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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Highway of horror

trafferty

I believe I'm ready for another adventure!
Time of past OR future Camino
june (2016)
I've been reading "I'm off then" by Hape Kirklin and he gives a horrific description of walking on the shoulder of the highway between villa franca and vega. Has anyone walked that? I am terrified of walking close to speeding traffic. I nearly had a panic attack walking across the golden gate bridge and that walk was probably 15 feet wide. Can a I take a cab or bus past this spot?
 
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There is a good path between Vega de Valcarce and VillaFranca, and you can always walk on the shoulder facing traffic in the sections that are road walking. I don't remember much traffic on that stretch anyway, and I haven't read the book but I imagine he's one of the people who took the highway into the village instead of taking the Camino, which goes through fields and vineyards.
 
That said, when you get past the village of Cacabelos, there is a taxi stand on the opposite side of the Camino. A taxi to Villafranca will be around €10.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I've been reading "I'm off then" by Hape Kirklin and he gives a horrific description of walking on the shoulder of the highway between villa franca and vega. Has anyone walked that? I am terrified of walking close to speeding traffic. I nearly had a panic attack walking across the golden gate bridge and that walk was probably 15 feet wide. Can a I take a cab or bus past this spot?
Hi Trafferty
Kerkeling's book was written some years ago I believe, before much of the traffic on that highway was diverted to the new autopista. There are alternative routes for walking up that valley (and others may tell you to take one of them - more strenuous but less road walking), but I walked the highway route last Spring and there was hardly any traffic on it. Additionally, for most of the way there is a very solid concrete barrier between pedestrians and any traffic there is, so you are quite safe. there is a short stretch before you turn off, when you are walking alongside the traffic, but from my memory there was plenty of room on the shoulder of the road at that point and I did not feel in any danger. That said, of course you have to be careful whenever walking alongside or crossing roads wherever you are on the Camino. But this one was in no way "horrific", so if it was like that when Kerkeling walked it, much has changed since then.

Buen Camino!
 
There is a good path between Vega de Valcarce and VillaFranca, and you can always walk on the shoulder facing traffic in the sections that are road walking. I don't remember much traffic on that stretch anyway, and I haven't read the book but I imagine he's one of the people who took the highway into the village instead of taking the Camino, which goes through fields and vineyards.
Annie, I think this relates to the highway after Villafranca del Bierzo, along the Valcarce valley towards Vega de Valcarce and (eventually) O Cebriero. There's the alternative Pradelo route over the hill or the Dragonte on the other side.
 
I've been reading "I'm off then" by Hape Kirklin and he gives a horrific description of walking on the shoulder of the highway between villa franca and vega. Has anyone walked that? I am terrified of walking close to speeding traffic. I nearly had a panic attack walking across the golden gate bridge and that walk was probably 15 feet wide. Can a I take a cab or bus past this spot?
When Kerkeling walked his camino, there was no, as you would call it, freeway so it was the main road. The new freeway has taken away most of the traffic he describes. There is now a walkway or 'sendo' alongside the road with about 4ft concrete wall separating you from the road. The biggest problem you have now is that it is a bit boring
 
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Take what you read about the Camino with a grain of salt, especially when the author is a member of the entertainment industry anywhere. Writers as a whole tend to embellish. A person who embellishes for a living who then writes is a double embellisher, ha ha. I mean after all, the guy is a comedian. No way is he going to write a book about the Camino describing an average day without adding something exciting or dangerous, that will somehow be shown as humorous.
 
I have not found any "horror" road in the Camino frances -at most, some odd sections rather boring.
After Villafranca most pilgrims seemed to cross the bridge and along a local road with scarce trafic, then along a more transited highway with a walkway protected, as mentioned, by a very convincing concrete barrier, a detour to picturesque Pereje, back to to the road, then to Trabadelo.
The only real safety issue: be watchful of cyclists, they go very fast, and the walkway is not very wide.
Apparently there is another path over the hills; I met a young pilgrim who arrived at Trabadelo in a quite bad shape after doing it (there was a persistent rain). He was even considering to call it a day, and staying there, but after some cafe con leche and magdalenas decided to continue to Vega de Valcarce. I guess this alternative way (which he commented, on the other side, that was beautiful) is not advisable with bad weather.
 
