Road of the Blendios
Walks along the Calzada de los Blendios, a historic route that connects the Meseta (Herrera de Pisuerga) to the Cantabrian coast (Suances), crossing ancient Roman and medieval roads.
Organize your Road of the BlendiosGeneral Description of Road of the Blendios
Connections of Road of the Blendios
The French Way
Distance:
779 km
Days:
33
Difficulty:
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The Camino Francés is the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela of excellence, chosen by thousands of pilgrims every year. With a journey of approximately 780 km from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port or less from Roncesvalles, it traverses northern Spain. This path, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, offers exceptional infrastructure for services and hostels.
Pilgrims traverse Navarra, La Rioja, Castile and León, and finally Galicia, marveling at monumental cities such as Pamplona, Burgos, and León, and charming villages. The diversity of its landscapes is one of its greatest attractions, from the Pyrenees and the Castilian plains to the green forests of Galicia. It's a physical and spiritual journey that leaves an indelible mark, ideal for both experienced pilgrims and those starting out on the Camino de Santiago.
Stages of this variant:
Stage 1: St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles
Stage 2: Roncesvalles to Zubiri
Stage 3: Zubiri is going to Pamplona.
Stage 4: Pamplona to Pontevedra
Stage 5: Bridge of Queen to Estella
Stages of Road of the Blendios
Etapa 1: Herrera de Pisuerga to Santa María de Mave
Description:
Stage description not available.
Origen: Herrera de Pisuerga
Destino: Santa María de Mave
Etapa 2: Santa María de Mave to Aguilar de Campoo
Description:
This is a short and gentle phase that enters the heart of the Palatine Mountains. It's an enjoyable walk that connects two of the region's major Romanesque landmarks. The path runs through a river val...
Origen: Santa María de Mave
Destino: Aguilar de Campoo
Etapa 3: Aguilar de Campoo to Reinosa
Description:
This stage marks the passage from Palentine Mountain to Cantabria. It is a mountainous journey, long and demanding, that ascends progressively until exceeding 1,000 meters of altitude. The path traver...
Origen: Aguilar de Campoo
Destino: Reinosa
Etapa 4: Reinosa to Bárcena de Pie de Concha
Description:
This stage is a long and spectacular descent from the Cantabrian Mountains to the low valleys. The road follows for the most part the course of the River Besaya, passing through a landscape of great b...
Origen: Reinosa
Destino: Bárcena de Pie de Concha
Etapa 5: Bárcena de Pie de Concha to Los Corrales de Buelna
Description:
This stage continues the descent down the Besaya River valley. The landscape is becoming less mountainous and more populated and industrial as it approaches the coast. It's a transitional day, combini...
Origen: Bárcena de Pie de Concha
Destino: Los Corrales de Buelna
Etapa 6: Los Corrales de Buelna to Suances
Description:
The last stage of the Calzada de los Blendios leads the pilgrim to the Cantabrian Sea. The route is a pleasant walk that gently descends into the Besaya valley, leaving behind industrial landscapes to...
Origen: Los Corrales de Buelna
Destino: Suances
Featured Towns of Road of the Blendios
Explore the key towns and cities of this route.
Herrera de Pisuerga
Palentine Villa in the Vega of the River Pisuerga and stage of the Calzada de los Blendios. Its Roman past and its natural surroundings make it a place of great interest.
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Santa María de Mave
Romanic Palentine Sanctuary. Santa Maria de Mave, with its impressive monastery, is an indispensable cultural stop in the Palentine Mountains, a haven of peace and art.
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Aguilar de Campoo
Capital of Romanesque Palentine and the best galician village in excellence. Aguilar de Campoo is a monumental stop and sweet on the Forgotten Way, at the feet of the Palantine Mountain.
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Reinosa
Reinosa, capital of the Campoo region and a stage on the Way of St James, offers the pilgrim a mountain landscape and an important communication hub.
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Bárcena de Pie de Concha
Barcena de Pie de Concha is a local in Cantabria with a deep history. It is a stopping point on the ancient Roman road of the Valley of Besaya, in a peaceful natural setting.
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Los Corrales de Buelna
Industrial and service center in Cantabria, near the Camino del Norte. Famous for its War of the Cantabrian Lords festival, it offers the traveler a functional rest and a glimpse into ancient history.
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Suances
A maritime villa on the central coast of Cantabria, with famous beaches like La Concha and Los Locos. A refreshing detour for pilgrims of the North Way who seek the sea.
More InformationMillenary History of the Camino de Santiago: Origins and Evolution Road of the Blendios
Discover the origins and evolution of Road of the Blendios
The origin of this itinerary is eminently military and administrative. Following the Cantabrian Wars (29-19 BC), the Roman Empire needed to control the recently conquered territory and exploit its resources. To achieve this, it built a road that connected the important camp of Legio IV Macedonica in Pisoraca (the current Herrera de Pisuerga, in Palencia) with the Portus Blendium, a port near the current Suances, in Cantabria. This route allowed for quick troop movement to an already conflictive zone and the export of products, such as grain from the tableland, to the sea.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, the road did not lose its utility. During the High Middle Ages, in the context of the Reconquista, this route became a vital corridor that connected the emerging Kingdom of Castile with the coast, an area of great strategic importance and with numerous monasteries. The path facilitated the movement of people, goods, and ideas, and travelers including soldiers, merchants, monks, and pilgrims.
In the context of the Jacobean pilgrimages, the Way of the Blendios functioned as a major connecting route, a transverse route that united the two great axes of pilgrimage in the north. On one side, pilgrims who followed the Coastal Route (or Northern Route) could take this road south to link with the French Route at points such as Carrión de los Condes or Sahagún, perhaps to visit their important monasteries or simply to vary their route. On the other hand, pilgrims already in the French Route could deviate northward along this same path to visit coastal sanctuaries or embark on other destinations.
The route is marked by a rich historical and artistic heritage. Starting from Herrera de Pisuerga, the road enters the Palentina Mountains, an area that is an authentic treasure of Romanesque art. A fundamental milestone is the Monastery of Santa María de Mave, a magnificent example of the architecture of the time that undoubtedly offered refuge to medieval travelers. The route continues its ascent through the Cantabrian valleys, a beautiful natural stretch, before finally descending to the sea.
The modern revival of the Way of the Blendios as a hiking and pilgrimage route is an effort to highlight this extraordinary historical legacy. Although it is not a Santiago de Compostela route in the strict sense, its route was undoubtedly used by medieval pilgrims and offers the contemporary traveler an unique experience: the opportunity to walk through a culturally shaped landscape that has been molded over centuries, following the footsteps of ancient Cantabrians, Roman legionaries, medieval monks, and all those who traversed this ancient path that unites land and sea.