Logroño to Burgos or Leon to O’Cebriero?

[TooManyRiceCakes]

Hello!

I have been studying abroad in Madrid for the past semester, and have been planning on hiking a stage of the camino after my program ends in about a week. (I have been planning hiking for a while, I just procreated over which rout to take)

Would you recommend Leon to O’Cebriero or Logroño to Burgos?

This will be my first time hiking on the camino, however I have been hiking and traveling a lot throughout my time here in Spain and would call myself a experienced adventurer. I have from the 11th-17 of this month to hike

Here I am pretty torn:

Leon to O’Cebriero is 90 miles while Logroño to Burgos is 70, and the 90 miles idea has me a little uneasy.

However I have been wanting to visit the Galcia region since last year and I want to fulfill that wish. I have seen so many gorgeous photos and just feel that seeing it for myself will be very rewarding.

However again, I am nervous about the milage. Would you say pushing myself to do the 90 miles would be worth it? Would Logroño to Burgos be just as good?

Thank you
Kate

(I understand I would have to travel to Santiago to receive the certificate, but by now it does not interest me. I would much rather complete a segment and be happy with that)

 

[Anamiri]

It will be a matter of preference. In both of these walks you have a leaving/entering a city component which is not as visually appealing for a chunk of that day. The main trail into Burgos is through the industrial area, and coming out of Leon takes a while as well. There is an alternative walk into Burgos. I found leaving Logrono quite pleasant, and there were squirrels playing.
Do you specifically have to select between these two areas?
If you are concerned about distance, you could start at Hospital d'Orbigo or Astorga rather than from Leon, (although leaving from Leon will get you used to walking before you hit the mountains). I presume you will lose a large part of the days at either end traveling to and from.

Both Burgos and Leon were wonderful cities, and also worth exploring for a bit. Don't miss the cathedral, whichever city you choose.

My preference would be Leon to O'Cebreiro, I loved the Galecian mountains, but I enjoyed all the whole walk really.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Once you get to O Cebreiro, you will need to take a taxi somewhere to find a return bus/train to wherever you want to go. The Logrono to Burgos sounds more practical; you can get to or from both of them easily.

 

[kelleymac]

Hiking from Leon to O'Cebreiro would be my pick. Well... hmm. I would go to Leon and spend a morning/day there, then take a bus or train to Astorga and walk from there. That way I think you could probably get into Galicia -- maybe to Sarria-- over 6 days, that would mean about 16 mile/day-- which is more than I think you wanted, but doable. If you didn't get to Sarria, you could always call a taxi to take you to Sarria, where you can pick up the night train (Tren Hotel) back to Madrid.

 

[Deleted member 80312]

Hello!

I have been studying abroad in Madrid for the past semester, and have been planning on hiking a stage of the camino after my program ends in about a week. (I have been planning hiking for a while, I just procreated over which rout to take)

Would you recommend Leon to O’Cebriero or Logroño to Burgos?

This will be my first time hiking on the camino, however I have been hiking and traveling a lot throughout my time here in Spain and would call myself a experienced adventurer. I have from the 11th-17 of this month to hike

Here I am pretty torn:

Leon to O’Cebriero is 90 miles while Logroño to Burgos is 70, and the 90 miles idea has me a little uneasy.

However I have been wanting to visit the Galcia region since last year and I want to fulfill that wish. I have seen so many gorgeous photos and just feel that seeing it for myself will be very rewarding.

However again, I am nervous about the milage. Would you say pushing myself to do the 90 miles would be worth it? Would Logroño to Burgos be just as good?

Thank you
Kate

(I understand I would have to travel to Santiago to receive the certificate, but by now it does not interest me. I would much rather complete a segment and be happy with that)

Hello Kate.
Although both Logroño and Burgos are beautiful and interesting cities, particularly Burgos with its Cathedral, El Cid mementos and anthropological museum, the road between them in nothing to write home about.
On the other hand walking from Leon to O'Cebreiro you encounter Galicia with all its natural glory and human variety. O'Cebrero is a veritable wonder, a capsule in time, shrouded in its mist and non-stop rain. It is also where the yellow arrow way marking system has originated, by the parish priest Don Valiña Sampedro (1929-1989). The trouble is that it can be a hellishly difficult climb, particularly the section from Ponferrada to O'Cebreiro. At least that's what it was to me. I suggest that you dedicate an entire day to the walk between Herrerias and O'Cebreiro. It is extremely steep, often slippery due to the rain - but it is well worth it! You will never forget it.

