Brierley Errors in Invierno Guide

[KeyserSoza]

We are walking from Monteforte to SDC. We are using the Brierly guide primarily for route planning. A great book but unfortunately we have come across some errors that could affect pilgrims planning for a section. One is subjective but the second error is simply wrong information.
Brierley describes the path descent into Belares as “precipitous”. In reality it is a zig-zag path through the woods at a reasonable gradient. It is an old Roman road typically 2.0m wide with steep woods to one side. There are no precipitous drops anywhere! The guide mentions possible slippery cobbles in wet weather which is fair enough.
In my view the more serious error is to say that there is 1395m of ascent between Rodiero and A Laxe. Today I walked from Rodiero to Lalin which by my calculations on an Apple Watch and a GPS device gave an ascent of 330m. Add another 50m to A Laxe which bring you to circa 400m of ascent for the walk. This is significantly short of 1395m in the Guide.
It looks like the late John Brierly calculated the ascent in Feet and never converted it to Metres.

 

[Pafayac]

Add another 50m to A Laxe which bring you to circa 400m of ascent for the walk. This is significantly short of 1395m in the Guide.

According to the profile on Gronze, you are right !

It looks like the late John Brierly calculated the ascent in Feet and never converted it to Metres.

Arf.
It is a pity for a guide: some hikers will rely upon wrong information...

 

[henrythedog]

When he was still with us JB replied directly to feedback such as this - one of the maps in an old CF guide had north and south transposed on the compass. It was not an issue as the map page was oriented logically and the route blindingly obvious. Still, being a pedant, I emailed him and had a rapid and courteous reply. (Later edit: it was corrected in the next edition).

I believe that JB’s daughter may have taken over the family business and perhaps you might give that feedback directly via the publisher for the benefit of others.

 

[davejsy]

I believe that JB’s daughter may have taken over the family business and perhaps you might give that feedback directly via the publisher for the benefit of others.

And I am sure they would wish to ensure it is corrected in later versions as JB would have done.

 

[KeyserSoza]

That is my intention, The reason for my post is to try and get the word out before the Guide is posted. I plan to also advise the Invierno Pilgrims Office in Monteforte on the error.

 

[KeyserSoza]

Sorry, Guide is updated!

 

[KeyserSoza]

Great news! We bought ours in 2024!

 

[KeyserSoza]

Oops! I thought someone posted that the guide was updated, but now realise it was my typo corrections!!

 

[ArleneLaskey]

Thanks! I have a 2021 version and plan to walk next year, so I have made the corrections. Much appreciated!

 

[Eamonrodden]

We are walking from Monteforte to SDC. We are using the Brierly guide primarily for route planning. A great book but unfortunately we have come across some errors that could affect pilgrims planning for a section. One is subjective but the second error is simply wrong information.
Brierley describes the path descent into Belares as “precipitous”. In reality it is a zig-zag path through the woods at a reasonable gradient. It is an old Roman road typically 2.0m wide with steep woods to one side. There are no precipitous drops anywhere! The guide mentions possible slippery cobbles in wet weather which is fair enough.
In my view the more serious error is to say that there is 1395m of ascent between Rodiero and A Laxe. Today I walked from Rodiero to Lalin which by my calculations on an Apple Watch and a GPS device gave an ascent of 330m. Add another 50m to A Laxe which bring you to circa 400m of ascent for the walk. This is significantly short of 1395m in the Guide.
It looks like the late John Brierly calculated the ascent in Feet and never converted it to Metres.

He probably meant feet, being British

 

[Ernie Fraser]

It could simply be an error final editing before going to print. Seems the 1 could well have been added in error and then missed in the final edit. Gronze also has elevated information so that could be checked.

 

[KeyserSoza]

The cumulative height gain is also mentioned in the summary description of the walk.

 

[Sidknee]

Regardless of the Guide you purchase, if you’re walking the invierno (in particular) I recommend you don’t relying solely on any guide. The route and information is changing regularly as more people walk that route. We found last year that when comparing 3 guides (all online apps), they all varied to the sign posted route at different times. Most of the variations were to move people away from busy roads or to redirect them through more commercial zones.

None of the changes were things to “die in a ditch” over. Just something to be aware of.

However, the route differences were major when compared against our previous hike on the Invierno (3 years prior).

Guides can’t possibly be accurate all the of the time when routes or resources change. It’s important for us perigrinos to keep each other informed and the guide producers of these changes, as the OP is doing.

Many thanks and buen camino

 

[lt56ny]

When he was still with us JB replied directly to feedback such as this - one of the maps in an old CF guide had north and south transposed on the compass. It was not an issue as the map page was oriented logically and the route blindingly obvious. Still, being a pedant, I emailed him and had a rapid and courteous reply. (Later edit: it was corrected in the next edition).

I believe that JB’s daughter may have taken over the family business and perhaps you might give that feedback directly via the publisher for the benefit of others.

Yes his daughter has taken over and will continue his fine work. As you and others have said, once aware a correction will be made. People, editors and printers do make mistakes. Yes there is a huge difference between the true ascent and what is in the book but the sky will not fall because of this. The amazing work he did and I am sure his daughter will continue. The help and support his guides gave thousands of Pilgrims over the years, especially before we had any choices put him on the Mount Rushmore of important people of the modern pilgrim era.

