LIVE from the Camino Camino Mixto: Mar 2019

[Donna Sch]

The ongoing adventures of Barrie and Donna...

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-mixto-feb-mar-2019-levante.60120/#post-705456

We have just finished our stint on the Levante in Zamora and because we only have limited time we bussed up to Ponferrada. ALSA have a 1620h direct route (Salamanca-Ponferrada) daily. Book via the website or app because there is no open office and the ticketing machine wasn't working and Zamora bus info isn't exactly the most enthusiastic. Very impressed with their punctuality. Minimum turnaround at each station. For a route with potentially 22 stops they only called into the places with bookings.
Grey day in Ponferrada and we decided to go for the Hotel Templar. 56€. Great firm bed.
Dinner was a performance. The items on the menu del día, well some were not available. I had learnt the hard way the meaning of "tengo resaca" in Zamora after a fantastic night so wasn't going to argue but to me a cocida maragato has meat and chickpeas. We got a soup with noodles. There was a slightly Fawlty Towers aspect to it.
Good sleep though. The weather is cloudy and there has been rain overnight but the forecast for today is clear.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The weather is cloudy and there has been rain overnight

It is snowing in O Cebreiro! It is still winter...

 

[VNwalking]

Buen onward camino, Donna and Barrie...May you have a dry day!

 

[alaskadiver]

The ongoing adventures of Barrie and Donna...

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-mixto-feb-mar-2019-levante.60120/#post-705456

We have just finished our stint on the Levante in Zamora and because we only have limited time we bussed up to Ponferrada. ALSA have a 1620h direct route (Salamanca-Ponferrada) daily. Book via the website or app because there is no open office and the ticketing machine wasn't working and Zamora bus info isn't exactly the most enthusiastic. Very impressed with their punctuality. Minimum turnaround at each station. For a route with potentially 22 stops they only called into the places with bookings.
Grey day in Ponferrada and we decided to go for the Hotel Templar. 56€. Great firm bed.
Dinner was a performance. The items on the menu del día, well some were not available. I had learnt the hard way the meaning of "tengo resaca" in Zamora after a fantastic night so wasn't going to argue but to me a cocida maragato has meat and chickpeas. We got a soup with noodles. There was a slightly Fawlty Towers aspect to it.
Good sleep though. The weather is cloudy and there has been rain overnight but the forecast for today is clear.

Temp forecast is nice in the 50sF. Great walking weather. For the past week temps have been a high of 60. The Invierno should be very nice for you this week. Mornings a nice crisp 30’s and high of 60. Buen Camino.

 

[Donna Sch]

Really enjoyed our first day on the Invierno. As usual it takes us ages to get out of a town as Barrie, who is a photographer by trade, keeps spotting doors, knockers, bridges. Let alone castles, street art, statues etc.
The waymarking to get out of town (and all along today's route) is excellent.
Ponferrada to Toral de Merayo has a slight incline but plenty of blokes in lycra kept popping up.
Stopped at Bar Nogal for something to eat. There is another bar Bar El Puente before this before the bridge. This bar was shut but it has a shop attached. This is probably your last chance at getting supplies for food if you plan to stay the night at the Albergue at Villavieja.
CR Miralmonte is on the camino route in Toral de Merayo.
I was using Wikiloc and the 2 tracks I used went a completely different way than the camino markers. So my track does follow the camino and it was a really pleasant route. Just a lovely rural area, a paddock that had 12 gorgeous fluffy puppies running around, and some great views
Villalibre has a water fountain, a bar that was shut and is only open at weekends.
El Sitio in Priaranza was shut. Mon-Fri it closes at 1302h and on Sat/Sun at 1236h.
The houses in Santalla were interesting.
After Santalla is an Ermita with the path going left up the hill. It is a bit of a slog that goes up to Villavieja but the views of the Castillo de Cornatel are spectacular. There is a brand new albergue in Villavieja as well as a Casa Rural. The CR only takes bookings for 2 days at a time. No bar there.
Then up to the castle. At the moment it is shut Tue-Thu. The route basically circles the castle. From there it is downhill to Borrenes which is where we have stopped for the night.
I had to laugh at Barrie when he saw the road sign that said 13 km by road to Ponferrada. His phone said he had walked 24.2 km from the hotel this morning.
We also climbed the equivalent of 94 floors over the day in elevation. This beat our previous record of 80 floors on he high point of the Levant. However the climbing today was nowhere near as painful as that Levante valley (between Cebreros and Bartolomé de Pinares) being much more gradual and in short bursts.
For accommodation in Borrenes you go to the Casa Bar Mariscol. 40€ for a doble which is across the Plaza at the Hotel Las Medulas. Lovely place, radiators, wifi. Dinner at Bar Mariscol was a racion of jamon and cheese. Nice little family bar where the grandkids were playing.

 

[peregrina2000]

I am already getting lots of notes for the 2019 revisions to the guide! Thanks for the details, Donna, as well as all the lovely commentary. Hope that when you are back home you will share some of these photos with us, it sounds like you two are quite the pros! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[alaskadiver]

Really enjoyed our first day on the Invierno. As usual it takes us ages to get out of a town as Barrie, who is a photographer by trade, keeps spotting doors, knockers, bridges. Let alone castles, street art, statues etc.
The waymarking to get out of town (and all along today's route) is excellent.
Ponferrada to Toral de Merayo has a slight incline but plenty of blokes in lycra kept popping up.
Stopped at Bar Nogal for something to eat. There is another bar Bar El Puente before this before the bridge. This bar was shut but it has a shop attached. This is probably your last chance at getting supplies for food if you plan to stay the night at the Albergue at Villavieja.
CR Miralmonte is on the camino route in Toral de Merayo.
I was using Wikiloc and the 2 tracks I used went a completely different way than the camino markers. So my track does follow the camino and it was a really pleasant route. Just a lovely rural area, a paddock that had 12 gorgeous fluffy puppies running around, and some great views
Villalibre has a water fountain, a bar that was shut and is only open at weekends.
El Sitio in Priaranza was shut. Mon-Fri it closes at 1302h and on Sat/Sun at 1236h.
The houses in Santalla were interesting.
After Santalla is an Ermita with the path going left up the hill. It is a bit of a slog that goes up to Villavieja but the views of the Castillo de Cornatel are spectacular. There is a brand new albergue in Villavieja as well as a Casa Rural. The CR only takes bookings for 2 days at a time. No bar there.
Then up to the castle. At the moment it is shut Tue-Thu. The route basically circles the castle. From there it is downhill to Borrenes which is where we have stopped for the night.
I had to laugh at Barrie when he saw the road sign that said 13 km by road to Ponferrada. His phone said he had walked 24.2 km from the hotel this morning.
For accommodation in Borrenes you go to the Casa Bar Mariscol. 40€ for a doble which is across the Plaza at the Hotel Las Medulas. Lovely place, radiators, wifi. Dinner at Bar Mariscol was a racion of jamon and cheese. Nice little family bar where the grandkids were playing.

