Which to choose

[Jean Russell]

In June I have time to walk to Santiago from either Ferrol or Ourense. I prefer less busy routes , scenic walking and the minimum of tarmac. I would appreciate comments from pilgrims who have walked these routes.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Hi Jean. I walked the Inglés last April, really enjoyed it- fairly scenic, a little more tarmac than I prefer though. To be fair, mainly on quiet backroads.
The numbers of pilgrims on this route are definitely increasing, it’s currently being actively promoted.

 

[dougfitz]

I walked the CI some years ago, and the Sanabres from Ourense last year. There will always be some road walking, but I don't recall it being excessive on either route. The scenery on each is a little different - the Sanabres goes nowhere near the coast, obviously. At the times that I walked, both were relatively uncrowded, and there was never an issue finding accommodation.

 

[jungleboy]

I have walked them both.

In June I have time to walk to Santiago from either Ferrol or Ourense. I prefer less busy routes , scenic walking and the minimum of tarmac.

In my experience the Sanabrés had fewer pilgrims and (IIRC) less road walking, so I would perhaps opt for that. The variant to Oseira on the first day out of Ourense is a good option and also a short day to start off with. If staying at the albergue attached to the monastery, attending vespers with the monks is a beautiful experience. Later on, I would opt for more rural stays if possible as towns like Silleda have facilities but are otherwise pretty uninteresting.

 

[dougfitz]

The variant to Oseira on the first day out of Ourense is a good option and also a short day to start off with.

I did this stretch in two days, first to Cea (~22.5 km from Ourense) the to Oreira (~8.5 km from Cea). Doing that in one day would have been too much for me.

 

[Rita Flower]

I vote for Sanabres from Ourense. I haven’t walked from Ferol so can’t compare.
However, I absolutely loved this route when I walked a couple of years ago. Start with a few hours in the hot Springs at Ourense and exploration of the old town; a visit to the monastery in Oseira; days on the Galician tracks and trails with minimal road walking.
I remember thinking that this route will become incredibly popular in time. I thought it was wonderful.