Biting the bullet!

[bsmorgan]

Well we have decided that turning off the Frances at Ponferrada (starting at SJPdP) is the way for us to go on our 4th Frances. We don’t think we can do the noise and crowds again after Sarria, so have planned shorter, comfortable stages along the Invierno. We plan to leave Ponferrada on about 7th August and take our time. We are excited to explore a new route, even though we’ll miss some of our favourite parts of the Frances. We know it will be fabulous.

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

BSMorgan, my wife and I have hiked Camino Frances four times, the most recent in 2021. With life changes: Cindi's serious stress fracture in 2021, new beagle puppy (and 3 yr old beagle) and Cindi's 90 year old mother nearby, we decided that Cindi will sit this one out and I will hike solo a different route. I am flying to Porto and will hike the hybrid coastal / central Portuguese camino. Mostly flat, 14 hiking stages. Like you, I am excited about hiking a new route. Bob

 

[Icacos]

Well we have decided that turning off the Frances at Ponferrada (starting at SJPdP) is the way for us to go on our 4th Frances. We don’t think we can do the noise and crowds again after Sarria, so have planned shorter, comfortable stages along the Invierno. We plan to leave Ponferrada on about 7th August and take our time. We are excited to explore a new route, even though we’ll miss some of our favourite parts of the Frances. We know it will be fabulous.

Please let us know how you manage on the Invierno. If I manage another camino, like you, I will want to miss the CF crowds after Sarria, and I’ve been looking at the Invierno. Except I will likely walk in the spring, and be on my own. Happy anticipating!

 

[bsmorgan]

Please let us know how you manage on the Invierno. If I manage another camino, like you, I will want to miss the CF crowds after Sarria, and I’ve been looking at the Invierno. Except I will likely walk in the spring, and be on my own. Happy anticipating!

These are our planned stages. Hubby just had knee replacement on Friday so we’re being very gentle.
Ponferrada - Borrenes (20.9), Borrenes - Dom Florez (15.1), Dom Florez - O’Barco (19), O’Barco - A Rua (12), A Rua - Soldon (20), Soldon - Quiroga (6.5. Rest/easy day), Quiroga - A Pobra do Brollen (22.9), A Pobra - Monteforte de Lemos ( 16.2), Monteforte - Vilarino (16.6), Vilarino - Chantada (14.6), Chantada - Ermida (13.3), Ermida - Rodeiro (12.5), Rodeiro - Lalin (21.9), Lalin - Silleda (15.7), Silleda - Ponte Ulla (19.7), Ponte Ulla - SdC (20.9).
These are fairly short but we respect that we are getting older and want to make it enjoyable! Lol!

 

[Former member 92300]

Enjoy! That will be my plan for my next CF. I don't enjoy Sarria to Santiago at all. I tend to walk faster and longer days and try to avoid everyone that I can avoid. Not my idea of a good end to the Camino. Hoping that too many people don't discover the Inveirno before I get a chance to do that alternate route lol.

 

[naplesdon]

Let's cut out the negativity for the newbies. It is possible you might actually meet your new best friend during the last 100k.

 

[OLDBIKERIDER]

I would like to try the Invierno as well, but like estorildon, I had no negative things to report on the Sarria to SDC stretch. I continued to spend time alone and with old and new friends alike. Each of us is different and it isn't negative for many of us.

 

[Ernie Fraser]

Well we have decided that turning off the Frances at Ponferrada (starting at SJPdP) is the way for us to go on our 4th Frances. We don’t think we can do the noise and crowds again after Sarria, so have planned shorter, comfortable stages along the Invierno. We plan to leave Ponferrada on about 7th August and take our time. We are excited to explore a new route, even though we’ll miss some of our favourite parts of the Frances. We know it will be fabulous.

A friend and I walked the Invierno last fall and enjoyed it a great deal. There were only a few other pilgrims so definitely different than the Frances in that respect.

 

[peregrina2000]

Ponferrada - Borrenes (20.9), Borrenes - Dom Florez (15.1), Dom Florez - O’Barco (19), O’Barco - A Rua (12), A Rua - Soldon (20), Soldon - Quiroga (6.5. Rest/easy day), Quiroga - A Pobra do Brollen (22.9), A Pobra - Monteforte de Lemos ( 16.2), Monteforte - Vilarino (16.6), Vilarino - Chantada (14.6), Chantada - Ermida (13.3), Ermida - Rodeiro (12.5), Rodeiro - Lalin (21.9), Lalin - Silleda (15.7), Silleda - Ponte Ulla (19.7), Ponte Ulla - SdC (20.9).

So great to see more people heading off onto the Invierno. I think it still retains enough of an “untraveled” feel to whet your appetite for some of the many other. beautiful untraveled caminos!

Just a couple of comments about your proposed stages, all of which you may already know.

