I only had time to get from Ponferrada to Monforte de Lemos before heading back home to Salamanca, but - as ever - it was marvellous.
A few comments (Peregrina2000, for your next revision of the Invierno Guide?):
It's the second time I've left Ponferrada early on Sunday morning, and there is absolutely nothing open until you get to Las Médulas. I couldn't get the landlady out in Café Bar Ronda in Santalla, and there was nothing doing in Borrenes (they open later). Therefore, stock up well. It was great to stagger into the garden in the Bar Tapería O Camiño for a well-deserved and a much-needed Estrella Galicia! Wonderful bowl of Caldo Berciano and excellent cheese with a mixture of different jams.
I stayed in the Hotel Medulio. In my view, probably too expensive for what it offers, and probably not even worth two stars.
As I mentioned last year, just before you get to the outskirts of Puente de Domingo Flórez, Hostal La Torre have a big sign pointing to a shortcut, which cuts out the town completely. You may remember what I said about the strange detour that the official camino makes you do, but I walked along Calle El Toral and had a coffee at Bar El Cruce (still very pilgrim-friendly).
As you cross over into Galicia, there's another place to stop, 100 yards or so to the right just after you've walked under the railway bridge: Bar Estanco, just opposite Quereño railway station. Pretty dead, but cold drinks are available.
Someone has put a couple of signs up in that dead two-house village (is it Noqueiras?) after Pumares. "Bienvenidos a Tu Casa" or something like that. There's also a new shrine to the Virgin up a twenty-yard slate path.
In Sobradelo, the first Cafetería (Pontenova Centro Social) has had a great uplift. They now have a lovely dining area out the back, and daily menus (different each day) for 8 euros, as well as excellent free pinchos. Bar Mar now has its covered side terrace finished. Both places are very pilgrim friendly. I didn't walk down to Meson Museu, as it was too early.
Bar Martillo in Éntoma is closed on Mondays, but they do plenty of platos combinados.
I stayed in Hostal Mayo in O Barco. Basic, but clean and cheap. Of the three places I have stayed there I still prefer La Gran Tortuga to this place or Pensión do Lar.
Plenty of eateries and drinking establishments in O Barco, but many were closed on the Monday.
On the way to A Rúa, Cafetería El Castillo has just reopened in Villamartín. It's a hundred yards off the camino, under the road bridge to the right before you walk along the tree-lined area by the river. Nice place with a great outside covered terrace/garden.
More to come tomorrow.
A few comments (Peregrina2000, for your next revision of the Invierno Guide?):
It's the second time I've left Ponferrada early on Sunday morning, and there is absolutely nothing open until you get to Las Médulas. I couldn't get the landlady out in Café Bar Ronda in Santalla, and there was nothing doing in Borrenes (they open later). Therefore, stock up well. It was great to stagger into the garden in the Bar Tapería O Camiño for a well-deserved and a much-needed Estrella Galicia! Wonderful bowl of Caldo Berciano and excellent cheese with a mixture of different jams.
I stayed in the Hotel Medulio. In my view, probably too expensive for what it offers, and probably not even worth two stars.
As I mentioned last year, just before you get to the outskirts of Puente de Domingo Flórez, Hostal La Torre have a big sign pointing to a shortcut, which cuts out the town completely. You may remember what I said about the strange detour that the official camino makes you do, but I walked along Calle El Toral and had a coffee at Bar El Cruce (still very pilgrim-friendly).
As you cross over into Galicia, there's another place to stop, 100 yards or so to the right just after you've walked under the railway bridge: Bar Estanco, just opposite Quereño railway station. Pretty dead, but cold drinks are available.
Someone has put a couple of signs up in that dead two-house village (is it Noqueiras?) after Pumares. "Bienvenidos a Tu Casa" or something like that. There's also a new shrine to the Virgin up a twenty-yard slate path.
In Sobradelo, the first Cafetería (Pontenova Centro Social) has had a great uplift. They now have a lovely dining area out the back, and daily menus (different each day) for 8 euros, as well as excellent free pinchos. Bar Mar now has its covered side terrace finished. Both places are very pilgrim friendly. I didn't walk down to Meson Museu, as it was too early.
Bar Martillo in Éntoma is closed on Mondays, but they do plenty of platos combinados.
I stayed in Hostal Mayo in O Barco. Basic, but clean and cheap. Of the three places I have stayed there I still prefer La Gran Tortuga to this place or Pensión do Lar.
Plenty of eateries and drinking establishments in O Barco, but many were closed on the Monday.
On the way to A Rúa, Cafetería El Castillo has just reopened in Villamartín. It's a hundred yards off the camino, under the road bridge to the right before you walk along the tree-lined area by the river. Nice place with a great outside covered terrace/garden.
More to come tomorrow.
Last edited:
