Bus or train from Sarria to somewhere on the Camino Invierno?

[JustJack]

Like most, I’m looking for options to avoid the crush of pilgrims from Sarria. What has kept me from just planning to take the Invierno is that I don’t want to leave the CF already at Ponferrada. I want to stay on the CF until Sarria, and then get off it. So how about getting a bus or train from Sarria to somewhere on the Invierno and then walking into SDC that way? Does anyone know which town/city on the Invierno I can easily get to from Sarria, without adding too many additional days? Thanks!

 

[trecile]

There are a couple of recent threads on this topic

Thread 'Samos to the Camino Invierno?'

G

Thread 'Samos to the Camino Invierno?'

Dec 15, 2024

Given the relative distaste that a not insubstantial number of pilgrims have for the Camino Frances from Sarria westward, I wonder if anyone reading this might have walked from Triacastela to Samos, then down to the Camino Invierno at A Pobra Do Brollon. Map-wise, it's 44km from Tricastela, and I'm hoping that someone has done this and can provide information about the trail, places to spend one night, and any thing else that might be of interest. I'm thinking of doing this in October. Thanks in advance.

• gkaplan
• Replies: 17
• Camino de Santiago Forum: 🇪🇸 Camino de INVIERNO (from Ponferrada)

• 

Thread 'Connection from O Cebreiro (or Samos) to Invierno?'

Thread 'Connection from O Cebreiro (or Samos) to Invierno?'

Nov 13, 2024

Hola,
Is there a walking route connecting the Frances route to the Invierno route AFTER O Cebreiro?

Walking the Frances I love the ascent to, and stay in O Cebreiro and would like to visit Samos (which I have not done) - but would like to deviate off the Frances before Sarria and join the Invierno for a quieter entry into Santiago DC.

I can manage long daily distances if required and can probably walk the road network but was wondering whether there were any walking trails for a safer and more pleasant transition. My preference will be to walk.

Any suggestions really appreciated.

• diesel
• Replies: 16
• Camino de Santiago Forum: 🇪🇸 Camino de INVIERNO (from Ponferrada)

 

[Robo]

Looking at Rome2Rio website, it seems there are direct Bus and Train options from Sarria to Monforte de Lemos. (quite a large town)

That puts you about 130 kms to the 'finish line'.

If you were pushed for time you could Bus from Monforte to Chantada and start there. But I would check you are still 100+ kms from Santiago, it will be close.

Though the walk from Monforte to Chantada is not one to miss !

 

[wisepilgrim]

This question has come up a number of times recently, and it really makes me wonder what about the Ponferrada - Monforte stretch is it that so many want to avoid?

Or is it rather the attraction of O Cebreiro and the Iron Cross? Both are nice, but both have more tour busses than anywhere else on the camino.

I walked the Invierno in 2010 to finish the last half of what was once the CSJ guidebook for that route and again during covid. In that 10 years the infrastructure has improved, but not the pilgrim numbers, and that is a real pity.

 

[Anhalter]

Or is it rather the attraction of O' Cebreiro and the Iron Cross? Both are nice, but both have more tour busses than anywhere else on the camino.

That might have something to do with it (well, the iron cross is before Ponferrada). I like Villafranca very much, i like the route options out of town, i like Cebreiro and its mountains, Triacastela, Samos... personally don't have issues with the Sarria stretch, but i can see why people do.
But i never walked the Invierno, and what i hear is only good. So starting it in Ponferrada is certainly also a valid option.

 

[dougfitz]

@JustJack, is your aim to come in on a route that avoids crowds, or do you specifically want to do part of the Invierno? If the former, you might consider going down to Ourense and walking along the Sanabres from there. I think Ourense is on the same train line as Monforte de Lemos, just a little further south.

 

[Robo]

This question has come up a number of times recently, and it really makes me wonder what about the Ponferrada - Monforte stretch is it that so many want to avoid?

Or is it rather the attraction of O' Cebreiro and the Iron Cross? Both are nice, but both have more tour busses than anywhere else on the camino.

I walked the Invierno in 2010 to finish the last half of what was once the CSJ guidebook for that route and again during covid. In that 10 years the infrastructure has improved, but not the pilgrim numbers, and that is a real pity.

Maybe it's more about maintaining the community they might have formed on the Frances a bit longer, but just avoiding the busy last 100kms?

But for anyone who has walked the Frances already, I'd certainly agree, that turning left at Ponferrada opens up a whole new experience. Glorious.

The only negative I can think of, is for those who enjoy having lots of other Pilgrims around and the social aspect. Maybe that's it?

