- Time of past OR future Camino
- 1989, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024...
I'll be covering both these routes in this post, because I walked them both recently (except for the last stage of the Torres). There are a number of similarities between the two, but there are differences. You can certainly walk either one without the other, but they do connect so that you can walk both, as I did. This is based on my experiences walking in November 2024. Walking at a different time of year (or in a different year) may provide different experiences.
These routes are not for you if you are looking for a large and vibrant community of fellow pilgrims. There is a saying that many apply to the Camino "You never walk alone ... unless you want to." That may be true for the Frances or the Portugues. It certainly does not apply to these routes. Count on walking alone. I know a fair number of pilgrims are looking for solitude when they walk. These routes will provide that. In my experience, they also provide solitude in the evening after you walk. In my four weeks of walking, I saw one other pilgrim, and that was because he was walking 50-60km/day and caught up to me after starting quite a few days behind. And it was just by chance that we met as he was passing. We could easily have been staying in different places (or different villages) that night.
Not having a lot of pilgrims, there is also a lot less infrastructure on these routes. There is not an albergue at the end of every stage. Many times, accommodations will be in private rooms in small hotels or pensions or the like. Sometimes there will be a pilgrim discount, sometimes not. If you are used to staying in pilgrim albergues, that means this will be amore expensive Camino. If you are used to staying in private rooms, this may not make a difference. It will certainly be more economical if there are two of you, ready to share a room.
There are also less places to stop mid-day for second breakfast or lunch. On some stretches, pilgrims are advised to get wherever they are eating at the end of the day to make them up a bocadillo (or two) to take along with them the next day. Carrying some food is generally a good idea. In some places I found, after I had arrived, that my food options would have been much better if I had called ahead the day before to book my dinner. As it was, the bars were ready to put together some form of plato combinado for me, but ordering ahead would probably have been much better for all concerned.
Similarly, as less walked routes, there aren't as many information resources to support them. You won't find them in the Buen Camino, Wise Pilgrim, or Camino Ninja apps (although Wise Pilgrim is working on a CGA offering). Nor is there much in Gronze to support them.
All that said, both of these routes do not leave the pilgrim feeling unsupported. While there is not a strong community of fellow pilgrims to support you, there is a community of locals, along these routes, who support the pilgrims walking them. There are Spanish and Portuguese websites. There are Facebook groups. There are GPS tracks (in Mpay.cz, Wikiloc, or available for download to use in the application of your choice). You will find support not only in people who provide accommodations, but there are also a number of people who run cafes and bars along the route who are strongly committed to supporting pilgrims, as well as municipal authorities and others. On both routes, I found excellent support through WhatsApp connections to local people involved in establishing the routes. For the CGA, I was even introduced to a WhatsApp group specifically devoted to supporting pilgrims along the way. By the end of my Camino, I was getting daily WhatsApp check ins from several people making sure I was okay, telling me what to expect for the coming day, and advising me on where to eat or stay. That's a level of support I haven't seen in any other Camino.
In some ways, walking these Caminos was like stepping into the past. My first Camino was in 1989, when there was about 1% of the number of pilgrims we see today. Then also, pilgrims were more of a rarity, albergues were not in every town and might be in the local schoolhouse or gymnasium (many of the albergues along these routes are in former schoolhouses).
Both of these routes take you through plenty of beautiful landscapes, lots of farmland, will villages and some towns, some mountains. All of the sorts of things you look for in a Camino (except seashore, for those who are looking for that). One of the things I like about a Camino is the sense I am seeing the "real" country, not just what the tourists usually see. That really comes through on these routes. With the exception of Salamanca (where the Torres begins), Braga (where the CGA begins), and Santiago de Compostela, I don't get the impression that anywhere I walked through was on the typical foreigner tourist itinerary (although some were worthy of that). Nor are these places driven by a pilgrim economy. These are places by and for the locals.
The Torres starts out relatively flat, walking along the Cañada (cattle drive trails). There are a number of places where you are walking through pastures, expected to open and close gates upon entering and leaving. There is lots of nice, unpaved walking. After a few days you make it to Ciudad Rodrigo, a historic town with lots to see if you like historic architecture. Then it is back to the Cañada again. After about a week it starts to get hillier. A few days after Ciudad Rodrigo, about a week into my Torres, after I had crossed into Portugal, I arrived at Trancoso, another nice historic town, with a castle and church, of course, but also known for its juderia (old Jewish neighborhood). On the streets of Trancoso I was hailed by Daniela, who runs Mercaria de Fradinho, a cafe/pastry shop, who recognized me a as a pilgrim. She is very committed to supporting pilgrims and wanted to be sure I had all the refreshments I need. She also gave me her card and said that if I ever needed anything along my Camino, to give her a call. That is the kind of unexpected community support I was talking about above. After Trancoso, you start seeing more trees being grown for agricultural purposes, and these is more walking through trees (groves and forests). There is more climbing and the views start to get more spectacular. Also, as you walk through the countryside and villages, there starts to be even more of architectural interest to look at. About two weeks into my Torres, I reached the Douro valley, which was truly spectacular to look at. In terms of beautiful things to look at (scenery, art and architecture, etc.) you start hitting peak Torres here and it lasts until you reach Braga, a few days later (my favourite town might be Guimarães, a day before Braga.
