Vía de la Plata
14.2 km, 314 m up and 128 m down, through 13 places, 4 of which have somewhere to sleep. Where you stop is up to you.
Every place on the path in order, with the distance from Sarria. Most are too small to sleep in — a fountain, a chapel, a bar that may or may not be open — but they are what the day is actually made of.
The camino exits town along the Rúa Maior in the old town and passes the Convento de la Magdalena. Take note that the camino actually turns left BEFORE arriving at the convent. It goes steeply downhill to the road, turns right, and soon crosses the río Celeiro on the Ponte Áspera. It follows along the river, and in the shadow of a super bridge before crossing the train tracks. The first climb of the day (excluding the stairs in Sarria) is ahead and passes through an ancient forest full of gnarly oaks and chestnut trees.
Along the way between Sarria and Portomarin it is common to find beggars and buskers and the occasional scam artist soliciting your support and money and signature. Do your best to avoid becoming ensnared, the best method is to keep on walking. Also, you are advised to get your credential stamped at least twice a day between here and Santiago.
Vilei is one of the first hamlets outside Sarria, and the change in atmosphere is immediate. The Galician countryside closes in: narrow lanes between stone walls, hórreos (raised granaries) in every farmyard, eucalyptus …
Barbadelo has the Iglesia de Santiago — a small Romanesque church with a fine carved doorway that is one of the better examples of rural Romanesque architecture in Galicia. The church sits slightly off the camino but is …
A hamlet between Barbadelo and Mercado da Serra. No services. Stone walls, green fields, eucalyptus.
The camino passes through the hamlets of Leimán, Peruscallo, Cortiñas, Lavandeira, Casal, and Brea. None have any services. The way is more gently rolling hills.
Between here and Morgade you may find, behind a fence on your right-hand side, a rather curious and grumpy ostrich. Ostrich meat is a growing industry in Spain, but this particular fella is the family pet.
A tiny Galician hamlet. No services.
Another small hamlet on the trail between Sarria and Portomarín. No services.
A hamlet with no services. The path winds through Galician farmland.
A hamlet on the trail. No services. The name means 'laundry place' — a reference to the stream.
A small hamlet. No services.
A tiny hamlet between Sarria and Portomarín. No services.
A hamlet with a bar and a small albergue — welcome services on this stretch. The Casa Morgade has a good reputation.
Beyond Ferreiros you will encounter the 100km marker. It is the single most vandalized object on the camino, changing from day to day as pilgrims leave their mark. From here on to Santiago the terrain has smoothed out, but do not be deceived. Although the height of the peaks has been reduced, the frequency with which you have to climb the smaller ones has increased.
Beyond Mirallos you will encounter the 100km marker. It is the single most vandalized object on the camino, changing from day to day as pilgrims leave their mark. From here on to Santiago the terrain has smoothed out, but do not be deceived. Although the height of the peaks has been reduced, the frequency with which you have to climb the smaller ones has increased.
You will pass through Rozas and Moimentos, no services.
Distance, climb and descent are measured along the GPS track for this camino — 313 recorded points across this span, the same track the app carries. The town-to-town figures in my data put it at 14.2 km.
Esta entidad ha sido beneficiaria de una ayuda del Programa de incentivos a la movilidad eficiente y sostenible (MOVES III), gestionado por la Xunta de Galicia a través del Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA) en el marco del Real Decreto 266/2021, y cofinanciada por la Unión Europea — NextGenerationEU, dentro del Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia.