The alternative route joining C/Frances at St Irene

[notion900]

If you want to avoid the busyness of Arzua, and join the Camino Frances as late as possible, there is an alternative route from Boimorto which joins the Frances just before St Irene.

It starts at the far end of Boimorto village, and the locals have kindly made home made signs. The albergue in Boimorto also gives out photocopied maps. It's very easy, flat, all on tarmac, and very quiet, although the occasional car can come quite fast so keep alert. You need to take food and water for the whole day, there is one bar but it was closed when I passed. It's about 25 km from Boimorto to Pedrouzo, but add another 1 or 2km as the albergue in Boimorto is well before the village centre and Boimorto is a long village.

Route description is very simple: leaving Boimorto, bear right at the health centre (instead of left for the normal route via Arzua). A laminated sign shows the junction. Go straight for a really long way! Football Stadium on your right, ages later a chapel on your left. Keep going straight straight straight. After about 10km look out for an absolutely distinctive white cylindrical concrete pigeon tower with a pointy roof in a garden on your right. When you see it, turn next left (homemade sign to 'Sta IRENE' and a red arrow) and then 200m later turn right (official signpost Parroquia de Oines with a shell sticker on it). Keep straight again for ages and ages. Cross the ugly workings of a new motorway (when road complete will have to detour a little to the right onto a new bridge for this, but it should be obvious). Keep going straight. Cross a slightly busy road with houses (O Xen I think), dive into a gap in the hedge opposite and surprise pilgrims on the Camino Frances!

I append photos of the key landmarks and signs:

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

If you want to avoid the busyness of Arzua, and join the Camino Frances as late as possible, there is an alternative route from Boimorto which joins the Frances just before St Irene.

It starts at the far end of Boimorto village, and the locals have kindly made home made signs. The albergue in Boimorto also gives out photocopied maps. It's very easy, flat, all on tarmac, and very quiet. You need to take food and water for the whole day, there is one bar but was closed when I passed. It's about 25 km from Boimorto to Pedrouzo, but add another 1 or 2km as the albergue in Boimorto is well before the village centre and Boimorto is a long village.

Route description is very simple: leaving Boimorto, bear right at the health centre (instead of left for the normal route via Arzua). Go straight for a really long way! Football Stadium on your right, ages later a chapel on your left. Keep going straight straight straight. After about 10km look out for an absolutely distinctive white cylindrical concrete pigeon tower with a pointy roof in a garden on your right. When you see it, turn next left (homemade sign to 'Sta IRENE' and a red arrow) and then 200m later turn right (official signpost Parroquia de Oines with a shell sticker on it). Keep straight again for ages and ages. Cross the ugly workings of a new motorway (when road complete will have to detour a little to the right onto a new bridge for this, but it should be obvious). Keep going straight. Cross a slightly busy road with houses (O Xen I think), dive into a gap in the hedge opposite and surprise pilgrims on the Camino Frances!

I append photos of the key landmarks and signs.
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I missed that one with the shell sticker. Found an yellow arrow later pointing in to a small village and then I follow that road and then I did something really stupid instead of keeping straight. I used google maps to find the way as I hadn't seen any arrows for a long time and there was a lovely footpath in the right direction. But it ended up IN the construction of the new road and I had to do a detour. So instead of doing 6 km shorter day than going through Arzúa I ended up with the same distance. But I had a nice walk and I think both me and the Francés pilgrims were surprised when I came out just before the restaurant O'Ceadoiro then I passed over 100 pilgrims on my way to Pedrouzo. My god it is busy right now.

 

[notion900]

It is a fun feeling popping out of the bushes into so many people.

I added the photos because I could see that the signage isn't obvious. There are almost no yellow arrows apart from a few in the Oines area, which weirdly, are unnecessary.

The key navigation help is the unusual pigeon tower.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

It is a fun feeling popping out of the bushes into so many people.

I added the photos because I could see that the signage isn't obvious. There are almost no yellow arrows apart from a few in the Oines area, which weirdly, are unnecessary.

The key navigation help is the unusual pigeon tower.

The arrow that I saw was on a sign on the big road you walk on, it looked really bleached and was probably old. The guide I have say just stick to the road. But i don't like larger roads so I took a chance when I saw the arrow.