LIVE from the Camino Terrifying bridge then tunnel

[Jenyat53]

Hi all, we are currently walking the Sanabrés after starting in Zamora last Friday. The weather has been awesome even today as we left Requejo de Sanabria to walk to Lubián.
But ....... the camino is closed due to the AVE works and the road is full of huge trucks bearing heavy loads of gravel, concrete etc. I will attach photos of the curved bridge we had to walk across with no ‘separate’ walking bit & trucks not giving an inch followed almost immediately by a 400 m tunnel which tells cars to turn their headlights on in. There was a slightly raised narrow ‘footpath’ but the experience was terrifying.
The photos are poor as we were to scared for our lives to be taking photos as the trucks roared by. If you are following maybe a torch brighter than my phone torch would help.

 

[Waka]

Hi all, we are currently walking the Sanabrés after starting in Zamora last Friday. The weather has been awesome even today as we left Requejo de Sanabria to walk to Lubián.
But ....... the camino is closed due to the AVE works and the road is full of huge trucks bearing heavy loads of gravel, concrete etc. I will attach photos of the curved bridge we had to walk across with no ‘separate’ walking bit & trucks not giving an inch followed almost immediately by a 400 m tunnel which tells cars to turn their headlights on in. There was a slightly raised narrow ‘footpath’ but the experience was terrifying.
The photos are poor as we were to scared for our lives to be taking photos as the trucks roared by. If you are following maybe a torch brighter than my phone torch would help.

Thank you for the update I should start the Sanabres in a couple weeks. I’m also having fantastic weather, started in Sevilla 12 days ago.

 

[Magwood]

That looks hairy. The tunnel especially,

 

[jony jony]

Jenniat53...... Yes i have cycled across the bridge and cycled through the tunnel twice , once in April 2018 and again in September 2018 . In September i wore a high vis jacket , put 3 rear lights and 2 fronts lights on my bike , waited near the start of the tunnel until i could not hear any trucks approaching , ate an energy bar and rode as fast as the surface ( which has many ruts, potholes etc ) would allow me . I got through with only 1 truck coming the other way .
I will be doing the V d l p / Sanabres route again in April and intend to buy the brightest rear light ( and the biggest energy bar ) i can find , just for this tunnel .

Regards.......John

 

[Colette Z]

Hi all, we are currently walking the Sanabrés after starting in Zamora last Friday. The weather has been awesome even today as we left Requejo de Sanabria to walk to Lubián.
But ....... the camino is closed due to the AVE works and the road is full of huge trucks bearing heavy loads of gravel, concrete etc. I will attach photos of the curved bridge we had to walk across with no ‘separate’ walking bit & trucks not giving an inch followed almost immediately by a 400 m tunnel which tells cars to turn their headlights on in. There was a slightly raised narrow ‘footpath’ but the experience was terrifying.
The photos are poor as we were to scared for our lives to be taking photos as the trucks roared by. If you are following maybe a torch brighter than my phone torch would help.

Looking back could one walk any other way to avoid bridge and tunnel? Surprising that they haven’t officially rerouted the Camino there.

 

[maggiec]

Hi all, we are currently walking the Sanabrés after starting in Zamora last Friday. The weather has been awesome even today as we left Requejo de Sanabria to walk to Lubián.
But ....... the camino is closed due to the AVE works and the road is full of huge trucks bearing heavy loads of gravel, concrete etc. I will attach photos of the curved bridge we had to walk across with no ‘separate’ walking bit & trucks not giving an inch followed almost immediately by a 400 m tunnel which tells cars to turn their headlights on in. There was a slightly raised narrow ‘footpath’ but the experience was terrifying.
The photos are poor as we were to scared for our lives to be taking photos as the trucks roared by. If you are following maybe a torch brighter than my phone torch would help.

 

[maggiec]

I will never forget that part. We were lucky and not very much traffic as we crossed the bridge. It didn’t worry me but my walking buddy had a major panic attack. The tunnel was another story. It seemed about a km long and the fumes just about suffocated us. Remember this day Colleen Sims????

 

[Anniesantiago]

Those trucks can be both terrifying and dangerous. I was blown over (literally) by a truck on the CF one year and just missed going under his wheels by inches. My ALTUS poncho acted like a parachute when he flew by me. Take CARE on these stretches and if possible, take off your poncho!

 

[Jenyat53]

Jenniat53...... Yes i have cycled across the bridge and cycled through the tunnel twice , once in April 2018 and again in September 2018 . In September i wore a high vis jacket , put 3 rear lights and 2 fronts lights on my bike , waited near the start of the tunnel until i could not hear any trucks approaching , ate an energy bar and rode as fast as the surface ( which has many ruts, potholes etc ) would allow me . I got through with only 1 truck coming the other way .
I will be doing the V d l p / Sanabres route again in April and intend to buy the brightest rear light ( and the biggest energy bar ) i can find , just for this tunnel .

