Walking along the Invierno with a day bag.

[Mr_Ross_Duncan]

Hi,
We are leaving in a couple of days to walk the Frances up to Ponferrada where we will continue along the Invierno.
We're then staying on in Europe for a couple of months before heading to Asia.
As such, we are bringing along extra luggage and just walking with day bags.
We considered just sending the bag to Santiago to collect at the end of the walk, however that would have meant we would need to walk with our big backpacks, as we've done before, and then we would be stuck with two large and unnecessary backpacks for the rest of the trip.
Instead, this extra luggage will be transported along the Frances by Correos up to Ponferrada.
From there we had hoped to continue to use Correos, however they don't transfer on the weekends which makes it somewhat useless.
I've found three contacts who, it seems, will provide the service along the Invierno.
Has anybody used and could offer any recommendations from the three contacts below?.
I've removed their contact details for pprivacy but happy to pass them on to anybody else who's thinking of walking along the Invierno with just a day bag.

Ubaldo Estevez
Manuel Mar
Noel (sorry, no last name just a number)
Thanks
Ross

 

[Glenshiro]

I used Manuel Mar recently on the Invierno. He goes all the way from Ponferrada to Santiago. Very reliable, charges €6 per bag/stage. I just WhatsApped him every evening with the next day's accommodation. Recommended.

 

[El Cascayal]

Manuel Mar. Easy to reach, most economical, 100% reliable and a great guy. He has a Bar & Albergue in Sobradelo: good food, good value and it includes washing your clothes.

 

[AnneMarie1]

I used Manuel, too. I didn't use any kind of luggage transport service all the way from Somport to Ponferrada, but I opted to do it starting then because of the so-frequent need on the Invierno to carry water and food with you. Just make sure your daypack and general pack plans include a way to cart water and food because you can go really long stretches on that route without any. And be aware that when an app says there's food or a bar in a place, there might be only ONE, and it might not be open.

 

[pinkwadingbird]

How do we reach Manuel Mar?

 

[Mr_Ross_Duncan]

How do we reach Manuel Mar?

Hi, he's on WhatsApp. Manuel +34 6392 419 39

 

[Mr_Ross_Duncan]

Thank you!

One of the reasons I was looking for recommendations is that the contact I've had with Manuel, while speedy, has been pretty poor, mostly just one or two words in reply, things like yes, no and ok.
It seems, from the responses here that he's reliable though.
Good luck.

 

[C clearly]

the contact I've had with Manuel, while speedy, has been pretty poor, mostly just one or two words in reply, things like yes, no and ok.
It seems, from the responses here that he's reliable though.

I think you have it right. Manuel may not be the greatest communicator in the world, but he seems to run his luggage transfer system quite reliably.

 

[Glenshiro]

His grasp of English is limited.