VDLP from Verin

[miguel_gp]

Hi,

I'm from the UK and planning to walk with 3 friends from Verin (Galicia) over 5 or 6 days at the end of May.

I'm interested to hear of anyone's experiences that has done that route (we are going via Xinzo de Limia to Orense not via Laza) and particularly the availability of hostals/hotels (other than Albergues) on the route. The schedule we've planned at the moment has 3 days of over 40 kms in order to get to each Albergue for the night. Having done nothing like this before, we are concerned that we will be walking from dawn to dusk to cover the distance and will not get to enjoy too much of Galicia along the way. So if we can make the stages slightly shorter using other accomodation it would be useful.

I'd really appreciate any advice anyone can give.

Thankyou and best wishes to fellow pilgrims.

 

[Deleted member 397]

I haven't walked the route you are planning-I did the vdlp via ourense. My comment id that 40kms is very optimistic.Galicia is pretty hilly-in fact just out of ourense is a section of road that the guide books says is pronbably the steepest over the whole route. I would guess that it had about a 40 degree slope and was over 1 km long. There are also 2 passes to get over.
Kevin

 

[michael]

Ignoring the extra weight of gear how practical is ‘wild camping’ in areas without too much accommodation?

regards
michael

 

[Deleted member 397]

I never found any problem finding accom. on the vdlp-whether hostals or the albergues.Wild camping doesn't seem terribly practical-theres the extra weight of tent etc plus the problem of finding water. Bear in mind that the alberegues in galicia are free (or were in may/june this year) and many others were very cheap

 

[Peter Robins]

Ignoring the extra weight of gear how practical is ‘wild camping’ in areas without too much accommodation?

strictly speaking, wild camping in Spain is illegal

 

[miguel_gp]

Thankyou all for your responses.

We had thought about camping but ruled it out as we don't really want the extra weight of camping equipment, both while walking and for the potential extra baggage cost on the low cost airline we're flying out with!

I take your point about the terrain Kevin and I think you are right, in hindsight 40km is pretty ambitious. I've bought Alison Raju's excellent guide to the VDLP to help replan the schedule, and now think that we can use hostals/boarding houses to shorten most of the stages. Unfortunately, we still have one 40km stage into Ourense in order to meet our timeframe but I'm happy that with the other shorter walking days we should survive.

Just for reference, I was in the tourist office in Verin during the summer and the guide there thought that there might be a nominal charge next year for Albergues, 3/4 Euros per night.

Once again, thank you for your replies.

 

[Debinq]

la Pl from Verin

hola miguel

Last October I walked the last quarter of the la P (From Puebla de Sanabria) via Laza so I can't really give you the details you asked for - but you may want to consider ordering a taxi pick up at (say) 30km from yr point of departure and then have the taxi drive you back again next day to the pick-up point, which then becomes yr next day's p o d etc. - I think that's what I remember reading as a suggestion when reading up on the 'detour' via Braganza - I was also a little worried about the long distances between albergues and hostels

hope this :idea: is helpful - buen camino

Peter