Regards.......John

So glad to know that we were not alone in our terror. A bit later that afternoon still terrified by the speed and closeness of the huge trucks we decided to walk on the non road side of the guard rails. It ended badly when I slipped and fell. Some 5x4 wire stopped me falling into the expressway below Fortunately no long term damage despite my initial fears (a big shout out to Centro de Salud in Lubian for tetanus shot and wound dressing)
Very kindly one of the trucks stopped to help
my partner get my pack off and help me to my feet. Those guys were the essence of the camino. They got out their first aid kit and despite all the blood they washed and betadined everything before leaving us with a fresh litre of drinking water. We will be eternally grateful to those two angels.

And to Colette ...... we were on the re-routed camino disrupted by the AVE works.

I am so very grateful to be able to continue our wonderful walk. The lovely couple who own La Casa de Irene in Lubian continued the pilgrim dream and are certainly worth a visit if you head that way.

 

[Stivandrer]

please specify location and name of place, if you will ...

 

[Jenyat53]

please specify location and name of place, if you will ...

The bridge and tunnel were after Requejo de Sanabria and before Padornelo while the ‘incident’ was after Padornelo when the rerouted camino is on the N-525, before it veers to the left through Acivieros on a side path. I believe that this route has been closed previously due to AVE works but was open yesterday although I wouldn’t want to cross some of the creeks in the rain.

 

[Paladina]

Jenyat53, I hope you’ve recovered from the injuries and the shock. I remember the bridge and tunnel very well from cycling them in late May last year, but I must have been luckier than either you or jony jony because I had both all to myself, probably because it was at the weekend. Best wishes for safer walking.

 

[LesBrass]

I remember that bridge! Oh my word! Lucky you... what a wonderful camino! I'll have to read my blog again tonight now and dream about the Via and the Sanabres ... enjoy the rest of your camino!
https://caminobrassblog.wordpress.com/2016/10/24/misty-mountains/
https://caminobrassblog.wordpress.com/2016/10/24/misty-mountains/

 

[camino07]

Looking back could one walk any other way to avoid bridge and tunnel? Surprising that they haven’t officially rerouted the Camino there.

End of September 2017 I walked further on the main road, past the train works and found another entry with no trucks and ability to rejoin the Camino. I took a photo looking back to the bridge and tunnel. I had been terrified at the prospect of crossing there. luckily I was walking with someone at that point. Not sure if that can be done now though.

 

[Martyduc]

hi,, last may i walked the Sanabres and definately did not cross that bridge or go thru the tunnel ,,my map seems to show 2 distinct routes ,,,maybe i was lucky and took the by far less traumatic one ,,

 

[Stivandrer]

Come September, I hope this point has been cleared up in terms of better alternatives in routing....

 

[happymarkos]

The bridge and tunnel were after Requejo de Sanabria and before Padornelo while the ‘incident’ was after Padornelo when the rerouted camino is on the N-525, before it veers to the left through Acivieros on a side path. I believe that this route has been closed previously due to AVE works but was open yesterday although I wouldn’t want to cross some of the creeks in the rain.

Can you confirm please the Camino is now back to the normal route? I wont be walking that section until late April however keen to know in advance any areas where i need updates closer to the time
Thank you
happymark

 

[Jenyat53]

please specify location and name of place, if you will ...

This is the actual bridge ....

hi,, last may i walked the Sanabres and definately did not cross that bridge or go thru the tunnel ,,my map seems to show 2 distinct routes ,,,maybe i was lucky and took the by far less traumatic one ,,

Yesterday there were no alternatives available that we could scope!! Hope the situation changes very soon as it is way too dangerous!! This is my 6th camino experience and that was by far my most terrifying. Sad because the rest of the Sanabres is spectacular!!

 

[happymarkos]

hi,, last may i walked the Sanabres and definately did not cross that bridge or go thru the tunnel ,,my map seems to show 2 distinct routes ,,,maybe i was lucky and took the by far less traumatic one ,,

Hi Martin,
Several questions please
which route did you take ?
what guide book showed the 2 routes?
Kind regards
Mark

 

[Martyduc]

Hi Martin,
Several questions please
which route did you take ?
what guide book showed the 2 routes?
Kind regards
Mark

Hey Mark,,,start earlier and i will meet you in Zamora !!! I found the Windy Maps app after i last walked with you,,,its free and you then download the area you are walking in,and it then has the track shown and where you ,,,so dont need data but only the gps going ,,and it has virtually all of the Caminos,,,and most of the walks all over the world,,, ,so last year dont remember making a definate decision but i usually take the bush track rather than the road ,,,when there is a choice,,,i did stay an extra day in Puebla de Sanabria before walking on this section to Lubian,,, and Gerald Kelly has recently released an updated pdf short version of his guide on th vldp and sanabres ,,he does mention all this ,,, but as we know things change daily !!!!!

