- Time of past OR future Camino
- So many since 2003.
Preamble
This report is ‘after the fact’ so now I’m back home, it’s time to write up my notes and pass on a personal account of the Camino Geira e Dos Arrieiros, the final part of the ‘triple’ a term coined by @jungleboy when he completed this wonderful Nascente/Torres/Geira journey in 2021. Jungleboy’s Geira
Part 1: My Portuguese Caminho Nascente over 2 years (2021, 2023) starting at Tavira and finishing at Trancoso Grace’s Nascente
Part 2: In 2024 I walked the Camino Torres from Salamanca, through Trancoso to Braga. Grace’s Torres
Part 3: This post covers the third leg of the triple from Braga to Santiago, now completed in 2024.
Special appreciation goes to my ‘WhatsApp support crew’ @Charrito @peregrina2000 and Jose Manuel (our contact for the Caldelas Albergue +351 938924263)
Before you embark on the Geira, take time to review the website debragaasantiago.com (select ‘Camino Geira Arrieiros’ for stage details)
Day 1. Sept30 Braga – Caldelas 17km
Stay: Caldelas albergue 5€, Current hospitalera is Jose Manuel Almeida (contact number on the website) Easy communication via WhatsApp when you connect via his mobile. Eat: the only show in town for food is Cafe Avenida, and for snacks, a pasteleria further up the road on the left which opens early morning for coffee the next day.
Walk: It’s always exciting heading out on the first day. No exception today, and armed with my new Decathlon poncho I believed that I was prepared for the forecast wet days in my future. After just completing a solo Camino Torres, I also assumed it would be the same for the Geira.
Buttttt, no sooner than I’d hit the outer suburbs of Braga and another pilgrim caught me up. It was easy company and an easy walk mainly on roadsides, but a couple of stops for coffees and pasteis de nata eased the feet. You arrive in Caldelas by popping out from a scrubby little path right at the end of the small town. Staying on this road, the post office easy to locate. The Albergue is literally behind it and check-in is at the PO during opening hours.
Later that day, more and more pilgrims continued to arrive at the albergue (Portuguese and Galician) making a total of 9 in the bunkroom.
The wonderful thing I discovered about the Geira is the ad hoc support system which seemed to grow day by day. That evening, all the pilgrims met up with Jose Manual Almeida for drinks and information on the following day. By swapping phone numbers, he made sure to keep track of everyone in the coming days and was always available to assist where he could. Jose Manual is a fluent English speaker, this was really helpful for me.
Day 2. Oct01 Caldelas – Campo do Geres 27km
Stay: Campo do Geres, Hotel Albergeria Stop 55€, Booking.com or direct +351 253350040 It’s possible to request a breakfast bag if you leave early. Eat: highly recommend either the attached restaurant or cafe. For something sweet, look for a tiny shop nearby called Just Nature. Leaving the hotel, turn left to head up to the village and take the first street to right for the little shop/cafe. It’s less than a minute walk from ‘Stop’ and serves homemade cakes and coffee.
Walk: Rain was forecast and it was very accurate *emphasis on very*. The first of many outings for my brave girl ‘ladybird’ - the new replacement red poncho.
It was a full day of rain and involved squelchy shoes and a lot of undergrowth for most of the 6+ hours. I imagined that it would have been a super day’s walk if dry.
The only place to stop and rest was Covide (5 hour mark) at the little corner store Cafe Eiras. A quick stop to empty the shoes, drink 2 coffees and enjoy some cheese and membrillo. Only an hour to go until Geres from here.
At Albergaria Stop I was warmly welcomed by the delightful owner Carla Silva, and told to go straight to my room for a warm shower. Paperwork would wait.
Day 3. Oct02 Campo do Geres – Lobios 25km
Stay: Lobios, Hotel Lusitano 40€, Booking.com or direct +34 988 448028 (it was booked out the day I was there so perhaps book a couple of days early) Eat: they serve a good menu del dia in the restaurant and all sorts of snacks in the bar next door (also Lusitano).
Walk: Off into the damp again, shoes still wet. Another full day of rain, actually quite beautiful in the ‘Emerald Forests’ that will become my daily thrill. The fluorescent green mosses growing from the stone walls took on a life of their own, almost dripping in teardrops. Even the tree trunks did not escape the furry attack.
