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Sarria to Santiago in early Sep

ashcan

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
French route from Sarria (2013)
Wife and I did the walk Sarria to Santiago from 29 Aug to 7 Sep, taking it slow as we are on the other side of 60 and did not want to go beyond 15 km a day. Dreaming of going from Santiago to Fisterre next year. Regards from Singapore
 
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Wife and I did the walk Sarria to Santiago from 29 Aug to 7 Sep, taking it slow as we are on the other side of 60 and did not want to go beyond 15 km a day. Dreaming of going from Santiago to Fisterre next year. Regards from Singapore

Congrats on your trip and the wisdom to listen to your own bodies in determining your pace. Good luck with your next dream!
 
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Congrats ashcan, well done. My wife and I did the same about two weeks later and it was beautiful.

wayfarer and toazenqi

Thanks for the kind words.
We took all of 10 days on the route, and to some this may have been more a waste of time. But we gave ourselves time to literally smell the roses, and enjoyed fresh fruits - strawberries, raspberries, figs - along the way; checked out the wild grapes and hops plants en route - there's a hop plant at the start of the bridge leading up to Portomarin; savored the great food and wines of Galicia; made time to attend mass at 8 pm - they were said in Spanish, Italian, Latin ; and punctually set off at 8 am every morning, taking breaks along the way. Afternoons were spent relaxing, and recounting the days' walk. As we had planned to reach Santiago in time for the pilgrim mass at 12 noon, we spent the night at Xan Xordo, a little way outside of Lavacolla, so that our last leg into Santiago was just 9 km. Worked perfectly.
If there was one drawback on doing the "slow" camino - everybody else was doing the "fast" camino, aiming to reach Santiago in the shortest possible time. There was no time to get to know anybody well enough.
Oh well, to each his/her own.
 
Wife and I did the walk Sarria to Santiago from 29 Aug to 7 Sep, taking it slow as we are on the other side of 60 and did not want to go beyond 15 km a day. Dreaming of going from Santiago to Fisterre next year. Regards from Singapore

Congratulations on reaching santiago. You are wise to take your time in your camino. Hope you come back every year to enjoy more of the other camino routes.

God bless.
 
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We are from Hong Kong (3 ladies & 1 man) under 40 years old, and would like to plan next year (July/Aug 2014) to walk from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela . Here is our plan, can you give me some comments:-

Day 1: Take train from Madrid - Santiago de Compostela
Day 2: Santiago ---Sarria
Day 3: Sarria to Portomarin
Day 4: Portomarín to Palas de Rei 2
Day 5: Palas de Rei to Arzúa 28km
Day 6: Arzua to O Pedrouzo
Day 7: O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela (To attend Mass @ 12PM)
Day 8 Santiago de Compostela fly to Rome
 
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We are from Hong Kong (3 ladies & 1 man) under 40 years old, and would like to plan next year (July/Aug 2014) to walk from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela . Here is our plan, can you give me some comments:-

Day 1: Take train from Madrid - Santiago de Compostela
Day 2: Santiago ---Sarria
Day 3: Sarria to Portomarin
Day 4: Portomarín to Palas de Rei 2
Day 5: Palas de Rei to Arzúa 28km
Day 6: Arzua to O Pedrouzo
Day 7: O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela (To attend Mass @ 12PM)
Day 8 Santiago de Compostela fly to Rome

Hi
Thanks for the query.
Personally, I would not go in July/August as I have been told that the route gets very crowded as the US and Europe are on holiday, and accommodation is not easy to come by. We went on the last week of Aug and the first week of Sep, when most people are back at work/school/university. The mornings were not that cold - you do need a fleece jacket if you start of early - and the afternoons not that hot.
We took the bus from Terminal 4 at Madrid Airport to Lugo (whole day trip!), and then got the Monbus to Sarria.(3.65 Euros) instead of taking the train as you have planned. After SdeC we took a bus back to Madrid, where we continued on a holiday trip across Andalucia.
The distances between your stops are about 20 to 30 km each day. We decided early on that we would take our time and do a max of 15 km each day. If you are comfortable with those distances, your plan looks great. Your last leg from O Pedrouzo to SdeC is about 21 km, and reaching SdeC by 12 noon might be a push, unless you start very early. Otherwise, your plan looks good.

Buen Camino.

ps: I have not given up the idea of doing SdeC to Fisterre sometime in Sep next year.
 
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Hi Ivar,
Thank you for your professional advice. However, as we have limited annual leave from our work places to complete our 100km in Camino. My questions are:-
1. We cannot afford taking overnight bus from Madrid airport to Lugo and take bus to Sarria right as suggested, after taking 19 hours from Hong Kong to Madrid. What would you suggest ?
2. I know that the distances between stops are about 20 to 30 km each day. What would you suggest if I split one of the days into two so as not to get hurt from the trek.

3. All people would like to attend the 12pm Piligrim’s Mass at Santiago Cathedral after Camino as we are. What would you suggest if I change the routes (Day 5 to Day 7)
Buen Camino.
 