 

[happymarkos]

Hey Mark,,,start earlier and i will meet you in Zamora !!! I found the Windy Maps app after i last walked with you,,,its free and you then download the area you are walking in,and it then has the track shown and where you ,,,so dont need data but only the gps going ,,and it has virtually all of the Caminos,,,and most of the walks all over the world,,, ,so last year dont remember making a definate decision but i usually take the bush track rather than the road ,,,when there is a choice,,,i did stay an extra day in Puebla de Sanabria before walking on this section to Lubian,,, and Gerald Kelly has recently released an updated pdf short version of his guide on th vldp and sanabres ,,he does mention all this ,,, but as we know things change daily !!!!!

Hi Martin
thanks for the information. I will download the Windy Maps; sounds better than Maps Me if it has the Camino shown on it. I am already booked to arrive in Salamanca on the 25 April so can't really get there any earlier; trying to avoid Easter! I am allowing nearly a month to do the 500 km to Santiago so expect to have some stops in interesting places; fly out of Santiago on 30 May. If I have extra time will head to Finisterra. Am also looking to try out some Keen sandals; recall seeing quite a few people walking with sandals; any experience with this?
If you are still in Oz I guess it is still hot whereas here in the UK still cold and damp with some early signs of spring. Keep well
regards
Mark

 

[Martyduc]

Hi Martin
thanks for the information. I will download the Windy Maps; sounds better than Maps Me if it has the Camino shown on it. I am already booked to arrive in Salamanca on the 25 April so can't really get there any earlier; trying to avoid Easter! I am allowing nearly a month to do the 500 km to Santiago so expect to have some stops in interesting places; fly out of Santiago on 30 May. If I have extra time will head to Finisterra. Am also looking to try out some Keen sandals; recall seeing quite a few people walking with sandals; any experience with this?
If you are still in Oz I guess it is still hot whereas here in the UK still cold and damp with some early signs of spring. Keep well
regards
Mark

hey , i will be in Santiago on the 19th and 20 th may ,,, so if you get there early would be great to meet up again ,,,, and just the last of the heat here ,,37 today ,, dont you miss Aussie summers ???,,, cheers

 

[happymarkos]

hey , i will be in Santiago on the 19th and 20 th may ,,, so if you get there early would be great to meet up again ,,,, and just the last of the heat here ,,37 today ,, dont you miss Aussie summers ???,,, cheers

No don’t miss the humidity mainly. Here it is cold but some sunshine indicates spring is on the way. Doubt I will be there by the 19th
Regards
Mark

 

[MileHighPair]

It would be great if we could get another confirmation of the regular Camino route being closed here.

My memory and my GPS track confirm that in 2017 the Camino went from left to right, under the bridge, up the canyon about 300 meters to the right (as you stand at the beginning of the bridge), then across the stream and up the other side coming back, crossing the mountain pass above both the tunnel and the bridge. If you are already on the highway, it would be difficult to see where the Camino is going.

If future pilgrims find the bridge/tunnel option distasteful, look for the mountain road going under the bridge just as it begins. This is the Camino. I just thought it would be good for folks to know exactly where the Camino should be.

There is no doubt that the AVE construction has disrupted the Sanabres route, and more road walking is required these days. Be careful out there!
Mike.

 

[Martyduc]

It would be great if we could get another confirmation of the regular Camino route being closed here.

My memory and my GPS track confirm that in 2017 the Camino went from left to right, under the bridge, up the canyon about 300 meters to the right (as you stand at the beginning of the bridge), then across the stream and up the other side coming back, crossing the mountain pass above both the tunnel and the bridge. If you are already on the highway, it would be difficult to see where the Camino is going.

If future pilgrims find the bridge/tunnel option distasteful, look for the mountain road going under the bridge just as it begins. This is the Camino. I just thought it would be good for folks to know exactly where the Camino should be.

There is no doubt that the AVE construction has disrupted the Sanabres route, and more road walking is required these days. Be careful out there!
Mike.

Exactly as it was 10 months ago !!!!! Thanks for the exact description,

 

[C clearly]

From these comments, and some others about muddy conditions after rain, I am thinking it might be a good section to skip over, especially if I need to make up any time. Would getting a taxi from Puebla de Sanabria to Padornelo get past the problem areas?

 

[Michael Casey]

Exactly as it was 10 months ago !!!!! Thanks for the exact description,o

,
I walked this way twice, firstly in 2017 when like you I walked over the bridge and then through the tunnel. I found it very difficult to cross and thoight about thumbing a lift. I eventually built up the courage to cross
Last year I was again walking this section and was stedying myself the whole drag up on the road for the bridge crossing.
When I gor their looking over the left hand barrier I saw some yellow camino arrows.
I went down, followed the arrows which brough me on a lovely old route across the canyon which had the original bridge. I even stopped for lunch beside this bridge, some difference between the two crossings.

