The Camino Olvidado
in Cantabria
The Olvidado in Viscaya
The Olvidado in Burgos
▶ The Olvidado in Cantabria
The Olvidado in Palencia
The Olvidado in León
Accommodation Directory
Bimon is a tiny hamlet on the southern edge of the Embalse del Ebro. No services. The camino follows the reservoir shore through this area — a quiet stretch with water views that can feel slightly melancholy, as they do at most Spanish reservoirs built over drowned villages.
Llano is a tiny settlement in the Las Rozas de Valdearroyo area near the Ebro Reservoir. No services. The camino follows the reservoir's edge through this quiet stretch.
Villanueva de las Rozas is a small village along the Ebro Reservoir, notable for the partially submerged church tower visible from the road — a haunting reminder of what lies beneath the water. A walkway leads out toward the tower. No services.
Las Rozas de Valdearroyo is a small village on the Ebro Reservoir. No services. The reservoir walk continues through this area.
Arroyo de Valdearroyo is a tiny hamlet at the southern end of the Ebro Reservoir area. No services. The camino is approaching Villafria and the transition to off-road walking.
Villafria marks the end of the reservoir road walking. From here, the route is mostly off-road. No services in the village itself.
After Villafria, the walking improves significantly. Two highlights on the way to Olea: first, the Roman ruins of Juliobriga with a museum — the church bell tower overlooking the ruins is worth climbing. Then, after a 200 m ascent through beech forest to the Pena Cutral, a descent to the Romanesque church of San Pedro de Cervatos, with its famous erotic capitals and corbels whose purpose is still debated by art historians.
Retortillo is the site of Juliobriga, a Roman city founded in the 1st century BC during the Cantabrian Wars. The archaeological site and museum are right on the camino. You can walk freely around the ruins, and the adjacent church's bell tower offers views over the excavations. The museum provides context on daily life in this northern Roman outpost.
Cervatos is home to the Romanesque church of San Pedro, one of the artistic highlights of the entire Olvidado. A significant number of the capitals and corbels feature erotic carvings — their purpose is debated by art historians, but they're unlike anything you'll see on other caminos. The church sits in a beautiful setting after the descent from the Pena Cutral through beech forest.
No services in the village.
Many pilgrims stay at Casa Miguel in Olea — a vacation complex with well-equipped apartments at pilgrim-friendly prices. The owners are generous and sociable; expect an invitation to join them for tapas and drinks. They're also happy to pick pilgrims up from wherever they are — just call ahead.
No other notable services in the village.
The walking to Aguilar de Campoo is a good day — very pretty countryside and villages, mostly off-road. Keep an eye on the GPS track, as there used to be several alternative routes passing different ancient sites — Roman road, medieval bridge, Romanesque church, and menhirs. The current markings go through Reinosilla and then Casasola.
To shorten the day, you could stop in Nestar, which has an outdoor exhibit on the Roman Road, a milario, and an ancient bridge.
Casasola is a small village on the route between Olea and Aguilar de Campoo. No services. The camino passes through orchards and fields on the approach to Aguilar.
Las Quintanillas is a small village between Olea and Aguilar de Campoo. No services. Pleasant countryside walking.
La Quintana is a tiny hamlet between Olea and Nestar. No services. The camino continues through the gentle rolling landscape of southern Cantabria.
Las Henestrosas de las Quintanillas is a small hamlet near the Cantabria-Palencia border. No services. The camino is approaching Nestar and the transition into the province of Palencia.
Bercedo (not to be confused with the Bercedo near Espinosa) is a small hamlet between Las Henestrosas and Nestar. No services. The camino passes through on the approach to the Palencia border.
Cuena is a small village near Nestar on the Cantabria-Palencia border. No services. The landscape is transitioning from the green Cantabrian valleys to the drier Castilian terrain.