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Hi Trafferty
Kerkeling's book was written some years ago I believe, before much of the traffic on that highway was diverted to the new autopista. There are alternative routes for walking up that valley (and others may tell you to take one of them - more strenuous but less road walking), but I walked the highway route last Spring and there was hardly any traffic on it. Additionally, for most of the way there is a very solid concrete barrier between pedestrians and any traffic there is, so you are quite safe. there is a short stretch before you turn off, when you are walking alongside the traffic, but from my memory there was plenty of room on the shoulder of the road at that point and I did not feel in any danger. That said, of course you have to be careful whenever walking alongside or crossing roads wherever you are on the Camino. But this one was in no way "horrific", so if it was like that when Kerkeling walked it, much has changed since then.

Buen Camino!
Quite so: He walked in 2001 - and the book, as i recall, was published in 2006.
 
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I've been reading "I'm off then" by Hape Kirklin and he gives a horrific description of walking on the shoulder of the highway between villa franca and vega. Has anyone walked that? I am terrified of walking close to speeding traffic. I nearly had a panic attack walking across the golden gate bridge and that walk was probably 15 feet wide. Can a I take a cab or bus past this spot?

he also suffered altitude sickness at O Cebreiro, which is less than 1000 metres (3300 feet) high.

or in other words, he needed to embellish his very plain and uneventful pilgrimage somewhat (in my opinion). that section is fine and no longer (if it ever was, which i do not recall) 'hellish'.

Buen Camino
 
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I've been reading "I'm off then" by Hape Kirklin and he gives a horrific description of walking on the shoulder of the highway between villa franca and vega. Has anyone walked that? I am terrified of walking close to speeding traffic. I nearly had a panic attack walking across the golden gate bridge and that walk was probably 15 feet wide. Can a I take a cab or bus past this spot?
Hi. Dont be afraid. I have walked this itinerary three weeks ago. The higway is sometimes near of the old road, and you can hear the traffic but rarely see it. Pilgrims must walk on the side this old and very little transited road, and its relatively slow traffic, but dont worry, it is separated by a thick low concrete wall, and you will walk safely everytime, enjoing most of the timeof the river, trees and birds. Its not the quietest and most beautifull of the stages, but you can see some wonderfull views there. No the worst stretch, thats for sure.
About the mountains: Its not a good idea to walk on it if bad weather. Buen Camino.
 
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There's the alternative Pradelo route over the hill or the Dragonte on the other side.

Hi,

Yes, there is an alternative path over the hills between Villafranca and Trabadelo.

Starts in Villafranca with these discouraging indications :
"Very hard path, only for good hikers"
(and "no, it's the authentic one" - typical Caminoesque debate...)

P1050234_800.JPG

Don't believe it, unless you are in real bad shape : yes, there is a steep ascent. And a descent on scree to Trabadelo (with an alternative on a small road).

The views from above are quite pleasant :

P1050235_800.JPG

as long as you don't look downwards at the highway corridor... (below on the right, coming out of a tunnel)

P1050236_800.JPG
 
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I walked this way last year, really enjoyed it. Only saw 2 others on the route. Will be doing the Dragonte variant this year, cant wait. Only 21 days until lift off.
 
@trafferty I have walked both along the 'highway' in bad weather, protected by the very solid concrete barrier all along the way, and then last year on the diversion 'to the right' (the so-caled Pradela route) on the path 'only suitable for good hikers'. Fully agree with @NavyBlue that is quite an exaggeration. It is very steep for about the first 200m, up a concrete incline. We met a local lady, of mature years, coming down in her bedroom slippers and a local teenager going up in very fashionable, non-technical trainers! After that it is a really beautiful walk along tracks, no roads. The only traffic we met was a well-laden donkey. The road is not 'over-marked'(!) but we managed to find it with Brierley's help. There is a kind of a shortcut coming down, rather than going along the 'main' road, or at least the tarred road. You can follow your nose a bit. Brierley mentions 'a metal sign' - this was like the lid of a biscuit tin nailed to a tree! That is a little bit steep too, but nothing to get worried about. You will come into Trabadelo back on the main path probably a few hundred metres AFTER the village of Trabadelo, though there is also a track that brings you in directly. You will see a huge petrol station on the highway. Walk back towards that direction and you will find the village.

