- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances, '12; Frances, '14; Port, '15; Frances, Norte, Fisterre, '16; Ingles, Fisterre/Muxia '17
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Thanks for this! I am a few days from starting Camino Invierno and I’m interested in what accommodations are open. Buen Camino!I am currently on the Invierno, so for those who asked I will list my shorter stages & observations along the way. Please keep in mind I am a “seasoned “ pilgrim & haven’t done a Camino in 2+years!
Day 1 - Ponferrada to Villavieja- ~16K - 2 bars open in Toral de Merayo; 2 bars open In Villalibre slightly off Camino but you continue straight up the road & it rejoins the Camino. Nothing open beyond that in Priaranza or Santalla where I had hoped to get a Coca Cola & a beer to take to the Albergue. Glad I saved a half of a sandwich from lunch in Villalibre. The Albergue was very nice & clean, fluffy towels & real sheets & washer & dryer.
Day 2 - Villavieja to Las Medulas -~13K - this was Saturday & at about 9:30 the Castle was not yet open. On to Borrones & at 11:30 - 12:00 nothing was open. On to Las Medulas I planned to take the crossover to Mirador de Orellan & Las Medulas the site but these first two days seemed much longer than the guide book distances, the temps were in the 70’s but the sun was blaring, & I had to drop my pack at the hotel & have a refreshment before going up. It was a holiday weekend & the whole area was packed. It seems you can no longer go inside the mines - with my limited Spanish I think they said it was no longer safe. It is a beautiful area but will just have to live vicariously thru Sara’s 2019 YouTube video of the tour of the mine.
For me these first two days were brutal - constant ups, & yes my pack was too heavy having to carry water & food - but I was talking to myself & expecting the buzzards to circle any minute! As everyone else says about the Invierno - be prepared. In my opinion the way marking left a little to be desired until I reached Galicia & then great!
More to come.
Laurie - I did not meet the hospitalero - I WhatsApp’d with Leticia & saw the cleaning man when I was leaving.Good to have another live Invierno thread!
And I’m very happy to hear that the albergue in Villavieja is operating, did you meet the new hospitalero/a?
@khiker, is it possible the mine‘s galleries in Médulas were closed for lunch break? Nothing I’ve seen on the internet describes them as closed, but of course you may have the breaking news. The schedule is given as 11 - 1:40 and 4 - 6:40. I’ll keep an eye on the Médulas sites and see if something is added to confirm the closure.
And you are not the first person to find the first 29 km to Las Médulas very strenuous. Good thing you broke it into two days, because some forum members who didn’t found they just didn’t have the energy to go see the site from the Mirador de Orellán or otherwise visit the area. And it is a World Heritage Site!
Where did you sleep in Las Médulas?
Sorry to bombard you with questions, but it’s great to have yet another on the ground resource in real time! Buen camino, Laurie
Just from reading on the Forum, I wanted to experience Villavieja, the castle, & Orellan& Las Medulas once!I echo @peregrina2000 's enthusiasm and comments. Those first hills are pretty intense. I broke them up by staying in Borrenes.
Very interesting that you found LM to be packed. It just goes to show how everyone's experience is different and you can't generalize. When I was there on a June Tuesday, it was a ghost town. The hotel was closed, restaurants were closed, and there were hardly any people. I'm glad to know that is not always the case!
I would imagine the later into October you get, the harder it may be - call ahead.Thanks for this! I am a few days from starting Camino Invierno and I’m interested in what accommodations are open. Buen Camino!
Yes, that too - I saw several people with bags. Yet in the Las Medulas site areas were taped off saying don’t collect, something about a black ink disease???Amazing photos, @khiker9. Dead is definitely what I saw. What you experienced is the total opposite! Just wow. And word to the wise that it might be crowded on holiday weekends. I wonder if it also has anything to do with it being chestnut season?
Laurie - I almost always get a little blister here or there & just tape it up & go on. This one is on the end of the toe next to my big toe & that toe is not longer! But I guess with so much downhill it got worse & the blister has gone under the toenail - I will definitely lose it! I googled it & it said to drain it & put antibacterial cream & stop doing what caused it! Ha Ha! Maybe there will be a pharmacist or medic in Quiroga that can look at it.Thanks for the posts, I always love following along from afar when a forum member walks the Invierno.
I hope your blisters heal quickly, @khiker9. No fun to walk with blisters.
I very much liked the Pillabán in A Rúa. Did you eat there?
The apartments in Soldón looked very nice the last time I walked through and talked with a father and son doing cleaning and maintenance. But I have never stayed there. I know some forum members said it looked kind of dismal, but it sounds like you enjoyed it. I’ll bet you were pretty much alone in the village, though.
Enjoy, @khiker!!!!
Hi, Maggie,Thanks for this! I am a few days from starting Camino Invierno and I’m interested in what accommodations are open. Buen Camino!
Rst Aroza is very good - best home made flan I’ve had!
For vegetarians it's fine but nothing special.I have never heard a bad word about the Aroza. Enjoy the good weather while it lasts.
OK, I think I can still say that I’ve never heard a bad word about the place. Even though “fine“ is certainly not a rave.For vegetarians it's fine but nothing special.
But I missed the flan!
That said they were extremely pilgrim-friendly, a lovely place.
The latter. Had there been grilled veggies I would have offerred more of a rave review, but they were not on offer. But come to think of it, I should have asked for them off-menu. It was such a friendly place, they probably would have made them.would you put the Aroza in a category that’s out of the ordinary for a typical meat-based Spanish restaurant, or are you just saying they’ve got the same old ensalada, grilled vegetables, maybe some soup and maybe an omelette?
Thank you! It has been glorious weather 98% of the time. I must say I have a very sore butt & going uphill is painful! Just thankful I could finish the walk!On a gorgeous day.
Congratulations, @khiker9 !
I hope you have no negative consequences of that fall.
I think you will be fine knowing to plan ahead. I followed peregrino2000’s thread but did not quite understand some of it until I was there - “ah, that is what they meant!” Once you pass Lalin, there are a few more services. Buen Camino!@khiker9 Thank you very much for your post and detailed descriptions. We followed your posts with great interest. Peregrino2000 did an excellent thread on the route with great participation from other Invierno pilgrims last year. The Invierno is still on my bucket list but the number of closures you mentioned is concerning for us.
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