The third tour in this series called for an early start; we had a busy day of exploring ahead of us and didn’t want to miss a thing. Our destination was El Castillo de los Templarios (Castle of the Knights Templar) in Ponferrada.

Working backwards from Monforte de Lemos we travelled along the Camino de Invierno (Winter Route) sometimes referred to as Camino Sur (South Route).

We set off straight after breakfast. After reaching Monforte de Lemos we headed out in the direction of Ponferrada. After 36km we saw signs for Castilla de Torrenovaes, (Castle New Tower) the first place of interest on our tour. The castle dates back to the 10th century: the adjacent palace was a 13th century addition. It occupies a prominent position overlooking the camino and the river Sil. 

The castle was a stronghold of the Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. It’s said that the palace was home to the Grand commander of Spain, one of the six top posts within the Order. From here the knights provided protection for pilgrims journeying to Santiago.

The lane leading up to the castle is incredibly steep and difficult to climb but the views over the valley make the trek worthwhile. A few words of warning though, don’t forget your camera: you certainly wouldn’t want to make the climb twice. On the far side of the castle is the village of Os Novais with ancient, cobbled lanes, picturesque cottages with original wooden balconies, and a tiny church.

After leaving the castle, we continued in the direction of Ponferrada for a further 11km. The road passes through a modern tunnel after which there are signs to Tunel Romano de Montefurado (Roman Tunnel of
Montefurado).

During the 1st century the Romans diverted the course of the river Sil in order to extract gold from the river bed. To do this they excavated a tunnel, 400m long by 19m wide and 17m high. The tunnel dissects a 3km meander at its narrowest point, this allowed the Romans to drain the meander and collect the gold deposits from the river bed.

If you decide to follow the same route you will probably be looking forward to morning refreshments by now, as we were, and I know just the place. Sitting on a hilltop overlooking the town of O Barco is the Hotel Pazo do Castro. We took a seat under the covered terrace and ordered a cup of coffee. The more adventurous might like to try a glass of Viña Godeval: a fruity and acidic white wine from the area. We relaxed for a while soaking up the magnificent views across the valley.

Originally called Pazo do Florez, the hotel takes its name from the town of O Castro where it is situated. The house and its adjoined chapel were built in 1630 at the request of Don Pedro de Losada y Quiroga. In the latter half of the twentieth century it was declared a building of artistic and historical interest. Shortly after this the property was restored and converted into a luxury hotel

Feeling rested and refreshed we continued on. The road climbs steadily into the mountains before
slowly ascending. We drove through a series of three tunnels, the last of which marks the border with the province of Castile and Leon. Immediately after passing through the final tunnel we turned right, signposted Las Medulas. Although Las Medulas is not on the official Camino Frances, it would be a travesty to travel all this way and not visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site. To fully appreciate the unique landscape, head for the Mirador de Orellan. 

Mining began here after the conquest of Augustus in 25BC and quickly became the most important gold mine in the Roman empire. The spectacular landscape resulted from the use of the Ruina Montium mining technique. Using aqueducts from the nearby mountains and a series of reducing diameter pipes, they created high pressure jets of water that literally power-washed gold deposits out of the surrounding sedimentary rock deposits.

At its height, 60,000 free workers were employed in its extraction, removing 20,000 Roman pounds of gold every year. In total, the mines were worked for over 250 years extracting more than 5,000,000 Roman pounds (1,650,000 kg) of gold.

Before continuing on to Ponferrada, why not stop for lunch in the village of Orellan. The restaurant El Lagar provides a reasonably priced, three course, menu del dia which includes refreshments.The homemade deserts are a real treat. I can highly recommend the tarta de castañas (chestnut tart) and do try the local El Bierzo red wine. The house red is a full bodied mencia: inky red with deep fruity flavours and long lasting tannins.

The final stop of the day was El Castillo de los Templarios (Castle of the Knights Templar) in Ponferrada.

The castle is open from 11 am until 2 pm and from 4:30 pm until 8:30 pm Tuesday to Saturday and from 11 am until 2 pm Sundays and fiestas; but closed all day Monday.

As with many strategically important sites, fortifications here date back thousands of years. However; in 1178 king Fernando II of Leon allowed the Templar Order to build a castle in the town in exchange for the protection of pilgrims on their journey to Santiago de Compostela. Give or take a few local squabbles, the Templar knights stayed on the site for another 200 years.

Over recent years the castle has undergone major restoration with many parts having been rebuilt. Before heading back home to Campo Verde why not take a stroll into Ponferrada's picturesque old town, you won’t be disappointed. 
 