Sadly, due to the weather and the danger now of accumulated torrents of water on every slope, I gave Os Banos a miss, continuing straight through to Lobios without a coffee stop all day.
Crossing into Spain means losing an hour today.
The lovely Hotel Lusitano and it’s attached restaurant and bar were a haven from the rain while I waited for my room. All the crew were staying here so it was a jolly evening with stories of rain shenanigans.
Day 4. Oct03 Lobios – Castro Laboreiro 23km
Stay: Castro Laboreiro, Hotel Castrum Villae 42€, Booking.com Eat: over the road at Tasquinha Castrejinha or back up the hill at Miradouro do Castelo (can stay here also)
Walk: Back to Portugal today and thankfully no rain. The day starts with a gentle road walk to Entrimo and a super coffee and tortilla snack. From here it is 6k to the border on a variety of track styles.
At one stage there is a wonderful moonscape and the Camino tracks take you down below the ‘actual’ border crossing through some little farms. From here the track continues beside a river, through bush land and past the lovely Ponte Velha. At this point, steel yourself for a pretty steep road entry to CL.
My home for the night was Hotel Castrum Villae at the far end of town where the camino exits in the morning. The other pilgrims stayed at Miradouro do Castelo with an attached restaurant (For a bit of fun, try the Vinho Verde Tinto here made with Alvarinho grapes- ask to serve in a taza)
Near the mirador is a pasteleria; such a nice spot to take a refreshment and pastry in the afternoon. For the sweet tooths looking for an evening dessert, the Tasquinha opposite my hotel served a spectacular homemade choccy mousse.
If you’re in the mood, it’s quite fun to tackle the steep climb up to the castle for spectacular evening views.
Day 5. Oct04 Castro Laboreiro – Cortegada 31km
Stay: Cortegada, Casa do Conde 40€, Jessica and Quique +34 686706349 Eat: There is a modern bar restaurant near the Concello which appears to have the best food although I did not eat a here.
Walk: The final leg of the border zig-zag today, back into Spain firstly on a quiet road for 3km and then tah-dah . . . the downhill slimey round boulder obstacle course that seems to go on and on and on. I admire anyone who tackles this without a pole, and today it was a running stream as well.
There would be plenty more of these ‘camino-streams’ on the Geira so my advice is to be prepared and go slowly *wink wink*.
Soon after, I reached a small river crossing, believing the hard part was over, but yet more hilly, bouldery streams until the border crossing into Spain again. It’s 9km from here until San Amaro where there is a very friendly bar San Mauro (I believe it’s closed Mondays) for snacks and drinks. Depending on the path you’re taking to enter San Amaro, it may not be on your route. Check your GPS for the location.
From here, it was more paths of the same ups and downs, and necessary to use GPS due to infrequent arrows.
Just before Cortegada I stepped into a fairly deep hole and caused some damage to my knee but thankfully saved myself from a broken ankle. Once I’d composed myself and the shock had subsided, I continued on to Cortegada, home to some shops, pharmacy, 2 supermarkets and several places to eat.
Day 6. Oct05 Cortegada - Ribadavia 17km
Stay: Ribadavia, Private apartment 40€, Also owned by Jessica and Quique from Cortegada +34 686706349. Eat: Taberna Papuxa almost opposite my apartment, for tapas and barrel wine. Dinner at the bar (Terral?) on the corner of the square between the Tourist office and the council ~ great food and is family run.
Walk: Leaving Cortegada, I remembered I was on Spain time so sunrise is an hour later than Portugal. Quite a lovely day of walking, much of it beside or near the Rio Mino. Early on, just past the Igrexa de San Bieto do Rabiño I was warned to stay on track (GPS) as the arrows have been tampered with. My suggestion when you get to the swings down by the river, take your pack off and get a photo! [Yes, I did try to get on the swing with my pack on, epic fail and not a very glamorous fall]
From here, I was soon in Ribadavia, a very pretty historic town. The tourist office official was adamant that Geira doesn't exist and therefore they only have a sello for the ‘other’ camino ‘Caminho Miñoto Ribeiro’. I really enjoyed my afternoon and evening here tasting several different local Ribero wines. I found it fun to get away from the centre square to the main road where locals were chilling out in bars and cafes. Ask a local to point you to Bar Caracas, in Rua do Ribeiro, if you have a hankering to try some authentic snacks and ribeiro wine. It’s on the camino, on the way out of town, RHS.