 

[Ungawawa]

I'm going to say Logrono to Burgos, though it's close. They're not really comparable in distance though. If you want to equal them out you might want to skip day one out of Leon by bus, or begin closer to Pamplona than Logrono.

I've found the earlier stages of the Camino to have a better atmosphere as everyone is new, optimistic and open. By the time they get to Leon most have settled into small groups and the wide-eyed optimism has been replaced with blisters ;-)

Add into the mix the fact that the first day out of Leon is the most unpleasant hike of the whole camino, and I know what I'd prefer out of those two. Though you could negate that by using the bus on day one.

The others do make a good point though, that on the whole the villages you pass through are prettier on the road to Cebreiro. I guess it all comes down to what you want out of it.

I might suggest prefering the stretch Pamplona to Logrono over entering Burgos as I found the scenery prettier and it's even earlier on in the route . You might even consider doing Burgos to Sahagun for the real heart of the Meseta experience. Some of my favourite experiences happened on that stretch, and the isolation of the Meseta is rewarding in unexpected ways.

I suspect whatever route you go for you'll have an amazing time!

 

[trecile]

Personally, I would start in Astorga, and continue on to the charming village of Samos, where you can stay in the wonderful Casa Licerio. If Samos is too far, you can stop in Triacastela.

 

[TooManyRiceCakes]

Thanks everyone! You all really helped me out with this decision! I just bought my bus tickets to travel to León on the 11th and come back from Piedrafita do Cebreiro on the 17th. Since I still am concerned about the 90 miles bit, I plan on taking a bus from León to Hospital d’Orbigo and then starting my hike from there!


Now I that I have committed, time to plan the fun stuff! Thanks again

 

[Ungawawa]

Thanks everyone! You all really helped me out with this decision! I just bought my bus tickets to travel to León on the 11th and come back from Piedrafita do Cebreiro on the 17th. Since I still am concerned about the 90 miles bit, I plan on taking a bus from León to Hospital d’Orbigo and then starting my hike from there!


Now I that I have committed, time to plan the fun stuff! Thanks again

Get off the bus a couple of stops early so you can walk into Hospital over the amazing bridge

 

[trecile]

Thanks everyone! You all really helped me out with this decision! I just bought my bus tickets to travel to León on the 11th and come back from Piedrafita do Cebreiro on the 17th. Since I still am concerned about the 90 miles bit, I plan on taking a bus from León to Hospital d’Orbigo and then starting my hike from there!


Now I that I have committed, time to plan the fun stuff! Thanks again

How many walking days will you have? If you have 6 days, that's 15 miles a day, which is what I averaged on the Camino, and I'm several decades older than you.

 

[kelleymac]

Taking the night train from Sarria (or another stop) might give you another day walking.

 

[joanjf]

Ocebeiro is a must it is a lovey place. I visited it to see the place my Brother walked on his Camino.
The scenery is amazing.
Keep happy

 

[Deleted member 80312]

Thanks everyone! You all really helped me out with this decision! I just bought my bus tickets to travel to León on the 11th and come back from Piedrafita do Cebreiro on the 17th. Since I still am concerned about the 90 miles bit, I plan on taking a bus from León to Hospital d’Orbigo and then starting my hike from there!


Now I that I have committed, time to plan the fun stuff! Thanks again

Hello Kate.
This is the true spirit of the Camino! Good for you! You did not choose the easier and more boring trail from Logrono to Burgos, but the much more challenging - and more rewarding one. Your brave decision has just given the proper answer to the guy who asked "why are so many people paying a fortune to follow one of the many routes to Santiago" - the Camino gives people the opportunity to confront themselves and prove their mental and physical capabilities, not to others, but to themselves. Going on an organized trip also costs a lot of money - but it has no added value beside enjoying the sights. Walking the Camino does!
Please let us know how it went, once you have finished it.
Regards,
Yoram Cohen

 

[TooManyRiceCakes]

Thanks again!

 

[TooManyRiceCakes]

Hello Kate.
This is the true spirit of the Camino! Good for you! You did not choose the easier and more boring trail from Logrono to Burgos, but the much more challenging - and more rewarding one. Your brave decision has just given the proper answer to the guy who asked "why are so many people paying a fortune to follow one of the many routes to Santiago" - the Camino gives people the opportunity to confront themselves and prove their mental and physical capabilities, not to others, but to themselves. Going on an organized trip also costs a lot of money - but it has no added value beside enjoying the sights. Walking the Camino does!
Please let us know how it went, once you have finished it.
Regards,
Yoram Cohen

Thank you! That helps give me confidence
I really am so excited!