Ourense to SDC

[Catherine O'Connor]

Hi researching this route May 2023. Considering OURENSE as start point as easy to get train from SDC. Would appreciate an itinerary 5/6 days walking, 17/20km per day. Also recommendations for accomodations/must see places and if anyone used luggage transfers

 

[Kanga]

Ourense is on the Sanabrés route and is a major starting point for those wanting to walk the last 100km into SDC to get a Compostela, a very nice alternative to the route from Sarria. It is lovely with a cathedral (internal paintwork restoration I understand is very good, although I have not seen it) and the original Roman spa in the centre of town - next to a modern spa open to the public. It may currently be closed for renovations but there are many hot spas, accessible from the free little tourist train that trundles around town.

I loved the Sanabrés and it has the nicest route into Santiago of all those I have walked.

To plan your days and kilometres, this website is very useful. Put in your starting point (Ourense) and go from there.

Lots of information, blogs and photos in this section of the forum. I stayed mainly in albergues - some new very good ones (it was in 2018). Can't help with information about baggage carriers, although there were plenty of taxi advertisements so I assume it would not be a problem.

 

[MickMac]

Very frequent trains to Santiago easy commute. Did it in May.

 

[jungleboy]

Hi researching this route May 2023. Considering OURENSE as start point as easy to get train from SDC. Would appreciate an itinerary 5/6 days walking, 17/20km per day. Also recommendations for accomodations/must see places and if anyone used luggage transfers

This is what we did a couple of months ago:

Ourense - Cea: ~21km
Cea - Oseira: ~8.5km
Oseira - Botos: ~23km
Botos - Silleda: ~16km
Silleda - Outeiro: ~24km
Outeiro - Santiago: ~16km

Some recommendations:

- Cea is a nice town with a great albergue so it's the obvious overnight stop for the first day out of Ourense.
- Oseira is on an alternate route but worth doing. There is a new, modern albergue at the monastery (so you can ignore previous comments about the old albergue being cold, smelly etc). Attending vespers at the monastery and hearing the monks sing is a real highlight.
- The albergue at O Castro (Dozón) was closed and there was no other accommodation there; the Taberna de Vento in Botos is the best/closest option, and it can be full so calling ahead is recommended.
- In the last 50km, I recommend staying in more rural locations. Towns like Silleda and Bandeira have facilities but are not interesting. The albergue in Outeiro is in a very nice spot near vineyards and a small village, while Albergue Casa Leiras 1866 in Dornelas is charming and run by a lovely Italian woman. We stopped there for a drink and with hindsight we would have realigned our stages to stay there.

¡Buen camino!

 

[Flog]

- Oseira is on an alternate route but worth doing. There is a new, modern albergue at the monastery (so you can ignore previous comments about the old albergue being cold, smelly etc). Attending vespers at the monastery and hearing the monks sing is a real highlight.

Oseira is well worth the detour. I haven't stayed in the new albergue but understood it was in the same old building? You could do it in a single day if you have enough energy after the climb out of Ourense.

Albergue Casa Leiras 1866 in Dornelas is charming and run by a lovely Italian woman. We stopped there for a drink and with hindsight we would have realigned our stages to stay there.

This is a lovely place, I stayed when I came in by the invierno last year. Andrea and Cristina are great hosts, they offered me a beer first, before any formalities. Later, they showed me around. They're very proud of the place, their little oasis, and all the work they've done with it. There's nice attention to detail everywhere. There were only two of us pilgrims staying and Cristina cooked us a lovely dinner. I would certainly stay again..

 

[jungleboy]

Oseira is well worth the detour. I haven't stayed in the new albergue but understood it was in the same old building?

No, it's a purpose-built new building next to the monastery.

 

[peregrina2000]

I haven't stayed in the new albergue but understood it was in the same old building?

No, it's a purpose-built new building next to the monastery.

I thnk you are both right. The new part has opened, and they are still waiting on permissions for the part that is going in the old monastery. At least that’s how I interpret what I have read.

 

[Linda V]

I thnk you are both right. The new part has opened, and they are still waiting on permissions for the part that is going in the old monastery. At least that’s how I interpret what I have read.

Do you know If the recent bush fires have had an influence on the Camino Sanabres?

 

[rgutena]

Do you know If the recent bush fires have had an influence on the Camino Sanabres?

I did this part of the Sanabres just a couple of weeks ago when the heatwave was just beginning and there was no sign of fire or smoke at the time. But shortly after that, it was reported in Ourense local news that the region has been affected by the fires. Unfortunately my lack of Spanish prevented me from understanding exactly what happened; nor was I able to find any information online in English that provided details, and of course in most places of accommodation in this part of Spain there is no English speaking channel on TV. I don't know how else a non-Spanish speaker could find the latest information in this kind of situation, other than perhaps talking to the reception staff at the place where they are staying, or asking them to call the hospitalero at the place where they will be staying in the next town on the Camino, to request an update.

 

[jennysa]

Oseira is well worth the detour. I haven't stayed in the new albergue but understood it was in the same old building? You could do it in a single day if you have enough energy after the climb out of Ourense.



This is a lovely place, I stayed when I came in by the invierno last year. Andrea and Cristina are great hosts, they offered me a beer first, before any formalities. Later, they showed me around. They're very proud of the place, their little oasis, and all the work they've done with it. There's nice attention to detail everywhere. There were only two of us pilgrims staying and Cristina cooked us a lovely dinner. I would certainly stay ag

I am doing the Invierno in April next year and was thinking of getting a bus from Lalin down to Ourense. I would be interested to know if this is feasible - or how did you transfer to the Sanabres?

 

[Stivandrer]

I am doing the Invierno in April next year and was thinking of getting a bus from Lalin down to Ourense. I would be interested to know if this is feasible - or how did you transfer to the Sanabres?

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