Camino de Invierno | Círculo Chileno

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From Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela. 10 stages. About 263 km. At Lalín it joins the Camino Sanabrés.

Ponferrada is the starting point of the Camino de Invierno, which runs through the valley of the river Sil, the natural entrance to Galicia over the centuries. With its 10 stages and 263 kilometres, it is a major variant of the Camino Francés that avoids the summits of O Cebreiro and was therefore easier for pilgrims who walked the Camino in winter from the Middle Ages. It is less crowded than other routes, which means a quieter and more solitary walk. It is well waymarked and has a network of hostels and lodgings in the end-of-stage towns.

It crosses distinctive territories: the region of El Bierzo (León), with the famous Médulas; and, in Galicia, Valdeorras (Ourense) and the Ribeira Sacra, known for their vineyard landscapes, and the region of the Deza, in Pontevedra.

Its starting point is the Templar town of Ponferrada. It is the natural winter alternative to the Camino Francés, since it avoids the snowy summits of O Cebreiro and the frequent flooding of the rivers in the Valcarce valley. It arose in the Middle Ages on an old Roman road. It is a good option for the rainy and snowy season, although more and more pilgrims choose it in spring and summer for its lush vegetation.

Ten stages to Santiago. It runs through the Sil valley, full of nature and attractive landscapes, and is usually walked in 10 or 11 stages. It passes through Las Médulas, an exceptional cultural and natural landscape formed after the Roman exploitation of gold mines, and, in Galicia, through the Cañones del Sil. The final section follows the Deza to join, in A Coruña, the last two stages of the Camino Sanabrés or Vía de la Plata.

Cities such as Ponferrada or Monforte. In Ponferrada the pilgrim can see its Templar past, its castle and its well-kept old town. In Galicia, Monforte de Lemos is the main town, with a great railway tradition and rich heritage: the Colegio de los Padres Escolapios, the convent of the Clarisas or the present Parador.

Stages

Getting to the starting point

Ponferrada: by train, from Madrid (Chamartín) there are two lines, the Regional and the Atlántico, with timetables on Renfe. The bus station receives daily lines from various places, and many connections leave from León. From León to Ponferrada it is 114 km (one hour 15 minutes, via the A-6 and the AP-71, passing through Astorga); from Madrid, 390 km (3 hours 40 minutes on the A-6). The nearest airport is León, with daily flights from Madrid and Barcelona.

Bus, train and airport links are on the Spanish page. With the 25 km of the Vía de los Andes validated, Chilean pilgrims need 75 km on foot in Spain to reach the minimum 100 km for the Compostela.