Hiking Trail
· Lugo Province
Triacastela – Sarria (via Samos) – A little slice of paradise halfway there
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Difficulty
difficult
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.