Geira > Sanabres transfer

[adam lapp]

Hi all. Doing an unplanned 13-day trip this month as I found a $600 round trip flight from the US to Porto and I couldn’t resist. I’ve done the coastal and central, so was exploring other routes and stumbled upon the Geira, shout out to @peregrina2000 and @jungleboy for the great detailed info on this route.

But, looking at accommodation after Ribadavia (especially this time of year) and also with the fascinating city of Ourense just 30k away, I have decided to transfer from the Geira to Sanabres via Ribadavia to Ourense.

Just wondering if anyone has done this and can provide insight? It looks like from Wikitrails this can be done almost entirely on non-paved river walk trails, jumping on the road just a few times where trails end. So looks like a kinda nice hike.

If not, I’ll post my update in December if anyone else wants to do this in the future.

Thanks - Adam

 

[jungleboy]

Bom caminho! I'm not sure Ourense is fascinating enough to be a major reason for this detour, but I also think you would still get the best of the Geira up to Ribadavia with the exception of Codeseda, so go for it if it's what you want to do!

Another more 'natural' option to include Ourense/Sanabrés would be to travel from Porto to Viseu and walk the CPI, which connects to the Verín variant of the Sanabrés and joins the main path at Ourense. We did this combo in 2022.

 

[peregrina2000]

I would second @jungleboy’s opinion about Ourense, though I like it just fine. And I agree that the “best” of the Geira is leading up to Ribadavia, though I quite liked all the rest of the way.

I’ve also seen a circular cycling route between Ourense and Ribadavia on wikiloc, which may be similar to what you’ve seen, but for some more options perhaps look here. One way on each side of the Miño.

I would loved to hear about it if you do this transfer from Geira to Sanabrés. It looks like it also might be a way to lengthen your camino by a few days, since Ribadavia is only 4 (maybe 5) days from Santiago.

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

Hi all. Doing an unplanned 13-day trip this month as I found a $600 round trip flight from the US to Porto and I couldn’t resist. I’ve done the coastal and central, so was exploring other routes and stumbled upon the Geira, shout out to @peregrina2000 and @jungleboy for the great detailed info on this route.

But, looking at accommodation after Ribadavia (especially this time of year) and also with the fascinating city of Ourense just 30k away, I have decided to transfer from the Geira to Sanabres via Ribadavia to Ourense.

Just wondering if anyone has done this and can provide insight? It looks like from Wikitrails this can be done almost entirely on non-paved river walk trails, jumping on the road just a few times where trails end. So looks like a kinda nice hike.

If not, I’ll post my update in December if anyone else wants to do this in the future.

Thanks - Adam

Hi @adam lapp that's a timely question because I've been telling the local mayor's here for years to finish the riverside footpath link ( Northern bank of River Miño facing south) from Ribadavia to Ourense. They have built various stages of it (and it's a beautiful walk) but the principal obstacle is a new bridge after Barbantes subject to funding. However, you can always walk on the pedestrian footway along the main road for a short while & it does get more urban making the stage about 23 kms to Ourense Railway Station ( where or just before you can pick up the variants of Sanabrés). Laurie's link to a 43 km route from Ribadavia to Ourense via Castrelo de Miño seems unnecessary in comparison.

The benefits of doing it are you walk along side the River Miño valley which is very scenic and you pass alot of vineyards part of the Ribeiro wine appellation,one of the most important in all of Spain. In addition,Ourense has an international reputation for it's thermally fed spring and bathing waters as well as being a gastronomic delight. I like it's fine roman bridge and historic Cathedral too.

 

[AlanSykes]

If you like visigothic architecture, you can walk from Lobios to Santa Comba de Bande on a GR (I saw it signposted at the frontier, but can't find it on mapy.cz). Then on by the Camiño Natural de San Rosendo, past Celanova and all the way into central Ourense (using the very pretty paseo fluvial of the río Barbana).