Athena Atterdag
time&space traveller
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Invierno, Primitivo, Inglés+Fisterra/Muxía
Why the Invierno: I had two weeks for a walk (my Christmas vacation + the Russian winter holidays), I wanted to finish in Santiago, and I didn’t want to walk the Frances this time (personal reasons: last spring, I started the Camino from Paris, walking the first 100 km to Chartres, so now I want to walk the Francés as a continuation of this route). So I started to research alternative routes and discovered the Invierno – I must say that it was its name that drew my attention, in the first turn! I read several threads on this forum and other information on the internet, looked up the towns along the way, and then I knew this was the route for me.
I started from León on Christmas (and, accidentally, arrived in Santiago on Epiphany) and walked four stages of the Francés to Ponferrada before turning south on the Invierno; this gave me time to get used to the walking and meet more experienced pilgrims and learn some useful things from them.
Way-marking: it’s very, very good! I almost got lost just twice, on the way through Soldón and between the river walk in Lalín and the albergue at A Laxe. I consulted the guide every now and then, but mostly to see if there was something interesting I should not miss. Overall, there were lots of arrows, mojones, and hand-made wooden signs (very beautifully carved and heart-warming!).
Weather: I was extremely lucky to have two weeks of warm and sunny weather, which is highly unusual for Galicia. However, the mornings were always cold, frosty, and foggy, and the dirt tracks were often wet and muddy.
The biggest disadvantage of walking in winter seems to be the reduced daylight hours. I usually started at 8:30 am as I didn’t want to walk in the dark, and finished walking by 4:30 or 5 pm. Not much time left for exploring the next town, but the towns on the Invierno are generally very small anyway.
I had two pairs of shoes: Quechua trekking shoes and old Ecco sandals. I walked in the shoes for the first couple of hours and then changed into the sandals, changing back only if the road got too muddy.
Scenery: it's an unbelievably scenic route! I especially loved the long stretch from the border of Galicia to the crossing after the descent from Monte Faro, and my absolute favourite is the long road above the Sil . The last three stages are less scenic on the whole, but also pass through some very beautiful places.
Safety: I was walking solo, and I felt absolutely safe. The only occasions when I was feeling uncomfortable were when I had to walk along a highway in a thick fog (down from the castle of Cornatel, for example). But all was well: I wore a bright pink jacket, and the drivers were remarkably careful and attentive.
The Invierno is indeed a very solitary route, but I knew that I wasn’t the only one walking it this time of the year. If you’re on Facebook, there’s a very active group dedicated to the Invierno (some of the members are locals - the owner of the Bar Mar in Sobradelo, for example, is an active member), and I saw posts by and about other pilgrims currently walking this route almost daily. I never met anyone until almost at the steps of the cathedral in Santiago, but knowing that there were other people on the Invierno supported me greatly.
People: I found the locals to be very friendly, and some of them very happy to see a pilgrim passing their lands! A woman in Santalla del Bierzo gave me two apples from her garden; a patron in the bar in Rodeiro paid for my lunch; a man in Éntoma specially stopped his car and leaned out of the window to chat with me and wish me a Buen Camino; several people in different towns showed me the way to the nearest open bar or the direction of the Invierno before I even asked. And when I asked for help, I got it immediately, and the people seemed only too happy to help!
Language: I used to self-study Spanish about ten years ago and used Duolingo to remember something before my Camino; I also speak some Italian and French, and I’m generally very good at languages. However, I use hearing aids, so speaking with people is much more difficult than reading and even writing. The biggest problem was calling ahead for reservations, as I have difficulties with understanding speech over the phone even in my native language, but then I would ask the owner of the accommodation I was staying to help me with the next accommodation, and they would gladly help!
Generally, knowing at least some basic Spanish seems to be practically a pre-requisite for the Invierno. The good news is that the people are very, very friendly and willing to help you!
Dogs: I owe a special thank-you to Laurie for including a special paragraph on dogs in the guide and mentioning her being a dog-phobe I’m an awful dog-phobe myself, and even the smallest dog can easily scare me out of my wits if it barks loudly enough! I encountered A LOT of dogs on the Invierno, but most of them were either safely chained or behind fences, and those who were not were either absolutely disinterested in any passers-by or accompanied by their owners. Two places with the largest numbers of angrily barking dogs were Santalla del Bierzo and Éntoma. In the former, there was quite a number of dogs running freely, but I forced myself to just continue walking, and they soon lost any interest in me. And as I was passing the latter, several dogs barked at me from behind a high fence so vehemently that I stopped and told them, I’ll take that as a Buen Camino! I think I accidentally invented a nice strategy for coping with all this barking!
