Invierno vs. Sanabres

[intrepidtraveler]

I would like to hear from anyone who has walked both of these routes. Did you prefer one over the other? If so, why? Or is comparing them the proverbial apples vs. oranges situation. Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[peregrino_tom]

I quite liked the Invierno. It was OK. But I saw no other pilgrims at all in 2015 (apart from 2 cyclists) and very few other people. But of those I did meet, many were refreshingly surprised by the idea of someone actually walking to Santiago. It was July, very hot and I got a bit ill, so maybe that clouds my assessment.
Sanabres in 2010 blew my mind, with those wide open spaces, Tabaran Beatus (no longer on display?), becoming Sanabrian chestnut woods, becoming wild Galician mountains - but I wonder if I would have felt the same powerful emotions if I'd started in Granja rather than enduring the character-building slog up from Seville?

 

[Kiwi-family]

I have yet to walk the Invierno and need to go back and do the Sanabres in "not rain" (I'm sure there were stunning views beyond the mist!) - so I'm of no help whatsoever, but I'm sure neither are bad options!

 

[MikeJS]

I have walked both and they are very different. Lots of steep ups and downs on the invierno, saw no other pilgrims and options for accommodation and food are limited.

 

[intrepidtraveler]

I quite liked the Invierno. It was OK. But I saw no other pilgrims at all in 2015 (apart from 2 cyclists) and very few other people. But of those I did meet, many were refreshingly surprised by the idea of someone actually walking to Santiago. It was July, very hot and I got a bit ill, so maybe that clouds my assessment.
Sanabres in 2010 blew my mind, with those wide open spaces, Tabaran Beatus (no longer on display?), becoming Sanabrian chestnut woods, becoming wild Galician mountains - but I wonder if I would have felt the same powerful emotions if I'd started in Granja rather than enduring the character-building slog up from Seville?

Wow! This doesn't sound like a rave review of the VDLP. What do you think made it feel like a slog vs. something enjoyable?

 

[peregrino_tom]

Wow! This doesn't sound like a rave review of the VDLP. What do you think made it feel like a slog vs. something enjoyable?

Something that is hard work and challenging can still be worthwhile. The difficulties of the first part added, eventually, to the value of the overall experience.

 

[MikeJS]

Cannot say that ‘enduring the character-building slog up from Seville?’ is my memory of the VDLP. In fact it remains one of my favourite routes.

 

[ranthr]

There are every day pictures of peregrinos on different inviernopages on facebook, so I have got the hope of meeting some other pilgrims when I start walking next Wednesday. Since I walked Via de la Plata to Astorga and not the Sanabres because of loads of people and problems of finding a bed, I won't be able to compare, but people I walked with up to the two ways separated was not so happy about the Sanabres when we met again in SdC.

 

[intrepidtraveler]

There are every day pictures of peregrinos on different inviernopages on facebook, so I have got the hope of meeting some other pilgrims when I start walking next Wednesday. Since I walked Via de la Plata to Astorga and not the Sanabres because of loads of people and problems of finding a bed, I won't be able to compare, but people I walked with up to the two ways separated was not so happy about the Sanabres when we met again in SdC.

Did they say why they were not happy with it?

 

[MikeJS]

I found the Sanabres to be one of my favourite parts of a camino!

 

[camino07]

Walked the Sanabrese twice and loved it both times.

 

[ranthr]

Did they say why they were not happy with it?

I really don’t remember, it’s some years ago, but I felt I did not loose anything.