Pilgrim Guides to Spain #2: The Camino Mozárabe or Vía de la Plata, C: Zamora-Bragança-Santiago, 2005 ed. -
February 2007 and later updates
From Rosemary Goodchild, June 2010:
Trabanoz - albergue closed but Hostale on Main road.
Vinhais Pensoa Ribiere - adequate, old fashioned. 30 euros D.B&B
Las Muelas del Pan - El Vedral Hostal excellent at 25 euros D,B&B (5 mins from Santiago church on waymarked route.)
General New waymarking has been added since this guide was prepared, in the form of engraved stone markers. These are reported to start after Hiniesta (page 13).
The information given here concerns mainly accommodation and services. You may find changes to the route in some places but these will be described in detail when a completely new edition comes out, hopefully for the beginning of 2008. In the meantime, if any user wants details of what 2006 pilgrims have reported in this respect, please email the editior: alisonraju*btopenworld.com [To reduce the risk of spam, we're removing direct e-mail links from this site. To use this address, copy it into your normal e-mail program, but replace the '*' with the conventional '@', before sending your message.]
Note that the route is still a solitary one and may not suit those who do not like extended periods of their own company
p.12 l.6 New refugio now open just below the Iglesia San Ciprián.
l.7 Sello also from cathedral – and free entry.
p.13 l.21 Yes, the first of the new stone markers appears here (Camino Portugués – Vía de la Plata); more at Valdeperdices, Muelas and many more to come, given the number of holes in the ground with cement bases awaiting a mojón. Just occasionally the arrows face in the opposite direction, but common sense should avoid you retracing your steps!
p. 14 Valdeperdices Basic accommodation (mattresses) on the floor of the community hall. Ask for Antonio at the Club de Jubilados (old peoples’ centre), who is also reported to do a meal for you.
Valdeperdices. Albergue (this may be the same as the above) but only with mattresses.
Antonio Mateo is the contact for the Posada de Peregrinos 692 16 82 34.
San Pedro de la Nave: visit only between 10 to 13 and 17 to 20, not open on Monday
l.11 Signs now keep you on road, taking you past a picnic area with fuente.
l.36 May be worth adding, after to continue: from church, retrace your steps... (some may be tempted to continue ahead, or turn L after visiting the church).
p. 15. line 6: replace “very well waymarked” by “no more waymarked”
line 6 The waymarking is increasingly obscured by cistus, but plough on uphill and you should reach the track!
line 7 to 9: Replace by: Continue uphill up to a wide gravel track that comes from your L
line 16 - 19: KSO, ignoring turns, for 4 km till you reach a fence on your R. Turn right here and after 1 km turn left downhill, then uphill. … At junction….
l.25 Muelas del Pan TR El Vedal: excellent room + meal 25€.
Ricobayo (Unmarked?) shop reported in a house (need to ask, opening hours uncertain)
l.37 Ricobayo Arrows very thin – thank goodness for the guide!
End of the page: From Ricobayo to Fonfria, very few and old FA (flechas amarillas). From Ricobayo to “Las Encruzadas”, follow the signposts with white and green lines.
2,5 km Las Encruzadas: is not a village, but a crossing of many tracks.
B: Route via Fonfria
Line 9: after (… tables to your left), add: from here again to Cerezal, follow the signposts with white and green lines
7km (instead of 3,5) Cerezal de Aliste
p. 16 Last paragraph of section headed “Route via Fonfría” should read “1 to 2km” (not 12km).
l.6 (waymark hard to see) new mojón
l.12 For quite a way, between Muelas and Cerezal, there are more green and white posts than arrows.
p. 17 5 km Bermillo de Alba Bar/tienda no longer open. Another report, received at the same time, says: I can confirm that bar does open, but as in most villages, opening times are to suit locals, not random pilgrims!
From Formillos de Aliste up to Alcañices, very well waymarked.
p.18 l.5 Ceadea Also has a bar, but as above.
l.9 Lane is marked “Mellanes”.
l.37 a) this is the direction of the mojón/arrow/Santiago cross.
p. 19 Alcanices Refugio facilities reported no longer available here. Pension Maria y Manolo is now closed.
line 3. No, not LH hard shoulder as there is now a concrete path to R of N122 all the way to the Convento. You pass Hostal Argentino on the way. Pensión María y Manolo ‘cerrado por reformas’.
l.27 Road improvement means that immediately after the hotel, as mojón indicates, take the track to the RH side of the crash barrier.
l.32 (not marked) arrow on stone on ground on main track.
9 lines before the end of the page: KSO. At junction of similar tracks, turn right (not marked): take the most important track that goes downhill and uphill (150m).
4 lines before the end of the page: KSO, ignoring turns L and R for 4 km, passing after 1 km along a new farm on your left.
