Las Medulas

[Glory Be]

I'd like to start my 1st camino in Las Medulas. If I arrive to Las Medulas in the evening and start walking the following day to O Banco de Valdeorras am I gonna have enough time to see Las Medulas in daylight? I don't want to have to start so early (in the dark) to make it to O Banco because I want to see Las Medulas. Time, I dont have enough of it! Help, please advise

 

[Tincatinker]

Unless you are easily distracted that should give you plenty of time. If you walk up to the Viewpoint you can then take the "Chestnut Trail" down to O Barco without returning to Las Medulas.

 

[ranthr]

If you arrive in the evening I would advise you to get information about routes to see As Medulas when you arrive. I started early from Borrenes to have time in see As Medulas. But when I arrived at 8.00 everything was closed. Do not think the touristinfo open until 10.00. I did not know where to go, so I missed it and went on to Punte Domingo de Florez where I ended my walk early in the day. I guess that if you know where to go sightseeing in the morning, you will have time enough to reach O ´Barco.

 

[Glory Be]

If you arrive in the evening I would advise you to get information about routes to see As Medulas when you arrive. I started early from Borrenes to have time in see As Medulas. But when I arrived at 8.00 everything was closed. Do not think the touristinfo open until 10.00. I did not know where to go, so I missed it and went on to Punte Domingo de Florez where I ended my walk early in the day. I guess that if you know where to go sightseeing in the morning, you will have time enough to reach O ´Barco.

Thx for the info. I will ask for the route when I arrive & then go in the a.m.

 

[Glory Be]

Unless you are easily distracted that should give you plenty of time. If you walk up to the Viewpoint you can then take the "Chestnut Trail" down to O Barco without returning to Las Medulas.

Are you talking about the Orellan lookout viewpoint? The chestnut trail, how do I find that trail? Thank you. Very new to all of this

 

[Tincatinker]

Yes, from Orellan. The trail runs from the southern end of the viewpoint. It is waymarked and also shown on a couple of information boards and on the leaflets from the information centre. Also easy to locate on maps.me

 

[OzAnnie]

Are you talking about the Orellan lookout viewpoint? The chestnut trail, how do I find that trail? Thank you. Very new to all of this

Hi Glory Be
You’ll be surprised at the amount of signage on this route- a lot of it I’m sure is recent.
You shouldn’t have any problems finding the Orellan lookout and getting to Las Médulas.
Attached some signage pics near there including one showing ‘one way’ to lookout.
I agree also with @Tincatinker Having maps me is always a good app on any camino. Download tracks onto it and if ever in doubt ., open the app (which works on gps, no sim or wifi required)..and you’ll easily ‘find yourself ‘ in relation to tracks and head in right direction.
Buen Camino.
Annie
Edit: there is a lot of up up up ...before Las Médulas.. when you arrive there is a friendly tourist guy on right entering village (where I got a stamp).,but I was so weary at that point all I wanted to do was get to my room etc .. lots of info there.

 

[gollygolly]

Not aware of your walking pace, so not sure if this personal account will help you at all, though as we had a good couple of hours walking within Las Médulas before continuing on the Invierno, perhaps this might be of interest :

Day 2: Las Médulas to Puente de Domingo Flórez
Thursday 23rd June - started walking from Las Médulas at 11:08am arrival 1:28pm
Recorded distance 15.52kms (6.77kms of which were within Las Médulas) / 23310 steps walked /
over the whole day 19.8kms / 29671 steps / 80 floors
We woke reasonably early, and leaving our packs behind, ventured off to look over as much as we could of the Las Médulas area, which is nothing short of stunning, especially as we walked in the eerie early morning mist. The views from the Mirador ce Orellán are sensational. Having walked and seen a good part of Las Médulas, we returned to pick up our backpacks and head off for the relatively short walk to Puente de Domingo Flórez. With such a lovely name, I had imagined that it would be lovely place, though regrettably much of the construction of recent times is very utilitarian. We stayed at the very friendly Hotel La Torre, who offer a very good value 26€ price for peregrinos (double occupation room), and a very, very adequate lunch menu. We looked around the town and took advantage of the ATM before having an ice-cream from the very peregrino friendly Bar El Cruce and stocked up with 'provisions' at the Dia supermarket, conveniently located close to the hotel.


