it follows a Roman road built to reach the gold mines in these hills, later used by pilgrims. In the late Middle Ages small hospitals sheltered travellers on the crossing: Paradiella, cited in the 15th century; Fonfaraón, documented in the 13th and 14th centuries; Valparaíso, already standing in the 14th century; and La Freita, near the pass.
What is left of the hospitals
Very little. Paradiella is a few stones just above 3,300 ft, Fonfaraón a stone wall that cattle now use for shelter, and Valparaíso is almost hidden in scrub and trees. The historian Juan Uría Ríu recorded that one of the Fonfaraón buildings was still taking in travellers, in poor condition, in the early 20th century.
Pola de Allande
Between 1262 and 1268 Bishop Pedro of Oviedo allowed his tenants in the Nisón valley to found a 'pola', a new chartered town. It came to have up to three hospitals, and its trade drew pilgrims down off the ridge, adding nearly a league (about 3 miles) to the walk. The lordship later passed to the Quiñones family and then the Cienfuegos, who became counts of Marcel de Peñalba in 1646.
Palacio de Cienfuegos
The palace on the hill above Pola de Allande dates from the 15th century and was rebuilt around 1520 by Rodrigo González de Cienfuegos, lord of Allande. It has an L-shaped plan and three plain, solid towers, and was listed as a monument in 1994. Gronze describes it as abandoned and neglected (October 2026).
Puerto del Palo and the way down
At 3,760 ft the pass is the highest point of the main route and where the two routes rejoin. Below it, Montefurado had a pilgrim hospital and keeps a chapel of Santiago, and Antón Pombo notes charitable hostels at Montefurado, Lago and Berducedo for pilgrims coming off the pass. Berducedo's medieval hospital stood beside its 16th-century church of Santa María; nothing of it remains.
Look out for
Mile 0.7
The fork. A milestone three-quarters of a mile from Borres marks where the Hospitales and Pola de Allande routes divide.
Mile 4.1
Paradiella. The first hospital ruin, a few stones at about 3,300 ft; from here the Hospitales route is on open ridge. On a clear early morning Antón Pombo says the Picos de Europa are visible to the east.
Mile 5.4
Fonfaraón. The highest of the ruins, at about 3,940 ft: a stone wall marking the old hospital, now a cattle shelter.
Mile 6.4
Valparaíso. Ruins almost hidden by bushes and trees, and easy to walk past.
Mile 6.9
Pola de Allande (Pola de Allande route). The Palacio de Cienfuegos overlooks the town. Gronze recommends the local bean and sausage stew at La Nueva Allandesa, Restaurante El Casino or Hotel Lozano.
Mile 8.2
La Fana la Freita. Near the few stones left of the La Freita hospital, a huge cut in the mountain made by Roman gold miners, who brought hillsides down with channelled water.
Mile 9.3
Puerto del Palo. Where the two routes meet, with wind-farm buildings, a small stone shelter across the road and, in season, the food truck. The weather here is often harsh.
Mile 10.3
Montefurado. A hamlet with one resident and a chapel of Santiago; it once had a pilgrim hospital.
Mile 12.7
The yew at Lago. An old yew grows beside the parish church of Santa María.
Mile 15.0
Berducedo church. The church of Santa María, recently restored, is also guarded by a yew.
What couldn't be confirmed, and where sources disagree
Casa de Aldea Araceli: Gronze gives doubles from €55 on two of its pages and from €70 on a third. The house's own website gives no prices or season.
Albergue Camino Primitivo: Gronze gives check-in from 09:00, with the doors closing when the bar closes, and says a bank transfer is needed to book.
Pola de Allande: Hotel Lozano has no price on Gronze, and no Booking.com page was found. Its website, hotelozano.es, redirects to lozanolapola.wordpress.com, which gives [email protected] and +34 985 807 102. No website or email was found for Hotel La Nueva Allandesa. Albergue Polagrino is private and runs on donations; it isn't clear whether it is religious.
Peñaseita: Gronze gives +34 985 807 116 without saying whose number it is. The keys are at bar Casa Viñas. Whether it takes reservations isn't stated.
La Mesa: Gronze lists only Albergue Miguelín. Wise Pilgrim reviewers say the municipal albergue is closed, and one says it closed in March 2020; viajecaminodesantiago.com still lists it as open all year with 16 beds, which looks out of date. Albergue Miguelín's email address suggests a website at alberguemiguelin.com, but it wouldn't load, and no Booking.com page was found.
No services: La Mortera is on both routes, so on the Hospitales route there are no village services from La Mortera to Berducedo, about 13 miles. Pombo counts 14.3 miles, starting from Samblismo.
High point: Gronze gives none for the Hospitales route. The figure used here, 4,020 ft, is Senditur's; Pombo says the route stays between 3,280 and 4,100 ft.
Not confirmed: that a signed path climbs from Colinas de Arriba to the Hospitales route.
Eroski: none of its stages ends in Berducedo. It runs Tineo to Pola de Allande, then Pola de Allande to La Mesa, which it gives as 14.2 miles and rates difficult; Gronze gives Pola de Allande to La Mesa as 13.6 miles.
History: Senditur says Pola de Allande was founded about 1225. Spanish Wikipedia dates Bishop Pedro's charter to 1262 to 1268, and Pombo to 1262 to 1267; the later dates are used here. Only Pilgrimaps says Fonfaraón was a royal foundation under the patronage of the counts of Marcel de Peñalba. The 16th-century date of Berducedo's church, and the medieval hospital beside it, come only from Gronze's Berducedo page. Gronze calls the Palacio de Cienfuegos abandoned; Wikipedia mentions that its gallery was restored in 2008.
Confirmed October 2026. Each place to stay shows when its own details were confirmed. Phone numbers, prices and opening seasons change from year to year, so confirm them before you rely on them.