 

[Charrito]

We are walking from Monteforte to SDC. We are using the Brierly guide primarily for route planning. A great book but unfortunately we have come across some errors that could affect pilgrims planning for a section. One is subjective but the second error is simply wrong information.
Brierley describes the path descent into Belares as “precipitous”. In reality it is a zig-zag path through the woods at a reasonable gradient. It is an old Roman road typically 2.0m wide with steep woods to one side. There are no precipitous drops anywhere! The guide mentions possible slippery cobbles in wet weather which is fair enough.
In my view the more serious error is to say that there is 1395m of ascent between Rodiero and A Laxe. Today I walked from Rodiero to Lalin which by my calculations on an Apple Watch and a GPS device gave an ascent of 330m. Add another 50m to A Laxe which bring you to circa 400m of ascent for the walk. This is significantly short of 1395m in the Guide.
It looks like the late John Brierly calculated the ascent in Feet and never converted it to Metres.

You could at least check the spelling of the place names before you post! 'Monteforte' is MONFORTE, 'Brierly' is BRIERLEY, 'Belares' is BELESAR, 'Rodiero' is RODEIRO. Sorry to be pedantic, but other people who have not yet walked this wonderful route may well get confused.

 

[Kirkie]

We are walking from Monteforte to SDC. We are using the Brierly guide primarily for route planning. A great book but unfortunately we have come across some errors that could affect pilgrims planning for a section. One is subjective but the second error is simply wrong information.
Brierley describes the path descent into Belares as “precipitous”. In reality it is a zig-zag path through the woods at a reasonable gradient. It is an old Roman road typically 2.0m wide with steep woods to one side. There are no precipitous drops anywhere! The guide mentions possible slippery cobbles in wet weather which is fair enough.
In my view the more serious error is to say that there is 1395m of ascent between Rodiero and A Laxe. Today I walked from Rodiero to Lalin which by my calculations on an Apple Watch and a GPS device gave an ascent of 330m. Add another 50m to A Laxe which bring you to circa 400m of ascent for the walk. This is significantly short of 1395m in the Guide.
It looks like the late John Brierly calculated the ascent in Feet and never converted it to Metres.

Aha! Serves me right...I lost my reply when I went looking for the name of a new member, from Gronze. Someone will supply, I hope.

Did you ever meet John? I can imagine his eyebrows arching and a shoulder shrug: too late now! His daughter will sort it.
Also, Gronze is on the case. Gronze reacts very quickly to corrections offered by pilgrims. The post by their new forum member states that they do not offer a guidebook, by the way. If any pilgrim notices something that is at variance with Gronze information, let them know, that is what they hope will happen.
The guidebook authors I have noticed are regularly on the various paths, updating their guides. To err is human, no? Well, maybe not - a gremlin can so easily misrepresent any one of us and whoosh! Off goes the message, unedited!
Finally: ascents and accumulations and all that stuff. Means nothing to me till I see the mountain in front of me. That is why I picked the Salvador! I am not sorry, but the following year it was a canal walk. As in, flat!

 

[peregrina2000]

You could at least check the spelling of the place names before you post! 'Monteforte' is MONFORTE, 'Brierly' is BRIERLEY, 'Belares' is BELESAR, 'Rodiero' is RODEIRO. Sorry to be pedantic, but other people who have not yet walked this wonderful route may well get confused.

I know that spelling is not everyone’s forte, but if we’re focusing on what are really pretty small errors in the Brierley guide, this is a good head’s up!

 

[lunna]

You could at least check the spelling of the place names before you post! 'Monteforte' is MONFORTE, 'Brierly' is BRIERLEY, 'Belares' is BELESAR, 'Rodiero' is RODEIRO. Sorry to be pedantic, but other people who have not yet walked this wonderful route may well get confused.

You are right - you are being pedantic.

 

[C clearly]

You are right - you are being pedantic.

Perhaps, but there is good reason for people to pay attention to spelling of place names. Moderators often correct spellings, especially in thread titles, so that the forum search can be more effective. Aside from the forum, systems such as Rome2Rio, booking sites, maps, train/bus schedules depend on correct spelling.

For a thorough discussion of misspellings on the forum, you can check out the 420 posts on this thread.

 

[Charrito]

You are right - you are being pedantic.

You are right - you are being pedantic.

That's what I said, but I was only trying to make sure people wouldn't get confused with place names.

 

[Charrito]

Perhaps, but there is good reason for people to pay attention to spelling of place names. Moderators often correct spellings, especially in thread titles, so that the forum search can be more effective. Aside from the forum, systems such as Rome2Rio, booking sites, maps, train/bus schedules depend on correct spelling.

For a thorough discussion of misspellings on the forum, you can check out the 420 posts on this thread.

I really need to look at this thread then!

 

[Kirkie]

You are right - you are being pedantic.

the point here is not about spelling. It is about accuracy. I have no idea of where you are from, or your first language, but I expect that you are careful about correct place names in your own world?
Spelling - bah! this comes from a native English speaker, a teacher - but here, on the forum, a long leash is the kindest piece of etiquette to afford one another.

 

[KeyserSoza]

Firstly, I have used John Brierley guides since my first Camino in circa 2010, and have always had the height of respect and appreciation for the guides and their contribution to making Camino’s possible for a wider community. As an aside, I am also proud that was is a fellow Irishman. I put my hands up for the spelling errors in my original post, no excuse.
While I’m contacting the late his daughter and the book publishers regarding the cumulative ascent error between Rodeiro and A Laxe, noted in my post, I will also suggest that the cumulative ascent of 1,450m between Ponte Ulla and Santiago might be checked. I did not check it on the ground, but it seems excessive. I did have a look at the elevation profile in Wise Pilgrim and lt looks to be closer to 450m. Adding in the ascent to Pico Sacro adds maybe 160m which is well short of the published figure.