7: La Mesa - Grandas de Salime
There are only 16,5 km from La Mesa to Grandas de Salime. Even though the orography is hard, the pilgrim can get his strength back to undertake the last Asturian stage next day and face the hard beginning of the Galician section.
After passing La Mesa (with a church from the late 17th century dedicated to St Maria Magdalene), in Buspol, where there was a hospital for pilgrims, we start to go down towards Grandas, crossing over the waterfall built in 1954 that buried the old Salime. The landscapes are amazing. In Grandas, there is a boat for crossing the waters of the Navia River.
Grandas de Salime is thought to be born in the 12th century following an endowment made by a donation of King Fernando II, being formed throughout the Way. In 1222, the privilege of King Alfonso IX also included this village as a passage for pilgrims to Compostela.
The parish church, dating form the 18th century and finished with the Porch in the 19th century, preserves the old Romanesque front incorporated to the present building as well as Gothic and Baroque remains. It was a collegiate dependent on San Salvador de Oviedo until the end of the 16th century.
In the old abbey there is a very interesting ethnographic museum.