Thoughts on this plan...and a couple more questions

[rlr9200]

Ok. We have made it official and booked our travel to embark on the Ingles.

I think we are going to do it as follows:

We will be in Madrid a couple days, then take the Trenhotel overnight to Ferrol. Go to the Tourist office for a stamp, and head out from the port to Neda for the night.

Day 1: Neda to Pontedueme
Day 2: Pontedueme to BetzanosBetzanos
Day 3: Betzanos to Bar Julia (Meson Vento)
Day 4: Bar Julia to Bruma
Day 5: Bruma to Sigueiro
Day 6: on to Santiago!

Questions:
Is Meson Vento the place to stay at the Bar Julia stop and the Bruma stop? Or are there other accommodations in Bruma?

What are the current options in Sigueiro?

What are the options in Pontedueme?

Also, I have seen things indicating the Festival of St John is in the middle of June, culminating on the 23rd. Is this something that is celebrated along the way? In Santiago?

For the places that do not have a website (Meson Vento for instance...at least I haven't found it) is the protocol to just call ahead?


Sorry for all the questions but we just made the decision yesterday and everything is running through our heads.

Thanks in advance!
(PS - I will hav more questions later, just so you know!)

 

[Former member 22438]

No bar Julia is 18 kms beyond Betanzos at the beginning of a long and fairly steep slope. From Julia it is about 3 kms to Bruma.
You can phone Antonio from o Meson Novo. He will pick you up. You sleep in his hostal and next day he can take you back to Julia and you walk on to Ordes or Sigueiro or stay another night at o Meson Novo Call ahead to o Meson Novo. Which is in the village o Meson do Vento.

 

[Former member 22438]

In Siguëro is a new hostal. I haven't been there. Read back n this forum for the latest update please

In Pontedeume is an albergue. If you walk from Cabanas over the long bridge directly turn to the right and after about 50 meters at the quay side is the albergue. There are some privat addresses as well but I haven't been there

 

[Tia Valeria]

@Albertinho - I thinkyou meant that Bar Julia is 13kms from Bar Julia.
As said you have to be booked in to Meson Novo for at least one night for Antonio to collect you. We did it the day before in 2011, booked our room and then phoned for collection from Casa Julia when we reached that point. Meson Novo does have a website/blog and is bookable now on-line if you are absolutely certain of your dates (cancellation/modification fee). If you download Johnnie W's guide to the Inglés it has suggestions for accomodation in Pontedeume and other places too as well as the albergues.

 

[Al the optimist]

The albergue in Pontedueme didn't open until late afternoon when I was there in 2012. Maybe others can post more up-to-date information. Note that Bar Julia may be closed at times, but when open is lovely and welcoming.

 

[NoQ]

For the places that do not have a website (Meson Vento for instance...at least I haven't found it) is the protocol to just call ahead?

http://boardinghouse-mesonnovo.blogspot.hk/

Look under the 'services' tab for information on the transfer.

You've got a good plan to split the day from Betanzos to Bruma in half. I found it more difficult than any single day (including a couple of 40+ kms days) I walked on the Frances. Mind you, bar Julia being closed on the day I walked so no coffee for me, along with driving sleet and howling wind might also have had something to do with it.
Buen Camino

 

[Al the optimist]

I timed it to be there Sunday lunch. Thinking - what self respecting Spanish bar wouldn't be open then?

 

[rlr9200]

@Albertinho - I thinkyou meant that Bar Julia is 13kms from Bar Julia.
As said you have to be booked in to Meson Novo for at least one night for Antonio to collect you. We did it the day before in 2011, booked our room and then phoned for collection from Casa Julia when we reached that point. Meson Novo does have a website/blog and is bookable now on-line if you are absolutely certain of your dates (cancellation/modification fee). If you download Johnnie W's guide to the Inglés it has suggestions for accomodation in Pontedeume and other places too as well as the albergues.

I guess what I am asking is this: It looks like Meson Novo is only a couple of km off the Camino in Bruma. So it seems staying there both nights makes sense... being picked up at Bar Julia the first day, then when returned the next morning, walking back to Meson Novo for the next night...then off to Sigueiro the next morning. Or am I missing something? Do I have my directions/locations wrong?

I truly appreciate the help.

Thank you.

 

[rlr9200]

Nevermind, I got it figured out. Antonio just emailed me. This is a great forum.

 

[Balian]

We stayed in Bar Luis in Pontedeume and I can recommend.
It is central, reasonable, serve food and friendly owners.

Betanzos was stayed in the new alburgue. Cheap, clean and bright. Only downside is they don't provide blankets but can't fault it apart from that.

Bruma was Meson Vento, we stayed here two nights as we split this leg at Bar Julia as a lot of people do.
Highly recommend staying here, in fact one of the highlights of our Camino was meeting this family and being looked after by them.