Day 7. Oct06 Ribadavia – Pazos de Arenteiro 17km
Stay: Pazos, Aldea Rural Pazos 60€, Ramiro +34 654213557. Eat: At the little bar just over the bridge Bar o Ponte. Authentic and run by the gorgeous couple Rita and Jose Luis. Order some wine and a large plate of home cooked tapas and bread will arrive. Note to self; I should have returned later in the day for ‘dinner’.
Walk: From Ribadavia, it’s a lovely exit via parkland and the signage becomes more frequent.
I did not pass any bars in Beade or Beràn, but I believe you must take a small detour from the camino to find them. I just wanted to continue as the rain was pretty constant.
After passing through the quarry, I entered into another Emerald Forest which just blew me away. From this point it was such a beautiful walk for around 5km to Pazos. About 4km in, I came across an entire overgrown village nestled into the mossy landscape on either side of the path. I wondered what had happened to the inhabitants …why did they leave and when. If you walk this camino, I throw out the challenge to ask some of the locals.
Coming down from here, you literally fall out of the forest down some little wooden steps, cross the river and there is Café Bar A Ponte on the left. It is a must stop – order a wine and you’ll be presented with a full jug of local wine.
Pazos is a very beautiful stone village. There were not many people around on a Sunday but all the locals seemed to be in the bar chatting to Jose and Rita, it’s the community hub.
Day 8. Oct07 Pazos de Arenteiro - taxi to Feas 10km – Soutelo de Montes 21km
Stay: Soutelo, Hotel Millenium 38€, Rosa +34 986756101 Basic room but wonderful hospitality and super food. Eat: Great menu del dia here in the downstairs restaurant and in the evening you could relax in the bar for snacks and beverages.
Walk: With heavy rain forecast today, I had booked a taxi the night before to take me from Pazos up the steep first 10km to Feas. [Too many caminos under my belt to be a hero *wink* and 30km in rain has passed its use-by date]
From Feas it was still uphill and it was a battle in strong winds and rain. Initially I walked on a fairly quiet road with water coursing down and wind pushing me sideways. Once the camino headed offroad, I was in a forestry area with many switchbacks heading down into the valley.
The final stretch to Magro and then on to Beatitz were pretty treacherous in this weather . . in summary: steep, boulders, water.
It was fateful that I decided to stop at Bar Bearitz to regroup and refresh. Sitting at the bar was our Geira-friend Pepe Balboa and his lovely wife Lorena. We shared coffees and stories. What a lovely couple. I would have stayed at his albergue (Pepe +34 699052339, Lorena +34 625726423) but I already had a hotel booking in Soutelo.
My recommendation is to consider staying at Pepe’s in Bearitz.
Once I’d arrived in Soutelo, I discovered quite a few eating options but I have to say, the meal served at Hotel Millenium was one of the best of this camino. There is also a bakery further down the road on the RHS selling the famous local bread.
Day 9. Oct08 Soutelo de Montes - Codeseda 20km
Stay: Codeseda, A Casa do Avo 25€, Fran +34 654728266 Private room/bathroom in Large House. Eat: Bar Caminho da Geira (Maricarmen), and also the modern bar/restaurant over the road which is a bit more upmarket, run by Esther.
Walk: Began the day on road and transitioned to off-road paths for a lot of the day. The rain came and Ladybird (poncho) was out yet again. At Cachafeiro I was expecting an open bar but maybe I was too early. Both closed. Continued onwards through Ponte Gomaíl and a 3km constant uphill to A Mámoa where you see Paco’s metal sculptures. There were still some tricky steep sections to manoeuvre (especially in the wet).
Now I haven’t mentioned the ‘dogs’ on this camino as they were all ‘manageable’ until today. But just after A Portela, a medium sized dog made a rather aggressive leap at me from behind but was thwarted by Ladybird. All he achieved was a mouthful of red plastic
When I reached Cruz da Agrela, it was only a hop skip and jump to Codeseda.
Bar Caminho da Geira is where you head to for refreshment and the key for Fran’s Casa Rural. Maricarmen will immediately take you outside for a photo in front of the Bar, then post it on the Fb site. She gives you a number – I was the 724th pilgrim to pass through for the year and the first Kiwi.
Later that day, another pilgrim, Fatima from Portugal, arrived at the CR, and was welcome company.
