Ourense to SDC

[Catherine O'Connor]

Hi researching this route May 2023. Considering OURENSE as start point as easy to get train from SDC. Would appreciate an itinerary 5/6 days walking, 17/20km per day. Also recommendations for accomodations/must see places and if anyone used luggage transfers

 

[Kanga]

Ourense is on the Sanabrés route and is a major starting point for those wanting to walk the last 100km into SDC to get a Compostela, a very nice alternative to the route from Sarria. It is lovely with a cathedral (internal paintwork restoration I understand is very good, although I have not seen it) and the original Roman spa in the centre of town - next to a modern spa open to the public. It may currently be closed for renovations but there are many hot spas, accessible from the free little tourist train that trundles around town.

I loved the Sanabrés and it has the nicest route into Santiago of all those I have walked.

To plan your days and kilometres, this website is very useful. Put in your starting point (Ourense) and go from there.

Lots of information, blogs and photos in this section of the forum. I stayed mainly in albergues - some new very good ones (it was in 2018). Can't help with information about baggage carriers, although there were plenty of taxi advertisements so I assume it would not be a problem.

 

[MickMac]

Very frequent trains to Santiago easy commute. Did it in May.

 

[jungleboy]

Hi researching this route May 2023. Considering OURENSE as start point as easy to get train from SDC. Would appreciate an itinerary 5/6 days walking, 17/20km per day. Also recommendations for accomodations/must see places and if anyone used luggage transfers

This is what we did a couple of months ago:

Ourense - Cea: ~21km
Cea - Oseira: ~8.5km
Oseira - Botos: ~23km
Botos - Silleda: ~16km
Silleda - Outeiro: ~24km
Outeiro - Santiago: ~16km

Some recommendations:

- Cea is a nice town with a great albergue so it's the obvious overnight stop for the first day out of Ourense.
- Oseira is on an alternate route but worth doing. There is a new, modern albergue at the monastery (so you can ignore previous comments about the old albergue being cold, smelly etc). Attending vespers at the monastery and hearing the monks sing is a real highlight.
- The albergue at O Castro (Dozón) was closed and there was no other accommodation there; the Taberna de Vento in Botos is the best/closest option, and it can be full so calling ahead is recommended.
- In the last 50km, I recommend staying in more rural locations. Towns like Silleda and Bandeira have facilities but are not interesting. The albergue in Outeiro is in a very nice spot near vineyards and a small village, while Albergue Casa Leiras 1866 in Dornelas is charming and run by a lovely Italian woman. We stopped there for a drink and with hindsight we would have realigned our stages to stay there.

¡Buen camino!

 

[Flog]

- Oseira is on an alternate route but worth doing. There is a new, modern albergue at the monastery (so you can ignore previous comments about the old albergue being cold, smelly etc). Attending vespers at the monastery and hearing the monks sing is a real highlight.

Oseira is well worth the detour. I haven't stayed in the new albergue but understood it was in the same old building? You could do it in a single day if you have enough energy after the climb out of Ourense.

Albergue Casa Leiras 1866 in Dornelas is charming and run by a lovely Italian woman. We stopped there for a drink and with hindsight we would have realigned our stages to stay there.

This is a lovely place, I stayed when I came in by the invierno last year. Andrea and Cristina are great hosts, they offered me a beer first, before any formalities. Later, they showed me around. They're very proud of the place, their little oasis, and all the work they've done with it. There's nice attention to detail everywhere. There were only two of us pilgrims staying and Cristina cooked us a lovely dinner. I would certainly stay again..

 

[jungleboy]

Oseira is well worth the detour. I haven't stayed in the new albergue but understood it was in the same old building?

No, it's a purpose-built new building next to the monastery.

 

[peregrina2000]

I haven't stayed in the new albergue but understood it was in the same old building?

No, it's a purpose-built new building next to the monastery.

I thnk you are both right. The new part has opened, and they are still waiting on permissions for the part that is going in the old monastery. At least that’s how I interpret what I have read.

 

[Linda V]

I thnk you are both right. The new part has opened, and they are still waiting on permissions for the part that is going in the old monastery. At least that’s how I interpret what I have read.

Do you know If the recent bush fires have had an influence on the Camino Sanabres?

 

[rgutena]

Do you know If the recent bush fires have had an influence on the Camino Sanabres?

