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Winter Way

  • 260 km
  • 10 stages
  • Medium Difficulty
  • 4,420 m of ascent
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Elevation profile of the route
79 585 1,091 km 0 km 130 km 260.1
↑ 4,420 m of ascent ↓ 4,526 m of descent Altitude: 79–1,091 m

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Route map

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Detail

The Winter Way starts from Ponferrada and covers 260 km in 10 stages to Santiago, as an alternative to the French Way to avoid the snows of the O Cebreiro pass during winter months.

It crosses the spectacular Ribeira Sacra, one of Spain's most impressive wine regions, with terraced vineyards above the canyons of the Sil River. The landscape includes medieval monasteries perched on cliffs, chestnut forests and stone Galician villages.

It is a little-traveled route offering great solitude and scenic beauty. Ideal for pilgrims seeking to escape the crowds and discover a rural, authentic Galicia.

Stages

Walk the Camino day by day. Click the number to locate the stage on the map.

Questions in the forum

  1. Ponferrada → Las Médulas

    27.2 km 6.0 h Rolling

  2. Las Médulas → Puente de Domingo Flórez

    9.9 km 5.9 h Mountainous

  3. Puente de Domingo Flórez → A Rúa

    31.4 km 3.2 h Mountainous

  4. A Rúa → Quiroga

    26.3 km 5.8 h Rolling

  5. Quiroga → Monforte de Lemos

    35.4 km 7.9 h Rolling

  6. Monforte de Lemos → Chantada

    29.7 km 6.6 h Rolling

  7. Chantada → Rodeiro

    20.8 km 5.7 h Rolling

  8. Rodeiro → A Laxe

    33.6 km 6.2 h Rolling

  9. A Laxe → Outeiro

    25.3 km Rolling

  10. Outeiro → Santiago de Compostela

    20.5 km Rolling

Frequently asked questions about the Winter Way

How many kilometres is the Winter Way?

The Winter Way is 260 km long, divided into 10 stages, from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela.

How many days does the Winter Way take?

The classic division is 10 stages, one per day, averaging 26.0 km daily. At a brisk pace stages can be combined; at a gentler pace, split up.

Where does the Winter Way start and end?

It starts in Ponferrada and ends in Santiago de Compostela.

Which is the hardest stage of the Winter Way?

Stage 6 (Monforte de Lemos → Chantada), with 751 m of accumulated ascent.

How many hostels are there on the Winter Way?

Peregrinia has 63 pilgrim hostels mapped along the Winter Way, listed stage by stage with their exact kilometre point.

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