Miraz to Sobrado

[Jenny Fortune]

We are trying to find out what the walking is like between Miraz and Sobrado - is it mainly roads or footpaths?
thanks, Jenny

 

[andycohn]

It's a pretty tranquil stretch, a lot through the woods. There's a gradual climb spread out over about 15 k to the high point on the Norte but you probably won't even notice it. Generally a mixture of dirt paths and rural lanes. Some real road walking on the latter part, but not horribly busy. Overall one of the more serene stretches on the Norte with no major towns to interrupt the tranquility. Monastery at Sobrado is special.

 

[ksam]

The fact that I'm not instantly thinking of roads has gotta mean andycohn has hit it pretty much spot on!! ;-) And the Monastery really is special. Special enough that I'm giving serious thought to connecting the Primitivo via the "green" camino just so I can visit there again! It was that lovely and memorable a place. Make sure you go up for when the monks do ? is it Compline? Beautiful!! It's like being sung a lullaby! Buen Camino!!

 

[peregrina2000]

Right after Miraz is a kind of lonely rocky place with a lot of brush. I remember this well, because I was nervous that day. Early in the morning I had been with a woman who allegedly had been threatened at gunpoint near Baamonde, and I was involved in police reports, etc etc. I was determined to walk on alone and unafraid! But I do particularly remember this stretch, looking around nervously a lot, but the terrain was fine.

There is, if memory serves though, a lot of road walking after that. Mainly all road walking, I think. And I definitely remember the one off-road stretch we came to after the bar in the town before Sobrado (named Mesón, I think). Unfortunately there was a large plaque saying that the Xunta was going to improve it, and what that means is that they transform lovely dirt paths into wide crushed gravel eyesores. So even that little bit of off-road may be gone. But I wouldn’t worry because the roads are very untraveled and safe.

 

[andycohn]

After I wrote my initial response, I checked back to make sure I was right about the amount of road walking involved. The first 15 kilometers is on dirt paths or very tranquil rural lanes. About 9-10 kilometers before Sobrado, you will hit the AS-924. This is a real road, and it will come as something of a shock after having walked the long rural stretch. Fortunately, even though it is a real road, it is not heavily traveled. Roughly half of the remaining distance to Sobrado will be on this road. Overall, it’s still a lovely day.

And later on, after Sobrado, if you want to put off the link-up with the Frances, I would strongly recommend the new Camino route, which splits off to the right after Boimorto. The junction is now very well-marked. Very, very quiet, and it’s also 8-10 kilometers shorter than if you went via Arzua. The only thing is, I would not follow the new route all the way to Lavacolla because the last 1/3 of it (or more) is along the very busy N-634. Better to cut off the new route and hit the Frances near Brea. Here's precise directions from a post of several years ago. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...o-frances-later-off-the-camino-del-norte.509/. If you miss the cut-off to Brea, there is a further one another 7 kilometers on, which hits the Frances outside of O Pedrouzo. This cut-off is obvious.

 

[LTfit]

After I wrote my initial response, I checked back to make sure I was right about the amount of road walking involved. The first 15 kilometers is on dirt paths or very tranquil rural lanes. About 9-10 kilometers before Sobrado, you will hit the AS-924. This is a real road, and it will come as something of a shock after having walked the long rural stretch. Fortunately, even though it is a real road, it is not heavily traveled. Roughly half of the remaining distance to Sobrado will be on this road. Overall, it’s still a lovely day.

And later on, after Sobrado, if you want to put off the link-up with the Frances, I would strongly recommend the new Camino route, which splits off to the right after Boimorto. The junction is now very well-marked. Very, very quiet, and it’s also 8-10 kilometers shorter than if you went via Arzua. The only thing is, I would not follow the new route all the way to Lavacolla because the last 1/3 of it (or more) is along the very busy N-634. Better to cut off the new route and hit the Frances near Brea. Here's precise directions from a post of several years ago. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...o-frances-later-off-the-camino-del-norte.509/. If you miss the cut-off to Brea, there is a further one another 7 kilometers on, which hits the Frances outside of O Pedrouzo. This cut-off is obvious.

That sounds like a nice alternative as I remember Sobrado to Arzúa and asphalt, asphalt and more asphalt!

 

[andycohn]

That sounds like a nice alternative as I remember Sobrado to Arzúa and asphalt, asphalt and more asphalt!

Unfortunately, the new route is almost entirely on asphalt, too. However, it is much less crowded than going via Aruza. We missed the cut-off to Brea, and continued until the cut-off to O Pedrouzo, and didn’t see a walker the entire day — until we were greeted by a sea of people at the junction with the Frances. Also, the countryside is more rural than the stretch west of Arzua on the Frances.

 

[Maggie Y]

All these posts are really helpful. We are doing this stretch in September and I may be walking this part alone. I am looking forward to seeing the Monastery at Sobrado and relieved the roads are quiet. It is a very good tip not to go via Arzua but to cut off to Brea. I will look out for that.

 

[Colette Z]

Right after Miraz is a kind of lonely rocky place with a lot of brush. I remember this well, because I was nervous that day. Early in the morning I had been with a woman who allegedly had been threatened at gunpoint near Baamonde, and I was involved in police reports, etc etc. I was determined to walk on alone and unafraid! But I do particularly remember this stretch, looking around nervously a lot, but the terrain was fine.

There is, if memory serves though, a lot of road walking after that. Mainly all road walking, I think. And I definitely remember the one off-road stretch we came to after the bar in the town before Sobrado (named Mesón, I think). Unfortunately there was a large plaque saying that the Xunta was going to improve it, and what that means is that they transform lovely dirt paths into wide crushed gravel eyesores. So even that little bit of off-road may be gone. But I wouldn’t worry because the roads are very untraveled and safe.

I walked El Norte completely alone after Bilbao. I remember that weird area with just rocks and scrub brush, felt a bit eerie like being in the moon, I too had to talk myself into a calmer place.....I sang to myself. I also passed Baamonde (that long highway stretch) alone, never heard about any danger.

 

[Jenny Fortune]

Thank you everone, this is really helpful information, and has helped us to make our minds up about what to do!