Start Invierno next week?

[Colette Z]

it’s Day 61, started in Le Puy early Sept, did lots of variants so have over 1300 km, heading into Leon today and finding the CF too busy given mostly only municipals open and lots of young pilgrim groups. Thinking of switching in Ponferrada to the Invierno around Nov 14th. Anyone out there walking it soon and anyone with suggestions ? I use gronze for accommodation info and know most albergues closed. Thanks

 

[J Willhaus]

Are you checking the winter website that went live this week? May be some alternatives until you get to Ponferrada.

Pagina nueva 1

 

[Colette Z]

Thanks I’ll check it out but I’m looking for the Camino Invierno route. It’s more info regarding the actual topography, distances are 25-30km. I’ve already walked in hurricane winds and rain this past week and there’s snow on the Salvador. mountains by Leon which I can see as I walk. I’m not a risk taker, caminos are to enjoy not risk one’s life.

 

[Robo]

I walked it in May, with daily stages of about 20 kms.
Lots of nice hills to keep you warm in Winter.
The Gronze stage profiles give you a really good perspective.
There will be a couple of stages where you are up on the hilltops, quite exposed.

Though if you have looked at Gronze already and the Albergues are closed, what's the plan?

 

[Colette Z]

I walked it in May, with daily stages of about 20 kms.
Lots of nice hills to keep you warm in Winter.
The Gronze stage profiles give you a really good perspective.

Though if you have looked at Gronze already and the Albergues are closed, what's the plan?

No there are albergues open at most stages, hotel accommodation might be needed when not. Thanks I just discovered I have the WisePilgrim App and do use Gronze as my main source of info.

 

[Robo]

No there are albergues open at most stages, hotel accommodation might be needed when not. Thanks I just discovered I have the WisePilgrim App and do use Gronze as my main source of info.

For some ideas, this is where I stayed. (if they are open)
Some locations only had one option.

1. Villavieja 16 (Municipal Albergue) - Amazing!! Very well equipped, but take own food
2. Las Medulas 12 (Hotel Medulo)
3. Sobradelo 19 (Bar Mar)
4. A Rua 20 (Hostal Niza) Great host! Nice rooms.
5. Solden 19 (appartment) Bit expensive for one but breaks up the stage.
6. A Labrada 22 (Pension Pacita) Great
7. Monforte 20 (Hotel Cardinal)
8. Vilarino 19 (Casa Rural Torre Vilarino) Really Great
9. Penasillas 22 (Hotel Vilaseco - 2kms before village) Very good
10. Rodeiro 17 (Hostal Carpanteiras) Very good Albergue + rooms above bar with nice meals
11. lalin 22 (Hotel Pontinas)
12. Bandeira 22 (Victorino Hotel)
13. Lestado 20 (Rural Hotel Casa de Casal) Amazing. But likely not open in Winter
14. Santiago 14

 

[Flog]

I'm not usually one for recommending places, as we all have different experiences.. but I would go out of my way to stay again in this wonderful little family run donativo. It means a 35km day out of Ponferrada, but coming from Le Puy, I expect you might have the stamina for it?

Albergue Casa Rosa | Albergue de Peregrinos en Puente de Domingo Flórez | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Albergue Casa Rosa, en Puente de Domingo Flórez: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

 

[Robo]

I'm not usually one for recommending places, as we all have different experiences.. but I would go out of my way to stay again in this wonderful little family run donativo. It means a 35km day out of Ponferrada, but coming from Le Puy, I expect you might have the stamina for it?

Albergue Casa Rosa | Albergue de Peregrinos en Puente de Domingo Flórez | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Albergue Casa Rosa, en Puente de Domingo Flórez: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

Or two shorter days
Nice little town. I stopped there for breakfast having stayed at Las Medulas the night before.

 

[Colette Z]

For some ideas, this is where I stayed. (if they are open)
Some locations only had one option.

1. Villavieja 16 (Municipal Albergue) - Amazing!! Very well equipped, but take own food
2. Las Medulas 12 (Hotel Medulo)
3. Sobradelo 19 (Bar Mar)
4. A Rua 20 (Hostal Niza) Great host! Nice rooms.
5. Solden 19 (appartment) Bit expensive for one but breaks up the stage.
6. A Labrada 22 (Pension Pacita) Great
7. Monforte 20 (Hotel Cardinal)
8. Vilarino 19 (Casa Rural Torre Vilarino) Really Great
9. Penasillas 22 (Hotel Vilaseco - 2kms before village) Very good
10. Rodeiro 17 (Hostal Carpanteiras) Very good Albergue + rooms above bar with nice meals
11. lalin 22 (Hotel Pontinas)
12. Bandeira 22 (Victorino Hotel)
13. Lestado 20 (Rural Hotel Casa de Casal) Amazing. But likely not open in Winter
14. Santiago 14

Thank you !!!!!

