Camino de Santiago de Compostela

[Robfox1951]

We are starting from Seville on 31 march on our trusty Bike friday folding bikes having ridden the Camino Frances last year.We would like to see a little of Portugal and note that Alison Raju talks about this deviation via Braganca.
We will be using the minor roads where possible and wonder if anyone could confims the route after Vinhais.
Can we turn off at Sobreiro de Cima and travel via Sandim & Soutochao?It looks hilly is it?Any accomodation available?
Thanks for your assistance

[Rebekah Scott]

this is a really worthwhile trip. Braganca is a lovely town, an ideal place to go after you finish your camino, too.. it´s where Spaniards go to buy Portuguese linens and towels and matellassé quilts! It is just over the river from Tui, in Spain. Which puts you onto the Portuguese camino! (there are pilgrim hostels along here.)

The terrain you describe is indeed hilly, with some rolling country and some pretty steep descents and climbs, especially as you near the river valleys. There is much to see in this little area, with history and remains and ruins reaching back to prehistory. Once you hit the larger towns there is plenty of accommodation, but the space between? That is where my helpfulness peters out and I refer you back to Alison for details, she Knows All where caminos are concerned. I nosed around the Braganca/Verin/Vigo area two summers ago, and really fell for it. But I was not on foot, and I had a native to show me around.

Verin is popular with Portugese pilgrims, especially bikers. It too is a wonderfully historic and strategic place, with a hilltop with no less than THREE castles on top, as well as a monastery...and a pilgrim hostel! This part of the trip is downright mountainous, and it´s well touristed. You shouldn´t have trouble finding places to stay, long as you don´t expect it to be in the 3-Euros-to free category. You may find the info you need on these areas in guides to the Portuguese camino.

Have a great time out there!
Rebekah

[Peter Robins]

Braganca is a lovely town, . . . It is just over the river from Tui, in Spain

er, think you're getting a little confused there, Rebekah. It's Valenca that's over the river from Tui. Braganca is in the NE corner of Portugal.

Alison is the only person I've come across who's walked the route via Braganca.

[Robfox1951]

Thanks Rebecca and Peter.I have since looked at my credencial map and a route from Braganca to Ourense is shown.What most worries me is the Michelen map Ihave doesnt show the obvious road between Sandim in Portugal and Soutochao in Spain connecting.
Any ideas?
Regards Robert

[Peter Robins]

the credencial map means nothing at all - purely symbolic. And Michelin only marks roads, not tracks.

I don't know the area, but the detailed mapping shows a track of some sorts most of the way between Sandim and Soutochao. http://sigpac.mapa.es/fega/visor/?ube=6 ... .144894;29

[ivar]

Maybe one could zoom in and look at the sattelite photos of the area to see if there are walkable roads?
http://maps.google.es/maps?f=q&hl=es&ge ... 14577&z=13

..might not be the best way, but since these photos are probably more updated than some maps.....

Saludos,
Ivar

[Rebekah Scott]

Braganca/Valenca...

...how mortifying. Excuse my ignorance!
I´m staying the heck out of Portugal for a while.
Reb.

[Peter Robins]

here you are. Here's a blog with mapping, profiles, description, and some GPS files you can download. At last, some signs that someone apart from Alison has walked that route!
http://www.semurandar.com/portugues.htm

[miguel_gp]

Appreciate that it is the Braganca to Verin routing that is in doubt here but if it is of use I've attached a Google Earth .kmz file which maps the Verin - Sandias - Santiago route together with locations of Albergues, places to obtain Sellos, bars/restaurants on route. Apart from one mistaken deviation between Santa Marina de Augas Santas it follows Alison Raju's Camino Sanabres route.

You will need to have Google Earth installed and once the file is downloaded, double-clicking it should open the application and display the route and markers. Check "Terrain" for the best effect.