I did this part of the Sanabres just a couple of weeks ago when the heatwave was just beginning and there was no sign of fire or smoke at the time. But shortly after that, it was reported in Ourense local news that the region has been affected by the fires. Unfortunately my lack of Spanish prevented me from understanding exactly what happened; nor was I able to find any information online in English that provided details, and of course in most places of accommodation in this part of Spain there is no English speaking channel on TV. I don't know how else a non-Spanish speaker could find the latest information in this kind of situation, other than perhaps talking to the reception staff at the place where they are staying, or asking them to call the hospitalero at the place where they will be staying in the next town on the Camino, to request an update.

 

[jennysa]

Oseira is well worth the detour. I haven't stayed in the new albergue but understood it was in the same old building? You could do it in a single day if you have enough energy after the climb out of Ourense.



This is a lovely place, I stayed when I came in by the invierno last year. Andrea and Cristina are great hosts, they offered me a beer first, before any formalities. Later, they showed me around. They're very proud of the place, their little oasis, and all the work they've done with it. There's nice attention to detail everywhere. There were only two of us pilgrims staying and Cristina cooked us a lovely dinner. I would certainly stay ag

I am doing the Invierno in April next year and was thinking of getting a bus from Lalin down to Ourense. I would be interested to know if this is feasible - or how did you transfer to the Sanabres?

 

[Stivandrer]

I am doing the Invierno in April next year and was thinking of getting a bus from Lalin down to Ourense. I would be interested to know if this is feasible - or how did you transfer to the Sanabres?

Rome2rio

Discover how to get anywhere by searching plane, train, bus, car and ferry routes

www.rome2rio.com

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

We are considering Ourense to Santiago this March/April.
Stage 4 stomach cancer, but I'll be on a chemo break, should feel goo enough. I miss my Camino and want to go one more time.
Seems this will be doable or am I nuts?

 

[Stivandrer]

We are considering Ourense to Santiago this March/April.
Stage 4 stomach cancer, but I'll be on a chemo break, should feel goo enough. I miss my Camino and want to go one more time.
Seems this will be doable or am I nuts?

Nuts - of course
doable - most probably
you will love this stretch, lovely people and unforgettable vistas

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

Nuts - of course
doable - most probably
you will love this stretch, lovely people and unforgettable vistas

Now that’s an honest answer. Many thanks

 

[rgutena]

We are considering Ourense to Santiago this March/April.
Stage 4 stomach cancer, but I'll be on a chemo break, should feel goo enough. I miss my Camino and want to go one more time.
Seems this will be doable or am I nuts?

Hard to say whether it’s nuts without knowing how your medical condition / medication affects your ability to handle long distance walking. For someone with no particular medical condition, the walk from Ourense to SDC is not difficult at all. It is just a lot quieter than the last 100km of other routes. I was there in July last year, just the week before the Holy Year celebrations, but didn’t see any other pilgrims for the 2 first days out of Ourense. All up I saw less than 15 others on the trail between Ourense and SDC. So it will be a different Camino experience from your previous ones.

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

Hard to say whether it’s nuts without knowing how your medical condition / medication affects your ability to handle long distance walking. For someone with no particular medical condition, the walk from Ourense to SDC is not difficult at all. It is just a lot quieter than the last 100km of other routes. I was there in July last year, just the week before the Holy Year celebrations, but didn’t see any other pilgrims for the 2 first days out of Ourense. All up I saw less than 15 others on the trail between Ourense and SDC. So it will be a different Camino experience from your previous ones.

My greatest concern is the last leg. I’m thinking my max day would be 10-12miles.

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

Ourense is on the Sanabrés route and is a major starting point for those wanting to walk the last 100km into SDC to get a Compostela, a very nice alternative to the route from Sarria. It is lovely with a cathedral (internal paintwork restoration I understand is very good, although I have not seen it) and the original Roman spa in the centre of town - next to a modern spa open to the public. It may currently be closed for renovations but there are many hot spas, accessible from the free little tourist train that trundles around town.

I loved the Sanabrés and it has the nicest route into Santiago of all those I have walked.

To plan your days and kilometres, this website is very useful. Put in your starting point (Ourense) and go from there.

Lots of information, blogs and photos in this section of the forum. I stayed mainly in albergues - some new very good ones (it was in 2018). Can't help with information about baggage carriers, although there were plenty of taxi advertisements so I assume it would not be a problem.

Thank you so much, I know this will be most helpful. Buen Camino

 

[Stivandrer]

My greatest concern is the last leg. I’m thinking my max day would be 10-12miles.

