Local actions to address dangerous spots on Invierno

[peregrina2000]

This article in La Región.es interviews a local official who describes more improved routing on dangerous sections between Barco and A Rúa. I know that some who walked last year reported that a chunk of the road walk into A Rúa has been taken off the side of the road. It looks like there are some more improvements being made.

This is of course a good development, I think we can all agree that enhanced safety is a positive. But I think it is also a great indicator that the days of the Invierno being a backwater untraveled camino are coming to an end. Until a few years ago, very few people in these towns even knew there was a camino going through them. I was hugged in 2015 by a woman in a village who had never seen a pilgrim. To think that towns are spending some serious money to make the camino safe for pilgrims means that they believe that pilgrims are more than a flash in the pan.

So in some ways I’m torn — will the Invierno become like the Francés, 90% gravel paths wide enough to drive a car on? We have seen this coming, it will be so interesting to see how it goes this coming camino season.

 

[Former member 92300]

So in some ways I’m torn — will the Invierno become like the Francés, 90% gravel paths wide enough to drive a car on? We have seen this coming, it will be so interesting to see how it goes this coming camino season.

Hopefully it won't get that popular - but it would be nice if there were more "last 100km" choices for all the short distance pilgrims to help alleviate some of the crowds on other paths. It is sad that most 100km folks do Sarria to Santiago and that they aren't more spread out over alternate paths.

And yes - always good to see improvements! Invierno is on my future Camino wish list.

 

[khiker9]

Loved the Invierno in 2021!

 

[C clearly]

It's great that they are watching for opportunities to make continual improvements. I don't remember any particular dangers in that area, but I took the new path that was discussed in this post/thread. I understand that the route along the highway was rather hazardous.

 

[peregrina2000]

It's great that they are watching for opportunities to make continual improvements. I don't remember any particular dangers in that area, but I took the new path that was discussed in this post/thread. I understand that the route along the highway was rather hazardous.

The article I linked to actually has a video showing some of the spots that are still reported to be dangerous. I would not compare any of the stretch from Barco to A Rúa to have been anywhere near as dangerous as the walk from Cáceres to Casar de Cáceres on a workday early in the morning, for instance, or an old stage on the Salvador, or one on the Lebañiego (all of which have more pilgrims than the Invierno), so it does seem like they are really jumping in to get ahead of the problem. And I’m sure that the people responsible for these improvements are wildly hopeful that they will trigger a huge increase in pilgrim traffic. On that question, my opinion has always been that once you have a good albergue system, the pilgrims will come, irrespective of whether there are dangerous spots or not. But I digress …

 

[VNwalking]

So in some ways I’m torn — will the Invierno become like the Francés, 90% gravel paths wide enough to drive a car on? We have seen this coming, it will be so interesting to see how it goes this coming camino season.

God, I sure hope not.
But it's very good to know that part has been re-routed. It was pretty scary in 2019: a two lane heavily trafficked road with no appreciable shoulder, fast cars, a blind curve, and a drop-off on the traffic- facing side. There was a low curb, but nowhere to go but down on the other side of that.

 

[mla1]

a two lane heavily trafficked road with no appreciable shoulder, fast cars, a blind curve, and a drop-off on the traffic- facing side. There was a low curb, but nowhere to go but down on the other side of that.

I will be very happy to miss that experience!

 

[Former member 60103]

I completed the Invierno last week (start 24/8, completed 2/9/23) I recall the section of road pictured. Some stages did involve tarmac and some differed from my OSM track. Overall I had no issues with traffic. In the whole 10 days I encountered 6 other pilgrims ( 2 Spanish who I think stopped at Monteforte de Lemos, 2 French who were for most part 1 day ahead of me and 2 further Spanish who I caught up with on my last day and may have come off the Sanabres). Clearly this is still an "undeveloped" Camino.
A Camino that is hard work in places but very rewarding to walk.
Don.