The CGA starts in Braga and takes you through the suburbs and farmland (and some forest) to Caldelas on the first day. It is good to stay the first night in Caldelas, where there is an albergue, and where you can connect IRL with JM, who provides a lot of support to pilgrims on this route. It is the second day when the CGA really gets going. Lots of hills and forests, making for some very nice scenery. You are walking along the Geira, a Roman road from Braga to Astorga. The walking is much easier than on most of the Roman roads of my Camino experience, because they haven't always uncovered the base stones underlying the road that can break your feet. But you know you are on a Roman road because every mile, like clockwork, there are Roman milestones. It is like this for several days. Then, as you approach the Spanish border, there is another day of spectacular landscapes. Again it is mountainous, but not a river valley like the Douro. This time it is the "lunar landscapes" with interesting rock formations poking their way through the scrub. Some might say the views peak here. Some might say a little later, with the views from the castle overlooking Castro Laboreiro back in Portugal again (the CGA goes from Portugal to Spain to Portugal to Spain). After this peak, the CGA remains a beautiful Camino to walk, with plenty of hills and views, forests and rivers, architecture and history (including Ribadavia, with its castle, church, Visigothic chapel, and its own juderia).
For me, the biggest challenge of the CGA wasn't the mountains (which the fellow at the tourist office in Braga said make it the most challenging of the Portuguese routes). Manage your pace, and I found the ascents and descents quite doable. The biggest challenge was the water on the path. Not the rain. I was really fortunate in terms of the weather, especially for November in northwest Iberia. No, the water literally on the path, which in several sections was a stream between thorn bushes. This may not be typical of the CGA. It wasn't mentioned in the guidebooks I had, or the other substantive pilgrim accounts that I was reading to prepare. Perhaps it was a product of it being November, or an aftereffect of DANA on this part of Iberia. I made it through them. But they did make several days significantly more challenging.
So, would I recommend these routes? Certainly! To someone who is ready for a solitary exploration of western Spain and northeastern Portugal. They are beautiful routes full of history. But I wouldn't recommend them to someone who is looking for pilgrim community, or for a first Camino, or to someone who just wants to "wing it" and do a Camino without preparation. But if you prepare, know what you are getting into, make the connections with the local pilgrim support people, these routes can provide a marvellous, well-supported, pilgrimage experience.
If you want more details, feel free to read about My Camino Torres Nov 2024 and My Caminho da Geira e dos Arrieiros Nov 2024.
These routes are not for you if you are looking for a large and vibrant community of fellow pilgrims. There is a saying that many apply to the Camino "You never walk alone ... unless you want to." That may be true for the Frances or the Portugues. It certainly does not apply to these routes. Count on walking alone. I know a fair number of pilgrims are looking for solitude when they walk. These routes will provide that. In my experience, they also provide solitude in the evening after you walk. In my four weeks of walking, I saw one other pilgrim, and that was because he was walking 50-60km/day and caught up to me after starting quite a few days behind. And it was just by chance that we met as he was passing. We could easily have been staying in different places (or different villages) that night.
Not having a lot of pilgrims, there is also a lot less infrastructure on these routes. There is not an albergue at the end of every stage. Many times, accommodations will be in private rooms in small hotels or pensions or the like. Sometimes there will be a pilgrim discount, sometimes not. If you are used to staying in pilgrim albergues, that means this will be amore expensive Camino. If you are used to staying in private rooms, this may not make a difference. It will certainly be more economical if there are two of you, ready to share a room.
There are also less places to stop mid-day for second breakfast or lunch. On some stretches, pilgrims are advised to get wherever they are eating at the end of the day to make them up a bocadillo (or two) to take along with them the next day. Carrying some food is generally a good idea. In some places I found, after I had arrived, that my food options would have been much better if I had called ahead the day before to book my dinner. As it was, the bars were ready to put together some form of plato combinado for me, but ordering ahead would probably have been much better for all concerned.
Similarly, as less walked routes, there aren't as many information resources to support them. You won't find them in the Buen Camino, Wise Pilgrim, or Camino Ninja apps (although Wise Pilgrim is working on a CGA offering). Nor is there much in Gronze to support them.
All that said, both of these routes do not leave the pilgrim feeling unsupported. While there is not a strong community of fellow pilgrims to support you, there is a community of locals, along these routes, who support the pilgrims walking them. There are Spanish and Portuguese websites. There are Facebook groups. There are GPS tracks (in Mpay.cz, Wikiloc, or available for download to use in the application of your choice). You will find support not only in people who provide accommodations, but there are also a number of people who run cafes and bars along the route who are strongly committed to supporting pilgrims, as well as municipal authorities and others. On both routes, I found excellent support through WhatsApp connections to local people involved in establishing the routes. For the CGA, I was even introduced to a WhatsApp group specifically devoted to supporting pilgrims along the way. By the end of my Camino, I was getting daily WhatsApp check ins from several people making sure I was okay, telling me what to expect for the coming day, and advising me on where to eat or stay. That's a level of support I haven't seen in any other Camino.
