LIVE from the Camino A few notes on the forum Invierno guide

Glenshiro

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Apr 2, 2006
735
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Time of past OR future Camino
Le Puy - SdC, Podiensis, Frances, Invierno 2012-23
I thought I might just post a few updates on Laurie's excellent guide to the Invierno, gleaned from a short trip earlier this month. I got as far as A Rua before Covid intervened.

Loose dogs: I didn't encounter any of these between Ponferrada and A Rua. I heard the occasional barking dog, but seldom even saw them.

Santalla del Bierzo: the bar on the highway is now for sale, but looking semiderelict, with glass missing from at least one window.

Castillo de Cornatel: current opening hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 11 AM to 2 PM, then 4 PM to 8 PM. There is a telephone number, 606 89 8140.

Borrenes: I had lunch in the restaurant attached to the hotel Cornatel Medulas - not sure if it's the same place as Bar Casa Marisol, but the food was good. The landlady, initially a bit on the gruff side, mellowed quickly and took good care of me, including calling a taxi to my next destination.

La Peregrina, Carucedo. I had booked here as the hotel in Borrenes had no availability. I was aware that it was in a rural location, so was not greatly surprised when I arrived to find it locked and unattended, with a telephone number to ring for admission. Two telephone calls in Spanglish got me into the building and to a good room on the ground floor. It's a nice, modern hotel, and I have no complaints about my room (ceiling fan rather than air conditioning, but sufficient) However, I quickly discovered that there would be no staff there at all for the rest of the day and, in particular, no meal service. The person to whom I spoke on the phone suggested that I go to the supermarcado in the village, about a mile away in temperatures in the mid 30s, as there was nowhere open nearby serving meals on Monday evening. I ended up taking a rather expensive taxi to Las Medulas and an excellent meal in the hotel Medulio, whose manager gave me a lift back to the Peregrina. With hindsight, I should have stayed there. Later on, in A Rua, I met a Spanish peregrino who had had exactly the same experience, including staying in the same room.

Puente de Domingo Flórez: Bar el Cruce is closed on Tuesdays. I stayed the night at Hostal La Torre II, the two star hotel, at a rate of €55 for the night. Though slightly old-fashioned, the hotel is clean and comfortable. My original room was south facing and very hot and, without prompting, the manager appeared when I was having a drink in the bar and suggested I move to a cooler room, with a balcony. The staff are a friendly bunch, and I had a good evening meal there.

O Barco De Valdeorras: every bit as nice as advertised. I stayed at the Hotel Malecon, a modern air-conditioned building, without restaurant, in Rua des Pescadores, just off the Malecon. Good value at €52.50 a night. I had lunch and dinner at Casa Galaica, and confirm the food is excellent and good value, especially the menu del dia. Very friendly and helpful staff.

A Rúa de Valdeorras: had lunch at Mesón O Toño, Rúa Benito Fernández, which was good value and obviously very popular with locals.

The Invierno is a very interesting Camino, with some beautiful scenery. It is very quiet, pilgrim-wise: I only met one in the four days I was on it, a Spanish chap from Madrid. I hope to return next year to complete my journey to Santiago.
 
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peregrina2000

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Mar 6, 2006
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Champaign, Illinois, USA
Thanks for this. The Invierno guide is now an app as well and I will be sure to roll these notes into next week's update.
@wisepilgrim, I get confused about the apps and the websites, can you just confirm that what used to be the forum guide has been incorporated into the WisePilgrim Invierno App?

Whose first page looks like this?

3EAD1339-8063-4DD5-AA06-5E8B51A8CB0D.png
 
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wisepilgrim

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Aug 27, 2009
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Glenshiro

Veteran Member
Apr 2, 2006
735
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71
Kent, UK
Time of past OR future Camino
Le Puy - SdC, Podiensis, Frances, Invierno 2012-23
I forgot to mention that on this camino I received lots of "buen camino" wishes from the locals, still not blasé about the number of peregrinos as they surely are on the CF. It's a common greeting in France, but I hadn't heard it since I arrived at the Spanish border from Le Puy.
 
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3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc

Mycroft

Veteran Member
Jan 7, 2011
815
1,164
I thought I might just post a few updates on Laurie's excellent guide to the Invierno, gleaned from a short trip earlier this month. I got as far as A Rua before Covid intervened.

Loose dogs: I didn't encounter any of these between Ponferrada and A Rua. I heard the occasional barking dog, but seldom even saw them.

Santalla del Bierzo: the bar on the highway is now for sale, but looking semiderelict, with glass missing from at least one window.

Castillo de Cornatel: current opening hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 11 AM to 2 PM, then 4 PM to 8 PM. There is a telephone number, 606 89 8140.

Borrenes: I had lunch in the restaurant attached to the hotel Cornatel Medulas - not sure if it's the same place as Bar Casa Marisol, but the food was good. The landlady, initially a bit on the gruff side, mellowed quickly and took good care of me, including calling a taxi to my next destination.

La Peregrina, Carucedo. I had booked here as the hotel in Borrenes had no availability. I was aware that it was in a rural location, so was not greatly surprised when I arrived to find it locked and unattended, with a telephone number to ring for admission. Two telephone calls in Spanglish got me into the building and to a good room on the ground floor. It's a nice, modern hotel, and I have no complaints about my room (ceiling fan rather than air conditioning, but sufficient) However, I quickly discovered that there would be no staff there at all for the rest of the day and, in particular, no meal service. The person to whom I spoke on the phone suggested that I go to the supermarcado in the village, about a mile away in temperatures in the mid 30s, as there was nowhere open nearby serving meals on Monday evening. I ended up taking a rather expensive taxi to Las Medulas and an excellent meal in the hotel Medulio, whose manager gave me a lift back to the Peregrina. With hindsight, I should have stayed there. Later on, in A Rua, I met a Spanish peregrino who had had exactly the same experience, including staying in the same room.