 

[AnneMarie1]

Walked it in June, after starting from Somport and taking the Invierno after Ponferrada. I thought the Gronze stages were too long, so I broke it up a lot. Do stay at the albergue in Villavieja (you need to contact them ahead of time to get the door code -- it's not staffed), even though that's not the end of that Gronze stage. It's wonderful! I stayed mostly in hostales/pensiones because I was worried about Covid risk. It's best to have a reservation, since they won't always be open or have anyone there if they don't have any, but there are options that are very expensive. The Invierno doesn't have the infrastructure of the main drag Camino, so you need to be more intentional about carrying food and water. Gronze will sometimes say there's a bar or restaurant or food market in a town, and they're not WRONG, but there's only one, and it may or may not be open. (And that was June.) I am very glad I did both that and the Aragonese route because the quieter stretches were a good mix with the more populous main drag.

 

[jimmyc]

For some ideas, this is where I stayed. (if they are open)
Some locations only had one option.

1. Villavieja 16 (Municipal Albergue) - Amazing!! Very well equipped, but take own food
2. Las Medulas 12 (Hotel Medulo)
3. Sobradelo 19 (Bar Mar)
4. A Rua 20 (Hostal Niza) Great host! Nice rooms.
5. Solden 19 (appartment) Bit expensive for one but breaks up the stage.
6. A Labrada 22 (Pension Pacita) Great
7. Monforte 20 (Hotel Cardinal)
8. Vilarino 19 (Casa Rural Torre Vilarino) Really Great
9. Penasillas 22 (Hotel Vilaseco - 2kms before village) Very good
10. Rodeiro 17 (Hostal Carpanteiras) Very good Albergue + rooms above bar with nice meals
11. lalin 22 (Hotel Pontinas)
12. Bandeira 22 (Victorino Hotel)
13. Lestado 20 (Rural Hotel Casa de Casal) Amazing. But likely not open in Winter
14. Santiago 14

Thanks for that Robo. I am planning the Invierno next year and the distances you have listed are about the most I could consider.

 

[Robo]

Thanks for that Robo. I am planning the Invierno next year and the distances you have listed are about the most I could consider.

On the flat I am comfortable doing up to 25-28 kms or so.
But there are lots of Hills on the Invierno, so this worked out well for me.
No really 'hard' days at all.

 

[jimmyc]

On the flat I am comfortable doing up to 25-28 kms or so.
But there are lots of Hills on the Invierno, so this worked out well for me.
No really 'hard' days at all.

Robo,I think you may have the advantage of age over me. I will be 84 when I walk this camino.

 

[LTfit]

Two fellow Olvidado walkers who I had contact with via the Spanish Olvidado Facebook page finished the Invierno a few weeks ago and last week. The former had descent weather and the later had rain everyday. Who knows how it will be next month. I can imagine that it will be very quiet now, it sure was in July. Only when it meets up with the Sanabrés does it get a bit busier. Most days I saw no one else.

I tend to walk longer stages but if interested look at my thread which I posted in July. Due to the lack of albergues I did need to stay in a few private pensiones and hostales.

 

[Irina Canada]

For some ideas, this is where I stayed. (if they are open)
Some locations only had one option.

1. Villavieja 16 (Municipal Albergue) - Amazing!! Very well equipped, but take own food
2. Las Medulas 12 (Hotel Medulo)
3. Sobradelo 19 (Bar Mar)
4. A Rua 20 (Hostal Niza) Great host! Nice rooms.
5. Solden 19 (appartment) Bit expensive for one but breaks up the stage.
6. A Labrada 22 (Pension Pacita) Great
7. Monforte 20 (Hotel Cardinal)
8. Vilarino 19 (Casa Rural Torre Vilarino) Really Great
9. Penasillas 22 (Hotel Vilaseco - 2kms before village) Very good
10. Rodeiro 17 (Hostal Carpanteiras) Very good Albergue + rooms above bar with nice meals
11. lalin 22 (Hotel Pontinas)
12. Bandeira 22 (Victorino Hotel)
13. Lestado 20 (Rural Hotel Casa de Casal) Amazing. But likely not open in Winter
14. Santiago 14

Hi Robo, do you know is there a backpack transport service on Camino Invierno? Thanks.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Robo, do you know is there a backpack transport service on Camino Invierno? Thanks.

See this post. @El Cascayal recommends Manuel of Bar Mar.

