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Good question, but I can’t find anything recent.I wonder what the current status is of the planned albergue at Diomondi?
As long as it is being promoted as a 9-stage route, this impression is inevitable! At the moment, it can be broken up, but only by using private, more expensive) accommodation that should be reserved because it is often the only game in town.I think a lot of people think that the Invierno requires long stages
I think I'd do both! Stop in Torre Vilariño and visit Ecomuseo Arxeriz, the ethnological museum and castro almost next door, then relax in the lovely gardens of Vilariño before a nice dinner. The next morning do the Miño loop and then continue on to stay at Diomondi.The opening of the albergue is going to present a real dilemma for Invierno pilgrims who don’t want to walk the long day from Monforte to Chantada. From Monforte to where? Stop in the beautiful casa rural Torre Vilariño so you can do the 6 k loop with the amazing Miño views, or continue on to Diomondi and sleep in what used to be the bishop’s palace adjacent to a Romanesque church? What a choice!
Yes! And though it's not an albergue, I'm also hopeful that Pensión Pacita in Barxa do Lor will re-open!So maybe all that is needed is for Pobra de Brollón and Diomondi to open up their long-awaited albergues and then we will have no unavoidable long stages wtihout albergues, is that right?
Yes, lodging is desperately needed in A Pobra. Moving at glacial speed. The closure of Casa Pacita in Barxa de Lor is so sad on so many levels, and hope they are able to re-open. The new private Albergue in Chantada A Pousa de Asma is very nice.I’m sure you guys have seen the 25 km or less planning thread, but I’ll just stick it in here for others.
You are right that the albergues that have opened up have almost all been in the obvious endpoints for the “official” stages — like Chantada, Monforte, Rodeiro, Lalín.
So maybe all that is needed is for Pobra de Brollón and Diomondi to open up their long-awaited albergues and then we will have no unavoidable long stages wtihout albergues, is that right?
This is exactly what we were planning until I figured out that Diomondi was not likely to be open. We are going to go from Torre Vilarino to Vilaseco (about 15 km)I think I'd do both! Stop in Torre Vilariño and visit Ecomuseo Arxeriz, the ethnological museum and castro almost next door, then relax in the lovely gardens of Vilariño before a nice dinner. The next morning do the Miño loop and then continue on to stay at Diomondi.
The forum guide, which you can find hereHola! How many days, with the shorter stages? I'm skimming the threads but not seeing that sorry!
I'd love to walk the Invierno
Same sameHola! How many days, with the shorter stages? I'm skimming the threads but not seeing that sorry!
I'd love to walk the Invierno
Hi @Carlita416 and @svanada -- I listed my planned stages here. There are a couple of pinch points but there are also lots of suggestions about how to make them work out in this forum. Check out the forum guide that @peregrina2000 references above -- she has very good advice about how to make shorter routes work. Also there is a whole thread from last year about how to make shorter stages work here. Its a long thread, but it is loaded with many ideas about how to shorten states and recommendations of places to stay.Hola! How many days, with the shorter stages? I'm skimming the threads but not seeing that sorry!
I'd love to walk the Invierno
That was my first thought. It would be 2 short days but what the heck.I think I'd do both! Stop in Torre Vilariño and visit Ecomuseo Arxeriz, the ethnological museum and castro almost next door, then relax in the lovely gardens of Vilariño before a nice dinner. The next morning do the Miño loop and then continue on to stay at Diomondi.
When I walked the Invierno in 2018, there was a possibility to take a bus from Pobra de Brollon to Monforte at 4pm. My plan was to take the bus, stay the night in Monforte and go back next morning without my backpack to do the rest. Because of very thick fog, I dropped the stage and took the train to Monforte in the morning.That was interesting. As discussed in the article, thinking of the Invierno as 9 stages really doesn't work very well. I have spent a lot of hours working on an itinerary for myself that includes short stages and that allows some flexibility. At the moment I have a plan that goes to 18 days, that includes 3 days of under 10 km because I couldn't even things out.
For example, as far as I can tell, between Quiroga and Monforte are 37 km with no accommodation unless you walk an additional few km to get to Salcedo. And what if Salcedo fills up?
That is one of the stages where I am looking into a back-up plan, in case there are no beds in Salcedo.I also got the information that the 2 places in Saldeco are closed due to Covid which means a 37 k’to Monforte tomorrow….
The places in Salcedo are really the only way to break up the Quiroga to Monforte stage.I also got the information that the 2 places in Saldeco are closed due to Covid which means a 37 k’to Monforte tomorrow….
Or better yet, to Barxa do Lor. That would save you the first (and worst) big hill up then down.Another way to slightly ease the 37 km walk would be to take a taxi 5k from Quiroga to Nocedo, the point where the hills, and walk 32 km from there
Phew.I‘ve had a WhatsApp with the owners, who assure me there is nothing covid-related going on. The owner’s wife is in the hospital in Lugo waiting for an operation. They hope/plan to re-open by the 15th of May. Any existing reservations will be honored.