Storms were forecast overnight . . . little did I know what was coming.
Day 10. Oct09 Codeseda – A Estrada 12km
Stay: A Estrada, La Bombilla 42€, +34 986570335 Nice room, central Eat: Attached restaurant, great menu del dia
Walk: It was a short day for me. Two reasons, I wanted to try the local wines in A Estrada and there was nowhere to stay in Raris which was my original end point. (Normally, you would stay at Jorge’s place Taberna Casa Mella +34 699789153) but it was unavailable.
But waaaaaaay before that, there was the small issue of the storm that had battered Codeseda during the night and was still in full force. Fatima and I were preparing to head down to Maricarmens for a morning coffee, prepared to brave the heavy rains for a caffeine hit.
The plan was to wait it out for a while to determine if the winds and rain would abate. The street was strewn with upturned rubbish containers, chairs and assorted rubbish. We entered Maricarmens to find it in darkness and she was mopping out the flooded floors. No power in the whole village and all phone service was out. It wasn’t looking good for pilgrims!
Over the next 2 hours the bar become cosier and noisier as one by one the locals congregated to discuss damage and ensuing issues. Maricarmen used her kitchen gas stove to brew pots of coffee, and soon everyone was caffeine fuelled and chattier than ever. It was olde world ‘bush telegraph’ as they passed on messages and received news of neighbours.
After a couple of hours, someone was able to get phone service. He kindheartedly called a local chap to drive us to A Estrada where it was still raining heavily. I took my room at La Bombilla and Fatima bravely continued to walk on to the basic albergue off the camino in Couso near Pontevea.
The rest of the day for me was spent enjoying A Estrada, avoiding rain showers and giggling at the adventures of the morning spent with Maricarmen and the locals in Codeseda.
Day 11. Oct10 A Estrada – Santiago de Compostella 29km
Stay: Santiago de Compostela, Booking.com
Walk: Last day and I vowed to walk no matter what. No rain on waking so it was a very early start. Lots of damp tracks today, vines and variety of paths. Early on some pretty forest walks and a few chances for coffee around Pontevea.
As the kms clicked over the camino became more and more like a link of outlying villages and then the suburbs of Santiago. The last forest walk after O Sisto took me up through the eucalypts and at the top ,near Os Tilos I believe, there was a small bar on the left for refreshments.
The final entry to Santiago is very pretty through a park and around the river.
I headed up into the old town on the market side of the centre…. This was the time to actually feel as though I’d completed something marvellous and prepare for Praza do Obradoiro. Grace, you made it.
In Summary:
The Geira from Braga to Santiago is near the top of my list of favourite Caminos.
Sadly it suffered from some very taxing weather. Wet shoes do not make me a joyful pilgrim and the day-after-day-of-rain made sure this was the case. If the weather had been kinder *wink* I think this camino may have toppled the Torres off my top spot.
What I enjoyed so much on the Geira were the delightful camino angels supporting pilgrims as they pass through: Jose Manuel Almeida from Caldelas is a saint, he continued to check up on everyone daily, especially during the storm days.
Rita and Jose Luis at Bar o Ponte in Pazos were just delightful and are so welcoming and generous. Pepe Balboa with his albergue in Bearitz, allowing more options for pilgrims to manage stages. The wonderful Maricarmen of Bar Geira in Codeseda with her fun system of posting photos of all pilgrims and allocating them a number. She was also my storm-angel.
My heart was buoyed by the Emerald Forests dripping with fluorescent mossy coverings. The lushness of nature on this camino ranged from these rich forests to the glossy green grape vines and the famed Galician towering pine and eucalypt forests.
A camino of two countries enticing those interested in both gastronomy and culture. The very small aldeas and villages, almost abandoned required me to skip the hopes of a 3-coffee day …. but at the end of every day there was at least one welcoming bar to enjoy lovely food. I never carried food and was never hungry. For me, discovering the hidden wine regions (Ribadavia and A Estrada) were absolute highlights, memories that I rekindle often.
I would advise that this is not a camino for Virgen-pilgrims and GPS is mandatory. There is currently not enough signage (or trustworthy signage) to complete this without some basic preparation. The terrain is varied and at times challenging. The weather is unpredictable, be prepared.
So my triple is complete and I returned home with a giant grin on my face, proud of the massive accomplishment and so fulfilled to have the Triple finally under my belt.
