Stage 24b Triacastela-Sarria by Samos

Description of stage 24b Triacastela - Sarria by Samos of the French Way

From Triacastela to San Cristovo do Real 3.9 Km

The day begins next to the square of the church of Santiago de Triacastela (0h 00min), we cross the Pilgrim Street that takes us along the town in a gentle descent.

Leaving behind us a few streets that leave our path we arrive at the end of ours, place where the French Way forks giving us the possibility of facing to our right the route that arrives at Sarria passing by San Xil or to continue with the descent by the left whose itinerary will take us until Sarria through Samos.

The latter being the chosen route, we then continue along the street on the left, which crosses a small square, descending towards the Monument to the Pilgrim that we see next to a solitary pine tree.

When we reach its height, we can already see on the right the road towards which we have to go. This road was a tiresome companion in the previous stage and will be partly so today, as it links Sarria with O Cebreiro.

Now a long stretch awaits us, following the winding line drawn by the road, a reflection of the Oribio river flowing through the surrounding mountains.

The route alternates moments in which we are forced to travel along the narrow shoulder of the road, with others in which we can avoid asphalt thanks to footpaths that have been formed with the continuous passage of pilgrims.

The guardrail also alternates location, giving us some protection or marking the maximum distance at which we can separate from the vehicles.

Ignoring the few crossroads we come across, usually sections of an old road that soon come together again, we go forward among the imposing mountains embedded on one side by the road and on the other the course of the river largely hidden by the thick vegetation that surrounds it.

In the sections of footpath we must be attentive since not all are as good alternative as one would expect, since they require us to make some balance to leave them.

We also find pieces of the old guardrail that emerge from the ground enough to make us stumble.

A long time after walking along this stretch, at the beginning of one of the curves that describe the road, the Way uses one of its old pieces to avoid us part of the journey. This small detour takes us to cross the river to leave it on our right.

Almost at the moment we return to look for the company of the road to take up again our advance. In this occasion we have a narrow footpath by which we can continue.

After a short ascent the trail is cut by the intersection with the road that gives access to several villages in the area, we still have to continue a few meters without deviating, this time on the asphalt of the verge.

In front of us we can already observe the sign that marks the detour that takes us until the first locality of the day. We have to pay attention and look for the best place to cross the road as the detour is at the exit of a curve with hardly any visibility.

We quickly began a remarkable descent that brings us closer to the first houses of San Cristovo do Real (0h 50min), to which we arrived following straight by the street that brought us here.

From San Cristovo do Real to Renche 1,8 Km

Just at the end of the street, to our right we find the bridge that serves us to cross again over the river Oribio.

As soon as we cross, two streets appear in front of us, separated by a kind of roundabout. The route follows the street on the left, taking us without further detours to the outskirts of the town.

The narrow street on which we continue reaches the limits of the buildings, a time when we are once again presented with two new possibilities, with the path on the left being the option to follow.

This part of the route runs between the boundaries of the pasture fields and the vertical wall of the slope that separates us from the forest.

The ascent gradually becomes more evident and makes us leave behind some path that descends towards the pastures.

Surrounded already almost in its totality by the leafy forest we continue with the ascent leaving to our left a path that invites us to abandon the forced ascent.

Protected from the sun by the shade provided by the forest we are visiting, we leave behind us the few detours that, if we followed them, would take us to nearby meadows.

The slope loses its inclination allowing us to recover from the effort required, after a while a track joins us on our right, to start together with the descent that brings us back to the banks of the river.

The forest is giving way to meadows, at the same time the path we are going out of its protection leading us without detours to the encounter of the river.

Again after crossing it we have to face a hard ascent, this time following the layout that marks us the asphalt, which makes us go higher leaving our back the green valley. These marked slides are the usual silhouette that awaits us during most of the stage.

We continue with the ascent leaving to our right the first houses of the locality through which we are about to pass.

The road, which we had abandoned miles ago, marks our entry into Renche (1h 25min).​

From Renche to Lastres 0,4 Km

As soon as you reach the road, turn right and continue for a few metres.

We quickly reach the detour where we return to say goodbye to the road, to undertake a strong descent that returns us to the domains of the mighty river.

At the end of the steep descent, the route turns right to follow the asphalted track that crosses the river again. We can already contemplate the first buildings of Lastres and the ramp that takes us to them.