For Siguero I would stay in the new alburgue. We stayed in Hostal Miras and it was very poor.

Good Luck and Buen Camino wherever you decide to stay.

 

[rlr9200]

Thanks, Balian.

We are going back and forth between the new albergue in Sigueiro, or the Albergue de Delia, which many have commented on. If anyone has recent experience with Delia, please chime in.

We have booked Bar Luis and Meson Novo, so thanks to everyone for the input.

Buen Camino

 

[Former member 22438]

@Albertinho - I thinkyou meant that Bar Julia is 13kms from Bar Julia.
As said you have to be booked in to Meson Novo for at least one night for Antonio to collect you. We did it the day before in 2011, booked our room and then phoned for collection from Casa Julia when we reached that point. Meson Novo does have a website/blog and is bookable now on-line if you are absolutely certain of your dates (cancellation/modification fee). If you download Johnnie W's guide to the Inglés it has suggestions for accomodation in Pontedeume and other places too as well as the albergues.

No Valeria. 18 kms from Betanzos. From there you have to walk the steep hill to Bruma or Meson do Vento .

 

[Former member 22438]

I guess what I am asking is this: It looks like Meson Novo is only a couple of km off the Camino in Bruma. So it seems staying there both nights makes sense... being picked up at Bar Julia the first day, then when returned the next morning, walking back to Meson Novo for the next night...then off to Sigueiro the next morning. Or am I missing something? Do I have my directions/locations wrong?

I truly appreciate the help.

Thank you.

Exactly. some people walk from Betanzos to bar Julia , call Antonio from O Meson Novo hostal .you reserve a room and Antonio picks you up.Next morning he can take you back to bar Julia and you walk to his place. Stay another night or walk on to Ordes as we did or Sigueiro .

Hospital de Bruma and O Meson do Vento are about 2 or 3 kms from each other. The albergue in Hospital de Bruma is on the camino. Hostal o Meson Novo is not.
From O Meson do Vento to reach the camino path direction Ordes or Sigueiro you have to walk about 3 kms

From O Meson do Vento ,a small village where hostal o Meson Novo is situated to Siguëro on the camino is about 25 kms. We cut the distance into two by sleeping the night in Ordes in hotel Nogallás Ordes is off camino too.

 

[Former member 22438]

We stayed in Bar Luis in Pontedeume and I can recommend.
It is central, reasonable, serve food and friendly owners.

Betanzos was stayed in the new alburgue. Cheap, clean and bright. Only downside is they don't provide blankets but can't fault it apart from that.

Bruma was Meson Vento, we stayed here two nights as we split this leg at Bar Julia as a lot of people do.
Highly recommend staying here, in fact one of the highlights of our Camino was meeting this family and being looked after by them.

For Siguero I would stay in the new alburgue. We stayed in Hostal Miras and it was very poor.

Good Luck and Buen Camino wherever you decide to stay.

Bruma is not O Meson do Vento. Both places are about 3 kms from each other Bruma on the camino. O Meson do Vento off camino

 

[Former member 22438]

http://www.gronze.com/guia-del-camino-ingles/albergues/albergue-de-la-xunta-de-bruma

 

[Former member 22438]

http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/pensia3n-residencial-a-mesa3n-novo.nl.html?aid=356989;label=gog235jc-hotel-XX-es-pensia3nNresidencialNaNmesa3nNnovo-unspec-nl-tab-L:nl-O:unk-B:unk-N:XX-S:bo;sid=eaeb72dc67d160a34cec2ec590551d6d;dcid=4;dist=0&type=total&



http://www.gronze.com/guia-del-camino-ingles/albergues/albergue-de-la-xunta-de-bruma

 

[amancio]

The albergue in Bruma is lovely, actually, the man who runs it is a bit peculiar, he can arrange food brought to the albergue for a reasonable price, and the location by a small stream is just gorgeous, I loved the place! All pilgrims spent hours chatting away into the night on the grass, it was great!

 

[Tia Valeria]

No Valeria. 18 kms from Betanzos. From there you have to walk the steep hill to Bruma or Meson do Vento .

From Julia it is about 3 kms to Bruma.

My typo. I meant Bar Julia to Bruma is more like 13kms than 3kms.

 

[Al the optimist]

I have only stayed at the Bruma albergue. I found the couple running it absolutely charming. I and another who ordered food delivered were not very impressed, but then again we were exhausted! I sat chatting to the hospitalero for ages looking at our clothes drying on the fence across the road. Never heard anyone say anything but compliments about O Meson Novo and feel I must try it sometime.

 

[andy.d]

I've stayed in both, and both are great. Unless the weather is appalling, I'd go for the albergue in Bruma.