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GunnarW said:Between Villafranca del Bierzo and O’Cebreiro, there are 2 alternative paths (page 227 in the John Brierley guide edition 2011, also on the back cover). The main path follows the N-IV. There is an option to follow the direction Pradela and join the N-IV again in Trabadelo. Another option is via Dragonte-Vilar de Corales-Vilasinde and to join the N-IV at Herrerías.
Did anyone try one of the alternative roads? Is the path through Dragonte as difficult as SJPD-Roncesvalles? Is it beautiful? I’m curious?
Gunnar W
Belgium
GunnarW said:I did the Dragonte route for 2/3 on my own. That was THE REAL camino experience.
Some details.
It was 10:00 when I arrived in VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO because I slept in ACEBO. A bit too late to start but too soon to stay in VILLAFRANCA.
So just before the tunnel of N-VI, I took direction CORULLON and then DRAGONTE.
I arrived at DRAGONTE 90 minutes later. Some old men came out of their houses and I tried to speak with them. Hard to understand because my Spanish is not top and they didn t pronounce very well. But anyway we could communicate a bit.
The Brierley guide was not so clear how to proceed to MORAL DE VALCARCE. Anyway, just follow the road. At the intersection after the Cantera, stay right on the main track. Over the mountain, villages will appear in the valley. The one close to you is MORAL DE VALCARCE. Just continue a few 100 meters and take right the concrete road down to the village. At the entrance of the village, 4 big quite dangerous dogs came to me, I didn t move and after a while they stop barking.
I asked a girl to sign my credencial because stamps are not existing there. (Thank you Sonia). A man explained to me how to continue. I first had a sandwich on a bench on a small place where again a big dog came out and started barking.
Just continue the main track, just follow the tire tracks from a 4x4. A small river called ORROLLO will take over the road for 100m. Also the beginning of climbing the second hill. After a while in the forrest, there was an intersection with four roads, all going up. I took the middle one. 100m further again an intersection with 2 possibilities. I took the right one and suddenly a small church appeared in the middle of nowhere. One of the clocks had a chain that could be pulled. It was 14:59 so I hit the bell 3 times.
GunnarW said:Finally the Dragonte route is partially filmed and can be watched here:
http://vimeo.com/41684856
vagabond said:Dear Gunnar!
I did my first camino (camino frances) in nov/dec 2010 then not knowing of the Dragonte route which I came across in Brierley´s book. I will start my camino no 2 from SJPP on the 12th of September if everything goes well and then my mission I´ll undertake is to walk the WHOLE Dragonte optional route God willing that I´ll make the right choices in intersections and confusing smaller paths (as those captured by that Dutch guy´s videocam). Though I won´t be carrying a videocam but an ordinary digital cam I´ll try to make it count and will write down notes as to how to proceed and hopefully my studies of Spanish language will make it all worthwhile!Buen camino, Jonas
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