Seems like the safest option when staying at the albergue in Villavieja is to just bring food for dinner from Ponferrada. Thanks for the details.

 

[Donna Sch]

I am already getting lots of notes for the 2019 revisions to the guide! Thanks for the details, Donna, as well as all the lovely commentary. Hope that when you are back home you will share some of these photos with us, it sounds like you two are quite the pros! Buen camino, Laurie

If anyone wants to check ot our photos, feel free to FB friend me or check out my instagram account "missywombat". We have thousands of photos between us. My photos also back up to flickr at Geowombats but at the moment these are all under a private setting. Quite a few photos show up on my Wikiloc tracks too as it is easy to take photos there so they are location tagged. Went a bit crazy there yesterday and unfortunately my battery died unexpectedly (lesson: video calls from family chew up the battery) so it doesn't show the Cornatel half.
Laurie, I am more than happy to collect info as the forum is one of the most useful places to get real info and info on places to stay in inbetween places should the weather turn sour and food/water options along the way. My way of being a good pilgrim.

 

[Donna Sch]

Day 2: Borrenes to Puente Domingo Floréz
Another glorious day. We slept in slightly so didn't get away until after 9. Especially after a nice breakfast with homemade jams and real milk. Not to mention the photos taken of us. Pilgrims may be part of the business plan but there is a genuine love of the Camino that is very evident and peregrinos are still uncommon enough to be fun. Makes me glad to be doing this route now. The first half of today was walking uphill; the second half walking downhill. But pleasantly so with enough flatter bits to break up the steep bits to keep it enjoyable. One thing we've noticed is that this camino so far doesn't spend long periods running in parallel with the road or actually on the road. The roadwalking tends to be near towns and have been quieter roads. Lots of wildflowers. Seeing lots of deer and pig footprints and lots of game slides. Have yet to see the animals creating these. Also saw some very large canine prints after Las Médulas that had us wondering about wolves. Lots of little critters with butterflies, bees and bugs of the non-pesky kind.
Before the hill starts up to Las Medulas there is the turnoff to the town of Carucedo which is 2.6 relatively flat km from Borrenes and 4.4 from Las Medulas. I notice this has a Casa rural (Casa Magosto) there but don't know the details. It may be one of those places where you need to hire the whole house.
They do have a petrol station. There seem to be various roads from there that join up with the camino
Las Médulas is a well equipped little town. Plenty of bars. From a photographic perspective the best time to arrive there is the late afternoon. Great views. I had to laugh at the Fuente de resaca. Could have used that in Zamora.
There is also the albergue La Senda directly on the camino route. Even a bottled water vending machine nearby.
Another option near the church is the Alojamiento Socorro which looks to be a cheaper option than some of the places should the albergue be full.
2.7 km down the hill from Las Médulas there is a fork in the road with an obvious sign to Yeres going down. However the camino marker is on the one going up which breaks off to PDF. Barrie missed it and started heading downhill. So just watch that spot as previous signs put Yeres and PDF in the same direction.

We are at the Hostal Torre. It is beside the petrol station looking right down the hill into town. The food is good but overpriced. We grabbed a plato combinado which cost €25 and really should have been priced at 15€ tops. The room is interesting. Scored a twin doble and they asked if we wanted a shower or bath. We said shower. Check out the photo. Gives new meaning to sleeping in the wet spot. There are bathrooms down the hallway. The radiators don't seem to work but there are plenty of blankets.

 

[VNwalking]

Thank you, Donna! Your notes will come in handy. Looking forward to this!

 

[alaskadiver]

I have Hostal La Torre II booked. That photo makes me reconsider that choice. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen in a room.

 

[Donna Sch]

I have Hostal La Torre II booked. That photo makes me reconsider that choice. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen in a room.

There is a hotel Torre next door. Don't know if it makes a difference.
Given that there is a good bathroom down the hallway in the hostal and it cost us a total of 46€ for bed and breakfast, I can deal with it. Just don't eat in the bar for dinner.

 

[Donna Sch]

Short day today from Puente Domingo Floréz to Sobradelo. We had planned to go further to at least O Barco but today's news of the Australian terrorist attack in Christchurch (I'm a Kiwi and used to live there) which I woke up to and which had me all skew-whiff misplacing things, not being able to find things and just plain worried and a little angry so it was a late start. And the walk is lovely so the cameras came out to photograph butterflies, lizards and pretty flowering plants which basically doubles the time to walk anywhere. By the time we hit Sobradelo it was lunchtime so we got the menu del día and the food at Bar Mar is simple but good and with our full tummies we aren't moving!
So we are staying upstairs. Basic rooms but comfortable enough. The owner is still renovating so some things are a work in progress. Bathroom has a bath, bidet and toilet.
And the sheets are fleece!

Addit:
Total cost of our stay 76 euros for 2 memu del días for lunch, 2 dinners, drinks, breakfast and lodging.
And Manuel rang ahead to the Hostal Niza in A Rua. Really nice bloke.

