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Guide 2019 -- The camino through Barco de Valdeorras

peregrina2000

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If you walked the camino years ago, you will remember that option 2 was the only way out of town. I have heard from enough pilgrims that Option 1 is now the way to go. I have not walked the river route, only Option 2. I left Option 2 in there, not because I would encourage anyone to avoid the river, but because anyone who is going to sleep in the albergue in xagoaza has to take that option. So... hoping for comments and questions. Does this make sense?

OPTION 1. If you do not plan to stop in or visit O Barco (though it is a very lively town with all services, great wine, and good accommodation), you should stay alongside the river. (And of course, even if you do stop in O Barco, it's easy to pick up this route when you are ready to leave, just head back to the river). After you pass the cafés, parks, and playgrounds, you will come to a small wooden footbridge with two freshly painted arrows. This bridge does not take you across the river itself; it takes you over a small tributary emptying into the river. The path is wide and covered in gravel, so it is obviously a path used by townspeople. After about a km, take a sharp right turn, onto Camino Praia de Ouro, which leads to a roundabout. Take the road heading to the left (not the N-120, but a lesser traveled road that is slightly north of the N-120), which passes by the Gadis hypermarket, and you will soon merge back onto the Camino and enter the town of Arcos. This link will take you to the GPS tracks of the stage out of O Barco. You can zoom in to see the river walk, the roundabout, the Gadis, etc, and maybe that will help you. http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=8420979


OPTION 2. This route was the actual Camino route until a couple of years ago, when the riverside route was marked. Take it only if you plan to spend the night at the very highly recommended albergue in Xagoaza. I am not sure if the route is still marked through the town of O Barco, but it is easy to get to. Make your way to the railroad underpass at the end of Calle Eulogio Fernández, where you will see a blue Camino sign pointing your way west. At the roundabout just past the Repsol gas station turn left onto Rúa Estrada. At the modern Church of San Tirso, turn right. Then keep straight, and go through a narrow tunnel. Up ahead there is a marker pointing up to the hamlet of Xagoaza, where there is an albergue. Pay attention, because a 2016 pilgrim reported that there are no arrows to indicate the turn. You will return to this spot to continue on the Camino.

Albergue Xagoaza (Hospitalera, Gloria, tel. 639 921 679). This albergue is several km outside of Barco, and 1.4 km off the Camino. The hospitalera may provide meals if needed, but it is a good idea to bring your own food from O Barco, just in case. Reported quite nice by many pilgrims. Two rooms with 5 bunks each, large dining room with fireplace, two PCs and Wifi, completely furnished kitchen with stove, oven, fridge, and washing machine. Clean bathrooms and lots of outside space. 6€

Coming down from the Albergue you will join the camino at a point where it becomes an earthen path. This path may or may not be overgrown (different pilgrims at different times of year had different reports), but you should continue straight ahead. You will arrive back on the road, having gone around a nicely renovated home.

When you come to a metal sign with the words “Asociación de Desenvolvemento Valdeorras”, you have a choice. You can either go straight on the road or turn left turn. If you turn, you will soon come to a faint arrow on the ground, which turns off the road onto a dirt track. This is just before a gravel pit of some kind. When you get to the top of the pit, you will come into a clearing with a lot of grape vines. Turn left and keep on into Arcos, with the grape vines on your right.

If you have decided to go straight at the earlier mentioned metal sign (recommended), it takes you to a paved street, where the arrows take you right for several hundred meters (this option was described by some pilgrims as “easy but boring”). Either way you will arrive in:
 
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Can only say anything about option 1, that's the route I followed, well marked all the way to Arcos. After the green bridge you went on a road through what looked to me as a camping area or living area for travelling people, without naming anykind.
There were arrows the old way also, as I could see before locals led me back to the river.
I checked the Wise Pilgrim App map too, which seemed to be in the middle of the old and the "new" route, perhaps on the highway out of town.
 
If you walked the camino years ago, you will remember that option 2 was the only way out of town. I have heard from enough pilgrims that Option 1 is now the way to go. I have not walked the river route, only Option 2. I left Option 2 in there, not because I would encourage anyone to avoid the river, but because anyone who is going to sleep in the albergue in xagoaza has to take that option. So... hoping for comments and questions. Does this make sense?

OPTION 1. If you do not plan to stop in or visit O Barco (though it is a very lively town with all services, great wine, and good accommodation), you should stay alongside the river. (And of course, even if you do stop in O Barco, it's easy to pick up this route when you are ready to leave, just head back to the river). After you pass the cafés, parks, and playgrounds, you will come to a small wooden footbridge with two freshly painted arrows. This bridge does not take you across the river itself; it takes you over a small tributary emptying into the river. The path is wide and covered in gravel, so it is obviously a path used by townspeople. After about a km, take a sharp right turn, onto Camino Praia de Ouro, which leads to a roundabout. Take the road heading to the left (not the N-120, but a lesser traveled road that is slightly north of the N-120), which passes by the Gadis hypermarket, and you will soon merge back onto the Camino and enter the town of Arcos. This link will take you to the GPS tracks of the stage out of O Barco. You can zoom in to see the river walk, the roundabout, the Gadis, etc, and maybe that will help you. http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=8420979


OPTION 2. This route was the actual Camino route until a couple of years ago, when the riverside route was marked. Take it only if you plan to spend the night at the very highly recommended albergue in Xagoaza. I am not sure if the route is still marked through the town of O Barco, but it is easy to get to. Make your way to the railroad underpass at the end of Calle Eulogio Fernández, where you will see a blue Camino sign pointing your way west. At the roundabout just past the Repsol gas station turn left onto Rúa Estrada. At the modern Church of San Tirso, turn right. Then keep straight, and go through a narrow tunnel. Up ahead there is a marker pointing up to the hamlet of Xagoaza, where there is an albergue. Pay attention, because a 2016 pilgrim reported that there are no arrows to indicate the turn. You will return to this spot to continue on the Camino.

