New albergue in Diomondi

[Charrito]

More about the albergue in Diomondi:

La Xunta licita el primer albergue público del camino de invierno ubicado en O Saviñao

La Xunta de Galicia viene de publicar en el día de ayer la licitación para rehabilitar el Pazo Obispal de Diomondi, en el ayuntamiento de O Saviñao, que se convertirá en el primero albergue de gestión autonómica situado en el Camino de Invierno. Esta actuación, que se enmarca en el Plan de Albergues

www.diariodelemos.es

 

[ranthr]

I have got the newBrierley guidebook from Ivar today, and after a quick reading I liked it a lot. Maps are good with route alternatives too. Makes me wish to go back when times come . The albergue in Diomondi in the restored bishop´s palace is mentioned too, priced to 8 €.

 

[VNwalking]

The albergue in Diomondi in the restored bishop´s palace is mentioned too, priced to 8 €.

I'd stay there in a heartbeat.

 

[Charrito]

I'd stay there in a heartbeat.

It’s a beautiful church (though I’ve never found it open on any of the many times I’ve been there!). However, there is nothing else up there. You could always walk down to Belesar for something to eat or drink, then walk all the way back up again). Rather you than me!

I’ve always thought that somewhere to stay in Belesar village would be ideal.

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

You could always walk down to Belesar for something to eat or drink, then walk all the way back up again. Rather you than me!

Holy mountain,

I would get hungry again from walking back up that hill!!

 

[ranthr]

The guidebook says: Historic builing renovated in 2020 with all modern facilities incl. kitchen!
I could cook you a meal @ Bad Pilgrim if we meet there

 

[peregrina2000]

with all modern facilities incl. kitchen

Many/most Xunta albergues have kitchens — the question Brierley doesn’t answer is whether there will be utensils, pots, plates, glasses, silverware etc.

 

[ranthr]

I guess I would walk to Chantada.

 

[Charrito]

Many/most Xunta albergues have kitchens — the question Brierley doesn’t answer is whether there will be utensils, pots, plates, glasses, silverware etc.

And where would you buy any ingredients for your meal?

 

[VNwalking]

And where would you buy any ingredients for your meal?

I'd buy it on the way out of Monforte, since the camino conveniently passes a supermarket. It's not a hilly walk from there to Diamondi, so the extra weight would not be a huge burden. (That said, I woudn't need to lug a litre of vino tinto...which would add a bit more weight than basic provisions.)

 

[peregrina2000]

One possible development is that there will be establishments in the area that will offer delivery meals. This has been the case in Outeiro, four kms up a fair-sized hill from Ponte Ulla on the Sanabrés/Vdlp.

There are places in the area that serve food, and I wonder if there’s a chance that the mesón overlooking the horseshoe bend of the Miño (@Charrito remind me of its name) would offer pick up and drop off service so peregrinos could spend an evening out on a terrace overlooking one of the most beautiful spots of the Miño River. Ahh, the possibilities......

In thinking about possible establishments for food delivery, I thought of the Torre Vilariño and remembered that they had a serious fire back in January. I see the website is up and running, but I wonder if anyone knows what is going on there and how their rebuilding effort is going. What a great place, I really hope they survive the double whammy of a fire and covid.

 

[Albertagirl]

I will certainly stay there if I walk the Invierno again. It was my most interesting location when I walked the Invierno last fall. It should be reasonably easy to carry food for an evening meal and breakfast. It would be easier to do if kitchen utilities were present. But doable either way. I should like to see Diomondi again.

 

[peregrina2000]

And a follow up thought on staying in Diomondi when that becomes possible. Based on Gronze and the forum guide, it looks like Monforte to Diomondi is about 22 or 23 kms. For some that’s a perfect distance. For others it may be too short.

So here is a great way to add on 6 kms and take a circle walk to a couple of small romanesque churches as well as some views of the Miño River that are just fabulous. @VNwalking posted tracks for the loop, which I easily followed a few weeks after she walked. That makes it a perfect day for those who like to walk in the high 20s.

We both stayed at Torre Vilariño, which is also a great option. But either way the loop is well worth it.