Soldón is a private apartment in a small hamlet with no services, unless you are there in sumnmer when the “chiringuito” is open, located near the river under the superhighway overpass. The owners will (or at least used to) do a “food shopping” for you if you set it up ahead of time. At least one forum member found her stay there on the depressing side (no people, few habitable houses), but I think the owners are very nice and will do what they can to make it comfortable.

Pobra de Brollón — no albergue open yet. The private pensión that was there for years and years As Viñas closed several years ago and this has been a thorn in the side of Invierno pilgrims for a long time. Options are Salcedo and Pensión Pacita, both of which are described in lots of threads here on the forum.

And just a trivial thing — be careful with the spelling, especially if you are going to search the forum to find info (of which there is a LOT).

Dom Florez - shorthand for Puente de Domingo Flórez
Pobra de Brollen - Pobra de Brollón
Monteforte de Lemos - Monforte de Lemos
Ermida — maybe that’s the term Brierley uses, but if I’m right that you are referring to Hotel Vilaseco, then you will find it referred to here as being in (near) Penasillás.

Hoping to hear from lots of forum members on the Invierno this year, its time has come!

We stopped doing our forum guide in 2019, but it’s still available in Resources and WisePilgrim has put it into app form.

 

[bsmorgan]

Thank you so much for that information. I tried to loook through Gronze for accommodation options but your knowledge of that path would be more current. I’m awaiting my Brierley to help with the plannint too. Our hope is that the new albergue at Pobra do Brollon will be open, our alternative will be Salcedo. We are really looking forward to this new Camino for us and value the wisdom of your guide in the Resources. We’ve watched almost every YouTube on the route and are counting down the days.

(The abbreviations were poorly done, sorry. I was rushing out the door insted of taking my time to post.)

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

So great to see more people heading off onto the Invierno. I think it still retains enough of an “untraveled” feel to whet your appetite for some of the many other. beautiful untraveled caminos!

Just a couple of comments about your proposed stages, all of which you may already know.

Soldón is a private apartment in a small hamlet with no services, unless you are there in sumnmer when the “chiringuito” is open, located near the river under the superhighway overpass. The owners will (or at least used to) do a “food shopping” for you if you set it up ahead of time. At least one forum member found her stay there on the depressing side (no people, few habitable houses), but I think the owners are very nice and will do what they can to make it comfortable.

Pobra de Brollón — no albergue open yet. The private pensión that was there for years and years As Viñas closed several years ago and this has been a thorn in the side of Invierno pilgrims for a long time. Options are Salcedo and Pensión Pacita, both of which are described in lots of threads here on the forum.

And just a trivial thing — be careful with the spelling, especially if you are going to search the forum to find info (of which there is a LOT).

Dom Florez - shorthand for Puente de Domingo Flórez
Pobra de Brollen - Pobra de Brollón
Monteforte de Lemos - Monforte de Lemos
Ermida — maybe that’s the term Brierley uses, but if I’m right that you are referring to Hotel Vilaseco, then you will find it referred to here as being in (near) Penasillás.

Hoping to hear from lots of forum members on the Invierno this year, its time has come!

We stopped doing our forum guide in 2019, but it’s still available in Resources and WisePilgrim has put it into app form.

@peregrina2000, you beat me to it! I was about to make the same comments about OP:s planned stages/stops.

But Hotel Vilaseco is not 13 kms from Chantada. I am afraid "Ermida" in the proposed stages refers to the Ermita at Monte do Faro? which is indeed about 13 kms from Chantada. But not with any accomodation as far as I have seen...

@bsmorgan, did you by "Ermida" mean the Ermita at Monte do Faro, or am I just being dumb? I love your planning all in all!!

/BP

 

[Former member 92300]

Let's cut out the negativity for the newbies. It is possible you might actually meet your new best friend during the last 100k.

Not negativity for the newbies - just don't enjoy being in crowds.

 

[peregrina2000]

Chantada - Ermida (13.3), Ermida - Rodeiro (12.5),

But Hotel Vilaseco is not 13 kms from Chantada. I am afraid "Ermida" in the proposed stages refers to the Ermita at Monte do Faro? which is indeed about 13 kms from Chantada. But not with any accomodation as far as I have seen...

Hi, @bsmorgan,

As @BadPilgrim has pointed out, the only thing that is about 13 kms from Chantada on the Invierno route is the Ermida (chapel) up on Monte de Faro. I had thought that maybe Ermida was the name of a tiny hamlet that contained the Hotel Vilaseco, but as Bad Pilgrim pointed out in his post, that is definitely not 13 km from Chantada. If it is referring to the chapel, there is no accommodation there.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[bsmorgan]

@peregrina2000, you beat me to it! I was about to make the same comments about OP:s planned stages/stops.

But Hotel Vilaseco is not 13 kms from Chantada. I am afraid "Ermida" in the proposed stages refers to the Ermita at Monte do Faro? which is indeed about 13 kms from Chantada. But not with any accomodation as far as I have seen...

@bsmorgan, did you by "Ermida" mean the Ermita at Monte do Faro, or am I just being dumb? I love your planning all in all!!