I can also recommend Verin as a very nice area with spectacular views from the castle of Monterrei (above the town), providing you can spare the time to deviate slightly off the route. Instead of the route via Sandias you can also head north out of Verin (I'm pretty sure it is waymarked) and join up with the route through Laza. If you head this way, be sure to visit the bar "Rincon del Peregrinos" at Albergueria and leave your mark in the form of a personlised scallop shell which the owner will fastens to the wall/ceiling of the bar.

Best Regards

[Robfox1951]

Just back for the trip and thought I'd let you know that its a beautiful deviation and follows the Camino Portugese so you can get sellos.We turned off at Puebla de Sanabria(Carlos V hostal very good).Back road to the picturesq border town on Rio de Onor was some of the best riding of the trip through national park though cold & some rain then on to Braganca.Nice town and we had a rest day when the weather cleared to sunshine.Good tourist office with English French & Spanish spoken.Rather than ride 90kms we opted to ride 32kms to overnight in Vinhais the last place with accomodation.Very scenic route with some climbing and nice town.
Next day to Sobreiro de Cima and turn off onto the road vearing downhill waymarked with Km stones as N103-6.Nice country riding after crossing a big bridge 5 kms climb the a downhill to Sandim as marked.Straight on down to a pretty river crossing then ride on walk/push up to Segirei.A little past the village stay on road & turn right at the first of a cluster of houses.A new road that doesnt show on my Michelen map.
The border only noticeable by the mile stones changing ,climb up past a waterfall where the walkers rejoin then a nice river valley up to Soutocho and easy ride into Verin for 57kms.
We throughly enjoyed our Portugese excursion and could recomend it to other cyclists.

[Robfox1951]

To miguel-gp thanks very much for your comments and google attachment which I didnt see unfortunately until returning .We found Verin to be very quiet and a bit run down though that could have a lot to do with cold rainy weather.The albergue was nice but we opted for a cheap pension near Plaza Major.
Next day it rained all day, not one for sightseeing, so we put our heads down and rode the N525 to Ourense 72kms.It was a fairly good ride as there is an A road alternative most of the way .Last part was very busy with trucks & unpleasant.We had a rest day in the city next day and caught the tourist tram (by ourselves 76cents)to the hot spring baths.Had a hot bath in the rain with one other crazy Spanish guy ,shoped at the markets,cathedral visit and walked around the city centre and generally enjoyed the lovely city.
Still raining next day so opted for Lalin and more road riding.The paths were far too muddy with bikes especially if you want to get them back into Australia with its quantine laws.Some harder climbing with trucks until the A road started at Cea which was a nice village.Lain was nice too when we finally found a hotel and a menu del dia at 3:30pm.
More rain the next day into Santiago.The pension we stayed at brought out a mop & bucket to clean our panniers before letting us in ,having firstly insisted on them drying our shoes.
I could go on, you know what that city is like,but enough.
Best wishes Rob

[miguel_gp]

No problem Rob. Glad you enjoyed your trip, shame about the weather in Galicia.

Regards
Mig.

[peregrino robert]

[quote][/quote]

Attachments VerinToSantiagoViaSandias.kmzGoogle Earth route - Verin to Santiago (6 Days)(72.92 KB) Downloaded 100 times

I cannot open this file and I have Google earth, please advice..

Robert

[miguel_gp]

Hi Robert, I've just downloaded the attachment to my Android phone and it opened up in Google Earth so file still looks to be ok. Can you confirm what type of device you are using and whether you see any error message and I'll see if I can work out what the problem is?

Thanks
Mig

[peregrino robert]

Hi Miguel
I did it all wrong, tryed to open the file immidiatly,but now I can.
One question thou: All the albergues and the route where can I find And print out?
I'm trying the "new" Caminho Portugues Interior and end up in Verin.
I dont carry a smart phone so I have to relay on paper...
Thanks for the help

Robert

[miguel_gp]

No problem, Robert glad that you got it working. Xacobeo publish a booklet on the route within Galica, see this link. Towards the back is a list of albergues on both the Verin-Sandias route and the Laza route, take your pick!
Mig

[peregrino robert]

I have made a paper kopi.
Thank you, Miguel.