 

[Betterisgood]

Hi there,
After walking the invierno 3 times from Ponferrada to Santiago, last November I finally went the French way to Sarria, and now I have a perspective I haven’t had before. My thoughts, I agree the climb to Cebreiro is amazing and the walk to Sarria nice and I’m glad I’ve gone that way however, if I were to choose where to walk the inverno it is from Ponferrada to at least Chantada. The walk out of Ponferrada on the invierno gets you into the mountains quickly and it is breathtaking. I honestly don’t think you will miss much by heading out from Ponferrada straight away. If you want to get to Sarria on the French then I would head back to Ponferrada if you have the extra days and start from there, the heart of the invierno is before Monforte in my opinion, yes the crowd size will change for you but you miss SO much beauty the invierno has to offer.
This is from someone walked the invierno first and I understand not wanting to miss paths walked before, 3 times before I went the other way…… Whatever you decide
Buen Camino!
MaryEllen
Try to figure out which one is from the French and which is from the invierno…..,

 

[J Willhaus]

@JustJack , I counted 7 buses leaving Sarria for Monfort de Lemos on Monbus. Tickets are usually only available for purchase about a month out, but you can get an idea by putting in a date for sometime next week.

 

[trecile]

Though the walk from Monforte to Chantada is not one to miss !

I agree - such a beautiful stage!
Though I did Piñeiro to Chantada so it was a shorter, but still strenuous day.

 

[JustJack]

Thanks so much for all the feedback. It sounds like a bus from Sarria is an option. And options are what I'm all about as I plan my third camino.

My first camino was the CF, and the next year the VDLP. Two very contrasting caminos. For my third I'm feeling like I want to walk the CF again, simply because I loved all the iconic things there are to see along the way. And I loved the meseta.

But, of course, the crowds are a concern, particularly after having walked the quiet VDLP last spring. So I need to have some options to bail out of the CF if I find I'm not enjoying it.

My current plan is to walk the camino Baztan to Pamplona. That will allow me to avoid the SJPDP to Pamplona bubble. Then, if I find I'm disliking the crowds I can veer off onto the Invierno at Ponferrada, or continue until Sarria where it gets really busy and then take a bus to the Invierno. Best part is I don't need to decide that in advance - I can see how I'm feeling at the time, and if I'm enjoying the buzz of the crowds I can stay on the CF.

I was watching a CF youtube video last night, and it's always shocking to see the conga line of pilgrims heading out of Sarria. Freaked me out a bit and got me scrambling for an emergency exit option, which I think I've now found, so thanks again.

 

[JustJack]

I agree - such a beautiful stage!
Though I did Piñeiro to Chantada so it was a shorter, but still strenuous day.

I see that stage is marked with 4 stars for difficulty on Gronze. Is it pretty tough?

 

[trecile]

I see that stage is marked with 4 stars for difficulty on Gronze. Is it pretty tough?

Yes, but since I started closer to Chantada that day it wasn't as tiring. You walk down and up a steep river valley, but it's beautiful.

 

[peregrina2000]

I see that stage is marked with 4 stars for difficulty on Gronze. Is it pretty tough?

I agree with Trecile, it’s a tough stage, especially if you are doing the ascent from the river in the heat of the afternoon (or in the pouring rain). But most people are able to walk it and enjoy it without falling apart, especially since you will have weeks of walking under your belt.

One rough way to compare “difficulty” is to look at total elevation gain and compare with other tough stages that you remember from earlier caminos. For instance, Monforte to Chantada shows about 800 m total elevation gain, that’s comparable to Salas to Tineo on the Primitivo, if you’ve walked the Primitivo. But it’s less total elevation than the Hospitales route on the Primmitivo. Weather, time of day, your physical and mental state at the time are all part of the overall impression, but in terms of the physicality, you can get an idea of comparable stages.

 

[andycohn]

Thanks so much for all the feedback. It sounds like a bus from Sarria is an option. And options are what I'm all about as I plan my third camino.

My first camino was the CF, and the next year the VDLP. Two very contrasting caminos. For my third I'm feeling like I want to walk the CF again, simply because I loved all the iconic things there are to see along the way. And I loved the meseta.

But, of course, the crowds are a concern, particularly after having walked the quiet VDLP last spring. So I need to have some options to bail out of the CF if I find I'm not enjoying it.

My current plan is to walk the camino Baztan to Pamplona. That will allow me to avoid the SJPDP to Pamplona bubble. Then, if I find I'm disliking the crowds I can veer off onto the Invierno at Ponferrada, or continue until Sarria where it gets really busy and then take a bus to the Invierno. Best part is I don't need to decide that in advance - I can see how I'm feeling at the time, and if I'm enjoying the buzz of the crowds I can stay on the CF.

I was watching a CF youtube video last night, and it's always shocking to see the conga line of pilgrims heading out of Sarria. Freaked me out a bit and got me scrambling for an emergency exit option, which I think I've now found, so thanks again.

That's a wonderful combo, and it's exactly what my wife and I did this fall: Baztan to Pamplona, Frances to Sarria, then bus down to Monforte de Lemos. The Baztan is also stupendous, and you can avoid the conga lines on the Frances by staying off stage, plus the crowds thin out quite a bit after you get into the Meseta. Like you, we also wanted to see again some of the iconic places on the Frances -- the climb out of Rabenal, O'Cebreiro, Samos, etc. -- and we didn't regret that choice. Though now, after reading so many great things about the rest of the Invierno, I'll go back and do the part I missed.