This report is ‘after the fact’ so now I’m back home, it’s time to write up my notes and pass on a personal account of the Camino Geira e Dos Arrieiros, the final part of the ‘triple’ a term coined by @jungleboy when he completed this wonderful Nascente/Torres/Geira journey in 2021. Jungleboy’s Geira
Part 1: My Portuguese Caminho Nascente over 2 years (2021, 2023) starting at Tavira and finishing at Trancoso Grace’s Nascente
Part 2: In 2024 I walked the Camino Torres from Salamanca, through Trancoso to Braga. Grace’s Torres
Part 3: This post covers the third leg of the triple from Braga to Santiago, now completed in 2024.
Special appreciation goes to my ‘WhatsApp support crew’ @Charrito @peregrina2000 and Jose Manuel (our contact for the Caldelas Albergue +351 938924263)
Before you embark on the Geira, take time to review the website debragaasantiago.com (select ‘Camino Geira Arrieiros’ for stage details)
Day 1. Sept30 Braga – Caldelas 17km
Stay: Caldelas albergue 5€, Current hospitalera is Jose Manuel Almeida (contact number on the website) Easy communication via WhatsApp when you connect via his mobile. Eat: the only show in town for food is Cafe Avenida, and for snacks, a pasteleria further up the road on the left which opens early morning for coffee the next day.
Walk: It’s always exciting heading out on the first day. No exception today, and armed with my new Decathlon poncho I believed that I was prepared for the forecast wet days in my future. After just completing a solo Camino Torres, I also assumed it would be the same for the Geira.
Buttttt, no sooner than I’d hit the outer suburbs of Braga and another pilgrim caught me up. It was easy company and an easy walk mainly on roadsides, but a couple of stops for coffees and pasteis de nata eased the feet. You arrive in Caldelas by popping out from a scrubby little path right at the end of the small town. Staying on this road, the post office easy to locate. The Albergue is literally behind it and check-in is at the PO during opening hours.
Later that day, more and more pilgrims continued to arrive at the albergue (Portuguese and Galician) making a total of 9 in the bunkroom.
The wonderful thing I discovered about the Geira is the ad hoc support system which seemed to grow day by day. That evening, all the pilgrims met up with Jose Manual Almeida for drinks and information on the following day. By swapping phone numbers, he made sure to keep track of everyone in the coming days and was always available to assist where he could. Jose Manual is a fluent English speaker, this was really helpful for me.
Day 2. Oct01 Caldelas – Campo do Geres 27km
Stay: Campo do Geres, Hotel Albergeria Stop 55€, Booking.com or direct +351 253350040 It’s possible to request a breakfast bag if you leave early. Eat: highly recommend either the attached restaurant or cafe. For something sweet, look for a tiny shop nearby called Just Nature. Leaving the hotel, turn left to head up to the village and take the first street to right for the little shop/cafe. It’s less than a minute walk from ‘Stop’ and serves homemade cakes and coffee.
Walk: Rain was forecast and it was very accurate *emphasis on very*. The first of many outings for my brave girl ‘ladybird’ - the new replacement red poncho.
It was a full day of rain and involved squelchy shoes and a lot of undergrowth for most of the 6+ hours. I imagined that it would have been a super day’s walk if dry.
The only place to stop and rest was Covide (5 hour mark) at the little corner store Cafe Eiras. A quick stop to empty the shoes, drink 2 coffees and enjoy some cheese and membrillo. Only an hour to go until Geres from here.
At Albergaria Stop I was warmly welcomed by the delightful owner Carla Silva, and told to go straight to my room for a warm shower. Paperwork would wait.
Day 3. Oct02 Campo do Geres – Lobios 25km
Stay: Lobios, Hotel Lusitano 40€, Booking.com or direct +34 988 448028 (it was booked out the day I was there so perhaps book a couple of days early) Eat: they serve a good menu del dia in the restaurant and all sorts of snacks in the bar next door (also Lusitano).
Walk: Off into the damp again, shoes still wet. Another full day of rain, actually quite beautiful in the ‘Emerald Forests’ that will become my daily thrill. The fluorescent green mosses growing from the stone walls took on a life of their own, almost dripping in teardrops. Even the tree trunks did not escape the furry attack.
Sadly, due to the weather and the danger now of accumulated torrents of water on every slope, I gave Os Banos a miss, continuing straight through to Lobios without a coffee stop all day.
