Notes from the Invierno

[econodan]

A few notes from the Invierno so far. I'll add more as we go along.

The evening before we started out we stopped by the pilgrim kiosk in Ponferrada for information. The man there tried to discourage us from setting out on the Invierno. He explained how the stages are long and without services at intermediate spots along the way. I guess the concern is that pilgrims might be expecting something more like the Frances, where there are generally services available every five or ten km. After we talked for a while, and described our experience on several of the other less-traveled caminos, he started to open up and gave us good detailed information.

As we headed out of town next morning, withing a couple of km four local residents stopped to tell us we were going the wrong way. I guess it must be common for Camino Frances pilgrims to set off inadvertently on the Invierno. The first stage passes through several small villages, with plenty of vineyards and fruit orchards in between (cherries are ripe). Lots of "buen caminos," little chats, and helpful pointers from people we met along the way. (We were missing that sort of interaction this year on the Lebaniego and Vadiniense; it really feels much more like being on the Camino again.) The route is very well marked and with Rebekah's guide in hand for reference easy to follow. Spent the night in Las Medulas.

Day two from Las Medulas to O Barco de Valdeorras. There are plentiful new markings through Puente de Domingo Florez so it's easy to get on and follow the "recommended" route that roughly follows the railroad tracks for the rest of the stage. There are very elegant-looking new slate mojones and brightly painted metal arrows at virtually every junction. We stopped for a bocadillo at Bar Mar in Sobradello (which is right along the path; no detour necessary). The owner there is very friendly to pilgrims. He said he didn't have bocadillos right then, but offered some ham and cheese, and some bread. He brought out a huge plate with two kinds of ham, slices of cheese, and a whole basket of bread: the equivalent of more than two bocadillos. With three refrescos and a cafe, our bill was only 8 euro. Definitely a recommended stop. Although it's apparently been planned for some time, there's no albergue there. We stopped for the day in O Barco and took a room at the Pension Do Lar. On our way through town, tired and hot after walking all afternoon in the 32 degrees heat, we stopped for an ice cream. Chatted a bit with the young man in the shop, and while we were still finishing our cones he brought us a fancy cupcake as a gift. Everyone has been very friendly here, and because there's a wine festival in the town we decided to spend an extra night to stay and enjoy it.

Only two days in we are really liking this camino. Pleasant walking surfaces, good scenery, and lots of friendly interaction with people as we walk along: a great vibe.

 

[econodan]

A little footnote...
The wine festival was great fun. People here in O Barco have been extremely hospitable to pilgrims. And a shout-out recommendation of Cafeteria Fernando, a bar-restaurant on Conde de Fenosa (roughly across from the hospital). Outstanding food, very reasonable prices, and our server Guillermo was very helpful and kind.

 

[Luka]

Sounds wonderful! I am getting more and more convinced to walk this route too. Maybe next year... ojalá... ¡Buen camino!

 

[econodan]

Glad to hear this. Just be aware that some of the stages are long with no services avail along the way, so it's necessary to be more prepared and carry a little more.
Buen camino.
Dan

 

[Luka]

Thanks for the warning! I have walked in Northern France where I often carried food for 2 days in my pack. This camino looks likes a nice and silent escape from the Frances. Enjoy!

 

[econodan]

Day three, from O Barco to A Rua del Valdeorras. This was a short and easy day. Easy walking, including a nice stretch following a riverside park by Vilamartin, and before we knew it we were in A Rua. At the entrance to town there's a large sign showing camino arrows either straight ahead (along the main street toward the center of town) or branching to the right toward the albergue. Even if you are not headed to the albergue, if you are stopping here I'd recommend the right fork which goes through the old section of town and eventually to the albergue. This private albergue, Casa Solaina, is a treat. Asun, who is an official of the Camino Invierno amigos, treated us like houseguests. We ended up spending a few hours talking with her about a variety of topics, and she recorded a couple of audio interviews with us to put up on their website. Hospitality: Asun's 91-year-old mother insisted on hanging our laundry on a line with better breeze and sun than where we'd put it. The center of town, with bars and other services, is only a few blocks away. It turned out that two residents of A Rua were also leaving the next morning on the Camino, so Asun arranged for us to all leave together the next morning.