Diverting into Trabadelo is highly recommended. There is a lovely, tiny, parochial albergue - the former priest's house I think. Extremely friendly. And do not miss El Puente Peregrino, a wholly unexpected 'gastropub' run by a young and exceptionally friendly Dutch lady. She only lives there in the season. It is down at the 'petrol station' end of the village. I would say the best 'village food' at any place along any camino I have done. And FairTrade as well! She has a couple of rooms too. Sorry I cannot remember her name - Yolanda perhaps?. We enjoyed lunch so much we decided to break our trip and stay in Trabadelo for the night.
 
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And do not miss El Puente Peregrino, a wholly unexpected 'gastropub' run by a young and exceptionally friendly Dutch lady. She only lives there in the season. It is down at the 'petrol station' end of the village. I would say the best 'village food' at any place along any camino I have done. And FairTrade as well! She has a couple of rooms too. Sorry I cannot remember her name - Yolanda perhaps?.

The young lady could be Elly ?
 
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.
he also suffered altitude sickness at O Cebreiro, which is less than 1000 metres (3300 feet) high.

or in other words, he needed to embellish his very plain and uneventful pilgrimage somewhat (in my opinion). that section is fine and no longer (if it ever was, which i do not recall) 'hellish'.

Buen Camino
Altitude sickness in O'Cebreiro? ha ha
The only thing "hellish" on the Camino is an influx of bad writing about it. :D
 
The camino near Villafranca del Bierzo is protected by a concrete barrier. Just follow the yellow brick road ...

Camino de Santiago 2012 451.jpg

Camino de Santiago 2012 453.jpg

Most of the traffic this road once carried has been diverted to the new highway overhead ... I suppose there is still a concern for the occasional flying traveler ...

Camino de Santiago 2012 452.jpg

It would be interesting to be here 2000 years from now to see if its still standing.

On a side note ... I witnessed a near accident on the very narrow road (one car width) used by walkers at Ruitelan. Two cars approached a blind corner at speed and with much hard braking narrowly avoided collision. It was probably the only traffic all day ... yet it would be prudent to not be near these bottlenecks when such events occur.
 
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Totally agree timr! Stayed there last summer. Very nice place and very friendly people.

Buen Camino!

Me too. El Puente Peregrino was where I had the best meal - and ambience - on the Camino. walked from Villafranca del Bierzo along the quite, safe main road with concrete barriers. It was raining but I managed an enjoyable picnic lunch underneath a flyover and enjoyed hearing the deer in the riverside woods. The Municipal - not parochial - albergue right at the end of the village on the way out was first class. Welcoming hospitalera who is taking care of the adjacent bar if not in the albergue building, cooking facilities, a lovely large lounge with a roaring fire and the central heating was a real treat; washing dried in no time - I wouldn't like to guess at their heating bills.
 
I've been reading "I'm off then" by Hape Kirklin and he gives a horrific description of walking on the shoulder of the highway between villa franca and vega. ...

Happe Kerkeling has a) walked the Camino in 2003 and b) is a comedian, so his experiences are not actually up to date plus 'slightly' exaggerated ;-) Don't worry, that stretch is fine to walk now with very little traffic and a safe walking area for pilgrims.

Buen Camino, SY
 
In the spirit of community I hate to disagree with the consensus here, but there is one section of the walk after Villafranca de Bierzo that I would absolutely take a taxi through--the section after the concrete barrier ends (just after La Portella de Valcarce, if I remember correctly) until Las Herrerias, where the Way turns onto a much less busy road). That is only about 6km total, but walking it was the most foolish (read: dangerous) thing I have done in years. We walked it on a weekday morning (July 2014) and the big trucks were quite plentiful and there was almost no shoulder to walk on. Without exaggeration, I could have reached out and touched most of them as they went by. And they were going relatively fast, with heavy loads down a winding mountain road. I have no doubt that the new highway helped the situation immensely, and I am grateful that it was in place when we walked. Nevertheless, I would not run that gauntlet again for love or money. It is possible that we hit a particularly busy morning and that ordinarily it is not so dangerous (which would explain others' experiences). The problem is that there is no way to know in advance how busy the traffic is going to be on that section. The risk is simply not worth it.