Copyright © 2009 Craig Briggs

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To find out more about a stay at Campo Verde and Galicia in general, visit our website at http://www.getaway-galicia.com 

Craig’s book, Journey To A Dream, is available exclusively from Amazon, follow this link for your national store. http://bit.ly/188lOj2

Visit Craig’s website at http://www.journeytoadream.co.uk

Or join in the fun on Facebook http://facebook.com/craigbriggs.spain

My second tour in this series begins with a leisurely start at our holiday rental property, Campo Verde. Sympathetically restored in 2007/08, this traditional Galician farmhouse maintains many original features whilst incorporating all the luxuries of modern living: the perfect place to start a new day; but don’t take my word for it, here’s just one of many guestbook comments.

The owners have produced an immaculate holiday home as a result of high quality building, superb finishes and an incredibly knowledgeable attention to detail. Their own descriptions of the property are understated.
This is five star and sets the standard.

Today’s Camino Secrets are situated along the Camino Francés or French Route: arguably the most popular of all the camino routes. 

Leaving the village of Vilatan we follow the sign for Monforte de Lemos. From here we take the road heading towards the provincial capital Lugo. After 33km we enter the town of Sarria: a bustling, modern
town. For walkers on a tight time schedule, Sarria is one of the most popular starting points on the entire camino. 

To obtain a Compostela certificate, certifying that you have completed an official pilgrimage, walkers and those travelling on horseback, need to complete a minimum distance of 100km. At exactly 112km from Santiago, Sarria is ideally situated; but pilgrims starting from here will inevitably miss out on one of the most beautiful villages along the Camino Francés, Samos. 
 
The village of Samos is less than 12km east of Sarria. Its focal point, the restored Monastery of San Xulian, rests comfortably on the banks of the Rio Sarria and is one of Galicia’s must-see places. A guided tour takes about an hour and admission is a paltry 3 euros. Tours start at 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday and fiesta days.

The monastery was founded in the 6th century and belongs to the Benedictine Order. Its heyday came during the Middle Ages but a devastating fire in 1558 led to its decline. After the fire the monastery was
completely rebuilt but failed to regain its regional importance. In 1951 another fire destroyed the cloisters, this time caused by careless monks distilling the locally produced spirit, aguadiente. Once again the monastery was rebuilt.

The current church is in the Baroque style, built between 1734 and 1748. The interior is incredibly light and airy for a church of this style: due in part to eight windows in the central dome which radiate daylight into the darkest corners.

The monastery itself has two cloisters. The small cloister was built between 1539 and 1582 by Pedro
Rodriguez a native of the town of Monforte de Lemos.

The Great cloister was built between 1685 and 1689 and is the largest in Spain at over 3000m² with each of its sides measuring over 54m in length. 

It’s known as ‘The Father Feijoo’ after its designer: a statue of whom forms the centre-piece of the beautifully manicured gardens. The interior walls on the first floor of the cloisters are stunning: decorated with murals depicting the life of San Bieito. The paintings are the work of three artists; Enrique Navara, Celia Cortes, and Carlos Rodriguez. The artistry of these murals cannot be overstated.

Today the monastery is a college of Theology and Philosophy for monks of the Benedictine order. Any trip to Galicia would not be complete without visiting this amazing building. For more photos of this stunning monastery visit the Samos gallery.

The conclusion of our guided tour coincided with lunchtime. There are a number of restaurants along the roadside heading back towards Sarria and many more in the town; but we decided to stay in the village. At the back of the monastery is Hostal Vitoria, (c/Salvador 4, 27260, Samos, Lugo +34 982 546 022). The restaurant serves a reasonably priced menu del dia based on traditional Galician recipes.

After a delicious lunch we headed back to Sarria and on to our final destination of the day, Portomarin a mere 90km from Santiago.

It’s difficult to believe that the present town of Portomarin is just over 50 years old. The original town was submerged after the completion of the river Miño dam at Belesar. The plans for the dam began in 1956 and by 1962 the village had been moved, stone-by-stone, to it present location.

Centrepiece of the new town is the Iglesia de San Juan (Church of Saint John) also known as San Nicolas. It’s a temple-fortress built by the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem in the 13th century in a Romanesque style with design features of both a church and a castle.

Cafes and bars line the street to the main square and although the tapas here aren’t free, it’s worth taking a break in the picturesque main square. Relax in the afternoon sunshine and watch pilgrims as they wander through the town. 

