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Wise Pilgrim APPThe most overlooked curiosity on any camino may be the Castaño de Baamonde — a 500-year-old chestnut tree standing next to the Iglesia de Santiago, just meters from the camino. Get close and you'll discover the hollow interior has been carved into a gallery of figures by a local sculptor, Víctor Corral, who took up the project in protest when the town planned to cut the damaged tree down. His house and museum are just up the road.
Two routes lead out of Baamonde, both suitable and rejoining shortly after. A newer alternative route diverges at San Breixo — 10 km shorter than the old way through Miraz and Sobrado, but with no services. The owners of the KM111 bar in Baamonde can provide the latest details.
There are two routes to chose from when leaving Baamonde, but neither are related to a new alternative route that appears in San Breixo. Both routes from Baamonde are suitable and rejoin just out of town.
Beyond the two options out of town mentioned above, there will soon be another very important deviation when you get to San Breixo. There is a bit of controversy surrounding this option, based mostly on the opposition voiced by business and albergues along the old route. For now there appears to be a bit of an agreement that the old way will remain.
However the new way does exist and it is a full 10km shorter, a distance that tells you just how indirect the old way was. The best and most up to date description of the new way can be gotten from the owners of the KM111 bar in Baamonde.
Essentially this new option begins in A Fonte and bypasses both Miraz AND Sobrado, though there is an option along it to get back to Sobrado if you wish. The two options rejoin in Boimil. This new route is marked, but there are no services along the way.
La Virgen del Rosario de Baamonde is celebrated on the 11th of September.
There is one roundabout in the center of Baamonde, and from it you have two options. To the right is the official camino, and to the left is an alternative complementaria route. The complementaria route has the benefit of avoiding the road in favor of a trail.