That being said, the walk behind the concrete barrier up to that point is safe, albeit not very pleasant, especially on a hot summer afternoon. I second the above recommendations for the high route to Trabadelo. The locals will discourage you saying it is too steep, but it is not and the views and chestnut orchards made it one of the nicest days for us. Take a bit of extra water--we ran out and were a bit dry by the time we got into Trabadelo.

One final note: I did not try the Dragon route on the other side of the valley from the high route. A friend tried it the year before. She is a very experienced backpacker, but the route was so poorly marked she got lost and eventually had to walk back to the main road.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo
 
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I found that Hape's experiences didn't mirror my own at all. Sometimes I wondered if he was even on the same route as me ;) But yes, in this particular situation, things have changed since he walked.
 
In the spirit of community I hate to disagree with the consensus here, but there is one section of the walk after Villafranca de Bierzo that I would absolutely take a taxi through--the section after the concrete barrier ends (just after La Portella de Valcarce, if I remember correctly) until Las Herrerias, where the Way turns onto a much less busy road). That is only about 6km total, but walking it was the most foolish (read: dangerous) thing I have done in years. We walked it on a weekday morning (July 2014) and the big trucks were quite plentiful and there was almost no shoulder to walk on. Without exaggeration, I could have reached out and touched most of them as they went by. And they were going relatively fast, with heavy loads down a winding mountain road. I have no doubt that the new highway helped the situation immensely, and I am grateful that it was in place when we walked. Nevertheless, I would not run that gauntlet again for love or money. It is possible that we hit a particularly busy morning and that ordinarily it is not so dangerous (which would explain others' experiences). The problem is that there is no way to know in advance how busy the traffic is going to be on that section. The risk is simply not worth it.

That being said, the walk behind the concrete barrier up to that point is safe, albeit not very pleasant, especially on a hot summer afternoon. I second the above recommendations for the high route to Trabadelo. The locals will discourage you saying it is too steep, but it is not and the views and chestnut orchards made it one of the nicest days for us. Take a bit of extra water--we ran out and were a bit dry by the time we got into Trabadelo.

One final note: I did not try the Dragon route on the other side of the valley from the high route. A friend tried it the year before. She is a very experienced backpacker, but the route was so poorly marked she got lost and eventually had to walk back to the main road.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

Hi JoJO. I disagreeto you. Three weeks ago this was absolutely safe. Buen camino.
 
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I just read the chapter that OP is referring to. It is dated 11th July 2001 - nearly 15 years ago. It is a very dramatic description. It is NOTHING like this today at all. This must have been before the highway was built. And I have a feeling even at that time it wasn't anything like he wrote in the book, but it is just my guess. I walked there 18 days ago.
By the way, the 3-star Hotel Valcarce, at 25 euro for a single (I guess that's the special price for pilgrims), is a steal. Go for it if you are tired of the "traffic" ;)

This is how you walk separated from the traffic. Mind the number of the cars on the road.

Leaving-Pereje-Spain-Camino-de-Santiago.jpg
 
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When Kerkeling walked his camino, there was no, as you would call it, freeway so it was the main road. The new freeway has taken away most of the traffic he describes. There is now a walkway or 'sendo' alongside the road with about 4ft concrete wall separating you from the road. The biggest problem you have now is that it is a bit boring


Absolutely correct Please don't worry...
 
Hi,

Yes, there is an alternative path over the hills between Villafranca and Trabadelo.

Starts in Villafranca with these discouraging indications :
"Very hard path, only for good hikers"
(and "no, it's the authentic one" - typical Caminoesque debate...)

View attachment 25031

Don't believe it, unless you are in real bad shape : yes, there is a steep ascent. And a descent on scree to Trabadelo (with an alternative on a small road).

The views from above are quite pleasant :

View attachment 25032

as long as you don't look downwards at the highway corridor... (below on the right, coming out of a tunnel)

View attachment 25033
We (my son and I ) did take the "duro" last year.....just take it slow. We saw plenty pilgrims (we walked it early June) and some great views indeed. Just as usual...take your time and bring some water/small snack. We were glad we did that route over the easier road. After you decent towards Valcarce there is a short section that isn't so nice and yes you will cross a busy road by a "truck stop" looking restaurant/hotel... not nice, but nothing horrible..... After that you will walk for awhile along side a road towards Herreiras...but not a highway...just a road.
 
