A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Sanabres & Camino Invierno: Ourense - a Laxe - Santiago Ponferrada - a Laxe - Santiago

This guidebook combines two ancient routes into Santiago that remain largely undiscovered despite their historic significance. The Camino Sanabrés offers a link from the Via de le Plata, while the Camino de Invierno provides a link from the Camino Francés. The 'Winter Way' is a camino in its own right, winding through the mystery of Las Médulas and the Ribeira Sacra with its vineyards and chestnut forests. It is a demanding route, well suited for the seasoned pilgrim with an adventurous spirit, seeking a quieter way. The guidebook seeks to find a balance between the outer and inner journey, between the physical and spiritual, and to find a place to eat and sleep at the end of a hard day's walk.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 13 June 2022
Publisher: Kaminn Media Ltd

This comprehensive guidebook combines two ancient routes into Santiago, offering a largely undiscovered journey despite their historic significance. The routes, Camino Sanabrés and Camino de Invierno, provide diverse camino experiences that join in A Laxe for the final stages. While each route offers the minimum distance required for a pilgrim to apply for a Compostela, the guidebook's primary objective is to offer alternatives to the busy routes through Sarria and Tui, which account for over 80% of all pilgrims to Santiago. By contrast, the Camino Invierno currently carries less than 1%.

Camino Sanabrés offers a link from the Via de le Plata, commencing in Ourense with its rich Roman heritage and extant thermal baths. Excellent rail and road links make the city highly accessible for pilgrims wishing to commence their journey from this point. The acorn would be a fitting symbol for this route, as it winds its way through ancient oak forests past the Pico Santo into Santiago.

Camino de Invierno provides a link from the Camino Francés and offers a wonderful alternative to the routes through Sarria. The 'Winter Way' is a camino in its own right, snaking its way through the mystery of Las Médulas, the largest gold mines in the Roman Empire and now a World Heritage Site. The route continues along the sacred banks of the río Sil, the incomparable Ribeira Sacra with its vineyards and chestnut forests. Its remote location and limited facilities make this a demanding route, well suited for seasoned pilgrims with an adventurous spirit, seeking a quieter way.

This guidebook also strives to find a balance between the outer and inner journey, between the physical and spiritual, which is why it includes insights into the local culture, history, and spirituality of the regions traversed. The authors have firsthand experience of these routes and have curated information to assist pilgrims in making the most of their journey. Whether you are a seasoned pilgrim or a first-time traveler, this guidebook will provide you with valuable insights, inspiration, and practical advice to help you embark on a transformative journey to Santiago.

Dimension: 190 x 117 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781912216260
Edition number: 2 Revised edition