A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Sanabrés and Camino Invierno

Book excerpt: Caminos Sanabrés & Invierno. This brand new Camino Guide includes the last two largely undiscovered pilgrim routes into Santiago. That they have remained bypassed for so long is all the more surprising as they follow ancient Roman itineraries and offer spectacular and yet easily accessible alternatives to the well-trodden main routes. Each offers a distinct and unique flavour but are included in one volume as they join midway for the final stages into Santiago. The guide to the camino Sanabrés commences in the Roman spa city of Ourense while the Invierno route starts in Ponferrada and traverses the Roman goldmines of Las Médullas (World Heritage Site) along the banks of the río Sil. Both Camino Sanabrés and Camino Invierno provide the minimum distance required for a pilgrim to apply for a Compostela.This reference contains all the information needed by modern-day pilgrims wishing to walk these sacred roads. Overview route planners plus daily stage maps and detailed town plans help sojourners with as much advance preparation as they need. The maps feature contour guides to help distinguish the terrain that will be crossed each day, while full information on all pilgrim hostels, as well as details for alternative accommodation, allow travelers to plot adequate nightly stopping points. All reference information is accompanied by helpful spiritual guidelines to support the seeker's inner journey as well as the outer pilgrimage. This lightweight guide fits into a walker's pocket for carefree traveling.This guidebook also seeks to find a balance between the outer and inner journey, between the practical and spiritual, which is why it is subtitled A Practical & Mystical Manual - that we might find a place to eat and sleep at the end of a hard day's walk but also, and crucially, that we might find the courage to dive into the mystery of our own soul awakening.