Without leaving asphalt we find an abrupt turn of this one that allows him to continue with the ascent. We avoid this part by following the narrow street that introduces us to Lastres (1h 35min). ​

From Lastres to Freituxe 1,2 Km

We crossed the locality without deviating, leaving to both sides the different accesses with which we crossed. Almost without realizing it, we see ourselves again going through a leafy forest that stretches along the riverbed.

This part of the route alternates the uncomfortable ascents with the corresponding descents, also giving us some breathing space to enjoy the environment that surrounds us.

Without practically warning us, the forest gives way to a clearer stretch where we can already sense the next locality of the day.

The track we are going along takes us to the foot of the local chapel, where we have to follow the option that takes us to a narrow road that climbs up to the chapel and passes next to it.

We begin then the descent by this road that leads us directly towards the nearby Freituxe (1h 55min).​

From Freituxe to Samos 2.7 km

The transit of the French Way by this locality takes us between its houses following the course that marks the road.

After a sharp bend we find, on the right hand side, the beginning of the track we must follow. We then start a new slide that will lead us from the forest to the valley. The track gains height at each step, with the added disadvantage of the thinness that the forest has in this part of the journey.

We leave on our left a path that invites us to abandon the ascent that still awaits us. Soon we reach the highest part of this stretch, from where we can contemplate the steep, cobbled descent that will take us back to the bottom of the valley.

After the cumbersome descent that requires extra effort, we come across the tireless river again, which we cross again.

On our right we can already see the church of San Martiño do Real (2h 15min), which we arrive after the path turns sharply to walk towards it.

As soon as we pass by it, we leave on the right the houses that accompany it in order to undertake or rather to continue with the pronounced ascent that we had begun next to the river.

Now it is the asphalt that guides our steps and makes us discard the different entrances that lead to the real urban nucleus of San Martiño do Real.

The tiring ascent takes us through the tunnel, which avoids the passage through the road, from where we only have a few meters left to finish the ascent.

The route leaves just at a crossroads where we will have to turn a few steps to the left to look for the continuation of the Way.

At the moment we find a road that we have to cross to start the long descent that will take us to Samos.

This part of the route, sometimes somewhat decomposed, offers us the opportunity to contemplate a beautiful panoramic view of the Abbey of Samos, before entering the narrow trench that brings us closer to the first houses in the locality.

The descent continues following the wide track into which the path has become and whose cobbled central row makes us the improvised signposting that leads us to the interior of the town.

The descent ends once again next to the river, which we must cross to finally enter Samos (2h 45min).​

From Samos to Teiguín 1,7 Km

As soon as we cross the river, our route turns left to follow the line that marks the road again.

Following the road without more possibility we leave the locality leaving to our back all those crosses with which we are.

The Pilgrim's Square bid us farewell to Samos as we head towards the outskirts of the town. Soon we see ourselves again progressing along the path that borders the road, following the course marked by the river.

Foxos (3h 00min), formerly an obligatory pass, appears on the slope of the mountain, leaving us a small rest area as a silent witness of its link with the Way of Saint James.

The route continues its untiring course that takes us to Teiguín (3h 10min), a town that, like the previous one, is on the opposite side of the road.

The passage of the itinerary through this place follows a short detour, if we wish, that avoids us part of the road taking us by a cozy rest area next to the river, to return next to the road.

From Teiguín to Sivil 6,5 Km

Once again on the path at the edge of the road, we leave this small town behind us to continue in search of the nearby detour that awaits us.

On the other side of the road begins an asphalted track along which the French Way continues. It is at this point where, for strange reasons, many pilgrims decide to continue straight ahead following the layout of the road. This recommended route for cyclists, to our understanding that they use a road bike, saves us a few 3 km, as long as we follow the road to the letter.

If you follow the road, the wide path that continues from the detour is diluted until it disappears, sometimes forcing you to take detours due to the lack of space for vehicles and pedestrians. In addition we will not cross any urban zone until Sarria, reason why if we need to replace provisions also we will have to add kilometers to the total, to approach the near populations by which we will pass. If we add to all this the danger of a road with a lot of traffic, it means that the saving in kilometres does not compensate for the irrigation that we will undoubtedly take if we follow this route on foot.

Following the marked path, a steep climb up the asphalt track awaits us, reminding us of moments gone by.

The asphalt leads us without error to the limits of Pascais (3h 35min), where just at the entrance we find the detour we have to follow.

The asphalt gives way to a narrow road, in not very good condition, which makes us recover our orientation with the valley to our left, partly avoiding the strong ramps that brought us here.

The route continues its course embedded between the walls that separate the fields that surround us, leaving on both sides the entrances that lead to them.