Albergue Xagoaza (Hospitalera, Gloria, tel. 639 921 679). This albergue is several km outside of Barco, and 1.4 km off the Camino. The hospitalera may provide meals if needed, but it is a good idea to bring your own food from O Barco, just in case. Reported quite nice by many pilgrims. Two rooms with 5 bunks each, large dining room with fireplace, two PCs and Wifi, completely furnished kitchen with stove, oven, fridge, and washing machine. Clean bathrooms and lots of outside space. 6€

Coming down from the Albergue you will join the camino at a point where it becomes an earthen path. This path may or may not be overgrown (different pilgrims at different times of year had different reports), but you should continue straight ahead. You will arrive back on the road, having gone around a nicely renovated home.

When you come to a metal sign with the words “Asociación de Desenvolvemento Valdeorras”, you have a choice. You can either go straight on the road or turn left turn. If you turn, you will soon come to a faint arrow on the ground, which turns off the road onto a dirt track. This is just before a gravel pit of some kind. When you get to the top of the pit, you will come into a clearing with a lot of grape vines. Turn left and keep on into Arcos, with the grape vines on your right.

If you have decided to go straight at the earlier mentioned metal sign (recommended), it takes you to a paved street, where the arrows take you right for several hundred meters (this option was described by some pilgrims as “easy but boring”). Either way you will arrive in:

I have only walked Option 1. As of 2018, no problems!

BP
 
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That confirms what I had thought, thanks to both of you. I am going to leave both options in there just in case there are any who plan to go to the albergue. I walked out to Xagoaza when I stayed in Barco, just to see what it looks like. It is in a very nice rural area, There is a romanesque church and a monastery, but everything was deserted and locked up tight when I was there. I think maybe Kinky stayed in the albergue and liked it very much. Has anyone else stayed in that albergue?
 
That confirms what I had thought, thanks to both of you. I am going to leave both options in there just in case there are any who plan to go to the albergue. I walked out to Xagoaza when I stayed in Barco, just to see what it looks like. It is in a very nice rural area, There is a romanesque church and a monastery, but everything was deserted and locked up tight when I was there. I think maybe Kinky stayed in the albergue and liked it very much. Has anyone else stayed in that albergue?
Yes, I stayed in albergue in Xagoaza and liked it very much. Not so uphill to there ;) There's a GPS link in my journal on Invierno.

Just so the people won't be confused, the link you posted in Option 1 is actually the link for Option 2 :)
 
Yes, I stayed in albergue in Xagoaza and liked it very much. Not so uphill to there ;) There's a GPS link in my journal on Invierno.

Just so the people won't be confused, the link you posted in Option 1 is actually the link for Option 2 :)

Ok, looking back at everything, I don’t think I need any tracks for Option 1, it seems straightforward and clear. And I will move the tracks I have down to Option2.


BTW, did the hospitalera make you a meal? Did you go inside the church and/or monastery (that is,if I am remembering correctly).
 
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Ok, looking back at everything, I don’t think I need any tracks for Option 1, it seems straightforward and clear. And I will move the tracks I have down to Option2.


BTW, did the hospitalera make you a meal? Did you go inside the church and/or monastery (that is,if I am remembering correctly).
Yep, Option 1 should really be very straightforward. I tried to find it but was very unsure because after the wooden bridge the arrows disappeared. Anyway I went up to Xagoaza (no visit to either church or monastery which is further up the road) and next day wing it to Hiper Gadis. In Xagoaza I prepared my own meal. After all I deserve it bringing everything up there :D
 
Going through my pictures from this year, and just wanted tp add this clear map that shows how the official route leaving Barco de Valdeorras differs from the route to Xagoaza. Yet another former confusion point that has been made totally clear by the new markings.
 

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The only remaining place of confusion on the ground is that hard right leaving the river onto the small path. The path is small, and the mojon can be overgrown. An "!" is worthwhile here. ;)
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
The only remaining place of confusion on the ground is that hard right leaving the river onto the small path. The path is small, and the mojon can be overgrown. An "!" is worthwhile here. ;)

yes, absolutely right. I wrote something like — Shortly after the sanitary sewers station (with the telltale round concrete structures), there is a turnoff to the right. Pay attention, because the main river path continues straight ahead, and you will get on a much narrower less traveled dirt path.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Well, almost perfect, now that I look at it. Here's a tweak with a few clarifying suggestions in bold font:
Pay attention, because the main river path continues straight ahead, and you will get on a much narrower less traveled dirt path.
Pay attention, because the larger main river path continues straight ahead, while the turn off is a much narrower less traveled grassy path which may be overgrown.

Resize it
Grf. My phone. No can do so easily.
Edit~Here is is:
 

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