I can’t help you with the Renfe schedules, but you should be happy to hear that I asked José Luís (owner of the hotel) about pilgrim crunches, and he assured me that with 18 rooms (rooms, not beds), lack of availability is very rarely a problem. I’m assuming there are occasional fiestas that might interfere, but that’s true all over every camino.That is one of the stages where I am looking into a back-up plan, in case there are no beds in Salcedo.
I took that train 07.33 but I do not remember a stop in Pobra, but that was in 2018. Might perhaps depend on the type of train, long distance or local.That is one of the stages where I am looking into a back-up plan, in case there are no beds in Salcedo.
However, the famously difficult Renfe website leaves me without huge confidence. Can someone please confirm if I have figured the following out correctly?
Another way to slightly ease the 37 km walk would be to take a taxi 5k from Quiroga to Nocedo, the point where the Camino heads into the hills, and walk 32 km from there.
- There is a train from San Clodio-Quiroga at 07:33, going to Monforte. The handy Renfe schematic shows a stop in Pobra de Brollón, but I cannot confirm it on the Renfe reservations website. I am guessing that the train will stop in Pobra, even if you cannot reserve tickets that involve Pobra. I would then walk the 13 km to Monforte. I realize that I might miss the best part of this stage, but there might not be a happy alternative.
There is a train from San Clodio-Quiroga at 07:33, going to Monforte. The handy Renfe schematic shows a stop in Pobra de Brollón, but I cannot confirm it on the Renfe reservations website
The only trains I have taken through these stations in either direction were the long distance ones, going via the Rio Sil, not going past Pobra at all. I also don't remember stopping at any station at all between Ponferrada and Monforte, but we could have done.I took that train 07.33 but I do not remember a stop in Pobra, but that was in 2018. Might perhaps depend on the type of train, long distance or local.
I think I'd do both! Stop in Torre Vilariño and visit Ecomuseo Arxeriz, the ethnological museum and castro almost next door, then relax in the lovely gardens of Vilariño before a nice dinner. The next morning do the Miño loop and then continue on to stay at Diomondi.
This is exactly what we were planning until I figured out that Diomondi was not likely to be open. We are going to go from Torre Vilarino to Vilaseco (about 15 km)
Ohhh this is so great! Wish I could just hop on a plane and head on over! Just in time for you @ebrandt , if you want to change your plans about Vilaseco!You can do BOTH! At least if you wait till next week!
Oh man. Perfect timing, @ebrandt.You can do BOTH! At least if you wait till next week!
This is currently the best (And maybe the only) option to split the stage between Quiroga and Monforte de Lemos. I know that there are people who don’t like to take transport while they’re walking, so I just wanted to add that it is very easy to walk to Salcedo. Either take the path that is marked after the bridge in Barxa de Lor or stay in the Camino till the road turn off to Salcedo near Castroncelos. It’s just a few kms. Walking from Quiroga to Salcedo would be about 24. The next day from Salcedo to Monforte would be about 17.I stayed at o forno and the owner kindly arranged transport from A pobra and dropped me off again there the next morning. I would recommend
Why not ask them yourself?I am wondering if this is their usual practice every year,
It is interesting what holds us back. It isn't just fluency. My Spanish is quite functional but I often find myself reluctant to engage people. You could try emailing them - Google translate will translate well enough for that.I never reached that level of fluency in Spanish and am highly unlikely to do so now.
For that, I would have to be confident in the use of Google translate. At home, my laptop offers me this function when a text appears in Spanish. I choose English and behold! It appears. My phone does not work like that. And I am always extremely careful about what I am willing to activate on laptop or phone. Most of my online functions and searches are "work arounds." I don't know what I'm doing, so I just try the next thing, trying not to commit myself unknowingly to anything. Yesterday, I tried to look for Salcedo on maps.me. An initial search brought me six locations with that name. And for some reason my mind supplied me with a location for Salcedo which was exactly opposite to where it is. Eventually, I found the correct Salcedo, and Hotel El Forno, and two ways to get to it: all from information on a post by @peregrina2000 . I am still hoping that Pension Pacita will reopen, but if not, I shall have a possible alternative place to stay. I make what bookings I can on Booking.com. The massive amount of time that I spend planning is a necessity for me. I had few problems, and a few adventures, on my previous walk on the Invierno, and expect the same this time.It is interesting what holds us back. It isn't just fluency. My Spanish is quite functional but I often find myself reluctant to engage people. You could try emailing them - Google translate will translate well enough for that.
@Albertagirl I am sure I have less Spanish than you and do fine booking directly. Language doesn't have to be perfect, or even close. Once you try once the ice will be broken and it's easier the second time. Email and text, or using the establisment's website are very useful.I make what bookings I can on Booking.com.
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