In a short time, the path becomes wider and wider, while the forest allows us to contemplate what surrounds us, to reach once again the meeting of a road that joins us on our right. Next to it we begin a gentle descent towards the buildings in front of us.

When reaching its height, it leaves the asphalt again, and we turn off following a dirt track that starts on our left. The track, which passes by the wall of the church, makes us lose the height gained by entering the dense forest again.

The track loses its good firm forcing us to descend calmly, shortly after entering the forest the route makes a sharp turn to the right leaving the track by which we advance that continues its straight course.

This stretch meanders through the interior of the forest looking for the best place to save the valley that forms a small stream that runs down the valley. The route runs halfway up the slope, making us save the gentle undulations that it has, following the nearby course of the river that flows to our left.

The path we are following, well marked, maintains the same layout as previous sections, leaving behind the different paths they meet, gradually approaching the next locality of the stage.

We arrive at Gorolfe (4h 00min) after a quick descent that takes us to its church, where we find the road. The Way of St. James then turns right following the course that now marks the asphalt again.

Luckily, shortly after leaving the locality we find a small shortcut that allows us to avoid the long curve that the road draws.

The footpath, with almost no time to enjoy it, takes us back to the asphalt that we have not been rid of for quite a few kilometres. The route along this road allows us to contemplate the town of Reiriz, located at the top of a small hill in front of us.

The route does not leave the road at the junctions with which it meets, allowing us to advance with relative comfort. Shortly after crossing over the river, on our left, we leave the road that leads to Reiriz to continue straight ahead, leaving this locality behind us.

We continue with the comfortable route following the course of the river without deviating from the road that serves as a reference at the crossroads we pass.

Our way joins again with another road that arrives from the town of Reiriz that before we left behind us, to continue together straight towards a farm that we already see to the front. When you reach its enclosure, the road turns right to go towards the inseparable river.

After crossing the river our itinerary progresses escorted by a multitudinous chopera that hides us the green Galician landscape.

After a short time the road begins to take a slope, at which point we must leave it and continue along the track that begins on its left, thus avoiding part of the slope that already began to have.

The track leads us without a doubt to the first house in the next locality, where we arrive following the asphalted track that introduces us into the small town of Sivil (4h 40min).​

From Sivil to Aguiada 2 Km

The asphalted track, forced by the houses of Sivil, turns to the left, taking us quickly out of the town. Again a continuous up and down transports us through the fields that surround us.

The asphalt track makes us leave behind the different paths we encounter, taking us without problems towards our next objective.

The locality of Perros (5h 00min) receives us giving us not few options to enter it. The French Way continues without detours leaving to both sides how many streets or ways we can find.

Without further distraction we soon find ourselves on the outskirts of Perros undertaking a short climb up a decomposed track.

The road to Sarria passes over our heads just before the entrance of the French Way in Aguiada (5h 10min).​

The route goes straight on, passing through the narrow space that the houses leave you, to go out to the main street where we will be joined by the pilgrims who took the road that passes through San Xil.

From Aguiada to Sarria 4,4 Km

Once both Ways have been unified, we continue wandering around the town following the long street that crosses it from side to side.

With no more detours than those that the street itself draws, we arrive at the outskirts of Aguiada to follow the stretch of asphalt that takes us to the meeting of the road that reaches Sarria.

Luckily when arriving at its height we found the beginning of the andadero that allows us to avoid the transit by her, we have that yes, that to advance a few meters to find it. A long stretch awaits us, always with the uncomfortable company of the road, leaving on both sides as many crosses leave our path.

At one of these crossroads is San Mamede do Camiño (3h 40min) a short distance from Aguiada and still far from Sarria. This part of the route, less demanding in unevenness, continues to maintain the undulating course that has accompanied us for a large part of the stage.

There are many crossroads and roads that, always following the course marked by the nearby road, we must leave behind us..

Sarria is already intuited in front of us, but we still have a heavy stretch, already sheltered by the first buildings that indicate the proximity to the city.

After crossing a small rest area, the Way enters definitively among the large buildings that have engulfed the village of Vigo (4h 10min).​

The road, which has already become a street in the city, is still our reference to follow, without having to detour in any of the streets we are currently in.

A building divides in two the street making us choose between the two options, being the street of the right the one that we have to follow.

This street goes out immediately to a wide avenue that cuts it, in front of us we see the street where the Way continues. Once crossed this avenue the new street by which we pass arrives, shortly after leaving to its left another street, to a roundabout.

