ChairmanO
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Primitivo - October 2024
Here's a report on current conditions for Part 1 of the Camino Verde, Lugo - Friol. I walked through the Bóveda Variant. The first thing I'll say is that I highly recommend having a reliable GPS app or standalone with the gpx files loaded offline (I've been using OsmAnd on Android, which gives a quick reliable GPS fix). The green arrows can be quite sparse on the Bóveda path.
Out of Lugo, from the start point forking from the Primitivo, the paths are in very good condition. The main hazard is the boardwalks. While they have been repaired and are in quite good shape, there's the odd board breakage that's easy enough to spot, nothing that requires a jump.
The chicken wire generally offers sufficient grip, but given the very wet conditions over the last few days, I had a close call with a slip, saved by the handrail! But this first section along the river is splendid.
Back on the road at A Mera through a few hamlets. For those uncomfortable with dogs, this can be a hairy section. It seems the most aggressive huge dogs on all the Primitivo are shut up behind the fences, particularly at O Veral and As Covas. Major note is that I was mobbed by three dogs here, unleashed and unfenced, barking behind me until they "chased me out of town". No sweat for me, they were all bark and no bite and did not touch me. Best thing is just to keep your steady pace, but may be unnerving for some. A gentleman did ask me in Spanish, if I was alright, a couple hundred metres on. All other free dogs I encountered were mostly mildly curious, or just kept sunning themselves.
I did miss the Bóveda fork at Matelo for a few hundred metres, the arrow can be hard to see from the walkers perspective. The Cota fork is more clearly marked.
It's all road walking to Bóveda, very little traffic. Unfortunately I didn't do enough homework - the info centre there is closed on Sundays... It's then lots more road walking until you change to a dirt track at Monte Pedroso. There are some misleading yellow arrows on the ground where you change onto the dirt track, best to follow your GPS through this field (in good condition, but check your map to be sure you're on the right track) until you hit the dirt track (good condition) again at Seixalbo. You change again to road walking soon enough, through to Guldriz de Abaixo.
Ick, from here, prepare to unearth your memories of muddy farm lanes from the Primitivo. This stretch until Londoso is worse then any other farm lane on the Primitivo. Long bogs of mud ready to suck your shoes off, and limited opportunities to manoeuvre. I made it through relatively unscathed, but prepare for mud here.
After that, it's thankfully well outlined forest track in very good condition through to Friol.
Had I known Bóveda was closed, I would have taken the the 2km saving on the Cota route, with the better services on that route.
The Bóveda route is still pretty, but there's a lot of road walking and no services at all along the way (water, vending machines or food, even little shelter). But I enjoyed my first Camino Verde day!
Perhaps others can input here - if Bóveda is closed, or you don't care to see it, I would suggest taking the Cota route instead - to potentially avoid lots of road walking and muddy bogs.
If anyone has any info - would love to hear it: I couldn't find a lot of info on the variants and am having the same decision between Marco das Pías and Foxo do Cabrito forks tomorrow. Any comments appreciated!
Out of Lugo, from the start point forking from the Primitivo, the paths are in very good condition. The main hazard is the boardwalks. While they have been repaired and are in quite good shape, there's the odd board breakage that's easy enough to spot, nothing that requires a jump.
The chicken wire generally offers sufficient grip, but given the very wet conditions over the last few days, I had a close call with a slip, saved by the handrail! But this first section along the river is splendid.
Back on the road at A Mera through a few hamlets. For those uncomfortable with dogs, this can be a hairy section. It seems the most aggressive huge dogs on all the Primitivo are shut up behind the fences, particularly at O Veral and As Covas. Major note is that I was mobbed by three dogs here, unleashed and unfenced, barking behind me until they "chased me out of town". No sweat for me, they were all bark and no bite and did not touch me. Best thing is just to keep your steady pace, but may be unnerving for some. A gentleman did ask me in Spanish, if I was alright, a couple hundred metres on. All other free dogs I encountered were mostly mildly curious, or just kept sunning themselves.
I did miss the Bóveda fork at Matelo for a few hundred metres, the arrow can be hard to see from the walkers perspective. The Cota fork is more clearly marked.
It's all road walking to Bóveda, very little traffic. Unfortunately I didn't do enough homework - the info centre there is closed on Sundays... It's then lots more road walking until you change to a dirt track at Monte Pedroso. There are some misleading yellow arrows on the ground where you change onto the dirt track, best to follow your GPS through this field (in good condition, but check your map to be sure you're on the right track) until you hit the dirt track (good condition) again at Seixalbo. You change again to road walking soon enough, through to Guldriz de Abaixo.
Ick, from here, prepare to unearth your memories of muddy farm lanes from the Primitivo. This stretch until Londoso is worse then any other farm lane on the Primitivo. Long bogs of mud ready to suck your shoes off, and limited opportunities to manoeuvre. I made it through relatively unscathed, but prepare for mud here.
After that, it's thankfully well outlined forest track in very good condition through to Friol.
Had I known Bóveda was closed, I would have taken the the 2km saving on the Cota route, with the better services on that route.
The Bóveda route is still pretty, but there's a lot of road walking and no services at all along the way (water, vending machines or food, even little shelter). But I enjoyed my first Camino Verde day!
Perhaps others can input here - if Bóveda is closed, or you don't care to see it, I would suggest taking the Cota route instead - to potentially avoid lots of road walking and muddy bogs.
If anyone has any info - would love to hear it: I couldn't find a lot of info on the variants and am having the same decision between Marco das Pías and Foxo do Cabrito forks tomorrow. Any comments appreciated!