 

[Donna Sch]

Sobradelo to A Rua:
My least liked day so far and one of those character building days. The scenery was not spectacular but wasn't ugly. The towns were okay. The worst part was that it was road and footpath walking. One of the locals at Entoma advised us to take the road rather than go over the hill. The road is country road between towns so is not unpleasant. It saved at least 30 minutes time wise and probably my sanity over the rest of the day. Found the stretch from O Barco to A Rua to be a slog. A Rua has a very demoralising hideously long main street. All the hard surfaces have brought back my peregrina waddle. Feel absolutely knackered even though it was only 20 km. It is warm being 22 deg C. Hostal Niza is 30€ for both of us. No lift and reception is on the 2nd floor. Elderly couple who are sweet. Cheap, clean with a decent bathroom. There is a radiator. And they have wifi.
Addit: if your Spanish is as atrocious as mine, the senora speaks French.

 

[peregrina2000]

Sobradelo to A Rua:
My least liked day so far and one of those character building days. The scenery was not spectacular but wasn't ugly. The towns were okay. The worst part was that it was road and footpath walking. One of the locals at Entoma advised us to take the road rather than go over the hill. The road is country road between towns so is not unpleasant. It saved at least 30 minutes time wise and probably my sanity over the rest of the day. Found the stretch from O Barco to A Rua to be a slog. A Rua has a very demoralising hideously long main street. All the hard surfaces have brought back my peregrina waddle. Feel absolutely knackered even though it was only 20 km. It is warm being 22 deg C. Hostal Niza is 30€ for both of us. No lift and reception is on the 2nd floor. Elderly couple who are sweet. Cheap, clean with a decent bathroom. There is a radiator. And they have wifi.

Ahh, but tomorrow! Some road walking, but the views of the river are great. Thanks for your posts, Donna, they are making me more eager to get back!

 

[VNwalking]

Thanks from me, too. Ditto.

 

[candocamino]

And us! We are adding to the Kiwi contingent on the Camino de Invierno when we start in a couple of weeks, so this is very helpful. We stalked your instagram too - great photos.

 

[Donna Sch]

A Rua to Quiroga:
Cloudy day but only a couple of spots of drizzle and thankfully all the rain fell in Quiroga while we were still at the A Rua end of things. Nothing was open for breakfast as we left so we had to rely on the snacks we were carrying.
The first 8 km to Albaredos is uphill on the LU-533. Great views and there are very cute signs along the way that are a nice distraction. The road is very quiet. Montefurado has the railway station and the San Miguel Church as well as the roman tunnel.
Quite a nice walk even if lots of uphill. A lot of the road walking is old roads or on the shoulder to the side of bigger roads.
Bumped into 2 Spanish peregrinos along the way. First we have seen.
Ended up at the Hostal Kiper in Quiroga. Cost us 30€ for a matrimonio with great bed, good heating and bathroom with lots of good water pressure and lots of hot water. No plug for the bath so shower only. Also had bidet.
Breakfast is available from 7.
We had dinner at Ruxe Ruxe as the bar at Kiper only does tapas. Ruxe Ruxe does pizza, pasta, and hamburgers as well as the usual raciones. Bar Dimar were open during the afternoon and had a really nice looking menu but were closed on a Sunday evening.

 

[Donna Sch]

Quiroga to Barxa de Lor (A Ponte)
I contemplated briefly a long day to Monforte a Lemos since it is over 30 km. Then I looked at the elevation maps on Wikiloc which showed 2 massive uphill sections. The guidebook also noted that these sections are difficult for cyclists. Aida is a master of understatement so if she is saying it is not easy, it's a very slow trudge to say the least. It's actually a milestone birthday for me and even the thought of a room at the Parador couldn't tempt me to face two climbs.
We skipped San Clodio and just walked along the N as the San Clodio route just remeets the motorway. The motorway has a decent shoulder so it is not unpleasant and there are good views. Yes, that does mean it goes uphill but uphill was the theme of most of the day.
Barrie would look wistfully at the road every time we crossed one but apart from missing San Clodio I don't think there is much you can skip.
After the initial sign for Noceda the mojon points down to the town proper but there is now a clear arrow on the powerpole beside it telling you to go right with a scrubbed out one underneath.
The old forestry road after you turn right off the road is a bit of a slog but great views. The pine forest is lovely and at the moment there are cocoons of processionary caterpillars waiting to drop. (Don't touch them as they will burn you.) Saw a few lizards and butterflies. I'm surprised at how few birds we see. A few gum trees and wattles along the way for the Aussies. Old chestnuts that are hundreds of years old. We saw one that had fallen over and you can't even see the rings for some years so these are not trees that grow a lot each year. Can get mighty cold on the shady side of the valleys.

Staying at Pension Pacita which is in a very pleasant spot near the river and under the big motorway bridge.
If you are looking at the town info board just after the Roman bridge there is a sign behind you saying the pension is 300m away. Ie take the path to the left of the bridge immediately after the Roman bridge. It's a quick walk along the river and is under the motorway bridge. The old road runs alongside too.
Nice rooms, friendly people, a bar, very good food. Normal prices are between 25-40€ for accommodation. Eg single is 25-30€ depending on whether you have your own bathroom, dobles are 40€ and include a bathroom, 30 if no attached bathroom. Bathroom has a bath (with plug ) and bidet.
Got there in time for lunch and there were carne and pescado options ie T-bone steak and little trouts (got to love the way Spanish eat the fish that Aussies are not allowed to catch.)

 

[alaskadiver]

Quiroga to Barxa de Lor (A Ponte)
I contemplated briefly a long day to Monforte a Lemos since it is over 30 km. Then I looked at the elevation maps on Wikiloc which showed 2 massive uphill sections. The guidebook also noted that these sections are difficult for cyclists. Aida is a master of understatement so if she is saying it is not easy, it's a very slow trudge to say the least. It's actually a milestone birthday for me and even the thought of a room at the Parador couldn't tempt me to face two climbs.
We skipped San Clodio and just walked along the N as the San Clodio route just remeets the motorway. The motorway has a decent shoulder so it is not unpleasant and there are good views. Yes, that does mean it goes uphill but uphill was the theme of most of the day.
Barrie would look wistfully at the road every time we crossed one but apart from missing San Clodio I don't think there is much you can skip.
After the initial sign for Noceda the mojon points down to the town proper but there is now a clear arrow on the powerpole beside it telling you to go right with a scrubbed out one underneath.
The old forestry road after you turn right off the road is a bit of a slog but great views. The pine forest is lovely and at the moment there are cocoons of processionary caterpillars waiting to drop. (Don't touch them as they will burn you.) Saw a few lizards and butterflies. I'm surprised at how few birds we see. A few gum trees and wattles along the way for the Aussies. Old chestnuts that are hundreds of years old. We saw one that had fallen over and you can't even see the rings for some years so these are not trees that grow a lot each year. Can get mighty cold on the shady side of the valleys.