3 lines before the end of the page: replace the paragraph by: When you reach the first houses of Sejas, continue on the main calle, to the centre of the village
p. 20 Sejas de Aliste No shop but bar does food at lunchtime.
7 km (and not 5 km) San Martin de Pedroso
Trabazos Shop. New refugio reported here in 2006. 2008: No sign of refugio.
l.27 (no arrows) now a mojón.
l.31 Cross road and (pass behind small white house).
p. 21 Quintanilha Bar/shop, reported excellent. Refugio also has very good reports.
Quintanilha: Refugio is very good; in the bar, there is nothing to buy and they don’t sell bocadillos. There is a restaurante, a little bit beyond the refugio, near a strange tower that looks like a minaret, but it is only open during the WE. If you ask before, you may eat a very good meal.
l.16 The restaurant with the clock tower that serves lunchtime meals is Casa do Freixo.
p. 22, line 1: .”..to pick up track to its RH side.” Alternatively: go onto road (very quiet) . Turn L , 200m later bar/restaurant with arrow at right down lane opposite, which brngs you back to sports ground.
l.4 Bare is Babe.
Gimonde: Hotel – Restaurante on the main road: Casa de Mestra 273 302 510 www.amontesinho.com, a little bit expensive, restaurante: Casa da Escola with delicious meat!
p. 24. From Bragança to Vinhais, many blue and yellow shells, but never when you have to decide where to go!
p. 25 Castrelos The “strange white buildings” are dovecotes.
l.33 Lagomar Bar looks as it is simply the local social club.
Castrelos: Sixth and seventh paragraphs: to be replaced by: At next junction, KSO to cross Rio Baceiro, then turn R in front of white house on other side. Kso, following the arrows., up to the 103. Here the arrows stop. Cross the 103, take the large white track that goes KSO uphill. At the top, you see Soria in front of you. KSO up to the tarmac road.
p.25 l.29 Turn R not L in front of house.
l.33 Soeira Bar looked defunct.
p. 26. First line: replace the first sentence by: Just after the last house, go KSO downhill. (not waymarked). End of this paragraph: very beautiful section!
l.10 Very overgrown section.
Third paragraph: other option: you follow the 103 for 2 km (waymarked).
Vinhais: Tourist Office (very friendly) is on the second large modern plaza:said pilgrims can be accommodated at Seminario.
p. 27. First lines: Originally a fortified town, a very nice town which is under a beautiful renovation.
p. 28 Sobreiro de Baixo New bar (but not open early).
l.6 Turn R at junction, then turn L at junction and R at next, road soon becoming gravel track.
l.10 Just after bus shelter arrows now take you ½ L up hillside; at 3-way fork take R path (arrowed); at top KSO down; at T-junction R to road and in about 350m R to Santuario/Aboá/Candedo. (l.19)
l.31 At one point seemingly equal tracks (confused by tractors trails!) go L and R after a RH bend; necessary to keep R (if you go L, as I mistakenly did, you go a longer way round and lose the – all too rare – arrows).
p. 29 line 1: It may be possible to stay at the Centro Cultural/Centro de Día; the staff are lovely and the elderly interested and affectionate; hot shower, sofa and meals on top of the warmest hospitality.
Edral 2 bars. Refugio facilities now available - ask in one of the bars.
P 30. line 3: Soutochao. A new plaque with map of the area and places to visit shows the Camino de Santiago taking a more cross-country route, (and less tarmac) but I was not confident that I would find the arrows – and with no guidebook as back-up... Ditto later at the hamlet of Traseirexa.
Vilardevos. Second paragraph, , 4th line, after OU 301 all the time, add:After km 9, turn R to Vedesa (arrow indicates it), in a minor road: you may find your way thanks plaques with local maps. You return to the 301 at km 6. This “little” detour leads you through a very nice countryside, that is a little rest in a long section on the main road.
From Viladevos to Verin, the road is new, a little bit busy, and there are no arrows.
Verin: The tourist office hosted now also an Albergue with approx 16 beds, without kitchen.
l.15 Good picnic area by OU3210.
l.16 From here to Verín there has been major road improvement, so road is wider, faster – and possibly safer with no tight bends; at times you can walk on gravel pista at the side.
l.17 OU310
l.19 After 2nd roundabout, arrowed R – cuts off a loop in main road.
l.36 Castillo de Monterrei. Yes there is a 20 place refugio, but check with Tourist Office in Verín re opening times. Castle and hamlet well worth a visit. There is no need to head out on the N525: from the Verín refugio go to right of Capilla de San Lázaro and swing L then R to join the old paved way up to the castle. You can then descend by the road to the N525, some 2km from Verín and turn R for 3km to Albarellos.
