Stage 5: Ponferrada - Las Médulas, 29 kms, Hot, 34

Foreword: So What The Heck Is An Invierno?

The Camino de Invierno translates to the Winter Camino and is approximately 260 kms from Pomferrada to Santiago, about 50 kms longer than the Frances is into Santiago (I've included a map at the top of the blog as a guide). It was originally used by perigrinos during the winter time when the mountain passes on the Frances were too deep in snow to allow passage. This route is old as the hills it passes through as it was used long before it was a formal Camino route. Approximately 200 B.C. the Romans developed gold mines in the area and the road was more formally opened. Around the same time the Via de la Plata was built by the Romans to move silver from the northern Iberian mines south through Zamora, Salamanca, Sevilla and onward to Cadiz for shipment by boat to Rome. If you have been following this blog you'll perhaps recall that I walked northward along the Via de la Plata to Zamora and then into Santiago along the Camino Sabreses in 2014. Well, the Invierno also connects into the Sabrese just two days out of Santiago at A. Laxe. As you can see, many of these routes are interconnected just as one would expect of a road system in modern times. 

We expect to make the crossing in 10 stages. Eight days on the Invierno and the final 2 days along the last portion of the Camino Sanbrese. I had planned to walk this route last November which would have been a fitting way to complete my 2015 Camino, however, fate intervened. In October 2015 this route was once again "officially" recognized as a Camino, although Composellas had been issued to those few who ventured across in past years (only 364 crossed in 2015). Now that it has become an officially recognized camino they expect more traffic, but it will take years to develop the necessary infrastructure. For example there are only 4 albergues along the route and two of these are centred in children's sports camps. As it is vacation time and this area can be busy with tourists, Las Medulas is a World Heritage site, I have had to book our accomodations ahead in small hotels, private homes, etc., and I would like to thank my friend and neighbour Lis for her enthusiastic phone calls to Spain to help arrange some of our accommodations. Her Spanish is flawless. 

I spent many enjoyable hours last winter pulling my walking notes together. The resources in English are limited and often inaccurate. The route is basically way marked, but nothing like the yellow line transiting the Frances. I understand that this route is exceptionally beautiful, remote and has not been commercialized in the least, unlike the Frances. As I said yesterday, only 80 perigrinos walked the route last month and I've read many accounts of perigrinos receiving wonderfully warm welcomes as they transit the route. Much like I experienced along the Plata...we shall see. I'm very excited to see what it's all about and delighted to have Rob's excellent company. It can be a lonely transit with essentially no English spoken...part of the adventure! 

Off The Grid!!

Yesterday afternoon the weather kind of exploded with a large lightning show and very heavy rain. These shots were taken from the Templar fortress tower just after the storm passed by. Humidity immediately climbed but we had a cool room and sleep finally came early and lasting...until Rob decided it was time to go at 5:30! What was he thinking?! Walking out of town against the perigrino traffic was interesting as sometimes people play follow the leader as they leave a town and find their way to the trail. We weren't going their way and twice I had to direct folks to turn around and go the other way. This is the cross at the circle where you turn onto the Invierno and the very top photo is the first marker of the Camino.

We were walking in the dark and getting oriented to a different route with not another perigrino in sight and of course the route isn't painted with yellow arrows end to end, so felt like we had suddenly jumped off the grid after 4 days of yellow arrows. We climbed steeply very soon afterwards and found a mountain in our way, but eventually I was able to find a sunrise to share.

Into the first town and boy did Sarah and Neil hit it big time...

No bars open along this route until after 9 or 10AM so no coffee for poor Rob today...no tea for me either. Then it was out of town and on to some pretty nice walking trails.

Trails reminiscent of the Plata two years ago...lovely trails!

No bicycles now! We didn't see another perigrino the entire day. Some like this, some don't. I like both, but after the busy Frances it was a real pleasure to find some room. 

Into Priaranza and a nice little village with great veggie gardens and flowers.

And then we climbed sharply again...poor Rob's calves!

Lots of lively vineyards along the first stage...and I helped just a little with what I call pelegrinos shrinkage...a taste of a grape or two.

There have been many fires in this area with two more yesterday over to the south of us at Ourense which is on the Plata. We were well above the smoke that had drifted far below us through the plains. We were pretty happy to be sucking in cleaner air in spite of the effort needed to climb up here.

We arrived at a very well known lookout and stopped for a few snaps. 

And of course a team selfie.

We contained to climb...

And climb! Sorry Rob...lots of leg stretches tonight!

We continued to trek along until we reached the town of Borrense. Rob was trailing behind with tight caves and I started to look for a bar where he could have his morning coffee and cheer himself a little. No such luck. However, ahead I heard the distinctive horn of the bread vans that race all over Spain to service the smal pueblos. I picked up my pace and caught the driver before he drove away. When Rob walked in I was holding up a bag and waving it at him...an indictment to hurry along! I had hit the mother load...pan de chocolate...the last two in the truck! We stopped and feasted with the Oranges we carried.

Then the climbing continued and the heat climbed too! We had a further 300 metres to climb to get to Las Medulas, but it was now hitting 30 just before noon. There were two peregrinos on the trail who were suffering a little today...let me tell ya! 

Then as we approached the summit we started to see the reason that this area is a World Heritage Site...

The remains of the Roman gold mines are all around...especially in Las Medulas. If it cools enough later I will walk to see them on my own, but it's so hot as I write this, it's almost unlikely that I will. A shame. 

We are staying in a private residence tonight that lets a couple of rooms. Thanks Lis for calling the owner. She remembers your conversation very well, and as you said, is lovely! A good cold shower, a beer with a very good late lunch and we are again good to go. We are both climatizing very well now and managing water intake and calorie uploading! A huge lunch and a bigger dinner each day, and we are still dropping a pound or two. 

What do my fellow friends who have walked notice about this marker?

Not a mark on it! No graffiti and the Camino tile is still securely in place. Pretty special.

Ok, rob has finished his coffee...yes he finally found one, and it's time to post and see if it works and then a short nap for Rob. After all, he is on vacation!!

Buen Camino from two warm, but happy perigrinos!