Staying at Pension Pacita which is in a very pleasant spot near the river and under the big motorway bridge.
If you are looking at the town info board just after the Roman bridge there is a sign behind you saying the pension is 300m away. Ie take the path to the left of the bridge immediately after the Roman bridge. It's a quick walk along the river and is under the motorway bridge. The old road runs alongside too.
Nice rooms, friendly people, a bar, very good food. Normal prices are between 25-40€ for accommodation. Eg single is 25-30€ depending on whether you have your own bathroom, dobles are 40€ and include a bathroom, 30 if no attached bathroom. Bathroom has a bath (with plug ) and bidet.
Got there in time for lunch and there were carne and pescado options ie T-bone steak and little trouts (got to love the way Spanish eat the fish that Aussies are not allowed to catch.)

Excellent! I have reserved that pension. Glad to hear it was a good experience.

 

[Donna Sch]

Barxa de Lor to Monforte:
Glad we split this up into two parts because of the hills. Hilly start to get out of the bottom of the valley up into forestry and pine plantations. Pleasant country lanes and walking along creeks once over those. This country reminds me a lot of parts of New Zealand. And then another good hill to get over into the valley where Monforte is.
Very little mud today and the mud we did encounter you could easily get around until that last track just before Monforte that seems to have a number of wee streams draining into it so you need to pick your way carefully. There are some small stepping stones but I suspect if it rains you are doomed to have wet feet.
Deer, pig, badgers, cattle, sheep,canine and horse tracks along the way. We have yet to see a wild pig even though they are absolutely everywhere. One canine print was huge so I don't know if it is a Mastin or a wolf. (Update: definite wolf print)
The only bar until we got to Monforte was Bar Avenida in A Pobra. The young guy behind the bar has visited Australia so can understand a little English.
There is a bakery down the main street and it is possible to hang a left from a little past there onto a street that will join up with the camino without backtracking to the guardia civil.
The valley where Cereixa is is lovely. Creeks that look great for fishing, sheep, cattle. One of the funniest things we saw was a herd of cattle coming rushing down from the paddock they were in across a little bridge into the paddock nearest us. I thought they must be waiting for feeding out. No dog to be seen.
They all come across at high speed until they are all over, kick up their heels and then some of the younger ones turn around, cause a mini-stampede back over the bridge and they are back over leaving us both wondering what that was about.
Barrie shouted me a night at the Parador for my 50th. Although he questioned the sanity of that having to climb the hill up to the Benedictine monastery.
According to Barrie's phone we went up the equivalent of 84 floors.

 

[KinkyOne]

...
Very little mud today and the mud we did encounter you could easily get around until that last track just before Monforte that seems to have a number of wee streams draining into it so you need to pick your way carefully. There are some small stepping stones but I suspect if it rains you are doomed to have wet feet.
...

Constant problem with mud on this stretch just before Monforte de Lemos although I was lucky as it was quite dry period when I was walking.

For me the stretch (minus that killer uphil at the beginning) between Barxa and A Pobra is ultimate gem. Even more than walking above Rio Sil as I remember.

In A Pobra there is also small market to the left when you hit the main street (for next time )

And of course - Happy Birthday! You are leading for just 351 days

 

[Donna Sch]

Monforte de Lemos to Escairón:
Since we didn't fancy a 30+ km day to Chantada we decided a stay in Escairón was in order.
We decided to take the LU617 as it was easy and direct. We had no idea of elevations as I couldn't find any Wikiloc tracks. From the Parador to A Maruxa where we are staying here is Escairón is 16.85 km. About 3 km of that is getting out of Monforte.
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/monforte-de-lemos-escairon-34326412 is our Wikiloc track so you can compare elevations. The camino route seemed to be below us.
No open bars along the way until we got to Escairón.
O Almacen has a decent sized church and lots of newish housing so it may be worth looking there but there certainly was nothing on the main road.
Panadería O'Castro was open but they are just a bakery. They are at the start of the hill that comes after the sign for A Estrada do Eivedos and before the Fonte da Rega which is on your right about 3/4 of the way up the slope when the road goes left up the hill about 8+km along the way.
There is a junction on the left where the LU-P3209 joins coming from Requengo and the road turns back to the right and you continue to go uphill. Great views of the valley.
After the 8 km marker of the LU-617 is the township of Tuiriz. Cafe Bar Sport is on the right as you first enter the township and there was another on the little street on the left soon after. Both were closed. It was about then I consulted Google re "food near me". One of the things that came up was "Truck stop, Parada de autobus". And yes, this was the local bus stop with no bar within coo-ee. Google lies.
The road flattens out until just before Escairon which is at the 13km mark of the LU-617. There is another road coming in from down the hill at the start of the town.
Quite a pretty walk and the uphill walking is not awful.
There are bars, ATMs, a hotel and plenty of services here. We are staying at A Maruxa which is costing us 35€ for a matrimonio. Quite modern with a good shower in the bathroom, decent bed and decent wifi (there are routers/extenders in the room). Bar downstairs opening at 8 for breakfast and open until late.