/BP

Thank you so much. Back to the drawing board with my stages but we want to make this work. I really appreciate the great support and advice. Buen Camino.

 

[bsmorgan]

Hi, @bsmorgan,

As @BadPilgrim has pointed out, the only thing that is about 13 kms from Chantada on the Invierno route is the Ermida (chapel) up on Monte de Faro. I had thought that maybe Ermida was the name of a tiny hamlet that contained the Hotel Vilaseco, but as Bad Pilgrim pointed out in his post, that is definitely not 13 km from Chantada. If it is referring to the chapel, there is no accommodation there.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[bsmorgan]

Just put the Gronze map up that I used. To Ermida de Camba Staying at Tourist Housing Caza no Camino. I think 23km and will now be going to Lalín the next day. Thanks everyone.

 

[Charrito]

So great to see more people heading off onto the Invierno. I think it still retains enough of an “untraveled” feel to whet your appetite for some of the many other. beautiful untraveled caminos!

Just a couple of comments about your proposed stages, all of which you may already know.

Soldón is a private apartment in a small hamlet with no services, unless you are there in sumnmer when the “chiringuito” is open, located near the river under the superhighway overpass. The owners will (or at least used to) do a “food shopping” for you if you set it up ahead of time. At least one forum member found her stay there on the depressing side (no people, few habitable houses), but I think the owners are very nice and will do what they can to make it comfortable.

Pobra de Brollón — no albergue open yet. The private pensión that was there for years and years As Viñas closed several years ago and this has been a thorn in the side of Invierno pilgrims for a long time. Options are Salcedo and Pensión Pacita, both of which are described in lots of threads here on the forum.

And just a trivial thing — be careful with the spelling, especially if you are going to search the forum to find info (of which there is a LOT).

Dom Florez - shorthand for Puente de Domingo Flórez
Pobra de Brollen - Pobra de Brollón
Monteforte de Lemos - Monforte de Lemos
Ermida — maybe that’s the term Brierley uses, but if I’m right that you are referring to Hotel Vilaseco, then you will find it referred to here as being in (near) Penasillás.

Hoping to hear from lots of forum members on the Invierno this year, its time has come!

We stopped doing our forum guide in 2019, but it’s still available in Resources and WisePilgrim has put it into app form.

Another member of the Grammar/Spelling Police Force! I thought about correcting the spelling of some of the place names yesterday, but I'm glad that you beat me to it, Laurie! By the way, in gallego it's A Pobra do Brollón, although all the locals refer to it as 'Puebla' (from the castellano Puebla del Brollón).

 

[AnneMarie1]

Well we have decided that turning off the Frances at Ponferrada (starting at SJPdP) is the way for us to go on our 4th Frances. We don’t think we can do the noise and crowds again after Sarria, so have planned shorter, comfortable stages along the Invierno. We plan to leave Ponferrada on about 7th August and take our time. We are excited to explore a new route, even though we’ll miss some of our favourite parts of the Frances. We know it will be fabulous.

That's my plan, too. And I plan to start at Somport, too. Assuming no problems along the way and all that, I'll be done by the time you start. Buen camino!

 

[trecile]

Let's cut out the negativity for the newbies. It is possible you might actually meet your new best friend during the last 100k.

In 2019 after completing my Frances/Salvador/Norte Camino I had extra time and my friend @Oregon's Mark was on the Camino in the final 100 km. I took the bus and joined him about 10km before Gonzar. That night I met a couple from my area at the albergue who were slow cycling the Camino. I'm a chapter coordinator for American Pilgrims so later on in 2019 I recruited them to give a talk about cycling the Camino. I still see them at chapter gatherings.
Then a day or two later we met a couple of sisters that we got along well with who I am still in contact with. They and I continued on to Finisterre where we spent time together. So I made 4 new friends in the last 100 km!

 

[naplesdon]

In 2019 after completing my Frances/Salvador/Norte Camino I had extra time and my friend @Oregon's Mark was on the Camino in the final 100 km. I took the bus and joined him about 10km before Gonzar. That night I met a couple from my area at the albergue who were slow cycling the Camino. I'm a chapter coordinator for American Pilgrims so later on in 2019 I recruited them to give a talk about cycling the Camino. I still see them at chapter gatherings.
Then a day or two later we met a couple of sisters that we got along well with who I am still in contact with. They and I continued on to Finisterre where we spent time together. So I made 4 new friends in the last 100 km!

The definition of a "true pilgrim."

 

[Suesim]

Well we have decided that turning off the Frances at Ponferrada (starting at SJPdP) is the way for us to go on our 4th Frances. We don’t think we can do the noise and crowds again after Sarria, so have planned shorter, comfortable stages along the Invierno. We plan to leave Ponferrada on about 7th August and take our time. We are excited to explore a new route, even though we’ll miss some of our favourite parts of the Frances. We know it will be fabulous.

We are doing the same but in March this year!