Day four, from A Rua to Quiroga. With hot weather in the forecast, we were on our way with Manolo and his 16-year-old son Carlos by 7. This is a longish stage, but even though there aren't services at least there is water (carry food). There's a good fuente at 7 km just past Alberedos, and another (look for the lavadero under the bridge) at Bendillo. There's a fair bit of pavement on this stage, and lots of up and down, but we were walking fast and made the 28 km by a little after 2. Fortunately the morning cloud cover didn't burn off until around noon, so things weren't as hot as they could have been. Once the clouds were gone, the temps really climbed. Shortly before Bendillo we met another pilgrim (other than Manolo and Carlos, who were headed up to the Camino Frances), first one we've encountered on this camino. We walked together the rest of the way to Quiroga. The albergue there had a school group, so we opted for the Hostal Quiper. The owner there was very accommodating and helpful, and the bar downstairs opens by 7 am. Lots of great chats with local residents, several of whom were incredulous that we'd come all the way from the US just to walk the Camino de Santiago.

Day five, Quiroga to Puebla de Brollon. Previous day's luck with cloud cover didn't hold for this stage, and by 9:30 am the clouds were gone and the sweat was rolling off. But this is a very pleasant stage. A few km of level road at the beginning, then a couple climbing, and then mostly dirt through pleasant forests and later some farmland. The route is changed since Rebekah's 2011 guide: now the climb up the road after Noceda is shorter before yellow arrows clearly point up a dirt track to the right. Details are in Caminka's 2014 guide (here on the Forum), but it's all well marked and easy to follow. Carry water: first place we found to fill up was at Castroncelos (practically to Puebla de Brollon). If you are planning to stay there, when you enter the town and hit the main highway, turn left instead of crossing the river to the right as indicated by the arrows and you'll find Hostal As Vinas just ahead. Very friendly and helpful here in the Hostal.

 

[KinkyOne]

Hi, Dan!
I'm in El Acebo today and tomorrow will get onto Invierno. Your posts are very helpfull, but think that I'll have different stages at least as far as A Rua. Will post comments for others (as Luka) when back home - I hate this little smart shit in my hand

Ultreia!

 

[peregrina2000]

Great fun to read about your invierno! I too spent a lot of real quality time with asun and her mom. Did she tell you she was the cook for some French minister in his home for about 30 years in Paris?! What a wonderful woman.

Hope the rest of your days are as memorable.

 

[econodan]

Hiya,
That we did not learn. But somehow I'm not surprised.
We had to stop in Monforte for tonight: one of the casas rurales was full and the other closed (tho they did offer to open up just for us). Alas, the place you recommended by Diamondi was too far for us today. At least it's supposed to cool off tomorrow for the long stage to Chantada.
Hope to see you in SdC.
Dan

 

[Rebekah Scott]

So fun, following along the Invierno with you! Thank you for these clear, concise updates.

Reb.

 

[econodan]

Day six, Puebla de Brollon to Monforte. As indicated above, we'd planned to walk further, to one of the casas rurales, but it was not to be. This was a very easy stage: mostly flat, mostly unpaved, and less than three hours walking. The yellow arrows stop after crossing the railroad tracks into town, but just keep going straight and they'll pick up again near the tourist info office (where we picked up sellos from the helpful staff). Monforte is pretty to walk around in the old streets climbing up toward the Parador. Very good meal at Al Portal, very friendly reception and nice room at Hostal Ribeira Sacra.

 

[econodan]

Day seven, Monforte to (almost) Chantada. Today was part camino stage, part adventure hike. First part out of town was easy to follow and adequately marked. Minor points re Rebekah's guide: At a fork partway out of town Abeledo Street branches to the right but the marked route goes left (can't remember the name of the other street); the Haley supermarket is now a Gadis. At Vide, a couple of local farmers recommended we stay on the paved road rather than take the side lane (this would be consistent with the markings) because the side lane was too muddy.

The fun began once we made the sharp left turn after the Pazo de Reguengo wall. First part of this was very muddy (more river than earth), but as it started to dry up that gave way to seriously overgrown, with thorny blackberries and stinging nettles the most bothersome. After a little while things opened up a bit, and with heavy use of my hiking poles as if they were machetes we made it to Pineiro. After taking a break there, things deteriorated. The path was much more overgrown, parts were like a lake (run-off from flood irrigation of neighboring fields), and after a while of struggling we gave up and retreated to roads. We did a bit of wandering before me made it back to the correct path around O Camino Grande, but by this point we'd lost so much time and expended so much extra energy in the heat that it would have been a struggle to reach Chantada. By the time we reached Diomondi we'd been going for eight hours with one break. Lucky for us there's a gem of a B&B near there. We called, the proprietor came and picked us up, and we enjoyed a truly lovely dinner and evening at the Casa de Santo Estevo.

Let's hope those rough stretches are cleared up before the next group of pilgrims comes through here. They should be among the most enjoyable parts of this stage, as they climb up an old stone path through the forest.