 

[peregrina2000]

Monforte de Lemos to Escairón:
Since we didn't fancy a 30+ km day to Chantada we decided a stay in Escairón was in order.
We decided to take the LU617 as it was easy and direct. We had no idea of elevations as I couldn't find any Wikiloc tracks. From the Parador to A Maruxa where we are staying here is Escairón is 16.85 km. About 3 km of that is getting out of Monforte.
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/monforte-de-lemos-escairon-34326412 is our Wikiloc track so you can compare elevations. The camino route seemed to be below us.
No open bars along the way until we got to Escairón.
O Almacen has a decent sized church and lots of newish housing so it may be worth looking there but there certainly was nothing on the main road.
Panadería O'Castro was open but they are just a bakery. They are at the start of the hill that comes after the sign for A Estrada do Eivedos and before the Fonte da Rega which is on your right about 3/4 of the way up the slope when the road goes left up the hill about 8+km along the way.
There is a junction on the left where the LU-P3209 joins coming from Requengo and the road turns back to the right and you continue to go uphill. Great views of the valley.
After the 8 km marker of the LU-617 is the township of Tuiriz. Cafe Bar Sport is on the right as you first enter the township and there was another on the little street on the left soon after. Both were closed. It was about then I consulted Google re "food near me". One of the things that came up was "Truck stop, Parada de autobus". And yes, this was the local bus stop with no bar within coo-ee. Google lies.
The road flattens out until just before Escairon which is at the 13km mark of the LU-617. There is another road coming in from down the hill at the start of the town.
Quite a pretty walk and the uphill walking is not awful.
There are bars, ATMs, a hotel and plenty of services here. We are staying at A Maruxa which is costing us 35€ for a matrimonio. Quite modern with a good shower in the bathroom, decent bed and decent wifi (there are routers/extenders in the room). Bar downstairs opening at 8 for breakfast and open until late.

Hi, Donna,
@Charrito hasn't popped in lately, but that was a suggestion he made a whle ago. You may have seen his recommendations,https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/monforte-de-lemos-to-chantada.32645/#post-290865 and I think we put most of it in the guide. So I hope it was helpful! Buen camino, I am enjoying your posts so much, Laurie

 

[Charrito]

I've just 'popped in'!!!!!!!!! When I first walked this stretch a few years ago (doing the same as you, Donna, and trying to cut the stage down to something more manageable), there were definitely a couple of bars open, one of them in Toiriz/Tuiriz. I remember that bus stop too!

I stayed in the Hotel O Ruso, but I definitely had something to eat in the Mesón A Maruxa, just over the other side of the square.

Enjoy! Tomorrow is a wonderful stage. Turn left at the cheese factory and head for Diomondi!

 

[Charrito]

Donna:

If you get the chance tomorrow the church at Diomondi is a must see (and just a hundred yards past the turn-off down to Belesar). Probably closed, though.

The 'calzada romana' down to Belesar is very steep towards the end, but you have wonderful views of the river below you.

If the bar by the river (Abaceira O Batuxo - now under new management) is closed, you'll find the Via Romana Bodega a kilometre or so up the other side, and then the lovely Meson e Adega do Veiga on the other side, with fantastic views from the terrace back down to Belesar.

We've always recommended Mesón Lucus in Chantada for a meal, but it's also under new management.

It's pretty rural until you get to Diomondi, but there is a bar (Cantina de Mean) in a little hamlet after you turn off the LU-617 at the Celega cheese factory. After Diomondi it's down and up up up! Ask KinkyOne, as he always moans about having to climb back up after you've walked down!!!!!!!! And vice versa!

Buen camino!

 

[KinkyOne]

...
After Diomondi it's down and up up up! Ask KinkyOne, as he always moans about having to climb back up after you've walked down!!!!!!!! And vice versa!

Buen camino!

Hahaha, that's true. And this coming from former climber that got in love with Meseta, Tierra de Campos and flatlands in general

But that climb on Calzada Romana after Belesar is a real killer. I just didn't want to have heart stroke and I decided to climb it on the road. A bit longer but much more manageable. It was very hot day though...

 

[Charrito]

Hahaha, that's true. And this coming from former climber that got in love with Meseta, Tierra de Campos and flatlands in general

But that climb on Calzada Romana after Belesar is a real killer. I just didn't want to have heart stroke and I decided to climb it on the road. A bit longer but much more manageable. It was very hot day though...

Greetings, Kinky!

I've done both routes up from Belesar. To be honest, the road is quite a bit longer, and it's still pretty steep. And it was - as always - baking hot! It was necessary to stop off in Meson e Adega do Veiga for a couple of ice-cold bottles of Estrella Galicia!

Check out the map and you'll see the two possibilities:

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[Charrito]

Next Wednesday I'll be walking this very route, from Escairón to Chantada!

 

[ranthr]

Greetings, Kinky!

I've done both routes up from Belesar. To be honest, the road is quite a bit longer, and it's still pretty steep. And it was - as always - baking hot! It was necessary to stop off in Meson e Adega do Veiga for a couple of ice-cold bottles of Estrella Galicia!

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I took,the road and did not regret that. The Meson e Adega do Veiga was open and friendly also to people sticking to water and coffee.

 

[Donna Sch]

Escairón to Chantada:
Lovely day today. Read the comments and didn't tell Barrie anything except that we had to visit the church at Diomondi and that it was 15-16km. Definitely was not mentioning the hill!
Nice walk out of town on the LU617. There is no mistaking the cheese factory as you can smell it coming. Turn left and wander through meandering country lanes which are really quite lovely. Saw the Cantina mentioned above but it was not open but it was still early.
Checked out the church at Diomondi which is 100m from the Camino route. The 100km mojón is there too. The steeper downhill stuff started from there with rocky path covered in lots of dead leaves. Must be challenging in wet weather and you have to be pretty careful anyway. The descent down to the river gives fantastic views of the terraced vineyards and of the river where there were boats, swans and ducks. Must be a fantastic place to stay in summer. There are a couple of fuentes in Belesar but...no open bar.
Bumped into a Spanish peregrino who told us we were the first pilgrims he had seen on the CI.
Of course what goes down, tends to go up and there was the trudge up the hill. It all ends up in the same place after the first wee bit so we mixed and matched it.
Got to the Vía Romana Adegas. Their hours are Mon-Fri 10am-1pm and 4-7pm. Weekends 11-2, 5-8. We were there at 1330h. Looked very nice. Shame about our timing.
Just up the road is the Mesón e Adega do Viega. They are open weekends and holidays and during the week "por encargo" but definitely closed on the 5th and 21st of each month. Guess what day it is today LOL!
Kept bumping into the local postie who speaks Spanish and French and who is a friendly woman. If there is a postie to bump into, we tend to find them!
Easy downhill run to Chantada after the Church of San Pedro.
There was a chap flyfishing in the river as we entered. I'm hoping Thursday is the local market day as the street by the stream was covered in plastic rubbish. No bins and noone had picked it up. Stopped off at Bar Piolindo, the first bar you see, and had the best burgers we have had in years. Also very good coffee. We're now in Hotel Mogay. Matrimonio is costing 65 euros, no breakfast which is a bit more expensive than usual. Bathroom has a good shower, no bidet. Heating is via the aircon in bedroom and a heated towel rack in the bathroom. TV, good wifi.
Addit:
Casa Flora (Rua do Parque 8) was excellent. Good local food done beautifully. They have been open about 12 months and have excellent reviews of the sort that say good food, great value, I ate here two days in a row because it was so good. The lady speaks a little English, more French and does great charades. Was worth it just for the conversation we had. They also do takeaways.

