Spiritual variant - can I cut across?

[HelenViaxes]

Planning my route for a trip in June 2023, starting in Vigo. We are planning to walk 15-20km per day for a week, and stay in private albergues as the municipal ones don’t take luggage transfer and I think we’d prefer mixed dorms if poss.

My main question is: I was planning spiritual route as I like coastal and the boat ride sounds ace. However, Armenteira only has a municipal albergue, and I’d like to go to the springs at Caldas de Reis. So can we go from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis and then cut across to Villanova de Arousa? Is it terrible terrain? A mountain? No places to stop for food/drink/emergencies? Further than it looks (just over 20km)?
Has anyone done this and can you please share experience?

 

[Tincatinker]

If you are able to read a map, or plot a route on Google Earth, Maps.me or any other of the excellent resources you could answer that question for yourself. Meanwhile, yes, the route you are proposing is easily walked and there are no mountains, some hills.
Baggage transfer might be a challenge as you are heading “off-piste” but if it’s essential then there’s likely to be a local taxi driver who is willing to take the ride. You’ll just need to have identified your baggage destination and sorted a contract.

You may also need to check with your transport provider where, if the municipal Albergue will not accept transported luggage, they usually deposit. Local bars and shops often accept and manage pilgrim luggage

 

[jungleboy]

I have no idea if you can cut across but if you do it as you suggested to Vilanova de Arousa then you would miss all the VE except for the boat. So it doesn’t seem worth it to me but YMMV.

 

[KariC]

I have no idea if you can cut across but if you do it as you suggested to Vilanova de Arousa then you would miss all the VE except for the boat. So it doesn’t seem worth it to me but YMMV.

Agree. The camino de aguas y piedras was probably the highlight for me.

 

[dougfitz]

Would you consider walking the VE from Pontevedra, taking the boat to Padron and staying an extra night so that you can take a side trip, eg by bus, back to Caldas de Reis?

 

[kenwilltravel]

Dougfitz's solution is a good one. Alternatively, you could make the side trip from Pontevedra and back and then start the VE. As jungleboy and KariC suggest, missing the best part of the VE (Armenteira and the Route of Stone and Water) would be a shame.

 

[Vacajoe]

Armenteira has two private accommodations (Pousafa de Armenteira and A Casa das Barreiras) if you are not staying in the two albergues. Why plan to walk the spiritual variant and then skip most of the actual spiritual variant?!!?

Follow DougFitz’s advice.

 

[woody66]

Armenteira has two private accommodations (Pousafa de Armenteira and A Casa das Barreiras) if you are not staying in the two albergues. Why plan to walk the spiritual variant and then skip most of the actual spiritual variant?!!?

Follow DougFitz’s advice.
Would you consider walking the VE from Pontevedra, taking the boat to Padron and staying an extra night so that you can take a side trip, eg by bus, back to Caldas de Reis?

If you start in Villanova de Arousa and get the boat to Pontecesures; you will walk about 4km of the Spirtiual before your back on the central!
There is also the Hospederia at the Monastery in Armentiera where i stayed which has nice private rooms and a wonderful atmosphere.
I walked from Porto on the Coastal and the Variant was beautiful and will walk again.

Have a great walk
Woody
Edit Bus Padron -Caldas de Reis 20 min £2-£3 Taxi 15min £20

 

[HelenViaxes]

Thanks for such amazing replies so quickly, it’s really helped me get perspective. Great idea to do the VE and double back by bus to Caldas if we have enough puff! There are 4/5 of us and I want to build in some slack to allow for any struggles or delays as at least one needs to fly back from Santiago on a fixed date. I’ll look into all the accommodations suggestions for Armenteira too, thank you all so much!

 

[ChristelMarcAntwerp22]

Thanks for such amazing replies so quickly, it’s really helped me get perspective. Great idea to do the VE and double back by bus to Caldas if we have enough puff! There are 4/5 of us and I want to build in some slack to allow for any struggles or delays as at least one needs to fly back from Santiago on a fixed date. I’ll look into all the accommodations suggestions for Armenteira too, thank you all so much!

Hi Helen,
we stayed at a rural casa close to Armenteira, Casa Carballo do Prado 1900, the host picks you up at the monastery and puts you back on track next morning. Lovely place !,
friendly hosts , good food and a beautifull wax stamp !

Buen Camino!
Christel and Marc

 

[Dilbin]

Planning my route for a trip in June 2023, starting in Vigo. We are planning to walk 15-20km per day for a week, and stay in private albergues as the municipal ones don’t take luggage transfer and I think we’d prefer mixed dorms if poss.

My main question is: I was planning spiritual route as I like coastal and the boat ride sounds ace. However, Armenteira only has a municipal albergue, and I’d like to go to the springs at Caldas de Reis. So can we go from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis and then cut across to Villanova de Arousa? Is it terrible terrain? A mountain? No places to stop for food/drink/emergencies? Further than it looks (just over 20km)?
Has anyone done this and can you please share experience?

Hi. If you do get to Caldas there is a beautiful walk along the river to very nice Falls where you can also swim. Ask locally. Also back along the way towards Pontevedra there are wonderful cascades that begin only about 400metres from the road and if you have extra energy you can follow them all the way up to a beautiful clearing with bridges, wild geese etc

 

[HelenViaxes]

Wow! That is very enticing!

 

[Dilbin]

Wow! That is very enticing!

Apologies. The Cascades I mentioned are actually around 6km back towards Pontevedra and up on the left hand side about 400 metres. I had a wonderful pilgrim lunch there last May. I've a screenshot of the gronze map which highlights those particular Cascades. (Cascades Del Rio Barosa)