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Hi
Notes I took during the walk indicate that the stretch Palais de Rei-Melide-Arzua was the toughest, all 30 km is up slope. If I were to do it again, this would be the way I'd do it
Day 1 ] Getting to Sarria - Train or bus - personal decision
Day 2 ]
Day 3 Sarria to Portomarin..................... 22 km
Day 4 Portomarin to Palais de Rei ..........25 km
Day 5 Palais de Rei to Melide ..................15 km (Allows you to take a break mid camino)
Day 6 Melide to Salceda ...........................25 km
Day 7 Salceda to Lavacolla ......................20 km
Day 8 Lavacolla to Santiago.....................10 km (Reaching SdeC in good time for the Pilgrim mass)

This will cost you an extra day from your plan, but I think it is worth the day.
As for travel by bus or train, the train is a better bet, but you have to go to Santaigo first and then onto Sarria.

And one other thing, I'm not Ivar.
 
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Day 5 Palais de Rei to Melide ..................15 km
There is a new albergue in Boente after Melide, so I would suggest having a platter of pulpo in Melide and moving on another 5 km or so.

Your original plan is quite possible if you are in good shape, but a bit ambitious if you are not. You can make it easier by using a backpack transportation service so that you are burdened only by your water bottle.

It will be very busy in the last 100km that your have planned in July and August. You might want to stay in hostales and pensions, where you can make reservations.

Buen camino.
 
littlelady angel - falcon269 has some great suggestions for your trip

- Agree that you should go that extra 5 km beyond Melide, after the pulpo (octopus) that is.....evens out the distances too.
- Luggage forwarding was also part of our plan as we each had 20 kg baggage for the holiday after the camino.
- Totally agree about July/August crowds - I think that in July, prices for accommodation goes up a bit.

Buen camino
 
There is a new albergue in Boente after Melide...

We stayed in the new alburgue in Boente and can report that the facilities are quite nice and very clean. I would advise; however, if you stay there try to get a bed in one of the back rooms. The front room is open at the head of the stairs, and if someone leaves the door open at the foot of the stairs it can be a bit noisy. Also, the front room opens directly onto the street (actually a minor highway), the traffic noise can get pretty loud.

I can also recommend the Albergue Pousada de Salceda in Salceda. It is 300 meters or so off the camino, but is a very nice, very small albergue that's part of a hotel. Since it is small, you definitely should reserve ahead if you think you'll stay there, although you could stay in the hotel if no beds are available in the albergue. From Salceda it's 17.5 or 18 km to Lavacolla, then another 10.5 into Santiago, which you can either split into two days, or, if you're short of time, you could make it Santiago in one day. Staying in or around Lavacolla for the last night should get you to Santiago in plenty of time for the 12:00 Pilgrims' Mass.

Buen Camino,
Jim
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Thank you falcon269, ashcan and Jim for your professional advices.
I have revised my plan as advised, kindly give me some comments:-

Day1] Hong Kong (HKG) - Madrid (MAD) (go to Madrid Chamartin to reserve train ticket)
Day 2] Madrid(train 5.5hrs)--Santiago---(2hrs bus)Lugo-–(bus 35mins) Sarria (do you think I can make it on one day?)
Day 3] Sarria---Portomarin (where can I get the Pilgrim’s Passport (Credencial) in Sarria?)
Day 4] Portomarín --- Palas de Rei
Day 5] Palais de Rei—Melide(15 km) + (5 km)--Boente
Day 6] Boente---Salceda
Day 7] Salceda---Lavacolla
Day 8] Lavacolla---Santiago de Compostela
.(to attend the Pilgrim Mass @ 12PM)
Day 9]Santiago de Compostela ---fly to Rome(what budget airlines will you suggest?)
Buen camino.
 
If you are booking ahead, these places take reservations. Private rooms are available at some of them. There are no albergues in Lavacolla that I am aware of.

Sarria: http://www.albergueinternacionalsarria.es/index_ing.htm
Portomarin: http://www.albergueportosantiago.com/
Palas de Rei: a new place: http://alberguesanmarcos.es/
Boente: http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/albergue-boente
Salceda (the albergue fills quickly, so get a reservation. There are private rooms.): http://www.pousadadesalceda.com/
Lavacolla: a bit off the Camino, but nice: http://www.garcashotel.com/
Lavacolla: on the Camino: http://www.casadeamancio.com/servicios.htm
 
Your route is looking good. Not sure about the train to SdeC, but the bus from Lugo to Sarria is a tricky one. Only a few buses a day. Our bus from Madrid to Lugo arrived about two minutes before the Sarria bus (Monbus) departed, and we literally threw our luggage into the hold of the bus and climbed aboard with a minute to spare before the doors closed. Very close call. Taxi from Lugo to Sarria is about 30 euros.

Check this forum for places to get a pilgrim passport. This link gives some places but not sure if they still do

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/sarria.10358/

Can vouch for the Pousada de Salceda - albergue for 10 Euros pp per night. The owner speaks a little English, and makes an excellent rice and squid dish that is served for dinner. A three course dinner cost us 9 Euros pp. This place is a little off the camino, across the main road, well sign posted though. In Sarria, go stay in what is called the "old part" of town. Real nice starting point for the camino to SdeC.

You still have some time before you leave - here's a tip - learn as much Spanish as you can. It will help.

Buen camino
 
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There is an overnight "train" directly from Madrid to Sarria, (my niece took it to meet me in Sarria in October). It arrives at 7 AM. Not sure of the cost.
 

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