Road option to avoid Villavieja

[jennysa]

Can someone who has walked the shortened version of Day 1 by cutting across on the N-536 just after Santalla Del Bierzo, to go straight to Borrenes so as to avoid the loop to Villavieja, comment on it please?. I see that it saves 3 kms but I have also read somewhere else that it is to be avoided at all costs because it is very dangerous walking along the road. The thought of saving 3 kms on Day 1 to Las Medulas is very appealing plus it gives one more time to spend at Las Medulas to visit the museum.

 

[peregrina2000]

If you don’t find anyone who has walked it, you could take a look on streetview on google maps to see what the road looks like. Here are a couple of shots. I’m sure most of us have walked on roads like this on one camino or another but it is not fun (or safe), and this would be about 5 km.

If you are walking from Ponferrada and worry that the day would be too long to give you time to enjoy Las Médulas, another option would be to take a cab from Ponferrada to one of several towns along the way — Toral de Mayo, 5.8 kms, another 3.1 to Villalibre,another 1.6 to Priaranza. But you probably already know that I think it would be a shame to miss out on the loveliest part of that day (up to Villavieja and then up to the castle) and also to miss out on the pretty little village itself and the castle views.

 

[Charrito]

Can someone who has walked the shortened version of Day 1 by cutting across on the N-536 just after Santalla Del Bierzo, to go straight to Borrenes so as to avoid the loop to Villavieja, comment on it please?. I see that it saves 3 kms but I have also read somewhere else that it is to be avoided at all costs because it is very dangerous walking along the road. The thought of saving 3 kms on Day 1 to Las Medulas is very appealing plus it gives one more time to spend at Las Medulas to visit the museum.

If you look at the map on the app you'll find that there are three ways to get from Santalla to Borrenes. The first (in yellow) is the official route, which takes you up to the village of Villavieja and back down past Cornatel Castle. The second (in green) is to follow the main road, which is very windy and pretty dangerous. The third one is marked in blue and indicated as a shortcut. There's a photo on the app of this shortcut, which is just after the chapel; it takes you up and over the main road and then up again to the slate factory at the top.

I've done all three routes. The road walk is definitely to be avoided. The shortcut, if you want to miss the beautiful walk up to Villavieja and the castle, saves you plenty of time.

 

[jennysa]

If you don’t find anyone who has walked it, you could take a look on streetview on google maps to see what the road looks like. Here are a couple of shots. I’m sure most of us have walked on roads like this on one camino or another but it is not fun (or safe), and this would be about 5 km. View attachment 139989View attachment 139990

If you are walking from Ponferrada and worry that the day would be too long to give you time to enjoy Las Médulas, another option would be to take a cab from Ponferrada to one of several towns along the way — Toral de Mayo, 5.8 kms, another 3.1 to Villalibre,another 1.6 to Priaranza. But you probably already know that I think it would be a shame to miss out on the loveliest part of that day (up to Villavieja and then up to the castle) and also to miss out on the pretty little village itself and the castle views.

You are right - it doesn't look safe. Thanks for all the suggestions. I have been to Las Medulas 3 times by taxi from Ponferrada but my friends that I am walking with have not been there before.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Jenny,
I just moved the posts to their own separate thread to make it easier to follow the discussion. Charrito’s post is very helpful and corrects my incorrect assumption that you had to do this on the side of the highway.

If you look at the map on the app you'll find that there are three ways to get from Santalla to Borrenes.

@Charrito, hope you come back to tell us what app and what map you are referring to!

So it sounds like there is a safer way to do this, but I still think it’d be a shame to miss the section to Villavieja and on up to Cornatel. Sorry, I know I’ve given my opinion and it’s of course up to you!

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

I have been scrambling up to Villavieja too many times by now, since the highway always seemed too dangerous. If there is a third option that avoids the highway, I am more than eager to check it out!

 

[Charrito]

Hi, Jenny,
I just moved the posts to their own separate thread to make it easier to follow the discussion. Charrito’s post is very helpful and corrects my incorrect assumption that you had to do this on the side of the highway.



@Charrito, hope you come back to tell us what app and what map you are referring to!

So it sounds like there is a safer way to do this, but I still think it’d be a shame to miss the section to Villavieja and on up to Cornatel. Sorry, I know I’ve given my opinion and it’s of course up to you!

 

[Charrito]

 

[VNwalking]

This is brilliant, @Charrito. And yes it saves a lot of distance. Like Laurie, I felt that part between Villavirja and the castle were really special, but this is worth tryng - especially for those who have done the Invieno multiple times or who are short of time.

On OSMand the yellow is the camino, anf it (the dotted line) very neatly cuts across both the meanders of the road and the much longer way upslope via Villavieja and the castle.

I was wondering about the slope, so I went to the IGN topographic map - to see that yeah, it goes up, but less and much more gently than the way up to the castle.

One place that may need a bit of care is around that quarry - the topo map is a bit ambiguous, but Google Map on sattelite view makes it clear you need to stay near the road through there. It is public access though, yes?

 

[Charrito]

It’s a short but fairly steep climb to the ro

This is brilliant, @Charrito. And yes it saves a lot of distance. Like Laurie, I felt that part between Villavirja and the castle were really special, but this is worth tryng - especially for those who have done the Invieno multiple times or who are short of time.

On OSMand the yellow is the camino, anf it (the dotted line) very neatly cuts across both the meanders of the road and the much longer way upslope via Villavieja and the castle.
View attachment 140260
I was wondering about the slope, so I went to the IGN topographic map - to see that yeah, it goes up, but less and much more gently than the way up to the castle.
View attachment 140261
One place that may

This is brilliant, @Charrito. And yes it saves a lot of distance. Like Laurie, I felt that part between Villavirja and the castle were really special, but this is worth tryng - especially for those who have done the Invieno multiple times or who are short of time.

On OSMand the yellow is the camino, anf it (the dotted line) very neatly cuts across both the meanders of the road and the much longer way upslope via Villavieja and the castle.
View attachment 140260
I was wondering about the slope, so I went to the IGN topographic map - to see that yeah, it goes up, but less and much more gently than the way up to the castle.
View attachment 140261
One place that may need a bit of care is around that quarry - the topo map is a bit ambiguous, but Google Map on sattelite view makes it clear you need to stay near the road through there. It is public access though, yes?

A short but steepis

This is brilliant, @Charrito. And yes it saves a lot of distance. Like Laurie, I felt that part between Villavirja and the castle were really special, but this is worth tryng - especially for those who have done the Invieno multiple times or who are short of time.

On OSMand the yellow is the camino, anf it (the dotted line) very neatly cuts across both the meanders of the road and the much longer way upslope via Villavieja and the castle.
View attachment 140260
I was wondering about the slope, so I went to the IGN topographic map - to see that yeah, it goes up, but less and much more gently than the way up to the castle.
View attachment 140261
One place that may need a bit of care is around that quarry - the topo map is a bit ambiguous, but Google Map on sattelite view makes it clear you need to stay near the road through there. It is public access though, yes?

h climb to the road, then another short but steepish climb to the slate quarry.