Crossing into Spain means losing an hour today.
The lovely Hotel Lusitano and it’s attached restaurant and bar were a haven from the rain while I waited for my room. All the crew were staying here so it was a jolly evening with stories of rain shenanigans.
Day 4. Oct03 Lobios – Castro Laboreiro 23km
Stay: Castro Laboreiro, Hotel Castrum Villae 42€, Booking.com Eat: over the road at Tasquinha Castrejinha or back up the hill at Miradouro do Castelo (can stay here also)
Walk: Back to Portugal today and thankfully no rain. The day starts with a gentle road walk to Entrimo and a super coffee and tortilla snack. From here it is 6k to the border on a variety of track styles.
At one stage there is a wonderful moonscape and the Camino tracks take you down below the ‘actual’ border crossing through some little farms. From here the track continues beside a river, through bush land and past the lovely Ponte Velha. At this point, steel yourself for a pretty steep road entry to CL.
My home for the night was Hotel Castrum Villae at the far end of town where the camino exits in the morning. The other pilgrims stayed at Miradouro do Castelo with an attached restaurant (For a bit of fun, try the Vinho Verde Tinto here made with Alvarinho grapes- ask to serve in a taza)
Near the mirador is a pasteleria; such a nice spot to take a refreshment and pastry in the afternoon. For the sweet tooths looking for an evening dessert, the Tasquinha opposite my hotel served a spectacular homemade choccy mousse.
If you’re in the mood, it’s quite fun to tackle the steep climb up to the castle for spectacular evening views.
Day 5. Oct04 Castro Laboreiro – Cortegada 31km
Stay: Cortegada, Casa do Conde 40€, Jessica and Quique +34 686706349 Eat: There is a modern bar restaurant near the Concello which appears to have the best food although I did not eat a here.
Walk: The final leg of the border zig-zag today, back into Spain firstly on a quiet road for 3km and then tah-dah . . . the downhill slimey round boulder obstacle course that seems to go on and on and on. I admire anyone who tackles this without a pole, and today it was a running stream as well.
There would be plenty more of these ‘camino-streams’ on the Geira so my advice is to be prepared and go slowly *wink wink*.
Soon after, I reached a small river crossing, believing the hard part was over, but yet more hilly, bouldery streams until the border crossing into Spain again. It’s 9km from here until San Amaro where there is a very friendly bar San Mauro (I believe it’s closed Mondays) for snacks and drinks. Depending on the path you’re taking to enter San Amaro, it may not be on your route. Check your GPS for the location.
From here, it was more paths of the same ups and downs, and necessary to use GPS due to infrequent arrows.
Just before Cortegada I stepped into a fairly deep hole and caused some damage to my knee but thankfully saved myself from a broken ankle. Once I’d composed myself and the shock had subsided, I continued on to Cortegada, home to some shops, pharmacy, 2 supermarkets and several places to eat.Day 6. Oct05 Cortegada - Ribadavia 17km
Stay: Ribadavia, Private apartment 40€, Also owned by Jessica and Quique from Cortegada +34 686706349. Eat: Taberna Papuxa almost opposite my apartment, for tapas and barrel wine. Dinner at the bar (Terral?) on the corner of the square between the Tourist office and the council ~ great food and is family run.
Walk: Leaving Cortegada, I remembered I was on Spain time so sunrise is an hour later than Portugal. Quite a lovely day of walking, much of it beside or near the Rio Mino. Early on, just past the Igrexa de San Bieto do Rabiño I was warned to stay on track (GPS) as the arrows have been tampered with. My suggestion when you get to the swings down by the river, take your pack off and get a photo! [Yes, I did try to get on the swing with my pack on, epic fail and not a very glamorous fall]
From here, I was soon in Ribadavia, a very pretty historic town. The tourist office official was adamant that Geira doesn't exist and therefore they only have a sello for the ‘other’ camino ‘Caminho Miñoto Ribeiro’. I really enjoyed my afternoon and evening here tasting several different local Ribero wines. I found it fun to get away from the centre square to the main road where locals were chilling out in bars and cafes. Ask a local to point you to Bar Caracas, in Rua do Ribeiro, if you have a hankering to try some authentic snacks and ribeiro wine. It’s on the camino, on the way out of town, RHS.