 

[peregrina2000]

Dan, this is the EXACT same spot where I had to scramble up over the wall in one side of a green tunnel with inches of thick mud through it. As I got to the top I almost fell backwards into the glop and I had visions of being stuck there on my back unable to move.

But for whatever reason Of luck or magic or divine providence, I was able to find my way out of the maze and emerged astonished to see the mojon in Camino Grande. I spoke with a resident who told me this stretch is notorious.

We'll have to figure out who might be able to help get this cleared up. But at least the Casa Santo Estevo could be your silver lining!

Hope the rest of your invierno is less eventful. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Rebekah Scott]

My first time through there I got lost, too -- the part after Pineiro. The next couple of times, no problem, but the trails were dry then, and I kinda knew which way to go by then...

So lucky there are so many good places to stay around there, and people willing to come and pick up wandering souls. At one point there was talk of an English couple opening a place in that neighborhood. Perhaps we can track them down and talk to them about maintaining that stretch?

 

[econodan]

Day eight, Diomondi to Chantada. Because we'd stopped short the day before, this was a short day. It was great to be rested and able to really enjoy the descent to Belesar and the Rio Mino, and the climb up the other side through vineyards ad the occasional bodega. Had we pushed through this stretch the day before, it would have been a slog. Ian (from the Casa de Santo Estevo) had arranged a room for us at a hotel, and even with a leisurely start and relaxed walking we were there well before the mid-day meal. We enjoyed walking around Chantada a bit. A first: our hotel didn't have a sello, so we had to visit the tourist office for one.

 

[econodan]

Day nine, Chantada to Rodeiro. Another beautiful stage. We had no trouble finding our way out of town, and were soon on unpaved paths heading up toward the ridge and windmills. The woman in Chantada's tourist office told us there was a bar in Penasillas where we could pick up bocadillos for a later picnic. Yes, there's a bar there, but when we walked through mid-morning it was still closed. Fortunately we had ample snacks in the pack. The picnic area at the top of the ridge (near Alto de Faro) was delightful and we took too long of a break. We followed the gravel road past all the windmills, then worked our way down toward Rodeiro. Part way down the clouds opened up and we had heavy rain most of the rest of the way. In Rios, where the marked path leaves the pavement, the route was a rain-swollen river so we stayed on the secondary road for the remaining few km. Meal and room at the O Guerra, very amable.

 

[econodan]

Day ten, Rodeiro to Lalin. This is a delightful stage, mostly following small lanes through farming country. We had intermittent rain showers, but nothing too heavy. There were a few spots where the puddles completely covered the unpaved route, but it was easy to divert onto an adjacent field for a bit and then resume. There was a little bit of tricky marking toward the end. Someone has marked what must be another path with yellow arrows that are inconsistent with the camino markings (sometimes diverting, sometimes going the opposite direction). They are a paler and slightly chartreuse yellow compared to the camino's standard, and spray painted. You'll see them for a km or three: ignore them.

Frustrating and sad news. A bit more than halfway through today's stage, I did something (not sure what) to my foot. We'd stopped for a minute to take off rain jackets, and when we started again I was in pain with every step. I kept thinking it would work itself out, but it was not to be. I hobbled the remaining distance to Lalin. When I took off my shoes in the hotel, the foot was swelling up. I've iced and elevated, but so far no improvement. Unless some miracle occurs overnight, this is probably the end of this year's camino for us.

 

[Luka]

What a bad luck... I hope a good night's rest will help!

 

[norelle]

I hope you are recovering and that you can continue tomorrow morning.
Your posts on this way have been informative - this camino interests me very much.
thank you for all your contributions

buen camino

 

[KinkyOne]

Day ten, Rodeiro to Lalin. This is a delightful stage, mostly following small lanes through farming country. We had intermittent rain showers, but nothing too heavy. There were a few spots where the puddles completely covered the unpaved route, but it was easy to divert onto an adjacent field for a bit and then resume. There was a little bit of tricky marking toward the end. Someone has marked what must be another path with yellow arrows that are inconsistent with the camino markings (sometimes diverting, sometimes going the opposite direction). They are a paler and slightly chartreuse yellow compared to the camino's standard, and spray painted. You'll see them for a km or three: ignore them.

Frustrating and sad news. A bit more than halfway through today's stage, I did something (not sure what) to my foot. We'd stopped for a minute to take off rain jackets, and when we started again I was in pain with every step. I kept thinking it would work itself out, but it was not to be. I hobbled the remaining distance to Lalin. When I took off my shoes in the hotel, the foot was swelling up. I've iced and elevated, but so far no improvement. Unless some miracle occurs overnight, this is probably the end of this year's camino for us.

