Anyone else walking the Camino de Invierno from Ponferrada in May?

[fortview]

I'm walking from Leon to Santiago from May 9th/10th this year and I'm considering leaving the Camino Frances after 4 or 5 days at Ponferrada to follow the Camino de Invierno to Santiago. It sounds like a beautiful route and would be a pleasant alternative to the potentially crowded latter stages of the Frances.
I understand from previous posts that it is a rather solitary route and lacks the infrastructure of the Frances, as there are few albergues as such, but plenty of other options in terms of accommodation, albeit more expensive than albergues. I have some rudimentary Spanish which I will brush up on before leaving, whichever route I choose.
I have previously walked the Frances from SJdPP, the Salvador and the Primitivo, both of which are fairly 'solitary', all with my wife; this will be my first venture on my own. Whilst I enjoy the solitude of walking alone, I also enjoy the camaraderie of walking with others and have made life-long friends from previous caminos. I'm sure that I would enjoy the route but am concerned that I would miss the craic (chat, laughs, connection, stories etc) with other pilgrims.
There seem to be few recent posts about the Invierno so . . .
Are there any pilgrim numbers' figures for the Invierno for the last couple of years?
Has anyone walked it recently and could provide up to date info about accommodation/stages?
Is anyone else on the forum thinking of taking this route in May?
I have Rebekah's very informative and practical CSJ guide (2012?) and Laurie's detailed and helpful posts from her Invierno (2011?).
Many thanks,

Buen Camino
John Conway

 

[petro]

Hi, I plan to walk the invierno but you will be way ahead of me as I will start in SJJP on 8 May. I am a little concerned about the lack of company, maybe I can talk someone into joining me along the way! Maybe by that time I will long for some solitude. I am planning to make a home made guide from Rebekah's CJS guide, Lauries notes and maps from mundicamino.
I am really excited about this walk!

Buen Camino!
Petro

 

[Travellingman]

Hi - I hope to start from Ponferrada on May 8th to walk the Invierno - TrenHotel from Chamartin on night of 7th, which will be my second night of travelling from the UK, so I may stay the night in Ponferrada, and set out on the 9th. Looks like I will be a few days ahead of you, and a few weeks ahead of Petro.

 

[peregrina2000]

Wow, looks like there will be some pilgrim traffic on the Camino de Invierno this year. Susanna and I will be behind you all, we hope to finish the Olvidado in Ponferrada in early July and continue on the Invierno. So we'll look forward to your advice and hearing all about your experiences.

I don't know if anyone is looking for a way to spend a few extra days on the camino, but we have found what looks like a lovely "detour" from Ponferrada. It'd be a few extra days, but would take you through the Valle del Silencio and Penalba de Santiago, and seems to have lots of good mountain walking. One possible itinerary:
Day 1 -- Ponferrada to El Acebo (on the Frances going backwards)
Day 2 -- El Acebo to Penalba de Santiago
Day 3 -- Penalba de Santiago either back to Ponferrada to continue on the Invierno, or take a direct cross over to the Invierno from Penalba, which takes you to As Medulas, which is about km 27 of the Camino de Invierno. (If you do it the latter way, you only add two extra days to your camino, because day one of the invierno would be day three of this little detour).

More information on the Penalba loop here: http://www.caminodesantiago.me/comm...o-and-the-trail-to-penalba-de-santiago.15388/

Buen camino to everyone. Laurie

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Just be aware that the Peñalba route is high altitude, not suitable for bad weather. That walk from Peñalba to As Medulas is really challenging!

 

[manuel lamazares]

I'm walking from Leon to Santiago from May 9th/10th this year and I'm considering leaving the Camino Frances after 4 or 5 days at Ponferrada to follow the Camino de Invierno to Santiago. It sounds like a beautiful route and would be a pleasant alternative to the potentially crowded latter stages of the Frances.
I understand from previous posts that it is a rather solitary route and lacks the infrastructure of the Frances, as there are few albergues as such, but plenty of other options in terms of accommodation, albeit more expensive than albergues. I have some rudimentary Spanish which I will brush up on before leaving, whichever route I choose.
I have previously walked the Frances from SJdPP, the Salvador and the Primitivo, both of which are fairly 'solitary', all with my wife; this will be my first venture on my own. Whilst I enjoy the solitude of walking alone, I also enjoy the camaraderie of walking with others and have made life-long friends from previous caminos. I'm sure that I would enjoy the route but am concerned that I would miss the craic (chat, laughs, connection, stories etc) with other pilgrims.
There seem to be few recent posts about the Invierno so . . .
Are there any pilgrim numbers' figures for the Invierno for the last couple of years?
Has anyone walked it recently and could provide up to date info about accommodation/stages?
Is anyone else on the forum thinking of taking this route in May?
I have Rebekah's very informative and practical CSJ guide (2012?) and Laurie's detailed and helpful posts from her Invierno (2011?).
Many thanks,

Buen Camino
John Conway

Good morning, I can inform you of a variant that allows you to link to the Via de la Plata in the Monastery of Oseira (Via de la Plata, also called Mozarabic or Sanabrés is the route taken by the Andalusians and Portuguese to reach Compostela). If you take this variant you can cross the mountains of El Faro for an easier place. I did this tour with my wife last August between San Pedro de Líncora and A Gouxa. Is not an official route but the truth is that it is very original for solitude and authenticity of crossing the deep Galicia. Next summer will continue from A Gouxa to Compostela. You can get more information at my website: http://www.eirexe.es/