As the afternoon sun descends in the west, it’s time to head back to Campo Verde. By the time we arrive back, we'll have taken a round trip of 135km and we’ll be home in plenty of time to watch the sun setting over Monte Faro while enjoying a refreshing glass of locally produced Albariño. Until next time cheers!

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To find out more about a stay at Campo Verde and Galicia in general, visit our website at http://www.getaway-galicia.com 

Craig’s book, Journey To A Dream, is available exclusively from Amazon, follow this link for your national store. http://bit.ly/188lOj2

Visit Craig’s website at http://www.journeytoadream.co.uk

Or join in the fun on Facebook http://facebook.com/craigbriggs.spain

During medieval times, El Camino de Santiago or The Way of St. James was one of the most popular Christian pilgrimages. From the Middle Ages onward the popularity of the route declined, reaching a low point of less than 1000 annual pilgrims during the late 70’s and early 80’s. Since then, the pilgrimage has undergone an international revival; today the route attracts almost 200,000 participants every year.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be uncovering some of the Camino’s secret places: those, ‘off the beaten track’ locations overlooked by many tourist guides. The starting point for all my discoveries is the sleepy
village of Vilatan, in the province of Lugo. Here you’ll find the luxury farmhouse rental, Campo Verde: quality accommodation for the discerning traveller. Its central location provides the ideal base from which to explore Galicia and northern Portugal.

My first outing takes me 18 km from Vilatan, to Monforte de Lemos: the gently beating heart of the Ribeira Sacra wine region. Initial impressions are one of a bustling modern town with busy roads and dated apartment blocks but dig a little deeper and you’ll find a rich history and proud culture. Lively cafes line both sides of Rua Cardenal, creating a lively atmosphere as they spill out onto the pedestrianized street. Meandering slowly through the town is the river Cabe. On bright, sunny days, colourful reflections dapple the cool water. Following its course are tree lined paths that attract a vast array of visiting water fowl. 

This picturesque town forms a welcoming stopover along The Winter Way of the camino: a route favoured by pilgrims during the winter months to avoid the snow covered peaks around O Cebreiro. With a population of under 20,000, the town of Monforte is in fact a city: an honour bestowed on it by King Alfonso XII in 1885.

The city skyline is dominated by the Torre da Homenaxe or Homage Tower, built between the 13th and 15th centuries. In its shadow, local peasant farmers swore an oath of allegiance to their rulers the Counts of Lemos; giving the tower its name.  Next to this stands the Palace of the Counts of Lemos and the 17th century monastery of San Vincente do Pino. After years of neglect, both these buildings were restored and opened in 2004 as the Parador of Monforte (Luis Góngora e Argote s/n, Monforte de Lemos +34 982 418 484).

Below these impressive monuments lies a labyrinth of narrow streets and paved alleyways that form the old town. Head for the 16th century Romanesque bridge and take a seat outside the café bar Cantón de Bailen (Pza Dr. Goyanes +34 982 405 004). Enjoy a mouth watering array of traditional and regional tapas and sample a glass of the local wine. My choice would be Peza do Rei Blanco. Made predominantly from the local Godello grape, it’s a refreshing young white wine with a hint of green apples and a touch of candied lemon. It’s an excellent accompaniment to a thick wedge of freshly cooked tortilla.

On the opposite side of the bridge, which spans the river Cabe, is the convent of the Clarissa nuns: a working convent that houses the Museum of Sacred Art. This collection of religious artefacts is regarded as one of the best in Spain and underlines the importance of the town during the Middle Ages.

But perhaps Monforte’s most architecturally impressive building is the 16th century college of Nuestra Señora la Antigua, known locally as El Escolapios. Designed by Jesuit priests, the central part of the
college is dedicated to a high domed church. Today, the former sacristy is home to a small museum of fine art including paintings by El Greco.

Later that evening, I head for Manuel Bistró (c/duquesa de alba 62, +34 982 402 747). Manuel, the owner and head chef, welcomes each guest personally and provides an excellent selection of regional and international cuisine. The perfect place to indulge in Galicia’s famed beef. Fillet steak cooked al punto with fois gras and accompanied with a rich port sauce: a fitting end to my first adventure.
 
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To find out more about a stay at Campo Verde and Galicia in general, visit our website at http://www.getaway-galicia.com 

Craig’s book, Journey To A Dream, is available exclusively from Amazon, follow this link for your national store. http://bit.ly/188lOj2

Visit Craig’s website at http://www.journeytoadream.co.uk

Or join in the fun on Facebook http://facebook.com/craigbriggs.spain