Camino Sanabrés: Stage 11

As soon as we leave, we will have to know the alternative we will choose, depending on if yesterday we went to the monastery of Oseira or if we chose to omit this visit.

• We left Cea through its Plaza Mayor, turning left just behind the Torre del Reloj (Clock Tower). A few metres further on, turn right again, in this case, to join the regional road towards Oseira. We will pass through the towns of Cotela and Piñor, after zigzagging alternating sections by road and shortcuts by roads. From this village, we continue by road for at least another two and a half kilometres, changing it for a road that is presented to us on the right hand side, crossing for another one later and thus joining the national road just in O Reino. Right there we cross it and take another road that takes us to a bridge and again we find ourselves with the N-525, which we will follow for the next few meters. Turn left, parallel to the freeway and crossing another bridge over the AG-53, and then right on a track. We officially entered the province of Pontevedra, following the route along different rural paths and reaching Castro Dozón in just over a kilometre, after crossing the motorway again.
• The other alternative goes up to the monastery of Oseira, almost nine kilometres from Cea. To do this, we leave Cea through the Plaza Mayor and continue straight on along the street behind the Torre del Reloj (Clock Tower), which will lead us to the road. We crossed this road to connect with Lodairo Street and passing in front of the municipal football field, going into paths sheltered by oak groves. This track ends right on the access road to Silvaboa, the nucleus prior to the monastery and which we leave by asphalt to the village of Pieles. When you reach a crossroads, turn right, following the signs for the monastery and cross a few kilometres through Ventela and finally cross the river. Its origins date back to the 12th century, when a group of monks chose this place as a spiritual retreat, beginning by building a few small buildings that were progressively extended over the years until they became what they are today, one of the greatest exponents of circus architecture in the entire Iberian Peninsula.

After this obligatory stop, we continue ascending a track that we leave a little further on the left, by another path that brings us closer to the road. We will continue to Vilarello, a couple of kilometres away, and then leave it following a descending path to a small stream. We turn left at Carballediña and Outeiro de Coiras, a town on the border with the province of Pontevedra. When we reach it, we turn right to go up to A Gouxa, the first one in this province, and then the one in Vidueiros. At the exit of this town, we must continue to the right and then turn left, taking the national road and following it along the roadside until Castro Dozón, where we meet the rest of the pilgrims.

From this town, we still have eighteen kilometers ahead of us to Laxe and five more, if we decide to go to Lalín. We said goodbye, at least for the time being, to the national road and right next to the church of San Salvador we went into a track next to the road, to which we will return in just a few meters. The next town we will reach is Santo Domingo, where we will leave the road and head for Puxallos by roads. From here we descend through the Deza valley in search of Pontenoufe, after taking a detour to the left. Once you have reached this village, go down towards the river Asneiro, from where you continue on the right and then go up a little further up a path. At the end, turn right onto an already paved track and continue along A Xesta. Once again, we came across the already faithful travelling companion, the national road, crossing it to take another track that will lead us to the outlying district of Lalín and its train station. Then we will go through the parish of Botos, having to save the national road again to save the few remaining two kilometers to Donsión on gravel. This road will leave us at the height of the temple of Santa Eulalia, from the 17th century and which belonged to the Gil Taboada family. By another road similar to the one that led us to this neighbourhood, we continue towards the river Cabirtas, crossing it and following along its banks until we cross the national road, entering officially into Laxe, which belongs to the Lalín Town Hall.

Bear in mind

There is the possibility of spending the night in Oseira or in Castro Dozón, if we choose the option that passes through the monastery. In the same way, we can also modify the itinerary continuing to Lalín, where we will find all kinds of services and accommodation. This stage does not present any additional salientable difficulty for cyclists or pilgrims with reduced mobility.