Here, if we are following the sidewalk on the left, we have to turn off a few metres in search of the pedestrian crossing that will allow us to cross to continue straight on the wide avenue that begins at this point. While if we are following the sidewalk on the right, which on the other hand is the one that from now on is more advisable for us to follow, we only have to continue the flow that this sidewalk draws for us.

The wide Pilgrim's Rua meanders between the buildings leading us undoubtedly into the interior of the city.

This street takes us to the bridge over the river Sarria which we cross to reach straight on to the end of the Pilgrim Street in Sarria (4h 25min), where this stage ends.

Variant: Stage 24 Triacastela-Sarria by San Xil

Technical details of the stage

Distance. 24,6Km

There are pilgrims who largely follow the route of the road, which affects the distance of the stage.

Time. 6:10min

The accumulated fatigue or the deceptive perception of a simple stage in terms of the slope can play a bad trick on us making it take a little longer than the indicated. On the other hand, the almost obligatory stop at Samos also adds minutes to the total time even thoug:these are fully justified. In case of following the road all the time, the difference in mileage does not make us notice as muc:difference as we could have imagined.

Time of year

The route is simply spectacular, althoug:the fog and the famous bad weather of Galicia can make the day bitter. We will not have the great panoramic views of other stages, but we will be able to enjoy the special corners that are hidden along the way and the spectacle formed by the forests or the gorge that we will cross. Without a doubt, autumn and spring bring their special colours to a landscape that is beautiful to walk through.

Material required

This is a stage that can initially be done wit:a more comfortable footwear, suc:as hiking shoes. But not infrequently we will ask for a stronger shoe that protects and nods the foot, so if we are the ones who free the foot of ties to the slightest possibility is not too muc:to keep the boots at hand. For the rest apart from adapting our clothes and footwear as it is logical to the conditions of the weather, we would not have to lack something of clothes that protects us of the rain and of the wind that to the first hours of the morning and even in summer will do that the day is fresh. The protection against the sun and the sunglasses next to the cap must not forget us thinking erroneously that we are not going to miss them given the shade that in great average we will enjoy. Of course the camera of photos can not miss us and not this one more to carry a reflective or frontal for the sections of highway especially to first hours of the morning. It is very important, as in all stages but in this one even more if it fits, to transport the water and the sufficient food since we will not find many places where to replace the provisions. Consult our list of material and equipment to make the Way. Read more

Difficulty. Moderate

Physical

A more demanding stage than one would expect given its continuous and demanding ramps which, althoug:not very long in distance, will force us to make an extra effort in the ascents and some expertise in some of the descents. The shadow is an ally in great part of the route but we must not fall into the error of underestimating the heat that we can get to spend the summer days, so water and some food should be our inseparable companions.

Caution

It goes without saying that the kilometers of road, even counting in many of them wit:paths next to it, are a risk to our safety. The road from Triacastela to Sarria bears a lot of traffic and in some sections we will be forced to circulate throug:a narrow shoulder that brings us closer, more than desired, to the vehicles. Attention also in the paths at the edge of the road since in some sections we will find the pointed remains of the steel beams that supported the old guard rails and that someone left sticking out of the ground as traps for the pilgrim.

Orientation

Itinerary in principle easy to follow but whic:is complicated because the marks are largely quite old, are worn or are little visible, whic:means that not a few pilgrims end up wandering the roads without knowing where they are. In addition we will find more than one, these yes, clear marks that invite us to take a detour to visit different places not so close to the Camino as at first seems. Also the thick vegetation does its own hiding signs and making what should be a well-defined and clear road seems not to be as traveled as it actually is. Beware of the detour after Teiguín, the continuity of the andadero next to the road added to the old sign indicating straight for bicycles makes many pilgrims follow the layout of the road, whic:on the other hand is the one marked on the official topographical maps.

Coordinates UTM Datum WGS84

Stage Profile

Cartography, maps and tracks

This sketc:of the route is not made to scale nor does it contain all the information relating to the area, it is merely indicative.

This schematic wit:the pat:is approximate and has been created from the derived cartographic base © Instituto Geográfico Nacional "Cuadrante 124 1:50.000".

Senditur has manipulated the tracks to correct the aberrant points that may exist, caused by problems wit:the reception of the GPS signal. In any case the tracks are always approximate. SENDITUR encourages you to use the new technologies within your reach, using them as support and consultation in your activity, not basing the realization and orientation of the same only and exclusively on them, since they may see their functioning altered by very diverse causes, not functioning correctly and their indications may not be precise.

Variant: Stage 24 Triacastela-Sarria by San Xil