Day 7. Oct06 Ribadavia – Pazos de Arenteiro 17km
Stay: Pazos, Aldea Rural Pazos 60€, Ramiro +34 654213557. Eat: At the little bar just over the bridge Bar o Ponte. Authentic and run by the gorgeous couple Rita and Jose Luis. Order some wine and a large plate of home cooked tapas and bread will arrive. Note to self; I should have returned later in the day for ‘dinner’.
Walk: From Ribadavia, it’s a lovely exit via parkland and the signage becomes more frequent.
I did not pass any bars in Beade or Beràn, but I believe you must take a small detour from the camino to find them. I just wanted to continue as the rain was pretty constant.
After passing through the quarry, I entered into another Emerald Forest which just blew me away. From this point it was such a beautiful walk for around 5km to Pazos. About 4km in, I came across an entire overgrown village nestled into the mossy landscape on either side of the path. I wondered what had happened to the inhabitants …why did they leave and when. If you walk this camino, I throw out the challenge to ask some of the locals.
Coming down from here, you literally fall out of the forest down some little wooden steps, cross the river and there is Café Bar A Ponte on the left. It is a must stop – order a wine and you’ll be presented with a full jug of local wine.
Pazos is a very beautiful stone village. There were not many people around on a Sunday but all the locals seemed to be in the bar chatting to Jose and Rita, it’s the community hub.
Day 8. Oct07 Pazos de Arenteiro - taxi to Feas 10km – Soutelo de Montes 21km
Stay: Soutelo, Hotel Millenium 38€, Rosa +34 986756101 Basic room but wonderful hospitality and super food. Eat: Great menu del dia here in the downstairs restaurant and in the evening you could relax in the bar for snacks and beverages.
Walk: With heavy rain forecast today, I had booked a taxi the night before to take me from Pazos up the steep first 10km to Feas. [Too many caminos under my belt to be a hero *wink* and 30km in rain has passed its use-by date]
From Feas it was still uphill and it was a battle in strong winds and rain. Initially I walked on a fairly quiet road with water coursing down and wind pushing me sideways. Once the camino headed offroad, I was in a forestry area with many switchbacks heading down into the valley.
The final stretch to Magro and then on to Beatitz were pretty treacherous in this weather . . in summary: steep, boulders, water.
It was fateful that I decided to stop at Bar Bearitz to regroup and refresh. Sitting at the bar was our Geira-friend Pepe Balboa and his lovely wife Lorena. We shared coffees and stories. What a lovely couple. I would have stayed at his albergue (Pepe +34 699052339, Lorena +34 625726423) but I already had a hotel booking in Soutelo.
My recommendation is to consider staying at Pepe’s in Bearitz.
Once I’d arrived in Soutelo, I discovered quite a few eating options but I have to say, the meal served at Hotel Millenium was one of the best of this camino. There is also a bakery further down the road on the RHS selling the famous local bread.
Day 9. Oct08 Soutelo de Montes - Codeseda 20km
Stay: Codeseda, A Casa do Avo 25€, Fran +34 654728266 Private room/bathroom in Large House. Eat: Bar Caminho da Geira (Maricarmen), and also the modern bar/restaurant over the road which is a bit more upmarket, run by Esther.
Walk: Began the day on road and transitioned to off-road paths for a lot of the day. The rain came and Ladybird (poncho) was out yet again. At Cachafeiro I was expecting an open bar but maybe I was too early. Both closed. Continued onwards through Ponte Gomaíl and a 3km constant uphill to A Mámoa where you see Paco’s metal sculptures. There were still some tricky steep sections to manoeuvre (especially in the wet).
Now I haven’t mentioned the ‘dogs’ on this camino as they were all ‘manageable’ until today. But just after A Portela, a medium sized dog made a rather aggressive leap at me from behind but was thwarted by Ladybird. All he achieved was a mouthful of red plastic
When I reached Cruz da Agrela, it was only a hop skip and jump to Codeseda.
Bar Caminho da Geira is where you head to for refreshment and the key for Fran’s Casa Rural. Maricarmen will immediately take you outside for a photo in front of the Bar, then post it on the Fb site. She gives you a number – I was the 724th pilgrim to pass through for the year and the first Kiwi.
Later that day, another pilgrim, Fatima from Portugal, arrived at the CR, and was welcome company.
