Trail surface Sarria to Santiago

[Dusty]

My wife and I are headed to the Camino for the first time in November. We will be doing the section from Sarria to Santiago.We are in our early 70's. My question regards footwear and the trail surface on that section. I had hoped to wear a pair of comfortable work boots that are well broken in (Alden 405's). However they have smooth soles, thick but not thick like a hiking boot sole. Is the surface rocky/cobbles on that section or is it mostly smooth? Thanks

 

[wildb1]

I hiked that section, five years ago. The trail was good. I had 4 days of rain. You should not have issues with traction. Is that what you are asking? Comfortable is important. Waterproof was a plus for me. I know off topic a little but hiking poles were important for me, with balance. Bien Camino!

 

[Paul McAmino]

It varies. Trail surface is mostly soil, coming out of Sarria. There will be some hard surfaces, like concrete or blacktop in towns, but they mostly give way to woodland tracks. Monte de Gozo involves some road walking, most of the way to SdC. Having said all that there is really nothing much to worry about, except the descents into Portomarin depending on the weather, and which route you take (there is at least one complementary route to skirt the badly eroded downhill).

You should have no problems with your broken-in boots.
Buen Camino!
Regards,
Paul

 

[Dusty]

OK thanks, It sounds like I should be OK. My only issue is sharp rocks that I might feel through my smooth soled boots, and it does not seem like I will encounter them.

 

[peregrina2000]

My wife and I are headed to the Camino for the first time in November. We will be doing the section from Sarria to Santiago.We are in our early 70's. My question regards footwear and the trail surface on that section. I had hoped to wear a pair of comfortable work boots that are well broken in (Alden 405's). However they have smooth soles, thick but not thick like a hiking boot sole. Is the surface rocky/cobbles on that section or is it mostly smooth? Thanks

The trail surface between Sarria and Santiago is almost entirely either asphalt or crushed gravel. The Xunta (regional government) has been particularly aggressive in covering up natural surfaces, presumably because they are more difficult to maintain. I think most people have found that trail runners are perfect for those last five or six days, and hiking boots may be too much shoe with too little cushioning. I would suggest doing a little searching for some of @davebugg’s great posts on footwear. Here’s one and there are many more.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-boots-for-cf-october-2018.56516/#post-636659

 

[november_moon]

When we walked that section, we had quite a bit of rain (and mud). I was very glad to have hiking shoes with good traction.

 

[peregrina2000]

When we walked that section, we had quite a bit of rain (and mud). I was very glad to have hiking shoes with good traction.

I am not challenging what you say, but your experience was so different from the last time I was on the last 100 km from Sarria (which was in 2014). I had no rain, so of course there was no mud, but I thought I remembered that there was very little dirt. Maybe I am mis-remembering. Or maybe my memories of my more recent Primitivo and Norte have confused me. The Xunta definitely has removed virtually all the dirt paths on the Primitivo and Norte, and replaced them with gravel, and I would be delighted if that were not the case on the Francés.

 

[Davey Boyd]

I am not challenging what you say, but your experience was so different from the last time I was on the last 100 km from Sarria (which was in 2014). I had no rain, so of course there was no mud, but I thought I remembered that there was very little dirt. Maybe I am mis-remembering. Or maybe my memories of my more recent Primitivo and Norte have confused me. The Xunta definitely has removed virtually all the dirt paths on the Primitivo and Norte, and replaced them with gravel, and I would be delighted if that were not the case on the Francés.

Yes there are quite a lot of natural woodland paths still from Sarria, and they can get quite muddy and slippy after a lot of rain, but nothing much to worry about, especially if you are using poles. (I've seen what the Xunta are doing to the Primitivo though. Oh dear)!

Davey

 

[Paul McAmino]

When I walked that section last May, it had not been raining, but due to the trees the path never seemed to be completely dried out until the sunny section after Portomarin. It was still moist. Not muddy, to my good fortune, and not particularly slick. I found it to be very enjoyable walking.

 

[Kanga]

Not much crushed gravel that I can remember, but lots of stepped granite stone laneways, often running with water, and asphalt - and dirt paths through the eucalyptus forrest.

I think it is beautiful walking.

 

[peregrina2000]

Not much crushed gravel that I can remember, but lots of stepped granite stone laneways, often running with water, and asphalt - and dirt paths through the eucalyptus forrest.

I think it is beautiful walking.

Oh, you Australians and your eucalyptus trees . I am sure I’ve told you this, but I once walked to Finisterre with a Spanish university professor who studies mushrooms (I bet there is a term ending in -ologist to describe him, but I don’t know what it is). He could not resist breaking out in profanities every few minutes when he saw how the eucalyptus trees have killed all the mushrooms, or maybe it is more accurate to say that the eucalyptus trees have taken all the nutrients from the soil so that the mushrooms can no longer grow.

But I am glad to hear that there is not so much crushed gravel. It does make me wonder why the Xunta has felt compelled to resurface the Norte and Primitivo with hormigón but not the Francés.

 

[Kanga]

I was horrified at what has happened to the path between Sanibañez de Valdeiglesias and San Justo de la Vega. It used to be a beautiful meandering soft path through a wildflower garden - now it is a straight, wide, red gravel road. What desecration.

 

[Mark McCarthy]

There is no really rocky ground from Sarria to Santiago but in November I would highly recommend boots as it may well be quite muddy. I would also recommend buying a wooden staff in Sarria (about 5 euro) for the same reason, if you are not bringing walking poles.

 

[AlwynWellington]

There is no really rocky ground from Sarria to Santiago

It could be that @Mark McCarthy (and others above) have different understandings of "rocky ground".

I walk from Samos to Portomarin towards the end of October 2017.

On the stretch about where the 100 km begins (even if the labels have been souvenired) and for several kilometres further along the path was decidely rockly. The rocks were not loose but fully emedded and generally smooth. What made it difficult for me was too much slower groups I encountered that tended, unconsciously, to spread themselves across the path. My guess is they had started from Sarria earlier that morning and were still getting their 'wind'. The difficulty came in trying to pass them as each of them and I were navigating our way through this stretch and all of us being careful where we placed our feet.

So, @Dusty , kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going)

 

[Mark Barnes]

I walked last Sept-Oct and had rain on that section of the Camino. I recall climbs up muddy hills that would be slick and you want shoes/boots with traction.

 

[Alison C]

It varies. Trail surface is mostly soil, coming out of Sarria. There will be some hard surfaces, like concrete or blacktop in towns, but they mostly give way to woodland tracks. Monte de Gozo involves some road walking, most of the way to SdC. Having said all that there is really nothing much to worry about, except the descents into Portomarin depending on the weather, and which route you take (there is at least one complementary route to skirt the badly eroded downhill).

You should have no problems with your broken-in boots.
Buen Camino!
Regards,
Paul

Take the alternate route into Portomarin, the ‘traditional’ route is extremely badly eroded (Sept’ 18) & in my opinion should be closed as it would be like a water slide in the wet. It is a very small section traversing the top of the valley down to the river banks which are still way above the river floor. I was on my bottom most of the way through this chasm. Lots of up & downs to creeks/rivers but good walking surface from Sarria onwards.