Quiroga to Monteforte

[jennysa]

I am walking part of the Invierno with friends who have time constraints. Due to our advanced years we could struggle with the 33 kms in one day If we took a taxi for about 10 kms, are there any suggestions as to which section we could miss or which section we should definitely not miss?

 

[peregrina2000]

The stage is pleasant, nothing spectacular, but the old hamlet and bridge of Barxa de Lor is a highlight, so I wouldn’t miss that. I think the main thing to consider would be whether you want to reduce the ascent/descent, most of which come at the beginning.

Walking Quiroga to Pobra de Brollón would give you 23 km, and a couple of ascents. Google shows taxis in Pobra de Brollón, so you could get into Monforte easily.

Pobra de Brollón is about 12 into Monforte, and it is much flatter. There used to be a perennially muddy/messy stretch a few kms outside Monforte, but I’ve been told it has been re-routed. The walk into Monforte isn’t special, but I remember that VN did see an old Castro outside of Pobra, which I somehow missed.

The other option would be to miss the bigger ascent at the beginning and take a cab from Quiroga to Barxa de Lor. That would be a slightly shorter day than walking to Pobra. But either way gets you to Barxa de Lor, which is very nice.

 

[Theatregal]

I agree with @peregrina2000 that Barxa do Lor is a highlight! I would probably taxi from Quiroga or San Clodio to Barxa do Lor. From recent reports, it sounds like the ascent between Noceda and through the forest to the Capela dos Remedios (just before the descent to Barxa do Lor) was devastated by the recent wildfires.

 

[C clearly]

I was with someone who needed to gain even more time, so we taxied to Castoncelos.

However, I'd suggest taking a taxi from Quiroga to Barxa. (Quiroga is a good sized town, so taxis should be easily available, and I much prefer to take a taxi at the start of the day, leaving me "free" for the rest of the day).

VN did see an old Castro outside of Pobra, which I somehow missed

A couple of km past Pobra de Brollon, there is a sign indicating the path to the Castro de San Lourenzo (a few 100m away). It was a pleasant side trip with nice views on a beautiful day in May.

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

You might like to investigate this train alternative for part of the way.
Excerpt from my diary:

Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Ponferrada to Monforte de Lemos

I travelled on the little blue tourist train for 2 hours, running about 10 minutes late. We left just after 9.00 am. It was a really beautiful route, going along rocky cuttings and a few tunnels through the mountains. The hillsides were covered in yellow flowering trees, (maybe mimosa, but couldn’t identify it properly from the train).

The train made 11 stops, with the following places actually on the Camino Invierno:
Sobradelo
O Barco de Valdeorras
A Rua - Petin
Montefurado
San Clodio - Quiorga
Monforte de Lemos.

 

[jennysa]

Thanks for all the very helpful suggestions. We start walking on 22nd April. I wonder if anyone else is planning to walk around that time?. My friends are only walking as far as Montforte but I am then continuing to Santiago on my own.

 

[peregrina2000]

I travelled on the little blue tourist train for 2 hours, running about 10 minutes late. We left just after 9.00 am.

This is great information. It sounds like it must be something other than the once-a-day regularly scheduled stop in Montefurado to pick up pilgrims who want to go back to A Rua after leaving their pack there.

This was the information we had for the forum guide, focusing only on how pilgrims could break up the stage from A Rua to Quiroga, which was too much for some. I’m not sure about starting and ending points of that train, but it may also be of use to @jennysa :


Day 1: walk from O Barco to A Rúa (14 km). Stay in one of the hostals in town. After lunch, and a rest, walk on to Montefurado and then catch the 18.14 train back to A Rúa (just 10 minutes). Train back to a Rúa leaves from the middle platform, but one peregrina on the wrong platform reported that the train patiently waited for her to get to the right track.

Day 2: As you walked to Montefurado the day before, now catch the 10.03 train from A Rúa, get off at Montefurado (just 9 minutes), and continue on to Quiroga.
These two stages would be roughly the same distance.

I can’t find any information on the tourist train that @Margaret Butterworth shows in her picture — do you know if it’s seasonal?

 

[Charrito]

This is great information. It sounds like it must be something other than the once-a-day regularly scheduled stop in Montefurado to pick up pilgrims who want to go back to A Rua after leaving their pack there.

This was the information we had for the forum guide, focusing only on how pilgrims could break up the stage from A Rua to Quiroga, which was too much for some. I’m not sure about starting and ending points of that train, but it may also be of use to @jennysa :


Day 1: walk from O Barco to A Rúa (14 km). Stay in one of the hostals in town. After lunch, and a rest, walk on to Montefurado and then catch the 18.14 train back to A Rúa (just 10 minutes). Train back to a Rúa leaves from the middle platform, but one peregrina on the wrong platform reported that the train patiently waited for her to get to the right track.

Day 2: As you walked to Montefurado the day before, now catch the 10.03 train from A Rúa, get off at Montefurado (just 9 minutes), and continue on to Quiroga.
These two stages would be roughly the same distance.

I can’t find any information on the tourist train that @Margaret Butterworth shows in her picture — do you know if it’s seasonal?

The train times are out of date. There is NO tourist train, apart from a couple of times in high summer (see my bext post). Here are the train schedules from Ponferrada to Monforte:

Horarios, precios de trenes, Ave, Avlo, Alvia, Regionales | Renfe

Horarios, precios de trenes, Ave, Avlo, Alvia, Avant, Regionales (Hora de salida y llegada, duración del viaje, precio, accesibilidad del tren) ✓ Renfe.com.

www.renfe.com

Return schedules:

Horarios, precios de trenes, Ave, Avlo, Alvia, Regionales | Renfe

Horarios, precios de trenes, Ave, Avlo, Alvia, Avant, Regionales (Hora de salida y llegada, duración del viaje, precio, accesibilidad del tren) ✓ Renfe.com.

www.renfe.com

Buen Camino!

 

[Charrito]

Guía de los Trenes Turísticos de Galicia: rutas y fechas para el 2022

Los trayectos temáticos ofrecidos por Renfe arrancan el 4 de junio con trece propuestas que abarcan desde recorridos por los faros hasta la Ribeira Sacra, pasando por los monasterios o el Camino de Santiago

venagalicia.gal