Questions about Alto de Faro and leaving Soldón

[peregrina2000]

A few things for the 2018 revisions.

I know the amigos have provided a route to avoid the ascent (not all but some). I have not heard from any pilgrims who have taken that detour, but I have heard from a few who say the ascent is not bad, take it, go for the views, and even if it's bad weather, take it anyway because the alternative is all road walking.

Do other Invierno vets agree with that assessment? The ascent is virtually all on logging roads, as I remember.

Second question -- How about getting back on camino from Alto de Faro? I have posted two options. The first, just go back to the stations of the cross, go down the steps and you'll be back where you turned off. The second, go to the crucifix/cruceiro, where a mojón will take you to the right and past the picnic area where you rejoin the camino.

Are both of those options still easy to follow? Am I right in remembering that the crucifix is easy to see from the ermita so no directions needed on how to get to the crucifix?

Thanks everyone, I am appreciating the help, though I am kind of sorry that we havent gotten into any big google map disagreements yet. Those were such fun last year. But there is no way we need to tinker with the "leaving Lalín" part of the guide, at least no pilgri has reported a problem with it this year.

 

[MikeJS]

Would love to offer an answer but cannot find Alto De faro on my blog or on google maps! Where is it?

 

[peregrina2000]

Would love to offer an answer but cannot find Alto De faro on my blog or on google maps! Where is it?

Thanks, Mike,
Alto de Faro is the climb after Chantada and before the windmill farm that you walk in a ways before Rodeiro. There is a small town, Penasillás, right before the ascent begins on a logging road. At the top, if you know that you want to visit the actual high spot, you have to take a detour (a very short detour) off the camino. You go up on grassy steps past crosses, the stations of the cross, and very shortly you are in a big wide open field with an ermita. Here are some pictures: https://www.galiciamaxica.eu/galicia/lugo/montefaro-2/

And I answered my own question when I went to look for some pictures for you, because some of them show very clearly that the cruceiro is well within sight of the ermita.

I suppose it's possible that if you didn't know it was coming, that you didn't take that detour up on the grassy steps on the left as you get close to the top.

 

[peregrina2000]

Would love to offer an answer but cannot find Alto De faro on my blog or on google maps! Where is it?

Hi, Mike, well since you offered to help, how about the paragraphs I insert below. I think they may be confusing. They have to do with leaving Soldón, which is that little town on the river after Montefurado and Bendilló. It has a little summer refreshment place, called a chiringuito, under the elevated highway right at the river crossing. Anyway, here is what the guide says.

Cross the bridge over the river, then turn left and keep straight.

At the next fork go right and up to the highway (going left will take you down to the river and the RR tracks). This road takes you to the N-120, where you will walk on the left grassy shoulder for a while.

So far so good, here is what I think is confusing.

A marker takes you off towards Sequeiros to the left. At the next fork, stay up and right (do not go left and down to the river unless you want to see the center of the little town, which is mainly deserted with a few fixer uppers. Soon after the first house you pass as you enter the outskirts of Sequeiros, you will go right, under the N-120 in a tunnel. (You will miss this turn if you have gone down to the river and wlked through town, so backtracking may be needed). Go up on a dirt road, and at the fork, turn right and go past a little brick shed in a vineyard.

At the end of the vineyards.....from here I think it's smooth sailing into Quiroga.

So my question for anyone who used the guide or who has a brilliant memory. Do you remember whether these directions are consistent with what you walked? Do people think they are clear enough to understand? Many thanks, Laurie

 

[MikeJS]

With ref to Alto de Faro - I walked to the stations of the cross and could see the ermita and as I always want to go to the top I walked up to it. Easy route as you can see the way and the return to the camino was obvious as well.
For the other questions I have no idea, my blog is not that detailed which simply states "Lovely simple walk today with very clear route markings. There are a couple of alternative routes shown on the way (photos attached) that I didn't take as I was not sure where they would take me! Also the route to Soldon now seems to take a slightly different route (photo of Camino Invierno sign) where instead of following the road it goes off right and heads up a steep hill and then joins a minor road. I walked it but couldn't see any significant gain. Route was very well marked all the way until the centre of Caspedro where a junction where you turn right is not marked and in fact I saw no more directions until I reached the river at Quiroga. For those desperate there is a bar just before you cross the river into Quiroga! Still no other peregrinos (I'm told there are 4 a day ahead) and no dog problems. Off to Monforte de Lemos tomorrow. “. Sorry. I just follow the arrows as I don’t want to read long descriptions and keep a gps track juts in case!