Day 3: Puente de Domingo Flórez to O Barco de Valdeorras
Friday 24th June - started walking at 07:31am arrival 1:15pm
Recorded distance 15.52kms (6.77kms of which were within Las Médulas) / 23310 steps walked /
over the whole day 28.19kms / 44445 steps / 46 floors
A reasonable coffee and croissant at the bar of the hotel before our exit, and an easy to follow walk across the bridge over the Rio Sil and a gentle rise to the path that will follow the Rio Sil. The beauty of where we were walking was only marred by my mobile continually ringing with folk calling with their reaction to the outcome of the Brexit referendum. Passing through Sobradelo, we avoided descending from our heightened position and so missed seeing the town centre and continued ahead, passing through the village of Éntoma, where some of the narrow streets had been decorated with flowers and coloured sand in celebration of the fiesta de San Juan. Within this small settlement there is a quite striking metal 'sculpture' made out of agricultural hoes, which seems dedicated to the Camino and which bids 'Buen Camino' to the passer-by. Very close to this was a bar, but, I understood that because of the fiesta in Éntoma , it was closed. Leaving the village we headed along a gentle path that descended and then ascended to Puente de Domingo Flórez where, this being the day of San Juan, much was closed. We headed to where we were staying, the Pensión Aurum, which is highly recommended, very comfortable, quiet and clean and just a few metres from the Camino. Our search for lunch resulted in a slightly disappointing meal, as our sought out places were either closed or full. The walk along the 'promenade' of the river in O Barco de Valdeorras is a delight, both for the location as well as for watching the locals.


It is a pity that your lack of time seems to prevent your commencing your camino in Ponferrada

Buen camino...

 

[Glory Be]

Hi Glory Be
You’ll be surprised at the amount of signage on this route- a lot of it I’m sure is recent.
You shouldn’t have any problems finding the Orellan lookout and getting to Las Médulas.
Attached some signage pics near there including one showing ‘one way’ to lookout.
I agree also with @Tincatinker Having maps me is always a good app on any camino. Download tracks onto it and if ever in doubt ., open the app (which works on gps, no sim or wifi required)..and you’ll easily ‘find yourself ‘ in relation to tracks and head in right direction.
Buen Camino.
Annie
Edit: there is a lot of up up up ...before Las Médulas.. when you arrive there is a friendly tourist guy on right entering village (where I got a stamp).,but I was so weary at that point all I wanted to do was get to my room etc .. lots of info there.

Thank you Annie so much. The pics put my mind at ease, haha. I downloaded maps.me with advice from you & @Tincatinker. Now, just gotta learn how to use it

 

[Glory Be]

Not aware of your walking pace, so not sure if this personal account will help you at all, though as we had a good couple of hours walking within Las Médulas before continuing on the Invierno, perhaps this might be of interest :

Day 2: Las Médulas to Puente de Domingo Flórez
Thursday 23rd June - started walking from Las Médulas at 11:08am arrival 1:28pm
Recorded distance 15.52kms (6.77kms of which were within Las Médulas) / 23310 steps walked /
over the whole day 19.8kms / 29671 steps / 80 floors
We woke reasonably early, and leaving our packs behind, ventured off to look over as much as we could of the Las Médulas area, which is nothing short of stunning, especially as we walked in the eerie early morning mist. The views from the Mirador ce Orellán are sensational. Having walked and seen a good part of Las Médulas, we returned to pick up our backpacks and head off for the relatively short walk to Puente de Domingo Flórez. With such a lovely name, I had imagined that it would be lovely place, though regrettably much of the construction of recent times is very utilitarian. We stayed at the very friendly Hotel La Torre, who offer a very good value 26€ price for peregrinos (double occupation room), and a very, very adequate lunch menu. We looked around the town and took advantage of the ATM before having an ice-cream from the very peregrino friendly Bar El Cruce and stocked up with 'provisions' at the Dia supermarket, conveniently located close to the hotel.


Day 3: Puente de Domingo Flórez to O Barco de Valdeorras
Friday 24th June - started walking at 07:31am arrival 1:15pm
Recorded distance 15.52kms (6.77kms of which were within Las Médulas) / 23310 steps walked /
over the whole day 28.19kms / 44445 steps / 46 floors
A reasonable coffee and croissant at the bar of the hotel before our exit, and an easy to follow walk across the bridge over the Rio Sil and a gentle rise to the path that will follow the Rio Sil. The beauty of where we were walking was only marred by my mobile continually ringing with folk calling with their reaction to the outcome of the Brexit referendum. Passing through Sobradelo, we avoided descending from our heightened position and so missed seeing the town centre and continued ahead, passing through the village of Éntoma, where some of the narrow streets had been decorated with flowers and coloured sand in celebration of the fiesta de San Juan. Within this small settlement there is a quite striking metal 'sculpture' made out of agricultural hoes, which seems dedicated to the Camino and which bids 'Buen Camino' to the passer-by. Very close to this was a bar, but, I understood that because of the fiesta in Éntoma , it was closed. Leaving the village we headed along a gentle path that descended and then ascended to Puente de Domingo Flórez where, this being the day of San Juan, much was closed. We headed to where we were staying, the Pensión Aurum, which is highly recommended, very comfortable, quiet and clean and just a few metres from the Camino. Our search for lunch resulted in a slightly disappointing meal, as our sought out places were either closed or full. The walk along the 'promenade' of the river in O Barco de Valdeorras is a delight, both for the location as well as for watching the locals.


