Hikes in Samos

Your route, to the end of the Camino, is not extremely complicated, the average of its stages is around 24-25 km/day, something very normal on the Jacobean route. If we take a look at its profile in search of big slopes, the most notable is the climb to O Cebreiro, a classic. This climb is somewhat complicated, so much so that, hundreds of years ago in winter times and due to its snowfalls, there was a need to avoid this climb. That is why one of the main routes of the Camino called Winter Route (Camino de Invierno) emerged, which diverted south of Galicia and thus avoided the mentioned climb. Nowadays, even in winter, it is not complicated to make that climb due to all the equipment available and even a much better physical preparation by the pilgrims who make the Camino.

Although we hike a few kilometers right alongside the road, this stage is very scenic. The Camino takes us through evocative landscapes, passing narrow gorges, rustic chestnut trees, adventurous forest trails, and enchanting river meadows. When it rains, however, the unpaved forest trails unfortunately turn into muddy streams.> We leave the center of Triacastela 01 on a straight path through the village, past the Igrexa de Santiago and a restaurant, until we reach the fork in the trail 02.At Stage 29A, we opt for the longer route to the left. Following the main road LU-633, the Camino runs alongside it for the next few kilometers, alternating between gravel, crushed stone, and wooden paths. The Río Oribio flows below us, while steep, bare rock faces rise up on the right. After a good 3 km, we reach a small rest area. A little further on, now at river level, the landscape opens up and becomes much gentler. With a detour to the left, we rejoin the road. At the town sign for San Cristóbal de Real 03, we cross to the other side of the road, turn right, and cross the village via the river.Passing the cemetery along beautiful unpaved paths, we ignore the sign for Lusío and, about 1 km further on, cross the Río Oribio to reach Renche 04 (bar) and climb back up to the road. Immediately afterward, however, the trail veers right again, passing through Lastres, and continues along forest paths on the hillside above the river. The route is briefly interrupted by the village of Freituxe, which offers fabulous panoramic views, before continuing as usual. Soon we cross the river again and walk through the small hamlet of San Martiño. We pass under the LU-633 via a sunken path, keep to the left on gravel paths, and reach a magnificent viewpoint overlooking the colossal monastery complex of Samos.After a somewhat steeper descent, we rejoin the main road in Samos 05, a place that invites you to linger. For the next 3 km, we walk again on gravel to the left of the road. At Pontenova 06 (restaurant), the Río Oribio takes on a new name: Río Sarria. To the right of the road, the next section will take us along very beautiful forest trails and sunken paths that generally lead us uphill again. Watch out for tripping hazards and uneven footing, which may be hidden by fallen leaves. Once we reach the top on a paved path, we enjoy a superb panoramic view; we pass the guesthouse and church on the left, head back down the slope, and then turn right. The paths are wider, though the terrain remains the same. It’s not far to the little village of Gorolfe, though. Turning right at the church, we now walk along the road (the Camino follows it) past the quiet, idyllic river meadows. We roughly follow the course of the Río Sarria and pass a few houses on the right.Crossing the river again and walking along chestnut plantations, after about 1.3 km we spot a colorfully decorated house that also offers food. Not far away is the “center” of Sivils 07, which has only a few residents. Hiking slightly uphill along the road, we walk along the slope of the beautiful pastures. We pass a quarry and turn left at the first farmstead toward Perros 08. Keeping to the right as we pass through, we meet the main trail at the old church. Just 400 m further along a gravel path, we climb up under the LU-P-5602 to Aguiada (Calvor) 09. Here, the A and B routes rejoin. We still have a good 4 km to go to Sarria, which we cover on gravel paths to the right of the road. Passing the hostel in San Mamede, we soon reach a hilltop with excellent views over the rolling countryside and Sarria in the background. The gravel path then ends on the outskirts of town, near the Villa de Sarria campground. We continue on the right-hand side, however, and upon reaching the town entrance sign, we return to sidewalks and soon reach the first hostels. Behind the A Pedra hostel, we cross the street. Passing another hostel and a restaurant, we go straight through the upcoming intersection, then turn left, turn right at the roundabout, and follow the sidewalk straight ahead to the Río Sarria, where we take the pedestrian bridge just ahead on the right across the river. Back at the broken bridge, we turn right up the road. The wide steps (Escaleira da Fonte) lead us into the old town via a series of right-left turns. At the top, we arrive directly at Santa Mariña de Sarria 11, the destination of this stage.

Route 29B is particularly recommended for rainy days due to its short length, though it does include many unpaved sections. The charm of the landscape really comes into its own as the trail winds through numerous sunken paths and natural surroundings. As a special bonus, we pass another pilgrim’s paradise.> In Triacastela 01, we walk straight through the village to the fork 02. For Route 29B, we turn right, cross the street, and from here on follow the paved path alongside pastures and the forest. The trail leads briefly uphill. We follow the trail markers and always keep to the right at the forks, heading back downhill. Across the river, we catch a glimpse of the very long, narrow, and partly dilapidated village of A Balsa 03. Beyond it, the paved road ends, and the trail continues along sunken paths over gravel and loose rock. On wet days, a lot of water runs down here, but thanks to the solid ground, we have a secure footing. Passing old, gnarled oaks and chestnut trees, the trail climbs again. We reach the road that takes us uphill to the picturesque village of San Xil 04. The views over the rolling pastures and gentle mountain landscape are reminiscent of Ireland and Scotland. For another 2 km, we stay on the quiet country road, then, at its highest point, turn right and follow more sunken paths downhill. The descent is quite steep, but the ground remains firm (be careful if it’s wet, though!). We reach the road again and pass through Montán. At the end of the village, just to the left of the Camino, is the “Terra de Luz” 05. A rest stop for weary pilgrims, offering food and drinks on a donation basis! Further on, the trails generally become rougher and vary constantly in terrain all the way to Sarria. Not far from Montán lies Fontearcuda 06, with just a few houses. The path continues downhill with more beautiful views. Behind the last house, the path splits without any markings; we keep to the left and come out onto the road. We follow it briefly, then turn left to pass between pastures and cross the road into Furela 07, visible from afar. Leaving the village, we turn right alongside the road toward the nearby town of Pintin (Calvor) 08, not far away. Here, too, we follow the road briefly and then take the somewhat steep and muddy path alongside more massive trees. Crossing the road once more, we arrive at Aguiada (Calvor) 09, the last little village before our destination for the day. From there, the Camino consists of very good gravel paths and runs continuously to the right of the road. We reach a suburb of Sarria, and as soon as we reach the town entrance sign, there are many arrows that reliably guide us into the town center and thus also to the old town of Sarria 10.

Spain: Camino de Santiago: Camino Frances: Stage 26: O Cebreiro-Sarria[ cami caminho cammino chemin compostela de itineraire jacob jacobsweg jacques james james’ jaume sant Santiago st ste saint san saint-jacques st-jacques path pilgrim’s pilgrims route ruta via voie way of weg ]

Fünfte Etappe von Ponferrada nach Santiago de Compostela

Giv en oversigt over din rute med maksimalt 180 tegn

Chemin de StJean Pied de Port à santiago de Compostella

Short stage due to the rain. It is possible to go further.

Camino frances.  St Jean to Roncesvalles via Orisson with less steep descent alternative via chapel.  Camino Duro from Villafranca (well worth the extra effort!).  Don't just think about it; DO IT !! A fantastic break from pointless life in the UK and wasting your life staring at computers all day.  Ideally continue to Finisterre and/or Muxia.