 

[C clearly]

@Michael Casey - Thanks for that information. How was the tunnel?

 

[Jenyat53]

,
I walked this way twice, firstly in 2017 when like you I walked over the bridge and then through the tunnel. I found it very difficult to cross and thoight about thumbing a lift. I eventually built up the courage to cross
Last year I was again walking this section and was stedying myself the whole drag up on the road for the bridge crossing.
When I gor their looking over the left hand barrier I saw some yellow camino arrows.
I went down, followed the arrows which brough me on a lovely old route across the canyon which had the original bridge. I even stopped for lunch beside this bridge, some difference between the two crossings.

Yes Michael, we saw this too but on the day we were there, there were workmen who had closed off that route which only left the one terrifying option.
So glad you were able to enjoy the calmer route.

@Michael Casey - Thanks for that information. How was the tunnel?

It was quite terrifying really. Above I posted some photos. It was the trucks loaded with gravel (bits of which were intermittently flying off) etc that made it particularly scary. The darkness just multiplied the fear of the bridge before which had an even narrower walking section than the slightly raised footpath through the bridge.

 

[peregrina2000]

Here are the wikiloc tracks of someone who walked in 2018 and followed the route that @MileHighPair , @Martyduc and I remember. I did not use a GPS on the Sanabrés so I can't contribute my own tracks, but it looks to me like this one shows the loop around on the mountain road just as we remember.

https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/puebla-de-sanabria-lubian-31734168

I took a screen shot of the part that shows the bump up, which is, I think, the part where you do the much longer route around the gorge rather than walk straight across on the tunnel. I imagine this route is still open, at least I can´t think of any reason why it wouldn't be, but if others know differently, let us know. Buen camino, Laurie




and a p.s. Using my super duper wikiloc premium membership, I was able to see how the route has been re-routed from Aciberos to Lubián. The old camino on that segment was one of my favorite green tunnel, peaceful babbling brooks, birds chirping walks on the Sanabrés. As the track I loaded above shows, the camino now takes a much more circuituous route to avoid the AVE tracks, and, I imagine it avoids that beautiful segment, which has now been dug up and devoted to trains. I know it's complicated, but it still makes me sad.

 

[Michael Casey]

@Michael Casey - Thanks for that information. How was the tunnel?

Taking this route you avoid both bridge and tunnel, for me it was one of the " camino provides moments" as I was really nervous.

 

[wisepilgrim]

I am in agreement with @peregrina2000, the image she posted is the route as I know it from a month ago while doing research for the guidebook.

What I discovered along this stretch was that the posted detour signs were woefully lacking, and that where there were signs it wasn't always clear which way they were pointing. They were poorly thought out, and their installation didn't give much away... not compared to how pilgrims are accustomed to approaching signs.

In this exact case, it would be easy to miss the sign that directs is meant to take you off of the N-525 to the south. I don't have a photo and am relying on memory, but I don't even think there was an arrow on it. It could easily be interpreted as 'yes, this is still the detour' rather than 'see that path to the left, go there'. That path eventually crosses back under the 525 where the bridge starts and then takes a long way around to avoid the tunnel.

If you miss that turn, I don't think there is an arrow later on where there could easily be a backup arrow. I cannot say with 100% certainty but you should still be able to get off the 525 just before the bridge. There is a gravel road to your right.

 

[camino07]

I have a good photo on my Iphone looking back towards the bridge but don't know how to put it on here .

 

[Kanga]

In April 2018 the route mentioned by @MileHighPair was opened. It was raining and I missed the turnoff and took the road and the tunnel, but my camino buddies who were behind me went the other way. Luckily there was virtually no traffic on the bridge and the tunnel when I went through.

 

[Robo]

It would be great if we could get another confirmation of the regular Camino route being closed here.

My memory and my GPS track confirm that in 2017 the Camino went from left to right, under the bridge, up the canyon about 300 meters to the right (as you stand at the beginning of the bridge), then across the stream and up the other side coming back, crossing the mountain pass above both the tunnel and the bridge. If you are already on the highway, it would be difficult to see where the Camino is going.

If future pilgrims find the bridge/tunnel option distasteful, look for the mountain road going under the bridge just as it begins. This is the Camino. I just thought it would be good for folks to know exactly where the Camino should be.

There is no doubt that the AVE construction has disrupted the Sanabres route, and more road walking is required these days. Be careful out there!
Mike.

Is it this track off to the right before the bridge?

 

[camino07]

From what I remember it was quite far before this and off to the left and down under the bridge but others may be more accurate.

 

[Robo]

Should have read the whole thread! Laurie has shown it above.........