Services: yes, there are fewer bars, restaurants, stores, etc. along the Invierno, but I didn’t see much difference from the Francés where almost everything was closed for winter anyway. In high season, the difference must be striking, but in winter, these seems to be virtually none. I carried my own supply of food (ground coffee, porridge sachets, fruit bars, bouillon cubes), which added about 2 kg to the weight of my backpack in the beginning of my Camino, but allowed me not to worry in case I wouldn’t come across any open bars or supermarkets for the whole day.
Accommodation and stages: yes, there are very few albergues, but where there are no albergues, there are inexpensive hostals, and I spent, on average, the same amount of money per day as I did during the four days on the Francés.
I did the Invierno in 9 days, leaving Ponferrada on December 29 and arriving to Santiago on January 6. Most of my stages were pretty long, some over 30 km, that was okay for me, especially since the Invierno is a relatively easy route – nothing even close to that stretch between Astorga and Ponferrada!
So, these are my stages with distances and accommodations:
Day 1: Ponferrada to As Médulas, 27 km, Casa Socorro, €20; rooms in a private house, very well-maintained, good bathroom, but hot water seemed to be in limited quantity, no wi-fi; basic breakfast – which is very nice, as there are no bars all the way from Casa Socorro out of As Médulas. Be warned that the lady of the house prefers to call this village the Castilian way, Las Médulas
Day 2: As Médulas to Vilamartín de Valdeorras, 33.2 km, albergue municipal, donativo; very well-maintained, very friendly and helpful people, wonderfully hot water, kitchenette with microwave, sink, a couple of cups, plates, and some utensils, washer and dryer (seemed to be free of charge, i.e. for donativo), free wi-fi; not pilgrim-specific, but the people in this town are very enthusiatic about the Invierno – the albergue even has a supply of Invierno guides in Spanish, for free!
Day 3: Vilamartín de Valdeorras to Quiroga, 32.8 km, Hostal Dimar, €15 (there’s an albergue in Quiroga, but it was closed, maybe just because it was New Year); room with a private bathroom, all very clean and comfortable, no kitchen, but a number of bars and a Dia supermarket nearby, free wi-fi.
Day 4: Quiroga to Monforte de Lemos, 35.2 km, Hostal Medievo, €41; that was the most I had to pay for an accomodation on the Camino, but I got a superb room with a very well-equipped bathroom, AC unit, a view of one of Monforte’s famous landmarks, and a tasty breakfast. The owners are also great friendly people, and they can be contacted for reservation via WhatsApp.
Day 5: Monforte de Lemos to Chantada, 30 km, Hostal Yoel, €17; I found the “outdated a bit” description in the guide to be a bit of an understatement, but it’s okay for a one-night stay. Has wi-fi, but I forgot to ask for the password, so just used my mobile internet.
Day 6: Chantada to Rodeiro, 27 km, Hostal Carpinteiras, €22; excellent big room with private bathroom, good drying facilities, very friendly and welcoming owners.
Day 7: Rodeiro to A Laxe, 27 km (according to the guide and other sources; I took the alternative route along the highway, so I only walked 14 or 15 km to Lalín and then 6 more to A Laxe), albergue municipal, €6; a very modern and stylish building, washer (€3) and dryer (€1.5), kitchen (very few utensils, though), wi-fi (tricky registration process, but works very well, and the next albergue uses the same connection), no blankets. The young hospitalera Aurora speaks some English and seemed keen on practicing it!
Day 8: A Laxe to Outeiro, 34 km, albergue municipal, €6; very much like the albergue at A Laxe, but feels more homely, and the kitchen is much better equipped – complete with coffee cups! There are also sugar, coffee, spices, oil, and some food in the kitchen, and a box for donations. This albergue is also equipped with a washer and a dryer, the prices are probably similar to the those at A Laxe. No blankets, but here the friendly hospitalero Fernando managed to find one for me!
