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Wise Pilgrim APPDiomondi's treasure is its Romanesque church, San Pelagio de Diomondi — an architectural highlight of the entire Camino de Invierno. The church is easy to find: when you reach the modern bench and shelter where the camino begins its descent, stay on the road a few meters further.
Look for the thousand-year-old cow heads carved above the side doors — a sweet nod to the animals that have always worked these fields. The episcopal palace attached to the church has been restored after years of scaffolding. A new albergue has opened in Diomondi.
There's also the option of detouring to Escairón (about 4 km from the crossroads at O Camiño Grande) to split the Monforte-to-Chantada stage. In Escairón, the 2-star Hotel O Ruso is recommended (37 euros for room, dinner, and breakfast, tel. 982 452 134). Good tapas bars include O Noso Lar, El Candíl, and Avenida. Sello available at the Casa do Concello and the hotel. From Escairón, continue on the LU-617 and turn left by the cheese factory onto the LU-P-5806 — a sign indicates 4 km to Diomondi church, where you rejoin the camino.
At the shelter, the camino leaves the road and turns left, beginning the descent of the codos (elbows) of Belasar — a 2.5 km stretch of steep, broken pavement with remnants of the old Roman road. The 17th-century chronicler of this route noted that the bridge and path were named after a Roman captain named Belisario, apparently in charge of the original construction.
The path zigzags from forest into terraced vineyards, descending to the river. It's hard on the knees — hiking poles help enormously. The descent is marked with GR red-and-white blazes. Don't worry about the lack of yellow arrows on this stretch.