Here is some more info she posted on another thread.

Manuel Mar of Bar Mar in Sobradelo does bag transport +34 988 335 106 WhatsApp +34 639 241 939 Casamar988@gmail.com. PS: he is prompt, reliable and best prices.

Correos Paq mochila is also available on the on the Camino de Invierno on request at paqmochila@correos.com.

Taxi Angel mochilas WhatsApp +34 629 035774

 

[Colette Z]

I’ve called all the municipales and had a wonderful welcoming response from all and reserved albergues already where no municipal exist. I’ll do it in 13 days. I’m sooooo looking forward as I sit in my bottom () bunk bed in Foncebaden La Cruz de Fierro Albergue that is packed with pilgrims tonight.

 

[Colette Z]

Or two shorter days
Nice little town. I stopped there for breakfast having stayed at Las Medulas the night before.

Booked after a nice chat with the Mr. Of Casa Rosa. So welcoming.

 

[Colette Z]

Walked it in June, after starting from Somport and taking the Invierno after Ponferrada. I thought the Gronze stages were too long, so I broke it up a lot. Do stay at the albergue in Villavieja (you need to contact them ahead of time to get the door code -- it's not staffed), even though that's not the end of that Gronze stage. It's wonderful! I stayed mostly in hostales/pensiones because I was worried about Covid risk. It's best to have a reservation, since they won't always be open or have anyone there if they don't have any, but there are options that are very expensive. The Invierno doesn't have the infrastructure of the main drag Camino, so you need to be more intentional about carrying food and water. Gronze will sometimes say there's a bar or restaurant or food market in a town, and they're not WRONG, but there's only one, and it may or may not be open. (And that was June.) I am very glad I did both that and the Aragonese route because the quieter stretches were a good mix with the more populous main drag.

Thanks I’ve worked out the entire route in 13 stages and have contacted municipales or booked albergues/hostales for each night. I’m really happy as when I phoned everyone was so nice and welcoming.

 

[Irina Canada]

See this post. @El Cascayal recommends Manuel of Bar Mar.

Here is some more info she posted on another thread.

Manuel Mar of Bar Mar in Sobradelo does bag transport +34 988 335 106 WhatsApp +34 639 241 939 Casamar988@gmail.com. PS: he is prompt, reliable and best prices.

Correos Paq mochila is also available on the on the Camino de Invierno on request at paqmochila@correos.com.

Taxi Angel mochilas WhatsApp +34 629 035774

Thank you!

 

[AlanSykes]

Thinking of switching in Ponferrada to the Invierno around Nov 14th

Think you'll be a day ahead of me, currently expecting to hit Ponferrada on the 15th, or possibly 16th. Not sure whether to take the Invierno again or perhaps give the Künig (Villafranca del Bierzo-Lugo) a try.

Vilarino 19 (Casa Rural Torre Vilarino) Really Great

When I last did the Invierno, in 2018, I had hoped to stay there but it was closed for the whole of November. So I had to walk on to the Hotel O Ruso in Escairon. Very comfortable, not (as far as I can remember) expensive, warm and in a pleasant friendly town.

 

[MARSKA]

Thanks all for the informative thread. I would love to walk this Camino sometime soon!

 

[MARSKA]

Are you checking the winter website that went live this week? May be some alternatives until you get to Ponferrada.

Pagina nueva 1

Great reference! Thanks!

 

[peregrina2000]

When I last did the Invierno, in 2018, I had hoped to stay there but it was closed for the whole of November.

Yes, I remember that from a few years ago. I think they close every year for the month of November and then reopen for the December holidays.

 

[grayland]

Thanks I’ve worked out the entire route in 13 stages and have contacted municipales or booked albergues/hostales for each night. I’m really happy as when I phoned everyone was so nice and welcoming.

I know it is a bit of a pain if you are on your phone....but if possible can you share your planning? Your routing should be the very latest and most likely to still be current.
I just decided (maybe) to walk the route in early April. I had to abort because of Covid earlier and would like to complete it...actually aborted the Madrid with the Invierno planned right behind it.

 

[Colette Z]

I know it is a bit of a pain if you are on your phone....but if possible can you share your planning? Your routing should be the very latest and most likely to still be current.
I just decided (maybe) to walk the route in early April. I had to abort because of Covid earlier and would like to complete it...actually aborted the Madrid with the Invierno planned right behind it.

I am tracking daily my route on Strava which I can share after I get home Dec 2. It’ll be enough time for you to plan . But the markings are totally reliable and match mostly WisePilgrim gps (WisePilgrim needs updating for this route) contact me thru private conversation here