In some ways, walking these Caminos was like stepping into the past. My first Camino was in 1989, when there was about 1% of the number of pilgrims we see today. Then also, pilgrims were more of a rarity, albergues were not in every town and might be in the local schoolhouse or gymnasium (many of the albergues along these routes are in former schoolhouses).
Both of these routes take you through plenty of beautiful landscapes, lots of farmland, will villages and some towns, some mountains. All of the sorts of things you look for in a Camino (except seashore, for those who are looking for that). One of the things I like about a Camino is the sense I am seeing the "real" country, not just what the tourists usually see. That really comes through on these routes. With the exception of Salamanca (where the Torres begins), Braga (where the CGA begins), and Santiago de Compostela, I don't get the impression that anywhere I walked through was on the typical foreigner tourist itinerary (although some were worthy of that). Nor are these places driven by a pilgrim economy. These are places by and for the locals.
The Torres starts out relatively flat, walking along the Cañada (cattle drive trails). There are a number of places where you are walking through pastures, expected to open and close gates upon entering and leaving. There is lots of nice, unpaved walking. After a few days you make it to Ciudad Rodrigo, a historic town with lots to see if you like historic architecture. Then it is back to the Cañada again. After about a week it starts to get hillier. A few days after Ciudad Rodrigo, about a week into my Torres, after I had crossed into Portugal, I arrived at Trancoso, another nice historic town, with a castle and church, of course, but also known for its juderia (old Jewish neighborhood). On the streets of Trancoso I was hailed by Daniela, who runs Mercaria de Fradinho, a cafe/pastry shop, who recognized me a as a pilgrim. She is very committed to supporting pilgrims and wanted to be sure I had all the refreshments I need. She also gave me her card and said that if I ever needed anything along my Camino, to give her a call. That is the kind of unexpected community support I was talking about above. After Trancoso, you start seeing more trees being grown for agricultural purposes, and these is more walking through trees (groves and forests). There is more climbing and the views start to get more spectacular. Also, as you walk through the countryside and villages, there starts to be even more of architectural interest to look at. About two weeks into my Torres, I reached the Douro valley, which was truly spectacular to look at. In terms of beautiful things to look at (scenery, art and architecture, etc.) you start hitting peak Torres here and it lasts until you reach Braga, a few days later (my favourite town might be Guimarães, a day before Braga.
The CGA starts in Braga and takes you through the suburbs and farmland (and some forest) to Caldelas on the first day. It is good to stay the first night in Caldelas, where there is an albergue, and where you can connect IRL with JM, who provides a lot of support to pilgrims on this route. It is the second day when the CGA really gets going. Lots of hills and forests, making for some very nice scenery. You are walking along the Geira, a Roman road from Braga to Astorga. The walking is much easier than on most of the Roman roads of my Camino experience, because they haven't always uncovered the base stones underlying the road that can break your feet. But you know you are on a Roman road because every mile, like clockwork, there are Roman milestones. It is like this for several days. Then, as you approach the Spanish border, there is another day of spectacular landscapes. Again it is mountainous, but not a river valley like the Douro. This time it is the "lunar landscapes" with interesting rock formations poking their way through the scrub. Some might say the views peak here. Some might say a little later, with the views from the castle overlooking Castro Laboreiro back in Portugal again (the CGA goes from Portugal to Spain to Portugal to Spain). After this peak, the CGA remains a beautiful Camino to walk, with plenty of hills and views, forests and rivers, architecture and history (including Ribadavia, with its castle, church, Visigothic chapel, and its own juderia).
For me, the biggest challenge of the CGA wasn't the mountains (which the fellow at the tourist office in Braga said make it the most challenging of the Portuguese routes). Manage your pace, and I found the ascents and descents quite doable. The biggest challenge was the water on the path. Not the rain. I was really fortunate in terms of the weather, especially for November in northwest Iberia. No, the water literally on the path, which in several sections was a stream between thorn bushes. This may not be typical of the CGA. It wasn't mentioned in the guidebooks I had, or the other substantive pilgrim accounts that I was reading to prepare. Perhaps it was a product of it being November, or an aftereffect of DANA on this part of Iberia. I made it through them. But they did make several days significantly more challenging.
So, would I recommend these routes? Certainly! To someone who is ready for a solitary exploration of western Spain and northeastern Portugal. They are beautiful routes full of history. But I wouldn't recommend them to someone who is looking for pilgrim community, or for a first Camino, or to someone who just wants to "wing it" and do a Camino without preparation. But if you prepare, know what you are getting into, make the connections with the local pilgrim support people, these routes can provide a marvellous, well-supported, pilgrimage experience.
If you want more details, feel free to read about My Camino Torres Nov 2024 and My Caminho da Geira e dos Arrieiros Nov 2024.