Puente de Domingo Flórez: Bar el Cruce is closed on Tuesdays. I stayed the night at Hostal La Torre II, the two star hotel, at a rate of €55 for the night. Though slightly old-fashioned, the hotel is clean and comfortable. My original room was south facing and very hot and, without prompting, the manager appeared when I was having a drink in the bar and suggested I move to a cooler room, with a balcony. The staff are a friendly bunch, and I had a good evening meal there.

O Barco De Valdeorras: every bit as nice as advertised. I stayed at the Hotel Malecon, a modern air-conditioned building, without restaurant, in Rua des Pescadores, just off the Malecon. Good value at €52.50 a night. I had lunch and dinner at Casa Galaica, and confirm the food is excellent and good value, especially the menu del dia. Very friendly and helpful staff.

A Rúa de Valdeorras: had lunch at Mesón O Toño, Rúa Benito Fernández, which was good value and obviously very popular with locals.

The Invierno is a very interesting Camino, with some beautiful scenery. It is very quiet, pilgrim-wise: I only met one in the four days I was on it, a Spanish chap from Madrid. I hope to return next year to complete my journey to Santiago.
Always nice to get updates. Thanks for this!
 
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Bad Pilgrim

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Nov 17, 2015
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I just called hostal la Torre in Puente Domingo Florez. A room would be 42 euros; he said that this was the cheapest. (I presented myself as a pilgrim). I reserved a place at the albergue Rosa instead. It seems that the times where a room at la Torre would be 20-30 euros are gone?
 
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The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.

LenB

New Member
Dec 5, 2019
17
21
U.S.
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Frances (2022)
I thought I might just post a few updates on Laurie's excellent guide to the Invierno, gleaned from a short trip earlier this month. I got as far as A Rua before Covid intervened.

Loose dogs: I didn't encounter any of these between Ponferrada and A Rua. I heard the occasional barking dog, but seldom even saw them.

Santalla del Bierzo: the bar on the highway is now for sale, but looking semiderelict, with glass missing from at least one window.

Castillo de Cornatel: current opening hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 11 AM to 2 PM, then 4 PM to 8 PM. There is a telephone number, 606 89 8140.

Borrenes: I had lunch in the restaurant attached to the hotel Cornatel Medulas - not sure if it's the same place as Bar Casa Marisol, but the food was good. The landlady, initially a bit on the gruff side, mellowed quickly and took good care of me, including calling a taxi to my next destination.

La Peregrina, Carucedo. I had booked here as the hotel in Borrenes had no availability. I was aware that it was in a rural location, so was not greatly surprised when I arrived to find it locked and unattended, with a telephone number to ring for admission. Two telephone calls in Spanglish got me into the building and to a good room on the ground floor. It's a nice, modern hotel, and I have no complaints about my room (ceiling fan rather than air conditioning, but sufficient) However, I quickly discovered that there would be no staff there at all for the rest of the day and, in particular, no meal service. The person to whom I spoke on the phone suggested that I go to the supermarcado in the village, about a mile away in temperatures in the mid 30s, as there was nowhere open nearby serving meals on Monday evening. I ended up taking a rather expensive taxi to Las Medulas and an excellent meal in the hotel Medulio, whose manager gave me a lift back to the Peregrina. With hindsight, I should have stayed there. Later on, in A Rua, I met a Spanish peregrino who had had exactly the same experience, including staying in the same room.

Puente de Domingo Flórez: Bar el Cruce is closed on Tuesdays. I stayed the night at Hostal La Torre II, the two star hotel, at a rate of €55 for the night. Though slightly old-fashioned, the hotel is clean and comfortable. My original room was south facing and very hot and, without prompting, the manager appeared when I was having a drink in the bar and suggested I move to a cooler room, with a balcony. The staff are a friendly bunch, and I had a good evening meal there.

O Barco De Valdeorras: every bit as nice as advertised. I stayed at the Hotel Malecon, a modern air-conditioned building, without restaurant, in Rua des Pescadores, just off the Malecon. Good value at €52.50 a night. I had lunch and dinner at Casa Galaica, and confirm the food is excellent and good value, especially the menu del dia. Very friendly and helpful staff.

A Rúa de Valdeorras: had lunch at Mesón O Toño, Rúa Benito Fernández, which was good value and obviously very popular with locals.

The Invierno is a very interesting Camino, with some beautiful scenery. It is very quiet, pilgrim-wise: I only met one in the four days I was on it, a Spanish chap from Madrid. I hope to return next year to complete my journey to Santiago.
Thanks for the best info. What was the weather like in June?
 

Glenshiro

Veteran Member
Apr 2, 2006
735
1,832
71
Kent, UK
Time of past OR future Camino
Le Puy - SdC, Podiensis, Frances, Invierno 2012-23
Last summer was exceptionally hot for the whole of Europe and on my last day on the Invierno it hit 40° which, as you will see from this graph, is 14° higher than the usual maximum for June.

I had to give up at that stage because I had contracted Covid, but I don't think I could have carried on much longer, anyway. I'm Scottish and my natural skin colour is pale blue. I'm not really comfortable in temperatures above 30°. Some years ago I walked three consecutive 20 mile days in temperatures in the mid 30s. It nearly killed me!

I really enjoyed what I saw of the Invierno. The scenery is beautiful, the small towns are very friendly, but it's a complete contrast from the Frances In terms of numbers. Usually, I was the only pelegrino in my accommodation and I don't actually recall seeing any other walkers. It is supposedly becoming more popular, but it is a very long way from the crowds on the CF.

I intend to return next year to take up where I left off.

Buen Camino!
 

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