Alternatives to Sarria to SDC

[MARSKA]

I'm in Samos tonight and will be walking through Sarria tomorrow. Looking ahead, I realize that I have no real excitement about the walk from Sarria to SDC and am thinking about alternatives but being unfamiliar with other routes I'm not sure what will work. I'm hoping to gather some ideas from forum members. Maybe just a "taste" of another route?

I fly out of Madrid on May 20th so I need to be in Madrid on the 19th. Ideas?

Gracias!

 

[SabsP]

I'm in Samos tonight and will be walking through Sarria tomorrow. Looking ahead, I realize that I have no real excitement about the walk from Sarria to SDC and am thinking about alternatives but being unfamiliar with other routes I'm not sure what will work. I'm hoping to gather some ideas from forum members. Maybe just a "taste" of another route?

I fly out of Madrid on May 20th so I need to be in Madrid on the 19th. Ideas?

Gracias!

Maybe the last stages of the Sanabres? From Ourense? Direct trains from Sarria to Ourense.

 

[trecile]

At this stage you will need to take a bus to reach another route, which will eat up about a day of your schedule. How about staying in different towns than you did last year?

 

[J Willhaus]

Really? Have done Sarria to Santiago twice in the last year. Many things to see and visit on the route! Iron age castro, Pembre Castle, Vilar de Donas church, etc. Good services along the way.

 

[MARSKA]

Hmmm...starting from Samos, I'm having trouble finding lodging within 25km, unless I stay in Sarria which is only 10k and puts me on the usual stages. What town do you suggest after Samos? Last year I walked from Samos to Sarria and then, because it was pouring rain, I took the bus from Sarria to Portomarin.

 

[MARSKA]

Really? Have done Sarria to Santiago twice in the last year. Many things to see and visit on the route! Iron age castro, Pembre Castle, Vilar de Donas church, etc. Good services along the way.

Yes you are right. I think I'm just hungry and tired and thus low energy so I'm frustrated with trying to find a place to sleep tomorrow (I've whatsapped several & no reply)which makes me feel discouraged.

 

[MARSKA]

At this stage you will need to take a bus to reach another route, which will eat up about a day of your schedule. How about staying in different towns than you did last year?

Yeah it wil eat at least 1 day. Should stay on route. Last year it was Samos, Portomarin (bussed), Pais del Rey, Melide, Azura, Lavacolla. Maybe Sarria makes the most sense but I was trying to get beyond...and places aren't getting back to me which is concerning.

18-23k seems to be my sweet spot.

 

[MARSKA]

I'm going to Sarria tomorrow and will bus/train to SDC and from there walk to Finistre

 

[MARSKA]

Can someone suggest a couple of albergues that are near the bus or train station in Sarria?

 

[trecile]

Hmmm...starting from Samos, I'm having trouble finding lodging within 25km, unless I stay in Sarria which is only 10k and puts me on the usual stages. What town do you suggest after Samos? Last year I walked from Samos to Sarria and then, because it was pouring rain, I took the bus from Sarria to Portomarin.

Did you try Casa Barbadelo? One year when they were full on booking.com three of us got beds when we called.

 

[David Tallan]

Hmmm...starting from Samos, I'm having trouble finding lodging within 25km, unless I stay in Sarria which is only 10k and puts me on the usual stages. What town do you suggest after Samos? Last year I walked from Samos to Sarria and then, because it was pouring rain, I took the bus from Sarria to Portomarin.

My plan is Samos to Barbadelo.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

You can take many buses a day from Sarria to Lugo (Monbus busline) and follow the Primitivo to the CF at Melide to skip some of the CF or take one of the Via Verdes (rail trails in the US) to skip more. You will still be qualified for a compostela.

See these posts of mine for introductions to topics and links for more information.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...n-qualify-for-certificate.82572/#post-1173441

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...n-qualify-for-certificate.82572/#post-1173792

 

[MassNative]

I'm in Samos tonight and will be walking through Sarria tomorrow. Looking ahead, I realize that I have no real excitement about the walk from Sarria to SDC and am thinking about alternatives but being unfamiliar with other routes I'm not sure what will work. I'm hoping to gather some ideas from forum members. Maybe just a "taste" of another route?

I fly out of Madrid on May 20th so I need to be in Madrid on the 19th. Ideas?

Gracias!

I walked in the fall of 2022. I found the walking over the last stretch very pleasant. Avoid the guide book stage towns.

The only major stage town I stayed in over the last 100+ km was Portomarin (And I had planned to skip that town too. But the albergue in Vilachá, where I wanted to stay closed for the season early.)

After Samos, I stayed at:

Vilei (walking through Sarria)
Portomarin (town was busy, but found a room in a Hostel)
Airexe
Melide (large community mid stage, many accomodations)
Os Pendos (Nice albergue 800 meters off the camino, but a short-cut to get back on the way.)
Armenal (splurged on the small hotel here, with a restaurant.)

If I get the chance to walk this way again, I will try to skip Portomarin.

 

[J Willhaus]

Do you feel you must have a private room? Do you feel you need a reservation? Several places on Booking still open. Sarria is small town. HR albergue still has beds on booking.com as does Puente Riberia which are closer to the bus station than the monastery up on top of the hill.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola in both 2015 and 2017 I avoided staying in Sarria. It just did not grab me. I went on via the railway crossing and found another albergue Carmen something!

 

[mr. frodo]

In 2023 my party was taken off the Camino Frances a couple towns past O Cebreiro, Taxing to Sarria, and then to Lugo for medical attention (everyone was fine in the end). But anyways we really really really enjoyed spending a day in Lugo and then walking on the Primitivo into SDC. It was honestly such a breath of fresh air after being on the Frances, and we felt that the locals especially in Lugo had less pilgrim fatigue (this was in early November). I would 100% recommend this detour. Plus the municipals along that route were really charming and had 1-3 other pilgrims in them.

 

[Lurch]

Interesting, I just finished walking the last segment of the Camino, from Pamplona to Santiago. At 79, not sure how many partial Camiinos I have left in me, but I really have an itch to go from Sarria to Santiago again. Been that route twice before, but to me, it is the best part. Lots of people from all over the globe, fairly easy, and lots of places to stay at, and get a beer. To me a relaxing and happy way to finish the Camino.