- in that case, do this:
there is a most prized albergue just shy of 10K before SdC.
As you get nearer the end, you will have the N525 main Road on your left, very near to the walking path

- Reina Lupa, in Susana, will give you good accomodation, and a very short entry into Santiago the next morning, restaurant near the road, and the albergue, newly built, at the back and looking like a temple...

Albergue REINA LUPA | Boqueijón

Albergue REINA LUPA, Boqueixón. 1,264 likes · 82 talking about this · 186 were here. Albergue a 100m del Camino de Santiago de Compostela, a pie de nacional.

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Inicio – Albergue Reina Lupa

El Albergue Reina Lupa, familiar y de calidad, que se adapta a las circunstancias de cada grupo. Tenemos una situación privilegiada por estar muy cerca de Santiago de Compostela, un descanso reparador antes del final del camino.

alberguereinalupa.com

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

You are great. Thank you so much

 

[Youren2010]

Love Ourense, one of my favorites on the caminos, make sure soaking the thermal springs before your camino, in the natural setting, so many of them, I tried nearly all of them in a day, bus to the furthest and then walked back, rest, soak, eat, walk, finally added a body massage, very few rest day I took on the VIDP, well worth it.

 

[MauiGail]

A group of friends and I are walking the CP in two weeks. We had planned on doing the Spiritual Variant, but recently heard of the thermal baths in Ourense so are considering taking a train there from Pontevedra and finishing our Camino on the Sanabres route. For those of you who have walked the CP including the Spiritual Variant, as well as the Sanabres route, which of these endings would you recommend? I'm inclined to stay on the CP but arrive to Santiago de Compostela a day earlier that originally planned so that we can make Ourense a day trip by train. Have any of you done that? Open to all suggestions.
Thanks a lot.

 

[Zoe7]

My first time on Camino, (aiming for 18-23 km/day). Thinking of starting at Molinaseca and if the Camino is really crowded, when I get to Sarria, taking the train from Sarria to Ourense and continuing along the Camino de la Plata which I hear is less crowded and less industrial in its approach into SdC.
Some questions:
1) will I miss out on special hamlets and medieval villages and historic sites, beautiful trails, ancient shrines and churches by not doing the stretch between Sarria and Santiago?
2) Is the route a lot more ardorous up and down on the via de la Plata, or they are more or less similar? Which one has more road, highway and asphalt?
3) Lastly, if I start getting stamped in Molinesca, if I do do the train transfer to Ourense, can I continue on with the same pilgrim passport stamping or I should then get a new one that is stamped only along the VdlP continuous route.
Any other suggestions, advice, recommendations welcomed. Thank you!

 

[rgutena]

A group of friends and I are walking the CP in two weeks. We had planned on doing the Spiritual Variant, but recently heard of the thermal baths in Ourense so are considering taking a train there from Pontevedra and finishing our Camino on the Sanabres route. For those of you who have walked the CP including the Spiritual Variant, as well as the Sanabres route, which of these endings would you recommend? I'm inclined to stay on the CP but arrive to Santiago de Compostela a day earlier that originally planned so that we can make Ourense a day trip by train. Have any of you done that? Open to all suggestions.
Thanks a lot.

Sorry I hadn't seen this earlier and my response is clearly too late for you now. But in case anyone else might have the same question, I have walked the last 100km of the Sanabres and the CP with the Spiritual Variant. I had a great time walking from Ourense to SDC, mostly because it was super exciting to be on my first overseas trip since COVID, but I can't say Ourense made much of an impression to me. At 35+ degrees C during daytime, the idea of thermal baths didn't appeal to me so I gave that a miss. The entire walk of 100+km was a lot quieter than I expected. I only saw a dozen or so other pilgrims on the way despite it being in the middle of summer in a Holy Year, just a week before Feast Day. Personally I preferred the CP with the Spiritual Variant; staying at the monastery in Armenteira (had to book months in advance to secure a room!) and the boat trip to Pontecesures were quite special, as I never had similar experiences on any of my other Caminos before. This route also had a lot more pilgrims than I expected, without being too crowded.

 

[jungleboy]

Personally I preferred the CP with the Spiritual Variant

I agree and am on record many times saying that I think the CP plus VE is easily the best final 100km of any camino. Just a personal opinion, of course

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I started the Sanabres ten days before Ourense, and had varied, beautiful terrain and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
If I had started in Ourense, which is not one of my favorite cities, I agree that the Camino Portuguese from Porto with the VE is the 100km winner, imo.