It is a pity that your lack of time seems to prevent your commencing your camino in Ponferrada

Buen camino...

gollygolly, it does help to have your personal account. Thank you. I'm finding all these posts from all of you to be very helpful. It's going to be a long 1st day for me, seeing As Medulas & getting to O Barco. I'll be arriving in Porferrada by train the previous day & leaving immediately to As Medulas unfortunately that's what my time allows. I'm hoping this wont be my only Camino, so I'll be back!

 

[peregrina2000]

gollygolly, it does help to have your personal account. Thank you. I'm finding all these posts from all of you to be very helpful. It's going to be a long 1st day for me, seeing As Medulas & getting to O Barco. I'll be arriving in Porferrada by train the previous day & leaving immediately to As Medulas unfortunately that's what my time allows. I'm hoping this wont be my only Camino, so I'll be back!

Hi, Glory Be, I assume you have figured this out, but getting to As Médulas from Ponferrada, at least on public transportation, is a bit complicated. You have to take the Ponferrada to Barco de Valdeorras bus to Carucedo and then transfer to a micro-bus that goes to As Médulas. The bus company is AUPSA

AUPSA | Horarios

A U P S A - Autobús& Minibús Ponferrada, Bierzo

www.aupsa.es

 

[Glory Be]

Hi, Glory Be, I assume you have figured this out, but getting to As Médulas from Ponferrada, at least on public transportation, is a bit complicated. You have to take the Ponferrada to Barco de Valdeorras bus to Carucedo and then transfer to a micro-bus that goes to As Médulas. The bus company is AUPSA

AUPSA | Horarios

A U P S A - Autobús& Minibús Ponferrada, Bierzo

www.aupsa.es

Thank you @peregrina2000. I had looked on the Rome2Rio app and it said I could do a blablacar and now that I went back its not available anymore. Oh boy, I'm not sure now I can do what I set out to do in my original post dated Feb 7th.
Thank you so much for the 2019 updated guide on the Invierno as well

 

[peregrina2000]

Thank you @peregrina2000. I had looked on the Rome2Rio app and it said I could do a blablacar and now that I went back its not available anymore. Oh boy, I'm not sure now I can do what I set out to do in my original post dated Feb 7th.
Thank you so much for the 2019 updated guide on the Invierno as well

I just quickly skimmed the thread again, but I don't see when you are going. I have never used blablacar, but it is a ride share service whose offerings depend on who is going where on the day you want to travel. I think you are unlikely to find any offerings until close to the date you want to go. I just plugged in Ponferrada to As Medulas for today and tomorrow and found nothing on offer, but as the tourist season gets going my guess is that there will be offers around.

The bus option is still there.
Ponferrada to Carrucedo https://www.aupsa.es/index.php/ponferrada-el-barco
Carrucedo to As Medulas https://www.aupsa.es/index.php/las-medulas-carucedo

My guess is that the bus to carrucedo and the microbus to As Médulas are timed to intersect. The bus leaves Ponferrada at noon, and there is a 12:30 connection in Microbus to As Médulas.

 

[Glory Be]

I'm getting to Ponferrada on Thurs April 18th from Madrid at 7pm. Maybe I can take the 7:10 am bus on Friday but don't think I will be able to see As Medulas AND walk all the way to O Barco that day.
My problem is I only have 12 nights and I don't think I can do more than 25-28km
I just looked up Carrucedo to As Medulas and they don't travel on Fridays

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, you might have reasons for wanting to skip the first stage, but skipping a stage further on is likely to be easier. Quiroga to Monforte, or Rodeiro to Lalin, and others, should be pretty easy to arrange via public transportation, either bus or train. Chantada and Quiroga are also on the bigger side, so you will be in a lot of towns that probably have good communication by public transportation. Missing any part of the Invierno is a shame, it is all so nice, but you have to do what you have to do. You might get some more ideas from this thread. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/transportation-along-the-invierno.58387/

Another option is of course taxi, my guess is that it would cost about 30/40 euros to take a cab. That's not cheap, but it would allow you to stick to your schedule.

If you have twelve nights, and 13 walking days, you might be able to walk it all!!! Buen camino, Laurie