 

[peregrina2000]

Yes, I also distinctly remember going up a steep hill on the right side of the road. But wait -- you remember a steep hill BEFORE Soldón, and my memory is that it is AFTER Soldón, that you cross the river and ascend to the highway and then go up on a sort of steep path on the side of the road while the road stays low.

Now I'm really not sure what to do.

When @Charrito or Kinky get back on, they may have some more info.

p.s., Mike, I scrolled quickly through some of your Invierno posts and couldn't find a link to your blog. Is it available for viewing on the chance that it has more gems for the 2018 guide?

 

[Ribeirasacra]

....... it is called Monte Faro Map
I am not promising any thing but it I get a chance and the weather is ok maybe we can have a look.
What is your dead-line for this?

 

[peregrina2000]

....... it is called Monte Faro Map
I am not promising any thing but it I get a chance and the weather is ok maybe we can have a look.
What is your dead-line for this?

That's awfully nice of you, Ribeirasacra, but MikeJS says it is very well marked. That must be true, because I didn't have any trouble in 2016 and unfortunately didn't think to check out the guide because of the arrows. I do the same thing as Mike -- look at the guide when I have a problem. Unfortunately that is not a very good technique for someone who is working on revising the guide. I will try google walking in and out of Soldón and see what I can see.

And I will change all references from Alto de Faro to Monte Faro, thanks for that tip!

Have you had any Invierno pilgrims in the last year in your Casa Rural?

 

[Ribeirasacra]

Yer a few pilgrims. Someone called the other night wanting a taxi. We were closed as I was doing maintenance and heating the whole house just in case is not worth it. Reservations only!!! Somehow they had taken the wrong route from Diamondi.

 

[MikeJS]

Yes, I also distinctly remember going up a steep hill on the right side of the road. But wait -- you remember a steep hill BEFORE Soldón, and my memory is that it is AFTER Soldón, that you cross the river and ascend to the highway and then go up on a sort of steep path on the side of the road while the road stays low.

Now I'm really not sure what to do.

When @Charrito or Kinky get back on, they may have some more info.

p.s., Mike, I scrolled quickly through some of your Invierno posts and couldn't find a link to your blog. Is it available for viewing on the chance that it has more gems for the 2018 guide?

All my blog stuff is also on this forum! See - https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/walking-the-invierno-from-about-17-may-17.48083/

 

[MJB]

A few things for the 2018 revisions.

I know the amigos have provided a route to avoid the ascent (not all but some). I have not heard from any pilgrims who have taken that detour, but I have heard from a few who say the ascent is not bad, take it, go for the views, and even if it's bad weather, take it anyway because the alternative is all road walking.

Do other Invierno vets agree with that assessment? The ascent is virtually all on logging roads, as I remember.

I took it on a wet day in April 2016. The ascent is moderate, the scenery is agreeable, there are some good views, and the whole route is on relatively dry roads, mostly paved.

Here is what I wrote then:

Chantada-Rodeiro

There are a series of beautiful horreos as you leave Centulle.

Unfortunately, in April the “service road” after Centulle has several long stretches of pure mud pit and flooded roadway. The carretera is a real closed access road, 5-15 meters below the camino and beyond a fence, so it’s not really an alternative. Hopping onto fences and waterlogged fields was not much better. (I got hooked on barbed wire for the first time since my first Camino in 2004.) 50 or so cows on the road and more rain compounded the problems.

At Penasillás, I changed shoes and detoured by the alternative route laid out in the Valdeorras Amigos guidebook. Pretty, quiet, dry. Good views, although it sounds like not as good as on the direct climb. This route rises to about 775 m, descends and then ascends further to 890 meters at the Alto de Faro.

Looking forward to the update.

 

[Pelegrin]

Monte Faro (1155 mts) is the highest point in Pontevedra province, so it is one of the fifty "techos" (From Teide the highest one in Tenerife to Pilar the lowest one (Coruña province near Melide).