List of albergues—2019 guide

To my knowledge:
- albergues: Ponferrada, Villavieja, Sobradelo (kind of), Xagoaza (= O Barco de Valdeorras), A Rua, Lalin, A Laxe,
- polideportivos: Priaranza del Bierzo, A Rua. A Pobra de Brollon (albergue in planning stages), Monforte de Lemos, Chantada, Rodeiro, Lalin,
- albergues juvenil: Vilamartin, Quiroga.

peregrina2000 said:

Thanks, Kinky.
I think the Centro Social in Priaranza is no longer open to pilgrims. Villavieja is in the same municipal territory and is administered by Priaranza, so that makes sense.

I got a report that Chantada no longer opened its polideportivo.

I think the polideportivo option is one I will list but have a heads up that further investigation is needed in some cases. A Spanish guy I met the last time I walked told me that often the polideportivo is only opened up for groups. In any case, it would be a mistake to rely on them without investigating further. But the guy at the Rodeiro ayuntamiento did tell me they would open theirs for pilgrims.

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Quite understandable for Priaranza vs Villavieja, agree.

Polideportivos in my experience are always there but sleeping in them is more or less the thing of willingness of Ayuntamiento staff. Exactly what happened to me in A Pobra de Brollon because the mayor was out of the town and nobody was willing to take responsibility

What about the albergue in Dornelas - run by the Italian couple, Andrea and Cristina? Of course, it's located after the point where the Invierno merges with Via de la Plata and other routes, but still! I didn't stay there, just popped in for a coffee, but it looked very nice, clean, and comfy!

And another thing that springs to my mind speaking about albergues: I found the two municipal albergues in A Laxe and Outeiro to be very good (and they're both equipped with washers and dryers - might be an important thing to add), and I couldn't understand why the guide claimed that the Outeiro albergue had few utensils in the kitchen. The one in A Laxe indeed has very little in the kitchen, but the one in Outeiro has quite a lot: plates, cups (even coffee cups!), utensils, and apart from that, sugar, salt, oil, coffee, and even milk! What they both lack, however, is blankets - that was very inconvenient indeed. I'll be forever grateful to the friendly hospitalero Fernando in Outeiro who nevertheless managed to find me a blanket

And one more suggestion (I'm starting to feel that I'm being over-enthusiastic, but still): maybe add that, at least in winter, it's recommended to call the albergues on the Invierno in advance? I was lucky to be able to spend the night in the albergue in Vilamartin (highly recommended: comfy and with very helpful staff!), but the albergue in Quiroga next day happened to be closed.