Storms were forecast overnight . . . little did I know what was coming.
Day 10. Oct09 Codeseda – A Estrada 12km
Stay: A Estrada, La Bombilla 42€, +34 986570335 Nice room, central Eat: Attached restaurant, great menu del dia
Walk: It was a short day for me. Two reasons, I wanted to try the local wines in A Estrada and there was nowhere to stay in Raris which was my original end point. (Normally, you would stay at Jorge’s place Taberna Casa Mella +34 699789153) but it was unavailable.
But waaaaaaay before that, there was the small issue of the storm that had battered Codeseda during the night and was still in full force. Fatima and I were preparing to head down to Maricarmens for a morning coffee, prepared to brave the heavy rains for a caffeine hit.The plan was to wait it out for a while to determine if the winds and rain would abate. The street was strewn with upturned rubbish containers, chairs and assorted rubbish. We entered Maricarmens to find it in darkness and she was mopping out the flooded floors. No power in the whole village and all phone service was out. It wasn’t looking good for pilgrims!
Over the next 2 hours the bar become cosier and noisier as one by one the locals congregated to discuss damage and ensuing issues. Maricarmen used her kitchen gas stove to brew pots of coffee, and soon everyone was caffeine fuelled and chattier than ever. It was olde world ‘bush telegraph’ as they passed on messages and received news of neighbours.
After a couple of hours, someone was able to get phone service. He kindheartedly called a local chap to drive us to A Estrada where it was still raining heavily. I took my room at La Bombilla and Fatima bravely continued to walk on to the basic albergue off the camino in Couso near Pontevea.
The rest of the day for me was spent enjoying A Estrada, avoiding rain showers and giggling at the adventures of the morning spent with Maricarmen and the locals in Codeseda.
Day 11. Oct10 A Estrada – Santiago de Compostella 29km
Stay: Santiago de Compostela, Booking.com
Walk: Last day and I vowed to walk no matter what. No rain on waking so it was a very early start. Lots of damp tracks today, vines and variety of paths. Early on some pretty forest walks and a few chances for coffee around Pontevea.
As the kms clicked over the camino became more and more like a link of outlying villages and then the suburbs of Santiago. The last forest walk after O Sisto took me up through the eucalypts and at the top ,near Os Tilos I believe, there was a small bar on the left for refreshments.
The final entry to Santiago is very pretty through a park and around the river.
I headed up into the old town on the market side of the centre…. This was the time to actually feel as though I’d completed something marvellous and prepare for Praza do Obradoiro. Grace, you made it.
In Summary:
The Geira from Braga to Santiago is near the top of my list of favourite Caminos.
Sadly it suffered from some very taxing weather. Wet shoes do not make me a joyful pilgrim and the day-after-day-of-rain made sure this was the case. If the weather had been kinder *wink* I think this camino may have toppled the Torres off my top spot.
What I enjoyed so much on the Geira were the delightful camino angels supporting pilgrims as they pass through: Jose Manuel Almeida from Caldelas is a saint, he continued to check up on everyone daily, especially during the storm days.
Rita and Jose Luis at Bar o Ponte in Pazos were just delightful and are so welcoming and generous. Pepe Balboa with his albergue in Bearitz, allowing more options for pilgrims to manage stages. The wonderful Maricarmen of Bar Geira in Codeseda with her fun system of posting photos of all pilgrims and allocating them a number. She was also my storm-angel.
My heart was buoyed by the Emerald Forests dripping with fluorescent mossy coverings. The lushness of nature on this camino ranged from these rich forests to the glossy green grape vines and the famed Galician towering pine and eucalypt forests.
A camino of two countries enticing those interested in both gastronomy and culture. The very small aldeas and villages, almost abandoned required me to skip the hopes of a 3-coffee day …. but at the end of every day there was at least one welcoming bar to enjoy lovely food. I never carried food and was never hungry. For me, discovering the hidden wine regions (Ribadavia and A Estrada) were absolute highlights, memories that I rekindle often.
I would advise that this is not a camino for Virgen-pilgrims and GPS is mandatory. There is currently not enough signage (or trustworthy signage) to complete this without some basic preparation. The terrain is varied and at times challenging. The weather is unpredictable, be prepared.
So my triple is complete and I returned home with a giant grin on my face, proud of the massive accomplishment and so fulfilled to have the Triple finally under my belt.
Last edited:
