Sarria to Santiago de Compostella

[Jim]

Hi, I'll be on the camino hopefully by July 19th. I'll be ending a tour of Madrid, Andalusia and Portugal, including Fatima. I'll be departing Lisbon by early morning train, which can take me as far as Porto or Braga. Are there any bus routes that would stop at either Lugo or Sarria from either of those cities or possibly Vigo? Plan to start my hike on morning of July 20th and be in Santiago by July 24th or 25th. Is this feasible?

 

[Barbara]

I don't know about the buses, I'm sure there is a way in that well populated area. Lugo is a fairly big town with a railway station.
As for the walking it in four days, Well, it is feasible but I think you will miss a lot of fun, going that fast. Also aiming for St James' day it will be busy at all the refuges.

 

[ivar]

Hi Jim and welcome to the forum!

First some places to look for bus schedules for your trip from Portugal to Galicia:

I have scanned several bus schedules that you can find on this page:
http://www.santiago-today.com/bus-sched ... ostela.cfm

..please remember that these schedules now are a bit old, but it will give you an idea of what routes are out there. I do not have all the routes scanned, for example I am pretty sure that there is a bus from Vigo to Lugo, and I don't have it listed.

... this leads me to link #2 and 3:

http://www.alsa.es (bus)

... one of the few (the only) bus company with a website. They present a lot of routes with time schedules, and you can even book online.

http://www.renfe.es (train)

We have had a related discussion on how to get from Santiago to Sarria (via Lugo) here that might be helpful:
viewtopic.php?t=111

I hope this helps and ... welcome to Santiago!

Ivar

 

[Jim]

HI Barbara,
Actually, I'm planning to use 5 to 6 days to cover the 100 km section. Thought that was do-able by most accounts. If refuges are busy, have no problem paying more and staying at a pension or inn or small hotel along the way. I will try to investigate that as well and book ahead if possible.
I know that it will be busy, but since I only have off in the summer (I am still teaching during most of the year), I figured I'd go for broke and be there during the celebration of St. James' Day. At least some of the crowd who would have done this, did it last year when St. James Day fell on Sunday.
Looked into the train station in Lugo and at least at this date, can't get any booking into it from anywhere, so I need to know it's connection points. The renfe site really is of lilttle help.

 

[Barbara]

Oh, sure, five or six days is no real problem. The Lugo refuge is very smart, and seems to have plenty of room. There are a lot of private pilgrim accomodations once you join the Camino Frances as well as hotels and so on. Do you already walk a fair bit? There isn't anywhere on that part of the Camino that is specially rough or steep, though it will be pretty hot weather at that time of year .
Try http://www.renfe.es/regionales/regionales_galicia.html for the train connections. This link gives you a map so you can see where to look for http://www.renfe.es/regionales/mapa_galicia.html
There are two trains a day from A Coruna, which is pretty easy to get to by a train (lots a day!) from Santiago so you could get a return air ticket to Santiago, train to Lugo and walk back.
Buon Camino!

 

[Peter Robins]

why are you wanting to get to Sarria? If you're in Portugal, ISTM the simplest would be to get off the train at Braga or Valenca/Tuy and walk from there along the Camino Portugues - a much more interesting route than that from Sarria. From the border at Tuy is just over 100km to Santiago.

 

[Jim]

Camino Portuguese

Peter,
I actually thought of that, but was scared off by the comments that the route is underdeveloped, so I thought there would be problems finding accommodations or reststops. Also, that it might even be problematic getting one's card stamped along the way.
I'll also be alone and thought it would be safer to be on a route that it more traveled. I am using Lonely Planet's Guide "Walking in Spain." I just ordered some additional handbooks from Confraternity of St. James.
I'm used to walking (even in Paris and Rome, I've traversed the entire city on foot without any problems).

Barbara and Ivar- thanks from your additional comments on this

 

[Peter Robins]

There are far more towns and therefore far more (hotel) accommodation on the Portugues than the Frances. There are now 8 pilgrim hostels too http://www.amigosdelcamino.com/web/cami ... mino&cod=2
and getting stamps shouldn't be a problem.

If you walk end July, you might even see some other pilgrims too

The CSJ are publishing a new edition of their guide some time soon, but I don't know when exactly this will be available.

 

[ivar]

Hi again Jim,

Our member Pilgrim walked from Porto in April 2005, you can read about his experience, day-by-day, here:
viewtopic.php?t=148

...I have heard that it is a bit less traveled than el camino frances, but with some planning (regarding where to sleep) I think you should be fine. In regards to safety I have not heard of any problems...

... does any el camino Portuguese veterans have any advice?

 

[Covey]

I did the Sarria to Santiago section in early October 2005 and it is easily done in 5 days, although my son and I did it in 4 days.

The first 3 days were fine but the last day from Arzua to Santiago was a bit of a slog, but as we had a room in a 5 star hotel awaiting, it was worth it!!

The last section around the airport and on into Santiago was miserable walking. Very hot, nowhere to pick up water on the route and Santiago seemed like a mirage, every time you went over the top of a hill, the city seemed to move further away!!.

Anyway, after a number of ice cold G&T's one forgot the miles and enjoyed finishing. My son had done the whole 800km's and was feeling very pleased with himself, and even I at the age of 56 was pleased that my old army yomping capability had not entirley been lost.

Have fun!!

Covey
Winchester - UK

 

[Pilgrim]

Camino Portuguese

Jim, as ever it is fascinating to read of others plans for a Camino. On a cold, grey, winter's day, here in England, it brings to mind warm balmy days 'on the road' in Spain. The Camino Portuguese is splendid. Yes it is less used but I, and the German pilgrim I walked with, always found beds for the night be it pilgrim hostels - in the one, a days walk from Santiago, we were the only two occupants - or single occupancy rooms (approx 33 euros) in hotels. The lovely Spanish people were, as ever, helpful and respectful of the pilgrim. I speak very little Spanish but people were unfailingly kind. 'Stamps' for our credencials - from the hotels, bars etc. - were no problem. Evening meals were always findable if dearer than on the 'Frances' All in all a route not to be missed, though of course the same applies to the intense pilgrim 'feeling' to be gained on the 'Frances'. Whether that feeling is as intense when one joins the 'Frances' late along with hoards of local pilgrims only doing the 'minimum' distance, I do not know. It is, I suppose, a matter of time, you can get in more walking if you spend less time travelling to a starting point on th Camino Frances. Whatever, both routes are well worth doing whichever you choose this time. I wish you luck and very small blisters! PILGRIM

 

[Jim]

Camino walk in July

Wow! Thanks for all of that information. That was way more info than I had ever hoped for. I can see that I have nice options but haven't finalized which one I'll do yet.

Ivar-- if you are in SDC around the feast of St. James, I'd like to stop by to shake your hand.
Covey-- I know just what you mean. I am also former Army, American, that is. I served 3 years active duty and 20 more in the reserves.
Pilgrim-- your stories are incredible. I promise to take the torch and post after I return (or as I go along if I can get my spouse to do some write-up's for me as I go along). I am looking into a mobile phone suitable for European use as I write this and will be calling her. She'll be returning to the US from Lisbon before I start the pilgrimage (can't make the hike due to past knee injury).
Again, thanks everyone for valuable input.