 

[Göran Larsson]

Love your reports in this forum and your photos on Instagram!

 

[Charrito]

Escairón to Chantada:
Lovely day today. Read the comments and didn't tell Barrie anything except that we had to visit the church at Diomondi and that it was 15-16km. Definitely was not mentioning the hill!
Nice walk out of town on the LU617. There is no mistaking the cheese factory as you can smell it coming. Turn left and wander through meandering country lanes which are really quite lovely. Saw the Cantina mentioned above but it was not open but it was still early.
Checked out the church at Diomondi which is 100m from the Camino route. The 100km mojón is there too. The steeper downhill stuff started from there with rocky path covered in lots of dead leaves. Must be challenging in wet weather and you have to be pretty careful anyway. The descent down to the river gives fantastic views of the terraced vineyards and of the river where there were boats, swans and ducks. Must be a fantastic place to stay in summer. There are a couple of fuentes in Belesar but...no open bar.
Bumped into a Spanish peregrino who told us we were the first pilgrims he had seen on the CI.
Of course what goes down, tends to go up and there was the trudge up the hill. It all ends up in the same place after the first wee bit so we mixed and matched it.
Got to the Vía Romana Adegas. Their hours are Mon-Fri 10am-1pm and 4-7pm. Weekends 11-2, 5-8. We were there at 1330h. Looked very nice. Shame about our timing.
Just up the road is the Mesón e Adega do Viega. They are open weekends and holidays and during the week "por encargo" but definitely closed on the 5th and 21st of each month. Guess what day it is today LOL!
Kept bumping into the local postie who speaks Spanish and French and who is a friendly woman. If there is a postie to bump into, we tend to find them!
Easy downhill run to Chantada after the Church of San Pedro.
There was a chap flyfishing in the river as we entered. I'm hoping Thursday is the local market day as the street by the stream was covered in plastic rubbish. No bins and noone had picked it up. Stopped off at Bar Piolindo, the first bar you see, and had the best burgers we have had in years. Also very good coffee. We're now in Hotel Mogay. Matrimonio is costing 65 euros, no breakfast which is a bit more expensive than usual. Bathroom has a good shower, no bidet. Heating is via the aircon in bedroom and a heated towel rack in the bathroom. TV, good wifi.
Addit:
Casa Flora (Rua do Parque 8) was excellent. Good local food done beautifully. They have been open about 12 months and have excellent reviews of the sort that say good food, great value, I ate here two days in a row because it was so good. The lady speaks a little English, more French and does great charades. Was worth it just for the conversation we had. They also do takeaways.View attachment 53570

Beautiful photo!

Typical to walk this on the 21st, when the Mesón e Adega do Viega is closed! That's my law (guess what my surname is!).

 

[Donna Sch]

Chantada to Rodeiro:
Hotel Mogay only ended up costing 49.50€ after all so a decent pilgrim discount.
Breakfast at Bar Mar in Chantada. .
Quieter than other bars and his prices are on the higher side for what you get.
The meandering farmland in the plain was very pleasant walking. The bar at Penasillas was open with free wi-fi (the code is on the wall) so we made the most of that. The walk up the hill is interesting with a mix of normal forestry road and concrete on the steeper bits. The 2 rest areas along the way are a pleasant surprise ( with fuentes). Barrie didn't care about getting up to Monte Faro or the Ermita so I went up to the summit as it is a wee side trip. Probably added about 30 minutes onto my day. The view is worth it. Hot hazy day but still good. The last rest area before the turnoff is a potential short cut if you are not going to the summit or Ermita as the fuente at the top also services the rest area around the corner.
After that it is a pleasant walk along the windmills that were on the right. I did spot one of the green lizards mentioned on the info boards but unfortunately it escaped into a crack in the hillside before we got a photo.
Being a typical camino route the way to Rodeiro is not as the crow flies but does a giant lop around. At A Feira we gave up on the camino route and went for the road when it wanted to take us onto a dirt track behind some buildings that looked potentially muddy and slow going. There is a bar at A Feira and it was probably the first time on the Invierno and Levante we have gone more than 5 km and not made the most of a bar. But we were keen to get into Rodeiro.
When we got there my phone died. We went left at the bridge and stopped at Bar Guerra which is on the main drag and one of the first buildings you see on the left. They have rooms in a building just around the corner. They provided dinner as well and opened up the bar for us at 7pm when they are normally shut.
Good day but a long one. We did bump into a Spanish pilgrim this morning. Judging by footprints there may be another. There are also some recent prints from someone who has huge feet (size 14-15?) so if I see a really tall pilgrim in Santiago I am going to assume they have been on the CI.
Lots of butterflies, a dead mole/vole/shrew, some miniature daffodils and flowers I hadn't seen.

 

[Charrito]

What time did you get to Penasillas? I've found the Taberna do Peto closed if you get there too early.

 

[Donna Sch]

About 1130h-ish.

 

[peregrina2000]

What time did you get to Penasillas? I've found the Taberna do Peto closed if you get there too early.

But people have told me that the owner is happy to open if you ring the doorbell of the house to the right, where the owner lives.

 

[Charrito]

I'm a much earlier starter than you, it seems. I've been there before 10.

 

[ranthr]

I think I was there at 9, and it was open, but I don´t know whether the 3 peregrinos I met there had used the doorbell.

 

[KinkyOne]

I'm a much earlier starter than you, it seems. I've been there before 10.