 

[Theatregal]

I too would love to stay at Diamondi. If you haven't carried food from Monforte, you could take a little detour for lunch at Vilariño and pick up something there to take away for an evening meal at Diamondi. I was sorry I missed taking the the loop to see the churches when I stayed at Vilariño. Almost next door is the excellent ethnological museum, Ecomuseo Arxeriz with a castro and beautiful views of the horseshoe bend in the Miño, pictured above in Laurie's post.

 

[MikeJS]

I'd buy it on the way out of Monforte, since the camino conveniently passes a supermarket. It's not a hilly walk from there to Diamondi, so the extra weight would not be a huge burden. (That said, I woudn't need to lug a litre of vino tinto...which would add a bit more weight than basic provisions.)

It is a well known camino fact that vino tinto does not add any weight to your pack!

 

[Charrito]

One possible development is that there will be establishments in the area that will offer delivery meals. This has been the case in Outeiro, four kms up a fair-sized hill from Ponte Ulla on the Sanabrés/Vdlp.

There are places in the area that serve food, and I wonder if there’s a chance that the mesón overlooking the horseshoe bend of the Miño (@Charrito remind me of its name) would offer pick up and drop off service so peregrinos could spend an evening out on a terrace overlooking one of the most beautiful spots of the Miño River. Ahh, the possibilities......

In thinking about possible establishments for food delivery, I thought of the Torre Vilariño and remembered that they had a serious fire back in January. I see the website is up and running, but I wonder if anyone knows what is going on there and how their rebuilding effort is going. What a great place, I really hope they survive the double whammy of a fire and covid.

Are you referring to Cabo do Mundo?

 

[peregrina2000]

No, it was up above, lower than the overgrown mirador. I thought it was you who told me, but maybe it was @Ribeirasacra. Based on the location, it must be the Adega Moure, but it surely looked to me like it had a full blown restaurant operation going on, just judging by the tables, etc. And there was a lot of construction that seemed to be increasing the size of the terrace.

@Charrito, is the Cabo do Mundo a restaurant?

@VNwalking, if you are not too glued to the Lana thread, can you remember anything about the restaurant/mesón/adega we passed on that loop?

 

[Charrito]

No, it was up above, lower than the overgrown mirador. I thought it was you who told me, but maybe it was @Ribeirasacra. Based on the location, it must be the Adega Moure, but it surely looked to me like it had a full blown restaurant operation going on, just judging by the tables, etc. And there was a lot of construction that seemed to be increasing the size of the terrace.

@Charrito, is the Cabo do Mundo a restaurant?

@VNwalking, if you are not too glued to the Lana thread, can you remember anything about the restaurant/mesón/adega we passed on that loop?

I'm not really sure what you are trying to say about these places, Laurie. Unless you've stayed the previous night in Torre Vilariño they are quite a long way from Diomondi.

The restaurant/bar at the bottom by the river at Cabo do Mundo is the Playa Fluvial A Cova Restaurante. Up in the hills, the other place, near the mirador, is the Abadía da Cova, a winery (Adega Moure) with a lovely terrace.

The Adega Via Romana, on the walk up after Belesar, also has beautiful views, but if you want a meal I would recommend the Mesón e Adega O Veiga, a hundred yards further up, on the other side of the road.

The bar down in Belesar is under new management and we had a lovely meal there a few months ago after the two hour cruise down the river.

 

[peregrina2000]

I'm not really sure what you are trying to say about these places, Laurie.

My not so clear point was that there are restaurants in the vicinity for which it would be a 10-15 minute drive to do delivery to Diomondi. That has happened in Outeiro on the Sanabrés, so if the albergue took off, I would expect that to happen in Diomondi too.

And btw, when you were in Belesar recently, you didn’t happen to see or hear anything about the Torre Vilariño‘s rebuilding post-fire, did you?

 

[Charrito]

My not so clear point was that there are restaurants in the vicinity for which it would be a 10-15 minute drive to do delivery to Diomondi. That has happened in Outeiro on the Sanabrés, so if the albergue took off, I would expect that to happen in Diomondi too.

And btw, when you were in Belesar recently, you didn’t happen to see or hear anything about the Torre Vilariño‘s rebuilding post-fire, did you?

OK.

It would be easier to get meals delivered from Escairón, just 7 kms away. As you know, it’s one of my ‘alternative’ routes between Monforte and Diomondi/Belesar.

No news about the repair work at Torre Vilariño, but there was a lot to do after the fire.

