Fred Gaudet
Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 1341
After completing the Camino Olvidado, spent two nights in Ponferrada, leaving on a Sunday morning. In Toral de Merayo cafe and bakery open a little after nine.
Arrived at Castillo de Cornatel a little after 2pm and was closed to visitors, reopening at 4pm. Maybe it was the look on my face but the young ladies opened the door for me to enter. There was no cost for peregrinos. Had the whole castle to myself and got a stamp upon leaving.
Took the alternate route out of Borrenes. The route on the Wise Pilgrim Camino de Invierno app was much easier to follow than the track on Wikiloc. There were two arrows just before La Chana giving a slight shortcut across a field joining back with the route a short time latter. By watching the red track whenever roads met, it was easy to follow. If I went the wrong way within 100’ I knew to make a correction.
The Mirador de Orellán was fabulous. The Galerias opened at 11 and I was there about a minute before.
Plenty of rooms available at Hostal La Torre in Puente de Domingo Flórez.
In O Barco stayed at Hostal Mayo. Had to call for someone to open and check me in. Since I was on the green track, continued on it in the morning. It actually was the alternate route to the alberque. The river route was in red. At Iglesias de San Tirso, the mojón points to the right. I kept going straight ahead meeting up with alberque path in Arcos and the river route at the bridge in Valencia do Sil.
Stopped at the new tourist office in A Rúa. They were helpful with train times. Checked into Hostal Niza, which is showing its age. Think I was the only one there, at least on my floor with its shared bathroom. Had a menú del día then walked to Montefurado. Train for A Rúa was at 6:24, costing 2.20 euros. Back in A Rúa in 9 or 10 minutes.
Next morning train left at 7:09. Waited for some daylight before leaving train station/hut. Water in Montefurado and in Bendillo. At N-120 the mojón points up a steep hill. Walking down the highway looked way to dangerous but there are two yellow arrows pointing across the highway to an old road, now in low grass that can be followed into Soldón.
Before Quiroga in Caspedro took the detour to the the Pilgrim Hospital. Easy to follow red detour route to Carballedo to the Conxunto de San Salvador de O Hospital. The pilgrim hospital, from the 13th century, has not been there for a long time probably for four or five centuries. Now there is a church, and some house from the mid-1800s, including one of a French knight who came to help fight the Moors. The immediate way back is wrong, or at least winds up at the ends of roads—I did cut thru some fields. One should go back the same way as coming—at the first road to the right, turn downhill and will join up with the detour track.
Stayed at Hostal Dimar, which was inexpensive but nice and clean. Wanted to stay at Hostal Quiper but it was booked. There are 8 peregrinos walking with a support van who had stayed there last night. Today rounding a corner in Barxa do Lor, the 8 peregrinos were there with the support van having lunch. They almost stopped me to join them, which I did.
Just before Castroncelos I called for a ride to the Casa Rural in Salcedo. I have a room. The other peregrinos have part of a house. For me, supper at 8.
Arrived at Castillo de Cornatel a little after 2pm and was closed to visitors, reopening at 4pm. Maybe it was the look on my face but the young ladies opened the door for me to enter. There was no cost for peregrinos. Had the whole castle to myself and got a stamp upon leaving.
Took the alternate route out of Borrenes. The route on the Wise Pilgrim Camino de Invierno app was much easier to follow than the track on Wikiloc. There were two arrows just before La Chana giving a slight shortcut across a field joining back with the route a short time latter. By watching the red track whenever roads met, it was easy to follow. If I went the wrong way within 100’ I knew to make a correction.
The Mirador de Orellán was fabulous. The Galerias opened at 11 and I was there about a minute before.
Plenty of rooms available at Hostal La Torre in Puente de Domingo Flórez.
In O Barco stayed at Hostal Mayo. Had to call for someone to open and check me in. Since I was on the green track, continued on it in the morning. It actually was the alternate route to the alberque. The river route was in red. At Iglesias de San Tirso, the mojón points to the right. I kept going straight ahead meeting up with alberque path in Arcos and the river route at the bridge in Valencia do Sil.
Stopped at the new tourist office in A Rúa. They were helpful with train times. Checked into Hostal Niza, which is showing its age. Think I was the only one there, at least on my floor with its shared bathroom. Had a menú del día then walked to Montefurado. Train for A Rúa was at 6:24, costing 2.20 euros. Back in A Rúa in 9 or 10 minutes.
Next morning train left at 7:09. Waited for some daylight before leaving train station/hut. Water in Montefurado and in Bendillo. At N-120 the mojón points up a steep hill. Walking down the highway looked way to dangerous but there are two yellow arrows pointing across the highway to an old road, now in low grass that can be followed into Soldón.
Before Quiroga in Caspedro took the detour to the the Pilgrim Hospital. Easy to follow red detour route to Carballedo to the Conxunto de San Salvador de O Hospital. The pilgrim hospital, from the 13th century, has not been there for a long time probably for four or five centuries. Now there is a church, and some house from the mid-1800s, including one of a French knight who came to help fight the Moors. The immediate way back is wrong, or at least winds up at the ends of roads—I did cut thru some fields. One should go back the same way as coming—at the first road to the right, turn downhill and will join up with the detour track.
Stayed at Hostal Dimar, which was inexpensive but nice and clean. Wanted to stay at Hostal Quiper but it was booked. There are 8 peregrinos walking with a support van who had stayed there last night. Today rounding a corner in Barxa do Lor, the 8 peregrinos were there with the support van having lunch. They almost stopped me to join them, which I did.
Just before Castroncelos I called for a ride to the Casa Rural in Salcedo. I have a room. The other peregrinos have part of a house. For me, supper at 8.
Wow. Times really are changing on the Invierno.
and Buen Camino de Invierno,