What's your surname again, @Charrito ?

 

[Charrito]

What's your surname again, @Charrito ?

It’s MY law.

 

[Donna Sch]

Rodeiro to Lalin:
Forgot how much the accommodation cost at La Guerra but it was 75€ for dinner, breakfast, drinks on arrival and lodging for both of us.
Nice walk with lots of farmland, country lanes...and mud. Thankfully we could get into the paddock alongside at the worst point.
The Camino is not providing us with much birdlife to photograph (although I love the blue wings of the magpies here) but there are so many butterflies and bees. Those yellow butterflies that zoom on ahead of you, go all around you but never settle are our 'camino butterflies'. Even more elusive is that white one with the orange edging on the wings.
Saw newts too.
Nice walk. Hills are definitely smaller now.
My photos seem to include cows and tractors these days.
Lalin: Staying at El Palacio which is clean and comfortable with a great shower. Radiators but they don't work. Wifi poor on the 2nd floor.
Got here just in time for a food festival which is running this weekend.
We ended up splurging a little and having dinner at La Molinera. Lovely meal and a Spanish friend told us to order a wine from the Ribeira and that was definitely worth it.

 

[Charrito]

Was that the Feira do Cocido, which is what Lalín is famous for?

 

[Donna Sch]

That's the one!

 

[Donna Sch]

Lalín to Silleda:
The camino out of Lalin winds through the green belt and what an asset that is for a town! Watch out for joggers and MAMILs but it is a lovely start to the day. Barrie is a horse person and one horse who decided to check us out scored some sugarcubes. From there you are led past a large flash hotel, through the industrial zone and eventually into Bendoiro/A Laxe. I swear the albergue there wasn't as big with the new bit back in 2015 when I last passed through so I assume that is a recent addition.
There is a lot of semi-rural walking which is pleasant. Bumped into a group of 5 pilgrims. Two were the Italian girls who were a couple of days behind us on the CI, another couple and a Spaniard who must have recently started as no tan lines and he was walking a bit oddly. Interesting what you remember and what you don't from past caminos and what looks different. The patch of forest near the big bridge at Taboada seemed so much lighter and brighter compared to full foliage in summer. Saw some burros including foals.
I had forgotten about the muddy section just before Silleda. I’m glad it has been dry for the last few weeks as it would be a bit miserable after rain.
In Silleda we ended up at Bar/Hostal Toxa. The actual accommodation is just around the corner from the Bar. The bar makes excellent hamburgers and coffee. Cheap and cheerful doble with a tiny balcony. Clean but you could tell a smoker had been in the room in the past. No wifi. The attached bathroom had a shower but there was a separate bathroom down the hall with a bath. Cost 48€ for the doble and breakfast.
The bar is an ode to hunting with various trophies: wild boar, deer, wolf, trout etc all mounted. There was a little 32 calibre pistol on the wall which you definitely wouldn't see in Australia.

 

[Charrito]

I’m in Monforte de Lemos. Off to Chantada tomorrow bright and early.

 

[Donna Sch]

Silleda to Ponte Ulla:
Second last day! Warm weather already by 0830h and the first day that Barrie just wore a tshirt.
An easy town to walk out of and then into forested farmland. All very pleasant with virtually no hills. Stopped off at Bandeira for morning tea and a hamburger. I haven't had burgers for about a decade and now I've had 3 in a week. The Victorino Hotel is busy promoting itself to pilgrims.
We also stopped off later for a drink at Casa Leiras which is a bar/albergue that opened in 2015 in Dornelas. From memory they charge 12-15€ for a bed. The chap there has a very dry sense of humour. Would be a lovely option for someone wanting to do short days. It impressed me last time as being a pretty town and things haven't changed. Also has the Church of San Martiño there too. Lots of eucalypts around and you could mistake this part of the world for parts of Victoria eg the Dandenongs. And then comes the downhill and that steep section before Ponte Ulla. When you see the new rail bridge you can also see the demolition job that has been done on the hill further on.
Last time I walked into Ponte Ulla there were fireworks going off for Mary Magdalene. A bit quieter today but an equally lovely day. Had intended to get a room at Bar Rios but they are currently repainting and renovating the rooms while it is relatively quiet. So we are at Pension Juanito. Very pleasant, very clean and tidy and the people are friendly. Barrie is happy to have wifi although it is a bit slow.
We just came back after a walk with the cameras. We did spot an absolutely stunning lizard. Will see if I can get the file up.

 

[Donna Sch]

Ocellated lizard/jewelled lacerta
Lagato ocelado
Timon lepidus

 

[Donna Sch]

Last day Ponte Ulla -Santiago
I had forgotten how hilly this gets but nothing too major. A large part of the forest has been cleared in Boqueixón since I last did this. Very clear views of Sacro Pico as a result. I am always impressed by how thoroughly they clear forestry land here. No stumps and it is more tilled than most farmers do for their crops. Really warm day.
Lots of mint around.
The rail bridge is looking a bit tatty unfortunately but you can't help but pause there.
There are some road works happening on the way up to the cathedral with one street being dug up but you soon find your way around. Very nice to be back in the Praza. Looks like they are filming something there set in the 1920s. The car being used reminded both of us of the assassination of Eduard Dato even though that occurred in Madrid.
I had forgotten completely that the pilgrim office had moved out of Rua Villar and is now in Rua Carretas.
But we now have our compostelas. We wandered around a bit. Popped into a shop trying to find a pair of jeans and my calves are so big now I can't get into the current styles that are otherwise my size.
So we went back to the hotel after a bit and crashed.
A pair of runners and a new outfit is on the agenda, a massage, Barrie is after a beard trim and hair cut. I want to go to a Pilgrim Mass. Pilgrim House is closed on Wednesdays so there goes that plan. Trying to find presents for my kids and Barrie's grandson. Are there any souvenirs about the Camino de Invierno or Levante anywhere? Just want the t-shirt!
Barrie is keen to get to the UK where he was born and a lot of where his head has travelled has been his childhood, his oddball family with its many secrets.
When he first started he had no idea of the challenge and at Day 3 it was doing his head in a bit. Constantly looking at how far we had gone and getting a bit grumpy. But he has gradually adapted.
And it wasn't until we were hitting Ponte Ulla that he said in passing that he thought the Camino is a good place for those with PTSD, trauma etc. Which is something I was hoping to hear and one of the reasons I'm glad he chose to come with me.
Any tips on getting to the UK? Is it better to train to A Coruna and then fly out from there to London?
Anyone around from the forum?