 

[peregrina2000]

It would be easier to get meals delivered from Escairón, just 7 kms away.

Oh, of course, Escairón. I’ll bet you’re right that that is the most likely place. Great suggestion, @Charrito. I think I remember that you had a pretty good meal there, too!

Googlemaps shows several restaurants in town. I know, I know, I am getting way ahead of myself, but I’ll bet that the hungry peregrin@ will be able to get something to eat once that albergue opens.

But one more question for you, @Charrito — google maps says Vilasante (which takes me back to the Olvidado and Vilasante de Mena), so I am wondering if that is the municipality and Escairón is a town inside it. Galician place names are very confusing.

Mesón A Maruxa

Restaurante Avenida

Restaurante Campeliños

Restaurante Durán

 

[Charrito]

Oh, of course, Escairón. I’ll bet you’re right that that is the most likely place. Great suggestion, @Charrito. I think I remember that you had a pretty good meal there, too!

Googlemaps shows several restaurants in town. I know, I know, I am getting way ahead of myself, but I’ll bet that the hungry peregrin@ will be able to get something to eat once that albergue opens.

But one more question for you, @Charrito — google maps says Vilasante (which takes me back to the Olvidado and Vilasante de Mena), so I am wondering if that is the municipality and Escairón is a town inside it. Galician place names are very confusing.

Mesón A Maruxa

Restaurante Avenida

Restaurante Campeliños

Restaurante Durán

You’re right about Vilasante/Escairón.

Mesón A Maruxa is/would be the best bet. They also have rooms, and you have Hotel O Ruso.

 

[peregrina2000]

Looks like this is really going to happen, folks!

La Xunta apoya el Camino de Invierno e invierte un millón de euros en la rehabilitación del Pazo de Diomondi como albergue de peregrinos

La Xunta apoya el Camino de Invierno e invierte un millón de euros en la rehabilitación del Pazo de Diomondi como albergue de peregrinos

www.xunta.gal

34 beds, 1 million euros. Based on the picture, it looks like the work has started.

 

[VNwalking]

Fantastic. Thanks for posting, Laurie.
It's one of the highlights of that stage, so a perfect place to stay after Monforte - even though food will be an interesting conundrum.

 

[wisepilgrim]

I can confirm that the work has started. I was there two weeks ago and it surprised me to see both construction and mass being held. I have never seen so much activity in that aldea.

 

[VNwalking]

Wow. it was utterly deserted when I was there.

mass being held

The church was open, then? What does it look like inside?

 

[wisepilgrim]

Wow. it was utterly deserted when I was there.

The church was open, then? What does it look like inside?

It was, it there must have been something more than a mass going on. The door was only open a crack and when I peered inside the crowd was with enough that they were with their backs to the door. I chose not to interrupt.

 

[peregrina2000]

In another thread, I suggested that a really nice stage, for those who like to walk in the low 30s, would be Monforte to VN’s loop, and on to Diomondi.

I would carry a sandwich or something from Monforte, because I do agree that spending the night here would be lovely. And then… the next day could be another low 30s stage, into Rodeiro taking the non-windmill alternative that we have recently talked about that avoids the ascent to Monte Faro and takes the quiet road route past several Romanesque churches. Sorry, but my mind just can’t help it.

If there is an albergue that has 34 beds, and if it actually gets traffic, I just have to think that someone somewhere in the vicinity will start a meal delivery business. Especially if this is like all the other Xunta albergues — it may have a kitchen, but it has no cookware.

 

[Joanna McIntyre]

Hello - does anyone know if the Albergue in Diomondi is now open and taking pilgrims please - planning on staying there in mid October. Many thanks

 

[peregrina2000]

Hello - does anyone know if the Albergue in Diomondi is now open and taking pilgrims please - planning on staying there in mid October. Many thanks

Sorry, I just saw this. I have seen no news that the albergue is open, which I am pretty sure we would see. So I am assuming that work continues, but that’s not a really trustworthy answer.

 

[Torsten]

Sorry, I just saw this. I have seen no news that the albergue is open, which I am pretty sure we would see. So I am assuming that work continues, but that’s not a really trustworthy answer.

I did the Invierno in September and had an short stop at the church. The construction/renovation is still in progress and the church was closed.