And on the fourth day….Cacabelos to La Portela de Valcarce 21KM – 11.06.24…Looking ahead…

1 Mar

The Camino leaves the town over the River Cua and past the church and the albergue. It continues alongside the N 120 on a gravel path, passing a simple wooden cross and soon enter the hamlet of 36 persons,Pieros which contains the remains of the ancient castro Ventosa.

Castro Ventosa – a prehistoric settlement

And a church, Iglesia de San Martin de Tours,with a triangular facade, built in 1086.

Surrounded by apple trees and vines.
Main Street.

The Camino forges a footpath through the vineyards and rolling hills for the next 6.3 Km , passing through Valtuille de Arriba.

If you ignore the large metal posts and electric wires running overhead you can still appreciate a beautiful landscape.

We then enter the Burbia valley’s wine-growing area.

This section of the route to Villafranca is called el camino de la Virgen and is a deeply spiritual landscape for locals – Mary is seen as a protector of the land,fruit and wine. The locals still hold a deep respect for pilgrims despite the ever increasing numbers passing their doors.

Hermosa Vista

After climbing the last hill and dale we pass an iconic sight, the Iglesia de Santiago and its Puerta de Perdon ( door of pardon ).

Centuries ago pilgrims who could go no further received absolution and a Compostela which is why Villafranca is sometimes referred to as “ Little Santiago”.

Huddled between two fast-flowing rivers and the verdant hills of the Galician mountains, Villafranca de Bierzo is one of the most beautiful towns in Northern Spain.A particular feature are the glass enclosed balconies stone and stucco homes.

It is the last important town in Leon that is crossed by the Pilgrim’s Road to Santiago de Compostela. Its rich monumental heritage, and the influence of the St. James pilgrims, have made it an important tourist centre. Its old town has been declared Property of Cultural Interest.

https://internationalliving.com/countries/spain/villafranca-spain/

Walking through the Plane trees.
Recreation and refreshments aplenty in the Plaza Mayor.

Leaving Villafranca, we follow the arrows and scallop shells over the Burbia river on a more strenuous stretch than of late as we walk up above the Valcarce valley to be rewarded with fine views.

There are 3 options when it comes to to choosing the way from here,but the least demanding is partly alongside the N_VI, the traffic has been greatly reduced by the completion of the A_6 Motorway.
12 th century village of Pereje,population 33. A mixture of abandoned and refurbished houses

There is an inn ,Las Coronas, with a reputation for a warm welcome and tasty snacks.

Just before entering Trabadelo, the Camino passes through ancient Chestnut trees. For centuries locals have gathered the chestnuts which have been called “ the bread of the poor” because they single-handedly saved whole communities from starvation in bad winters.

A tranquil stretch before entering Trabadelo.
Trabadelo, population 103 is a village dependant on the lumber industry and the Camino. A lumber mill takes up the middle of the village but the operation carries on quietly so Trabadelo retains its sleepy chilled-out feel.
The village albergue- pilgrims have passed through here since A D 895.

Leaving Trabadelo the camino is as well marked as ever and in just under 4 km we should reach Hotel Valcarce, our accommodation for this evening.

We need to be careful here when crossing the road as there is oncoming or exiting traffic from the hotel and the nearby A-6.
Here you can get what I call a real Spanish salad !
Another hearty option to be accompanied by
Salud.

One Response to “And on the fourth day….Cacabelos to La Portela de Valcarce 21KM – 11.06.24…Looking ahead…”

  1. slodown's avatar
    slodown 02/03/2024 at 18:41 #

    Thanks for Camino news John. I enjoyed the music too! The tall stacks of lumber in one photo don’t look very safe!

    Reply

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