 

[domigee]

Congratulations!
The flights from Santiago take you to London Gatwick, if you fly from La Coruña you land at Heathrow. Depends where you’re heading to...
Well done again!

 

[Walli Walker]

Thanks so much for your in-depth posts, much appreciated.

 

[Glory Be]

Thank you, it's been great to follow you. Even had to get on Instagram to see all your beautiful pics. Enjoyed it all.
I'll be there in 3+ weeks. A few questions:
Many perigrinos on Invierno trail right now? Would you say you ran into someone daily?
How about bedbugs? Just got done treating my liner & blanket with Permethrin. You didnt take a sleeping bag right?
Thanks ahead of time

 

[murraydv]

Good jobDonna, well done. Hope that you got everything out of the experience that you would have wanted. What's next?

 

[nycwalking]

Thanks for taking us with...on your journey.

Get home safely.

 

[Donna Sch]

@Glory Be, very few peregrinos on the CI at the moment but I suspect it will change as Easter approaches. Most days we saw noone. The biggest group we saw were 5 travelling, mostly from Spain and Italy. That means we bumped into 3 pilgrims between Ponferrada and Lalín. And 5 after that. Now we do tend to start late and stay in hostals so you may meet more people at albergues. One of the advantages of travelling as a couple is that at least you bring your own company.
We didn't need our sleeping bags on the CI because we did not stay in any albergues.

We are taking the train to A Coruña now and flying out to London.
Rome2Rio says the train leaves roughly every 30 minutes but there seems to be a gap between 12 and 2 pm. Not sure if this means it was booked out. The train cost €15.20 for both of us and a taxi to the airport was €13.40.
Word of warning: weekend flights are expensive and the weekend starts on Thursday. If you can fly on Wednesday you will save quite a bit.

I can see myself becoming a repeat Camino offender. I have still got 3 months of leave up my sleeve so I suspect in a few years I will be back once I build up my spare cash and hopefully the exchange rate will be back in our favour.
The Camino Madrid or the Ingles may end up on the list followed by Muxia.
Mind you there is a house to build and a wedding to organise in the interim. Part of the Yes was that he had to survive a camino first. And we haven't killed each other in the process and have both had to learn to compromise a bit. But he passes
Now I haven't even thought about the UK (Left that one to Barrie!) and we are going to be in Poole for 4 days with family and around London for a week. Any little treasures that people recommend?

 

[Former member 49149]

@Glory Be, very few peregrinos on the CI at the moment but I suspect it will change as Easter approaches. Most days we saw noone. The biggest group we saw were 5 travelling, mostly from Spain and Italy. That means we bumped into 3 pilgrims between Ponferrada and Lalín. And 5 after that. Now we do tend to start late and stay in hostals so you may meet more people at albergues. One of the advantages of travelling as a couple is that at least you bring your own company.
We didn't need our sleeping bags on the CI because we did not stay in any albergues.

We are taking the train to A Coruña now and flying out to London.
Rome2Rio says the train leaves roughly every 30 minutes but there seems to be a gap between 12 and 2 pm. Not sure if this means it was booked out. The train cost €15.20 for both of us and a taxi to the airport was €13.40.
Word of warning: weekend flights are expensive and the weekend starts on Thursday. If you can fly on Wednesday you will save quite a bit.

I can see myself becoming a repeat Camino offender. I have still got 3 months of leave up my sleeve so I suspect in a few years I will be back once I build up my spare cash and hopefully the exchange rate will be back in our favour.
The Camino Madrid or the Ingles may end up on the list followed by Muxia.
Mind you there is a house to build and a wedding to organise in the interim. Part of the Yes was that he had to survive a camino first. And we haven't killed each other in the process and have both had to learn to compromise a bit. But he passes
Now I haven't even thought about the UK (Left that one to Barrie!) and we are going to be in Poole for 4 days with family and around London for a week. Any little treasures that people recommend?

No treasures, as I don’t know London. Just saying thanks very much for your posts, and delighted that you are on your way towards... you fill in the rest! Wishing you a buen camino on your coming journeys, you and Barrie.

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

@Glory Be, very few peregrinos on the CI at the moment but I suspect it will change as Easter approaches. Most days we saw noone. The biggest group we saw were 5 travelling, mostly from Spain and Italy. That means we bumped into 3 pilgrims between Ponferrada and Lalín. And 5 after that. Now we do tend to start late and stay in hostals so you may meet more people at albergues. One of the advantages of travelling as a couple is that at least you bring your own company.
We didn't need our sleeping bags on the CI because we did not stay in any albergues.

We are taking the train to A Coruña now and flying out to London.
Rome2Rio says the train leaves roughly every 30 minutes but there seems to be a gap between 12 and 2 pm. Not sure if this means it was booked out. The train cost €15.20 for both of us and a taxi to the airport was €13.40.
Word of warning: weekend flights are expensive and the weekend starts on Thursday. If you can fly on Wednesday you will save quite a bit.

I can see myself becoming a repeat Camino offender. I have still got 3 months of leave up my sleeve so I suspect in a few years I will be back once I build up my spare cash and hopefully the exchange rate will be back in our favour.
The Camino Madrid or the Ingles may end up on the list followed by Muxia.
Mind you there is a house to build and a wedding to organise in the interim. Part of the Yes was that he had to survive a camino first. And we haven't killed each other in the process and have both had to learn to compromise a bit. But he passes
Now I haven't even thought about the UK (Left that one to Barrie!) and we are going to be in Poole for 4 days with family and around London for a week. Any little treasures that people recommend?

Thanks for your detailed report Donna,

I will perhaps be back on the Invierno this summer, for the third time in 5 years... now that is a repeat Camino offender… But your postings have taught me some tips & tricks that I can add to my knowledge of this route! Thanks!

/BP