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Nice Photos! I actually really enjoyed "I'm Off Then", and certainly didn't think it was any more embellished then the movie, The Way, which seems to be very popular? We didn't encounter any crazies last summer, only a couple rude Americans! Hope they didn't say the same thing about my wife & I ?!?!
 
The main danger that I remember in this journey is walking by a row of big, magnificent trees before Ambasmestas....there was a sudden wind gust and suddenly I was being literally bombarded by scores of chestnuts. And they can be hard, if you want to know.
But I agree that experiences vary widely, depending on persons, circumstances and the season. The weather in the day I did this stage was so awful that I seriously considered staying a day more in Villafranca. I decided to go mainly because I had limited days available, and at the end it was a good decision. But for the same reason, I was probably more accommodating to the reality of walking along a highway, on solid ground.
 
OK - every pilgrim has there story or version of the camino road in this section. I was there in Sept 2015 and yes with the new express way / autopisa/motorway so 90% of the heavy trucks/lorries have gone. Occasionally you will encounter those stopping at their preferred bar/cafe but by then they are only doing much less than 50km (more like 30km). Of course if the weather is suitable you can take Brierley's "mountain route", but even if you have to follow the valley camino you will be ok - as long as you are sensible when crossing ANY road. From Vega you can take a back road to Herrerias where the camino goes back to a rural setting through La Faba and Laguna de Castilla and O'Cebreiro.
 
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The only road walking I can recall from 2014 was following the detour to Vilar de Dondas (Brierley Stage 30), where the church warden recommended it as a short-cut back to the camino. Lots of heavy vehicles going past. But that's an option which you avoid by retracing your steps.
 
My memories of walking the 'valley' route are all good: little traffic, birdsong and the rather lovely river. After La Portela de Valcarce I was still on road but even less traffic and a rather sweet bar. My memories of the Camino de Pradela are of a ridiculously steep climb, especially for first thing in the morning, followed by a nice level walk through pretty stuff before another ridiculously (knee buggering) steep descent back to the 'main' road I was supposed to be avoiding. Though to be fair it is only another 4k to Portela. I am not sure that I will ever add 400m of steep ascent and 400m of steep descent to 8k of pleasant walking again unless I am applying for my Pilgrim Masochist Badge.
 
My memories of walking the 'valley' route are all good: little traffic, birdsong and the rather lovely river. After La Portela de Valcarce I was still on road but even less traffic and a rather sweet bar. My memories of the Camino de Pradela are of a ridiculously steep climb, especially for first thing in the morning, followed by a nice level walk through pretty stuff before another ridiculously (knee buggering) steep descent back to the 'main' road I was supposed to be avoiding. Though to be fair it is only another 4k to Portela. I am not sure that I will ever add 400m of steep ascent and 400m of steep descent to 8k of pleasant walking again unless I am applying for my Pilgrim Masochist Badge.

Fifty shadows of Pilgrim? o_O
 
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I thought the little section after Zuriain (just before Pamplona) was worse - but it's not very long.
I agree with the views above - in 2001 it was horrendous, in 2003 I couldn't belive how quite it was!
Best wishes!
 
I've been reading "I'm off then" by Hape Kirklin and he gives a horrific description of walking on the shoulder of the highway between villa franca and vega. Has anyone walked that? I am terrified of walking close to speeding traffic. I nearly had a panic attack walking across the golden gate bridge and that walk was probably 15 feet wide. Can a I take a cab or bus past this spot?

If you didn't like the Golden Gate Bridge have a look at this one.

Reaching-Portomarin-Walking-Camino-de-Santiago-Spain.jpg


It's the bridge at Portomarin.
First time I crossed it I was literally on my hands and knees. Second time I was fine. Must have been the wind or something.
Read a few stories on here of people not liking it.
 
The camino near Villafranca del Bierzo is protected by a concrete barrier. Just follow the yellow brick road ...

View attachment 25041

View attachment 25043

Most of the traffic this road once carried has been diverted to the new highway overhead ... I suppose there is still a concern for the occasional flying traveler ...

View attachment 25042

It would be interesting to be here 2000 years from now to see if its still standing.

On a side note ... I witnessed a near accident on the very narrow road (one car width) used by walkers at Ruitelan. Two cars approached a blind corner at speed and with much hard braking narrowly avoided collision. It was probably the only traffic all day ... yet it would be prudent to not be near these bottlenecks when such events occur.
Great photos, whari!! Thanks for sharing!
 