C'mon Dan, keep your head up!!! It'll be OK. Are you under time pressure?
I'm in Xagoaza today and washing & spraying all my stuff for the third time, each day less bites, but counted more than 120 today (mostly old, of course), but I will go on. Hope your leg gets better. Maybe you just need another wine festival

Ultreia!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Hope you are feeling better by now, and are back on the Road today!

 

[peregrina2000]

Best wishes from another Invierno fan checking in. Your posts have been great. I really hope your foot problem resolves itself but if not I know you'll be back! See you in santiago I hope!

 

[econodan]

Thanks all for the kind words of encouragement. I saw a doc at the clinic in Lalin this morning, he took some x rays, and the bottom line is my camino is finished (for this year). I can hobble short distances slowly, but basically it's elevation and rest for at least a few days. We previewed much of the remaining route from the bus window as we covered the final three stages to Santiago in about an hour.

Kinky: Bed bugs? I feel for you.
Laurie: Look forward to seeing you soon.

Buen caminos to all.

Dan

 

[jayree]

Unfortunately it sounds like you may have a metatarsal stress fracture. This has happened to me twice from running. It can be unbelievably painful with disproportionate swelling on the dorsal foot. I discovered that an AirCast SP Walker boot, sometimes called a Rooney or Beckham boot because or their well publicized injuries, can be quite helpful for ambulation during the recovery period. I ordered mine from Amazon but you can probably find one in Santiago. This site has a picture.
http://www.djoglobal.com/products/aircast/sp-walker-short-pneumatic
Be sure to ask your airline ahead of time to see if they can provide assistance and early boarding at the airport. Ask the stewardess for ice on the plane.

 

[sulu]

KinkyOne and Econodan, My Commiserations to both of you.

[QUOTE="econodan, post: 228422, member: 35322There was a little bit of tricky marking toward the end. Someone has marked what must be another path with yellow arrows that are inconsistent with the camino markings (sometimes diverting, sometimes going the opposite direction). They are a paler and slightly chartreuse yellow compared to the camino's standard, and spray painted. You'll see them for a km or three: ignore them.[/QUOTE]
I found strange arrows on a Camino, I can't remember where, later I decided that the electricity board might have been responsible, it seemed like they were indicating where wires or pipes were, or should be. It was very annoying as I followed them for a while and found I was retracing my steps

 

[Ribeirasacra]

Dan Just popped in to read your blog and your posts.
Irene and I am sorry you did not make it to SdC. It must have been so disappointing to have been so near yet so far.
Some photos of Pilgrims on this route are being posted on the Facebook page for this route. A photo of you has not appered.

 

[KinkyOne]

Hi, Dan!
Are you still in SdC? Or somewhere near

 

[econodan]

Sorry, no. We flew back to the US today. Wish we'd had a chance to cross paths. Next time.
Dan

 

[edandjoan]

Leaving tomorrow and have just started studying about this route. We walked Leon to SdC in Sept. 2012 and the many pilgrims past Sarria wasn't fun, so we thought this year we would walk SJPP to Leon and bus or train to Oviedo and walk the Primitivo, but it sounds busy. So this looks like it could be a good option for us. So we start walking Saturday (we have 40 days) and will just take all our resources and see where we are lead to walk.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, edandjoan,

I would never discourage anyone from walking the Invierno because it is beautiful, well marked, and goes through very nice places. Like econodan, I never met other pilgrims, but the people along the way were welcoming and kind. But if you were initially drawn to the Primitivo, I think the crowds are mainly an August phenomenon. By September the crunch should definitely be over. And one last thing -- you may already know about it but the Camino del Salvador from Leon to Oviedo is amazing. It is a usually 4-5 day walk, but Beatrice on the forum just walked it in three, though I think she's in a very elite class of walker. Anyway, there is great online info on the Salvador, Reb has a guide, there's a guide by Ender, the guardian angel of the Salvador, and lots of people here on the forum have walked it. That would eliminate the train/bus to Oviedo and give you an unbroken string of walk walk walk.

As I said, I'm not saying anything bad about the Invierno at all, but you are unlikely to meet anyone else, which may be a plus or a minus depending on how you feel when you get to Ponferrada. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[edandjoan]

Thanks for your thoughts Laurie.

I do have the info on the Salvador. It will all depend on how far we walk each day as to which route we will take after Leon. We are both fit, Ed cycles around 100 miles a week and I run or walk 3 days a week for about 20 miles and cross train 2 or 3 days a week. We don't want to rush the last 100k like we did in 2012. We also don't plan to pre-book any beds along the way. I think I may just be getting anxious and once walking all will be fine.

Again thanks!