Plenty of buses from Sarria, as @J Wilhaus mentions above (and trains, too), and since you're flexible, you can aways change your mind mid-route.

Buen camino, whatever you decide!

 

[JustJack]

That's a wonderful combo, and it's exactly what my wife and I did this fall: Baztan to Pamplona, Frances to Sarria, then bus down to Monforte de Lemos. The Baztan is also stupendous, and you can avoid the conga lines on the Frances by staying off stage, plus the crowds thin out quite a bit after you get into the Meseta. Like you, we also wanted to see again some of the iconic places on the Frances -- the climb out of Rabenal, O'Cebreiro, Samos, etc. -- and we didn't regret that choice. Though now, after reading so many great things about the rest of the Invierno, I'll go back and do the part I missed.

Plenty of buses from Sarria, as @J Wilhaus mentions above (and trains, too), and since you're flexible, you can aways change your mind mid-route.

Buen camino, whatever you decide!

Nice to hear from someone who did the exact route I'm considering! I may have more questions for you down the road. Actually I have one already - how many days total was your walk from Bayonne to SDC? I'm estimating 37 or 38, not including any rest days.

 

[andycohn]

Nice to hear from someone who did the exact route I'm considering! I may have more questions for you down the road. Actually I have one already - how many days total was your walk from Bayonne to SDC? I'm estimating 37 or 38, not including any rest days.

We took a lot longer, but we're in our mid-70's, and it was our "smell the flowers" camino. For us, it was 47 walking days from Bayonne to SDC (plus four rest days).

Assuming you're much younger, you could certainly cut that down. For example, we took the Baztan particularly slowly (8 days) to avoid days with more than 600 meters / 2000 feet of climbing. Plus we did a few very short stages because we like to do alternativos (Pradella ridgetop, for example, after Villafranca del Bierzo), or to set aside time to explore interesting historical places. like the Monastery of Santa Maria on the way out of Burgos, or the monastery in Samos. In all of those cases, we turned one "normal" stage into two.

 

[El Cascayal]

Try to figure out which one is from the French and which is from the invierno…..,

MaryEllen, I would dare say #2 is after Villavieja on the Invierno on the other side where you head up hill on the trail with gorgeous chestnut trees and views of O Cebreiro to your right on the way to the Castillo de Cornatel. Never been to Sarria, yet.
Aymarah

 

[JustJack]

We took a lot longer, but we're in our mid-70's, and it was our "smell the flowers" camino. For us, it was 47 walking days from Bayonne to SDC (plus four rest days).

Assuming you're much younger, you could certainly cut that down. For example, we took the Baztan particularly slowly (8 days) to avoid days with more than 600 meters / 2000 feet of climbing. Plus we did a few very short stages because we like to do alternativos (Pradella ridgetop, for example, after Villafranca del Bierzo), or to set aside time to explore interesting historical places. like the Monastery of Santa Maria on the way out of Burgos, or the monastery in Samos. In all of those cases, we turned one "normal" stage into two.

I'm a little bit younger, but not as much as I try to pretend

I like the idea of slowing down for the Baztan. I watched a couple videos and it looks beautiful. And I also like the idea of slowing down on the CF, and will attempt to do so this time. For some reason when I put on my backpack I find myself marching at way too fast a pace, trying to cover as many KM as possible as quickly as possible. No idea why I do that. It takes a concerted effort to walk more slowly - but it's an effort I intend to make this camino. I feel like I flew through the CF last time. I'll also take any variants that are available to change things up a bit. For example, I didn't walk past Samos last time so I can do that this time. I think/hope there are another one or two small variants along the way I can take this time.

 

[andycohn]

I'm a little bit younger, but not as much as I try to pretend

I like the idea of slowing down for the Baztan. I watched a couple videos and it looks beautiful. And I also like the idea of slowing down on the CF, and will attempt to do so this time. For some reason when I put on my backpack I find myself marching at way too fast a pace, trying to cover as many KM as possible as quickly as possible. No idea why I do that. It takes a concerted effort to walk more slowly - but it's an effort I intend to make this camino. I feel like I flew through the CF last time. I'll also take any variants that are available to change things up a bit. For example, I didn't walk past Samos last time so I can do that this time. I think/hope there are another one or two small variants along the way I can take this time.

I wouldn't put too much effort into slowing down -- at least your walking speed. That will come in time without any effort at all on your part. Unless you're my wife, or @peregrina2000 .

Love those alternativos, and love Brierley for first directing me to them. There's a ton of them to take you off or away from the road, if only for a couple of kilometers sometimes. I think I've followed them all.

 

[C clearly]

I wouldn't put too much effort into slowing down... That will come in time without any effort at all on your part. Unless you're my wife, or @peregrina2000 .

I can vouch for that!