Is the Camino Xacobeo Geira an official route now?

[Isca-camigo]

As above, is this route now an officially recognized one by the cathedral in Santiago, for the people in the know does that letter on the first page of this website in effect declare that. www.debragaasantiago.com or is it a big step on the road to being recognized as an official route into Santiago?

 

[KinkyOne]

Don't have the answer but thanks for posting this!

 

[Isca-camigo]

No problem, this route has been on my watch list for years, there have been various websites by other groups but they would always seem to go into snooze mode for a year or two, but in the last couple of years it seems like there is a group of Portuguese around Braga and group in Galicia who are both being very active in promoting this way and it it has taken it to another level of interest.

 

[KinkyOne]

No problem, this route has been on my watch list for years, there have been various websites by other groups but they would always seem to go into snooze mode for a year or two, but in the last couple of years it seems like there is a group of Portuguese around Braga and group in Galicia who are both being very active in promoting this way and it it has taken it to another level of interest.

It's a nice addition to other "short" routes to SdC to avoid Sarria crowds for repeat offenders. Or folks with limited time to walk Camino. A friend of mine and his girlfriend just returned from Porto-SdC stretch as first timers (combination of Litoral and Central) and he told me the Central was quite busy.
I see this Caminho somehow same as VdlP Portugues (via Braganca) as an option to Sanabres which gets more and more pilgrims coming from VdlP each year. Seems like minority is walking original VdlP to Astorga exactly because of the CF crowds. This short Caminos definitely have future I'd say. At least in my book

 

[JCLima]

Yes, it is an official route now.

 

[Isca-camigo]

That will be interesting, I seen the Videos of this route and if I wanted to make a comparison it will be like walking the Primitivo to the cathedrals door without the 50km on the CF.
This route will be mobbed , a lot of repeat offenders who have ticked all the routes into Santiago boxes will be getting on to this soon.

 

[Isca-camigo]

It's a nice addition to other "short" routes to SdC to avoid Sarria crowds for repeat offenders. Or folks with limited time to walk Camino. A friend of mine and his girlfriend just returned from Porto-SdC stretch as first timers (combination of Litoral and Central) and he told me the Central was quite busy.
I see this Caminho somehow same as VdlP Portugues (via Braganca) as an option to Sanabres which gets more and more pilgrims coming from VdlP each year. Seems like minority is walking original VdlP to Astorga exactly because of the CF crowds. This short Caminos definitely have future I'd say. At least in my book

One of the blogs on the website for this route was for a couple who had walked from Salamanca on the Torres and turned off on to the Geira at Braga, another option is to to start way back in Evora ( 590km further back)and walk that recently waymarked way to Braga.
Despite me claiming last year my multiple week walking on Camino's was over I can sense that old itch again.

 

[KinkyOne]

One of the blogs on the website for this route was for a couple who had walked from Salamanca on the Torres and turned off on to the Geira at Braga, another option is to to start way back in Evora ( 590km further back)and walk that recently waymarked way to Braga.
Despite me claiming last year my multiple week walking on Camino's was over I can sense that old itch again.

Yep, I know how that feels. It's an addiction and walking another Camin(h)o is the only vaccine there is

 

[Pilger99]

What I'd love to know: Is the way marked or just a GPS track? Even the website has no obvious info about that.

What do they mean with "official camino"?
As far as I know SAMI does not support the markings or installations along the many caminos at least not with money or personell. So what is it for?
If someone starts the journey at his/her home, it's valid for the Compostela as long as the distance to Santiago is not too short. For that it doesn't matter if you walk the motorway, small roads, hiking trails or a marked camino.

Braga is far enough for any allowed mean (feet, bicycle,horse, camel, mule, elephant , ...).
(Lisbon) - Porto - Braga is another connecting option.

 

[Kathar1na]

What do they mean with "official camino"?

Here’s an article: https://www.farodevigo.es/portada-ourense/2019/06/06/iglesia-reconoce-jacobeo-camino-da/2118842.html

It seems that the Santiago Cathedral and its Pilgrimage Department maintain a list of official pilgrimage ways to Santiago for which they award the Compostela. I personally find it a) hard to believe and b) ridiculous but a member of this forum reported some time ago that he was denied a Compostela because he hadn’t walked an “official” way in Galicia. I thought it was just a mistake of an over-zealous volunteer but maybe it is policy? OTOH, it may mean nothing more than it’s a camino with a name in contrast to nameless caminos to Santiago (all at least 100 km long) that are Compostela worthy.

In practical terms it means that it can be marketed as a Jacobean Camino and it will have or get the usual trimmings such as markers, albergues de peregrino, guidebooks and a subforum.

 

[Isca-camigo]

The last 150-160 km had arrows painted in 2009, that burst of effort was not followed up over the following years until the last 2 or 3 when stretches have been waymarked again from Braga onwards. I watched a recent video and the arrows seemed fresh from the images I was watching. I have no doubt even if it had not got official recognition it would still have been completely waymarked in the next year or two, what the official recognition does is probably ensure that happens sooner. I think it's too close to 2021 for Xunta to try and allocate funds to it, but in the years after they might.