Up to date C. Sanabres info?

[JillGat]

My daughter just has a few weeks off so we flew to Portugal to visit my brother in Braga, then he drove us up to Puebla de Sanabria to walk the Camino Sanabres. Tomorrow we start walking, but I have some concerns.

I have the 2024 Wise Pilgrim guide, Gerald Kelly's new book on VdlP/Sanabres, other recent info on the route, including Gronze and posts here on the forum. People describe the Sanabres as a beautiful camino, but people (and guides) also say that it's been re-routed in a lot of places since the AVE construction and now there are many stretches of walking along the n-525 freeway. We drove that freeway from Portugal, passing turn offs to many Camino towns we will be walking through over the next couple of weeks.

Freeway walking is never very fun, but this one looked particularly grim. Swaths of blackened trees that look like they burned in a big fire, hills that are barren or just covered scrub brush and no shade (and it is unseasonably hot!). A couple of sources suggested that the Sanabres is better now that AVE construction is done. Lots of conflicting route information.

Would love to hear from anyone who has walked C. Sanabres very recently or has current information. Is it still beautiful? Is there still a lot of freeway walking?

This is my daughter's first Camino and I want it to be a nice walk. Thanks!

 

[MesaWalker]

My wife and I walked it in late October/early November last year. We thought it was a lovely camino. I would relax and enjoy the beauty - there was plenty. Be sure to take the route to Laza - absolutely spectacular. And if it appeals to you, don't miss the tour and Vespers at Oseira monastery between Oursense and Santiago.

 

[geraldkelly]

I walked this Camino in June/July last year. The route description and route in my apps and book describe what I saw then and the route I took following the yellow arrows. I replied on another thread on here to say that there are several ways you can walk after Requejo but last summer they had been fenced off, so I don't recommend them.

Here is a link to that description: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...from-requejo-to-padornelo.85680/#post-1235395

This is likely to be a bit challenging for a first Camino. I hope your daughter is pretty fit.

 

[Antnix1]

I'm completing it over the next couple of days. Assuming you're talking about the part after granja de moreruela (edit: which you are!), there is quite a bit of road walking and some highway walking but i think it's more reflective of the higher population as you approach the North West. I didn't walk it previously so can't comment on works other than to say the authorities have the route well signposted, have paths away from roads as often as possible (even if just alongside the road) and plenty of water fountains.

One thing to note is that with the motorway in place, many of the roads you're walking on will be devoid of traffic and there's plenty of verges and laneways apart from road walking.

The weather after Easter was pretty wet and with a bad forecast and a 40km stage, i bet there would be few pilgrims on the Verín variant between a Gudiña and Ourense. Empty albergues. So i enjoyed a bit more solitude there!

Right now in the last 100km the albergues are full, and there's many clicky little groups of 4 or so people that are common on the last 100km (for better or worse).

PS Castro Dozon has no open albergue. Book accommodation in advance unless you want a long stage like my 30km today! Also ourense city had max temps of 32 degrees a few days ago, just days after max temps of single digits and rain at night that turned paths to mud.

To answer your question: is it beautiful? Yes. Was it the most beautiful part of my camino from Almería? - also no!

 

[JillGat]

I take it back. The walk from Puebla Sanabres to Requejo was beautiful. There was not one other pilgrim. My daughter has tremendous stamina and has become a good navigator. BTW @Antnix1 apparently there is an open albergue in Castro Dozon now.

 

[Antnix1]

In Requejo make sure you get the pilgrim menu in restaurant Hostal Tu Casa

You missed out on Rionegro del Puente where the restaurant me gusta comer has an outstanding pilgrim menu for €15

In Cea there is a bar next to the albergue. Great beer but warning, do not get the disgusting chicken burger. I'd rarely slate a place but it was horrible. The tapas they were giving were also stale pieces of bread which suggests this place is not renouned for its food.

In castro there's no albergue, there's only Casa Bubela, 9 beds across 3 rooms - €30 a bed incl small breakfast. One room is twin with wc for €60. The prices might scare people off, but I'd still advise booking ahead if you want to stay here as options are limited.

 

[geraldkelly]

I take it back. The walk from Puebla Sanabres to Requejo was beautiful. There was not one other pilgrim. My daughter has tremendous stamina and has become a good navigator. BTW @Antnix1 apparently there is an open albergue in Castro Dozon now.

In Requejo a great place to eat is Restaurante Tu Casa, a few 100s metres up the road. https://www.viadelaplataguide.net/guide/requejo-de-sanabria

 

[lt56ny]

I'm completing it over the next couple of days. Assuming you're talking about the part after granja de moreruela (edit: which you are!), there is quite a bit of road walking and some highway walking but i think it's more reflective of the higher population as you approach the North West. I didn't walk it previously so can't comment on works other than to say the authorities have the route well signposted, have paths away from roads as often as possible (even if just alongside the road) and plenty of water fountains.

One thing to note is that with the motorway in place, many of the roads you're walking on will be devoid of traffic and there's plenty of verges and laneways apart from road walking.

The weather after Easter was pretty wet and with a bad forecast and a 40km stage, i bet there would be few pilgrims on the Verín variant between a Gudiña and Ourense. Empty albergues. So i enjoyed a bit more solitude there!

Right now in the last 100km the albergues are full, and there's many clicky little groups of 4 or so people that are common on the last 100km (for better or worse).

PS Castro Dozon has no open albergue. Book accommodation in advance unless you want a long stage like my 30km today! Also ourense city had max temps of 32 degrees a few days ago, just days after max temps of single digits and rain at night that turned paths to mud.

To answer your question: is it beautiful? Yes. Was it the most beautiful part of my camino from Almería? - also no!

What was the prettiest part of the Mozarabe for you? I think it is going to be the first part of my 2025 Camino.

 

[Antnix1]

What was the prettiest part of the Mozarabe for you? I think it is going to be the first part of my 2025 Camino.

I'll have to avoid the question! I can't really remember stages and didn't keep a journal. I'd have to review my photos for any hope of remembering.

I've also attached a photo. I guess depending on the time of year you might see something different.

Fruit trees in blossom vs bare branches. Some days which may have been beautiful were not so nice with mud and fog. Other times the water added to the beauty.

As a rule, anywhere i could walk 20km+ without roads or civilisation was a good day for me.

 

[JillGat]

I walked this Camino in June/July last year. The route description and route in my apps and book describe what I saw then and the route I took following the yellow arrows. I replied on another thread on here to say that there are several ways you can walk after Requejo but last summer they had been fenced off, so I don't recommend them.

Here is a link to that description: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...from-requejo-to-padornelo.85680/#post-1235395

This is likely to be a bit challenging for a first Camino. I hope your daughter is pretty fit.

My daughter is very fit and we are having a blast. There are some tough stages but it is a gorgeous route!