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If you didn't like the Golden Gate Bridge have a look at this one.

Reaching-Portomarin-Walking-Camino-de-Santiago-Spain.jpg


It's the bridge at Portomarin.
First time I crossed it I was literally on my hands and knees. Second time I was fine. Must have been the wind or something.
Read a few stories on here of people not liking it.

And in this photo the water is high!
 
I walked the stretch in question in 2001, and it really was hair-raising. I cut up to San Fiz and tried to find the Dragonte Route. Which became its own epic hair-raising tale.
(At the end, Kanga saved the day!)
 
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If you didn't like the Golden Gate Bridge have a look at this one.

Reaching-Portomarin-Walking-Camino-de-Santiago-Spain.jpg


It's the bridge at Portomarin.
First time I crossed it I was literally on my hands and knees. Second time I was fine. Must have been the wind or something.
Read a few stories on here of people not liking it.

When the water is low, there is a great view of the old Roman bridge and the remnants of the old town below. The railing in your picture is about at hip level. One of my companions almost had a heart attack when I leaned over the rail to try to see any fish in the stream way below. It is no big deal if you walk and don't think about careening over the rail. Great Picture.
 
When I walked over the bridge to Portomarin in 2014, there was no water in the lake.
 
If you didn't like the Golden Gate Bridge have a look at this one.

Reaching-Portomarin-Walking-Camino-de-Santiago-Spain.jpg


It's the bridge at Portomarin.
First time I crossed it I was literally on my hands and knees. Second time I was fine. Must have been the wind or something.
Read a few stories on here of people not liking it.

I'm not good with heights, so the only time between Geneve and SDC I was really scared was on this bridge. What I wanted to do was to walk along the white stripe in the middle of the road. :cool:
 
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When I walked over the bridge to Portomarin in 2014, there was no water in the lake.
It comes and goes. The yacht club disappeared a few years ago when the water level was low for a while. In January there were kayaks all over the place, and the water was up to all the launching sites!
 
I've been reading "I'm off then" by Hape Kirklin and he gives a horrific description of walking on the shoulder of the highway between villa franca and vega. Has anyone walked that? I am terrified of walking close to speeding traffic. I nearly had a panic attack walking across the golden gate bridge and that walk was probably 15 feet wide. Can a I take a cab or bus past this spot?
Hape's book is comedy and not a guide book, otherwise he would have mentioned the long walk before the first coffee, That isn't funny.... Ultreya.......Willy/Utah/USA
 
It comes and goes. The yacht club disappeared a few years ago when the water level was low for a while. In January there were kayaks all over the place, and the water was up to all the launching sites!
Quite a brilliant hydro-electric project what do they do when there is no water behind the dam?
 
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Quite a brilliant hydro-electric project what do they do when there is no water behind the dam?
The dam is many kilometers from Portomarín , at Belesar near Monforte de Lemos. Sometimes when drought times, you can see the old bridge, the old town because it is near to the tail of the swamp , but a few kms down river there are enough water to keep the machines working. You know, those mad spanish engineer´s things. :D
 
So - I'm probably late chiming in.....but we just returned and took the country route from Villa Franca despite warnings not to because of the bad weather (lots of rain) and had no issues at all and the views were AMAZING!!! The first ascent is nothing to laugh at - but it gets easier after that. Also - as others noted it is a poorly marked route at the end (the ascent is no problem) - it is the only time we had to use the app to make sure we stayed on route. If you are in decent shape (I'm in no means "great" shape and I had little issue), I'd take the country route versus the valley route just for the views! Once down, you'll still have some parts to walk behind the concrete barrier - but I never felt in any danger.
 
Take what you read about the Camino with a grain of salt, especially when the author is a member of the entertainment industry anywhere. Writers as a whole tend to embellish. A person who embellishes for a living who then writes is a double embellisher, ha ha. I mean after all, the guy is a comedian. No way is he going to write a book about the Camino describing an average day without adding something exciting or dangerous, that will somehow be shown as humorous.
I didn't embellish mine in any way. I wrote it just as it happened. The slightly less eventful days being the shorter chapters :) Details are in my signature
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.

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