Day 9: Outeiro to Santiago de Compostela, 17 km. Apparently, there are lots of places to stay in Santiago, and many prefer to stay in hotels or pensions there, but in case someone is interested in albergues open in winter (and there are few!), I stayed at Mundoalbergue, €14 + €3 for breakfast – it’s very comfortable, very clean, and very close to the cathedral, and the staff are very nice and friendly.
I started from León on Christmas (and, accidentally, arrived in Santiago on Epiphany) and walked four stages of the Francés to Ponferrada before turning south on the Invierno; this gave me time to get used to the walking and meet more experienced pilgrims and learn some useful things from them.
Way-marking: it’s very, very good! I almost got lost just twice, on the way through Soldón and between the river walk in Lalín and the albergue at A Laxe. I consulted the guide every now and then, but mostly to see if there was something interesting I should not miss. Overall, there were lots of arrows, mojones, and hand-made wooden signs (very beautifully carved and heart-warming!).
Weather: I was extremely lucky to have two weeks of warm and sunny weather, which is highly unusual for Galicia. However, the mornings were always cold, frosty, and foggy, and the dirt tracks were often wet and muddy.
The biggest disadvantage of walking in winter seems to be the reduced daylight hours. I usually started at 8:30 am as I didn’t want to walk in the dark, and finished walking by 4:30 or 5 pm. Not much time left for exploring the next town, but the towns on the Invierno are generally very small anyway.
I had two pairs of shoes: Quechua trekking shoes and old Ecco sandals. I walked in the shoes for the first couple of hours and then changed into the sandals, changing back only if the road got too muddy.
Scenery: it's an unbelievably scenic route! I especially loved the long stretch from the border of Galicia to the crossing after the descent from Monte Faro, and my absolute favourite is the long road above the Sil . The last three stages are less scenic on the whole, but also pass through some very beautiful places.
Safety: I was walking solo, and I felt absolutely safe. The only occasions when I was feeling uncomfortable were when I had to walk along a highway in a thick fog (down from the castle of Cornatel, for example). But all was well: I wore a bright pink jacket, and the drivers were remarkably careful and attentive.
The Invierno is indeed a very solitary route, but I knew that I wasn’t the only one walking it this time of the year. If you’re on Facebook, there’s a very active group dedicated to the Invierno (some of the members are locals - the owner of the Bar Mar in Sobradelo, for example, is an active member), and I saw posts by and about other pilgrims currently walking this route almost daily. I never met anyone until almost at the steps of the cathedral in Santiago, but knowing that there were other people on the Invierno supported me greatly.
People: I found the locals to be very friendly, and some of them very happy to see a pilgrim passing their lands! A woman in Santalla del Bierzo gave me two apples from her garden; a patron in the bar in Rodeiro paid for my lunch; a man in Éntoma specially stopped his car and leaned out of the window to chat with me and wish me a Buen Camino; several people in different towns showed me the way to the nearest open bar or the direction of the Invierno before I even asked. And when I asked for help, I got it immediately, and the people seemed only too happy to help!
Language: I used to self-study Spanish about ten years ago and used Duolingo to remember something before my Camino; I also speak some Italian and French, and I’m generally very good at languages. However, I use hearing aids, so speaking with people is much more difficult than reading and even writing. The biggest problem was calling ahead for reservations, as I have difficulties with understanding speech over the phone even in my native language, but then I would ask the owner of the accommodation I was staying to help me with the next accommodation, and they would gladly help!
Generally, knowing at least some basic Spanish seems to be practically a pre-requisite for the Invierno. The good news is that the people are very, very friendly and willing to help you!
Dogs: I owe a special thank-you to Laurie for including a special paragraph on dogs in the guide and mentioning her being a dog-phobe I’m an awful dog-phobe myself, and even the smallest dog can easily scare me out of my wits if it barks loudly enough! I encountered A LOT of dogs on the Invierno, but most of them were either safely chained or behind fences, and those who were not were either absolutely disinterested in any passers-by or accompanied by their owners. Two places with the largest numbers of angrily barking dogs were Santalla del Bierzo and Éntoma. In the former, there was quite a number of dogs running freely, but I forced myself to just continue walking, and they soon lost any interest in me. And as I was passing the latter, several dogs barked at me from behind a high fence so vehemently that I stopped and told them, I’ll take that as a Buen Camino! I think I accidentally invented a nice strategy for coping with all this barking!
