Rabanal del camino to ponferrada

[Gwen265]

Hi, Wallking end of month from leon to ponferrada. Worried about downhill stage from foncebaddon. Can I stick to main road instead of old route. Is it still marked clearly. Advice appreciated

 

[C2]

Hi, Wallking end of month from leon to ponferrada. Worried about downhill stage from foncebaddon. Can I stick to main road instead of old route. Is it still marked clearly. Advice appreciated

The downhill section starts a way beyond Foncebaddon and by the time you reach Acebo you have plenty of decent track and road decent ending at Molinesca. If you are careful I don’t think you’ll have an especially difficult descent. Just take it slowly.

 

[t2andreo]

I usually (3x) take the road. Each time I have been there, I have had to deal with snow or rain (late April into mid-May). As I hate mud with a passion, the choice was simple for me. I particularly dislike dealing with mud when coming down a slope as I tend to be clumsy and somewhat top-heavy.

Also, I understand the traditional route is aesthetically pleasing, more so than the road. But, there is nil traffic on the road anyway. Just remember to walk facing oncoming traffic, in Spain, that is on the LEFT side of the road as you are walking... The distance is comparable.

Either way, down is down. With proper footwear for cushioning when road-walking, you will be fine.

Hope this helps.

 

[William Marques]

I also have always used the road (it is very much a minor not a main road) and as has been said the traffic was minimal.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Hi, Wallking end of month from leon to ponferrada. Worried about downhill stage from foncebaddon. Can I stick to main road instead of old route. Is it still marked clearly. Advice appreciated

yep, careful with the odd car/coach

 

[NorthernLight]

I've walked that cursed trail twice and I took the road the third time. No markings necessary as it doesn't need them. The last time, people faster than me headed off on the trail just past Riego de Ambrós and I headed down the road. The road adds some km during that stretch, but I was sitting at the cafe in Molinaseca with coffee when they arrived.

 

[LesBrass]

Last year we walked part of the trail down from Cruz de Ferro but my walking buddy fell on the way to El Acebo... We switched off the trail and onto the road and it was much nicer... albeit a little longer with the switchbacks. I really don't like that downhill stretch... having taken a tumble on another downhill I'm a little nervous and having walked it once I'll opt for the road every time now.

 

[november_moon]

It's as though that downhill section is cursed or something. I have been hiking all of my life and we have a lot of hills and mountains here, so I am definitely not unfamiliar with downhill hiking. But this section just does me in. My first Camino, I stuck with the trail - spend the entire time sliping and sliding, fell a couple times. My second Camino, I started with the trail and switched to the road after a while.

It's not hard to find the road - the trail crosses it and sometimes follows it - it's easy to switch back and forth.

 

[Cambridge Pilgrim]

Road for us too on this stretch. Good advice to walk against the traffic... with a little bit of crossing over at blind bends.

It’s basically a case of choosing the enemy... slippery underfoot or the odd car/coach on the road.