P 32. Second paragraph, third line: becomes a walled lane and after a very grassy lane, very wet when it rains !
l.22 Track completely clear.
P 33. Couso de Limia. Replace the paragraph by: KSO on the road to enter Sandias.
l.35 The 24 bed Albergue de Peregrinos (de Sandías) is immediately on the R, after you fork L.
P 34. Sandias add: In Sandias, either fork L to go to the new Albergue, 100 m before a junction with traffic lights, onto a small tarmac road, rejoining the 525 at km 205, or continue to the lights and then turn L along the 525
l.9 Hamlet of As Pegas.
l.16 The arrows confirm that you should continue uphill – ‘desvío provisional’.
l.17 first bus shelter, then turn L at mojón (and cut a corner) to join road shortly before San Salvador.
p.35 l.11 Roiroz Turn L and then R in village and soon L (sign between houses) onto grassy path that becomes walled and leads to woodland and a hamlet of pleasant houses. After passing seating area, fork R down green lane to a spring on R. 200m later veer R down walled lane through wood and heath. Each fork has a mojón. Descend to a little ford with stepping stones and up a paved way leading to a village (Espiñeiro). KSO then fork L uphill and soon R on paved track; signs lead you to Turzas (not named till after) and then to minor road. KSO to T junction where you can either, at cross, take camino path at 2o/c, (signed Vila), which comes out on road AFTER Santa Marina, or turn R on road and then divert into village. It is well worth visiting – interesting church, Pazo de Veran do Bispo, lavadero, capela, fonte. The tomb of Sta Marina was discovered here in reign of Afonso II 759-842 and first temple dates from that time. Does that sound familiar? Actual church is late 12th century with later tower; apparently wall painting and morisco decoration inside. Back on road, pass cruceiro and Peto das Animas and then fork R onto concrete road. L at T junction soon after and down sandy track with chestnuts, oak, broom, mimosa and distant views including to Ourense. At little road, L to Avaledo and R down walled path to next village where fork R, KSO and at road (from Santa Marina) R at T and then L on mainer road to Ourense. This way avoids much road, is inevitably slower, but follows some beautiful, timeless paths.
l.33 the variant...joins the present route. Eh? But I am the variant!
p.36 l.21 On the main road, just before you join it, is a good Café-Restaurant, with menú del día.
p.40 l.27 For main read minor.
l.29 Lane now well-gravelled.
l.32 Casas Novas: only cross N525 if you went to bar, not if you KSO.
l.38 school buildings, under bridge then KSO on path; L at road and follow signs to albergue.
p. 44 l.19 Ascent is now cut by motorway but arrowed R at T, then L across bridge and up minor road (l.21).
l.30 back L. Soon L and R back over motorway and KSO to N525.
l.31 Castro Dozón: Hostal Castro Dozón now closed. No other accommodation at present though the Xunta de Galicia has plans for a refuge here: info. welcome. ‘Refugio provisional’ in the piscinas.
l.37 Earth track now tarmac with small factory.
l.39 veering R, just before tarmac ends, fork right onto a sunken lane.
p.45 l.1 on its LH side, with a section of old road off to L.
l.5 314/66
l.28 trees. Currently a diversion due to building of AVE: no doubt others to come...
l.30 As well as restaurant to L at roundabout there is another ahead on R.
l.31 Mouriscade is the name of a Finca; the FFCC (ferrocarriles) station is simply Estación Lalín.
p. 46 l.2 on the road. Bar/tapas on R.
l.19 A Laxe Good refuge reported, kitchen (but no equipment). Bars up the road serve food. I think this is the refugio which is also referred to as Bendoiro! (not to be confused with A Bandeira...). Excellent restaurant ‘María José’ just up from albergue on main road.
l.22 grassy lane upgraded to sandy track.
p.47 l.30 camino de tierra now a road.
p. 50 Capilla de Santiaguiño Large new refugio (buy food in Ponte Ulla).
l.15 Excellent 32 bed refugio goes by many names. The sello stamp is Vedra; it is also referred to as Outeiro and the hospitalera says the place is San Pedro de Vilanova. Only the one refugio!
p.51 l.36 100m later turn R (not L) to cross a bridge...
p.52 l.3 Not sure about this; arrows are for KSO, with church on R – and you soon reach the 3 lanes and pergolas.
| Message from Peter Robins, March 2008: "And here's a website with detailed info on the Braganca branch http://www.semurandar.com/portugues.htm - at last, some signs that someone other than Alison has actually walked this route!" |
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Thanks to Mary and Bernie Roycroft for sending in comments and suggestions after their journeys. Also to Michael Gaches and Geneviève Dubois-Taine (July 2008).