Services: yes, there are fewer bars, restaurants, stores, etc. along the Invierno, but I didn’t see much difference from the Francés where almost everything was closed for winter anyway. In high season, the difference must be striking, but in winter, these seems to be virtually none. I carried my own supply of food (ground coffee, porridge sachets, fruit bars, bouillon cubes), which added about 2 kg to the weight of my backpack in the beginning of my Camino, but allowed me not to worry in case I wouldn’t come across any open bars or supermarkets for the whole day.
Accommodation and stages: yes, there are very few albergues, but where there are no albergues, there are inexpensive hostals, and I spent, on average, the same amount of money per day as I did during the four days on the Francés.
I did the Invierno in 9 days, leaving Ponferrada on December 29 and arriving to Santiago on January 6. Most of my stages were pretty long, some over 30 km, that was okay for me, especially since the Invierno is a relatively easy route – nothing even close to that stretch between Astorga and Ponferrada!
So, these are my stages with distances and accommodations:
Day 1: Ponferrada to As Médulas, 27 km, Casa Socorro, €20; rooms in a private house, very well-maintained, good bathroom, but hot water seemed to be in limited quantity, no wi-fi; basic breakfast – which is very nice, as there are no bars all the way from Casa Socorro out of As Médulas. Be warned that the lady of the house prefers to call this village the Castilian way, Las Médulas
Day 2: As Médulas to Vilamartín de Valdeorras, 33.2 km, albergue municipal, donativo; very well-maintained, very friendly and helpful people, wonderfully hot water, kitchenette with microwave, sink, a couple of cups, plates, and some utensils, washer and dryer (seemed to be free of charge, i.e. for donativo), free wi-fi; not pilgrim-specific, but the people in this town are very enthusiatic about the Invierno – the albergue even has a supply of Invierno guides in Spanish, for free!
Day 3: Vilamartín de Valdeorras to Quiroga, 32.8 km, Hostal Dimar, €15 (there’s an albergue in Quiroga, but it was closed, maybe just because it was New Year); room with a private bathroom, all very clean and comfortable, no kitchen, but a number of bars and a Dia supermarket nearby, free wi-fi.
Day 4: Quiroga to Monforte de Lemos, 35.2 km, Hostal Medievo, €41; that was the most I had to pay for an accomodation on the Camino, but I got a superb room with a very well-equipped bathroom, AC unit, a view of one of Monforte’s famous landmarks, and a tasty breakfast. The owners are also great friendly people, and they can be contacted for reservation via WhatsApp.
Day 5: Monforte de Lemos to Chantada, 30 km, Hostal Yoel, €17; I found the “outdated a bit” description in the guide to be a bit of an understatement, but it’s okay for a one-night stay. Has wi-fi, but I forgot to ask for the password, so just used my mobile internet.
Day 6: Chantada to Rodeiro, 27 km, Hostal Carpinteiras, €22; excellent big room with private bathroom, good drying facilities, very friendly and welcoming owners.
Day 7: Rodeiro to A Laxe, 27 km (according to the guide and other sources; I took the alternative route along the highway, so I only walked 14 or 15 km to Lalín and then 6 more to A Laxe), albergue municipal, €6; a very modern and stylish building, washer (€3) and dryer (€1.5), kitchen (very few utensils, though), wi-fi (tricky registration process, but works very well, and the next albergue uses the same connection), no blankets. The young hospitalera Aurora speaks some English and seemed keen on practicing it!
Day 8: A Laxe to Outeiro, 34 km, albergue municipal, €6; very much like the albergue at A Laxe, but feels more homely, and the kitchen is much better equipped – complete with coffee cups! There are also sugar, coffee, spices, oil, and some food in the kitchen, and a box for donations. This albergue is also equipped with a washer and a dryer, the prices are probably similar to the those at A Laxe. No blankets, but here the friendly hospitalero Fernando managed to find one for me!
Day 9: Outeiro to Santiago de Compostela, 17 km. Apparently, there are lots of places to stay in Santiago, and many prefer to stay in hotels or pensions there, but in case someone is interested in albergues open in winter (and there are few!), I stayed at Mundoalbergue, €14 + €3 for breakfast – it’s very comfortable, very clean, and very close to the cathedral, and the staff are very nice and friendly.
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