Short walking guide to the Invierno translated from Spanish

[peregrina2000]

Looking for a 265 km walk from Ponferrada to Santiago that avoids the mad crowds on the Camino Frances?

I have just finished my translation of the short walking guide to the Camino Invierno posted by one of the friends' associations. I added accommodation information, a few historical tidbits that I found, and a couple of suggested stages. I also added two pictures I took while there visiting several years ago. It is so beautiful, I really hope to be able to walk this someday.

Ribeirasacra tells me that just yesterday some walkers spent the night at his place, which is a few km off the Camino. Here's what the walkers told him:

But they did say that the route from Ponferrada to Los Medulas was way marked quite well. The section after and on towards Monforte de Lemos was not marked very well. (Sort of around Pobra do Brollón ). From Monforte until The Rio Miño the marking gets better again.

And once the mojones get put in in March, things can only be better.

If you use this document, please send me any information at all that you think would make it better or clearer. (And as always, I'll close with the hope that I can actually accomplish the uploading.)
Laurie

 

[lynnejohn]

Laurie -

This looks like a delightful route! Your descriptions were very clear and the information on hostals, etc very welcome. This route is going on my list for 2011!
Thanks.

lynne

 

[LNata]

Great job, Laura.

It sounds very tempting and the choice of photos is just fantastic!

Thanks,
Natalia.

 

[alspacas]

Thanks Laurie,
Great job!
I'd run the Spanish pages thru a translator and came up with some barely understandable notes, but these are great.
Now my problem is to decide whether to take the del Salvador or the Invierno!
Ultreia
Alan
assisi2santiago.com

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Alsa, do them both! Walk from Leon to Oviedo, then take the bus to Ponferrada.
Now that I have Laurie´s better info. on what´s available, I´ve decided to walk the Invierno in March-April. I will take notes and translate the Spanish best I can, and post the results in some form or other.

reb.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Reb and others,

I have had several email exchanges with Ramon Garcia, president of the Invierno Amigos group in Valdeorras. He said that their group plans to walk the Invierno this April, and that if anyone is interested in going along, there will be more infomation posted on their website, http://www.caminodeinvierno.es

If you speak Spanish and have questions, he's very prompt with his reply (and make sure to use "tu" and not "Ud" because he thinks that we peregrinos should not be so solemn with each other). The email is: asociacionvaldeorras@hotmail.com

He also said that since the summer, the signage has improved a fair bit, and that by the end of March, he's confident that it will be completely fine for those of us with no intuition about which turn to take at an unmarked intersection.

Reb, I am JEALOUS! Laurie

 

[Peter Robins]

(and make sure to use "tu" and not "Ud" because he thinks that we peregrinos should not be so solemn with each other)

I read an article recently that claimed that use of Usted is dying out in Spain. Spain is certainly much more informal than it used to be, and on web forums and the like 'tu' is pretty much universal. (Personally, I prefer using Vd because then I don't have to remember another verb form )

 

[Ian Holdsworth]

I have been following the development of this route for a little while. Thanks for this great
contribution! I am still not really clear about the Archdiocese commitment to the route and
if there is enough accomodattion in the right places yet. Information please, as I want
to walk in March and this is the first preferance.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Ian,

In the short document I put together, you'll see all the accommodation I was able to find through various internet searches. It looks to me like accommodation is not a problem, at least not if you are willing to stay in private places. I've also put a list of reported albergues at the beginning, though these are not pilgrim-specific places and I don't know anything about what they offer.

I'm not sure how many kms a day you like to walk, but I've put distances in there as best I could and two different suggested walking plans, one for 9 days, one for 12. I'm sure there are others.

I know there has been a fair amount of politics surrounding the status of this route, and I am not at all sure what the Archdiocese's attitude is about it, most importantly, whether it will qualify for a compostela, if that's an issue for you.

But Ivar has told us that the Xacobeo has recognized the route, so that's one step.

Hope this works for you -- I'd get a lot of vicarious enjoyment from reports back from the Camino de Invierno! Laurie

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I used this guide when I walked the Invierno in April 2010. I appreciate all the work that went into it, but I recommend everyone supplement this info. with other maps and guides! This one is rather vague, and doesn´t always match up with what you will find on the trail.

Laurie´s info on hotels and hostels is very fine, however!

Reb.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Rebekah,
How does it feel to be a non-peregrina once again? Can't wait to read your musings on your blog.

I guess I'm not too surprised to learn that the guide I translated wasn't too helpful. It sounds like it's so bad that it's not even worth trying to fix it going forward, based on reports of others who brave the unknown like you did.

I keep thinking that there is going to be a breakthrough here -- guides, waymarkings, they are all going to come soon, wouldn't you think? It just seems like there are too many good reasons for people to walk this route. If I weren't walking the Vdlp this year, I would give it a try, though I'm not much of a trailblazer.

Laurie

 

[CaroleH]

We are really interested in this route and have been following Rebekah's blog as she finds her way thru pine forests and slaughter houses. Will continue to watch developments and hopefully incorporate it into the VdlP next year (2011) when we are attempting our BIG WALK. It sounds wonderful, tho scarey . . and I am pretty insecure away from yellow arrows . . . but it sounds like there could be developments and progress on this route within the next 12 months.Will be interesting to see what the Ramon Garcia group and JohnnieWalker come up with.

Happy to hear comments about our crazy route . . .. VdlP , starting either Huelva or Granada.. . . . to Zamora. Up to Astorga, along Camino Frances to Ponferrada or?? . . . . then onto Camino Invierno . . . to Santiago. Reb's reports of the lack of signage after Monforte leave us with doubts about that part, and we would rather avoid the Frances altogether,?? (any ideas anyone??) but we hope this route might be "overall" doable. For a couple in our 60's, longest camino we've done is half of the VdlP from Salamanca?? Are we crazy?

Well done Rebekah.... for getting out of the pine forests and for sharing your journey. Your writing is an inspiration and now I am really an addict.
Carole.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Carole, I'm an Invierno-wanna-be just like you, and am hoping that the situation will change in the near future. If you read Spanish, there's one website to keep an eye on, and that's the Camino de Invierno group out of Valdeorras, because they are publicizing an organized walk on the entire route from Ponferrada and indicate that they will be providing information: http://caminodeinvierno.es/

I have been in occasional contact with the president of that group and will write to them to tell them about Rebekah's experience and see how it goes for them.

Laurie

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Don´t let my negativity keep you off the trail. The Invierno is something that someone like Laurie is going to LOVE. (meaning someone with lots of stamina and a love for spectacular rural scenery and España Profunda culture... and lots of amazing vino!) I too look forward to the better waymarking and trail guides in the near future.

I want to do this path again someday, but I think I will go on horseback instead. There seems to be the infrastructure out there for riders -- plenty of barns and byres and feed and pasture.

Reb