More...and more...Camino pedigrees and a few points of interest on the Invierno

I have been sorting through my Invierno photos these last days so that I could post some here - and today, I found a number of things that piqued my interest as I was looking up proper place names.

First, there is no end of interesting information out there about Las/As Medulas, and these websites are especially interesting after having walked through it.
One thing caught my eye in particular from this website:
Here is the translation, courtesy of Google, with the interesting bit in bold font:

The legend of Lago Somido.-

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Count Roldán, captain of Charlemagne, and mythical hero of medieval France had a sword, Durandarte , that always accompanied him in his conquests.

There is a legend in Las Médulas according to which Durandarte rests at the bottom of Lake Somido; There are even those who affirm that the brightness of their golden knob, full of relics of saints, can be seen on the morning of San Juan.

Far from France, in the lands of Leon, Roldanesque legends appear around the same geographical axis, the Camino de Santiago , so it is not unreasonable to think that they could have been brought by the many Frankish pilgrims who, since the tenth century, had crossed El Bierzo on the way to Santiago de Compostela.

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I had no idea to look for the golden knob! But it was a pretty little lake, leftovers from when the Romans were washing the gold out of all the rocks that they had excavated from the mine. And this legend may further establish the pedigree of the Invierno as an old and authentic route to Santiago.


Then farther along, about the Ribeira Sacra, I found a gold mine of wonderful links, including one about this lovely dolmen very close to Torre Vilariño:
It would not be too far to walk there from T.V., after a short day from Monforte - or even to divert from the Camino to see it before you get there. If Roman and Romanesque things are too recent for your taste, this Bronze Age site might be more up your alley. I am kicking myself for missing it.

That website and others like it may be commercial, but they describe a lot of other goodies near the Invierno, including this church, which looks very special, as it was attached to a monastery for women:
It is South of the camino, but really looks worth a visit if you happen to be through this area in a car - or want to meander on your way to FIon from Monforte. It is off the LU-P-4102, which passes by Torre Vilariño farther North; Google Maps says it is 5.9Kms away.


And then finally more about Diomondi: this site offers some lovely photos and some interesting infomation:

All the more reason to go, or to go back.
Happy planning and buen camino, Invierno pilgrims!

Theatregal said:

After seeing these photos, San Miguel is high on the list!!

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If anyone's in Monforte with a car, this would be a perfect place to pause on the way to the Rio Miño and its many treasures. @Charrito, have you seen this iglesia?

Theatregal said:

Each time I return from a camino, I spend time researching in more depth all the places and surrounding areas I've walked through and inevitably always discover things that I've missed and would have loved to see.

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I always end up doing the same thing, and find it deepens my appreciation of the landscape I've just walked through. I read about things I'd glossed over before, and (of course) notice things I missed. The longer the list of those bypassed places, the more likely it is (sigh ) that I'll just have to walk that camino again.