Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[en0frb]

Hello everyone,

I'm going to walk the Camino Ingles at the end of July (first day of walking will be the 28th) and despite being very excited about it (I'm looking forwards to it very very very much ), I'm starting to get a little scared - mainly about getting lost! I had been hoping to find maps to take but no luck so far. I'm used to walking with a map and compass and am getting very nervous about walking all that way without one and by myself!

Will I be able to find my way with the CSJ guide and the waymarking? Can anyone recommend anything else I can carry to help find the way (my spanish isnt good enough to follow the amigos guide and buying gps is a little beyond my budget!)?

Fran

[JohnnieWalker]

Fran - tranquillo!

Where are you starting from Ferrol/A Coruna? The CSJ guide plus the updates in the Camino Ingles section of this forum are more than enouigh. The route is generally well waymarked and we understand the local amigos will have repainted the yellow arrows by the time you go. It is a charming route - straightforward and known by the locals. I'll wager you don't get lost! I've walked it twice in the last year or so and would recommend it - so enjoy!

Buen Camino

John

[sillydoll]

How about downloading the strip maps from this website?

http://www.caminoingles.com/index_en.html

More strip maps of the route go to: http://www.amigosdelcamino.com/
On the right hand side click on: Caminos
Then Camino Ingles
Then on the top tool bar click on Mappas

Download an English Guide here:

http://www.xacobeo.es/2006/adjuntos/des ... sh_Way.pdf download

You will find a graphic profile of all the stages at Mundicamino:
http://www.mundicamino.com/ruta

You can also get a map of the route tourist office in Ferrol.

You'll be alright - you wait and see. Once you start walking everything will just fall into place.
Pilgrim hugs,

[Rebekah Scott]

Being a little afraid is part of the journey.
I do hope recent posts are right, and the waymarks are now improved... but if they are not, it adds to the challenge and the sense of achievement when you do finally spot one!
Even if you do wander off the path, it won´t kill you. You´ll just find your way back, or a local will help you out. Don´t worry.

This camino is a real treat. Don´t let cold feet rob you of a lovely journey. (which will heat your feet right up, I´m here to tell you!)

Carry an extra tin of tuna and a chocolate bar. The compass won´t be a big help because the path is full of switchbacks and variations that don´t make a lot of sense sometimes.

Don´t forget to sing.

Rebekah

[en0frb]

You guys are great

Don't worry - I'm not going to let being a little afraid get in the way. Its going to be an interesting week, whatever happens.

Thank you for the encouragement and advice,

God bless,

Fran

[hastings1066]

Dear Fran- I am just a little scared too but do find it encouraging to learn from other's experiences. It would be great if you could do a post when you successfully complete the Camino-- with 60 year old knees I am especially worried about the trek up the hill to Hospital de Bruma!
Anne

[JohnnieWalker]

Anne - after reading about it - so was I!!! However there is a great stopping place before the ascent just after the village - a lavadero with beautiful clear, cold drinking water - I took my boots and socks off, paddled, drank lots of water, ate a sandwich and chocolate bar, refilled my water bottle and up I went. Just take your time and stop whenever - it isn't a race. Huge sense of achievement at the top!

Buen Camino

John

[hastings1066]

John- that is really encouraging-thanks!
Anne

[en0frb]

Anne - I plan to keep notes and take pictures along the way, so I'll let you know if I've got anything to add to whats already here. I'm trying to put together a notebook that combines the csj guide info and whats on the forum/other websites so I've got it all in one handy place to take with me. There's quite a bit of information out there really.

John - do you think in July its necessary to book accomodation in advance, or is asking the people in one place to call and book somewhere else for then next night ok?

Fran

[JohnnieWalker]

Fran - I 'm sure it is ok to do that. But the etapas are so regular you can probably get the first place to book all of them for you!

I'll be on the route from 6th July myself.

John

[peregrina2000]

I see that one of the sites Sil referred us to shows a couple of options for the Camino Ingles -- Ferrol to Santiago, A Coruna to Santiago, or Ferrol to a Coruna to Santiago. http://www.caminoingles.com/index_en.html Can anyone compare those options or recommend one over the other?

[lckgj]

I think Johnnie might be the best person to answer this as I believe he has walked both routes.

However, one obvious reason for choosing Ferrol over A Coruna is that A Coruna is less than 100kms from Santiago and therefore if it is your wish to obtain a compostela then you need to walk the longer route from Ferrol.

I stayed a couple of days in A Coruna earlier this month and found it to be a lovely city. The left luggage at the bus station doubles as the tourist info office and a Cuban gentleman (who spoke near perfect English) gave me loads of great advice including a cheap, clean and well located place to stay. He deserves a medal for services to his adopted his city as his enthusiasm for A Coruna was infectious. The approach by bus from Finisterre is through an ugly area of heavy industry and I nearly booked a bus straight back to Santiago as my first impression was that I had made a big mistake in going there.I went back to thank him for his helpfulness when I got the bus back to Santiago but unfortunately he wasn't on duty. Anyone arriving in A Coruna shouls check if he is there. If only the staff in an average UK bus station were as friendly, informative and multi-lingual!

Whatever route you choose have a great trip and report back how you get on. Im walking from Ferrol at the end of August and am currently making notes from all the relevant postings on this site!

Buen Camino

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi - Hopefully Peter R will join in on this one too.

The route from A Coruna (as I understand it) is the more authentic route as records show medieval pilgrims from England (and Ireland?) arrived there more than any other place on the coast. I'm not sure any are recorded as arriving elsewhere. Nowadays there is a sailing ship from Ireland retracing the sea route and disembarking at A Coruna. http://www.jeaniejohnston.ie/

A Coruna is an interesting place - and some of the hotels on the front - with a very long promenade of 9kms - have wonderful sea views. One can sit and watch the early morning sea anglers on the beach and the afternoon surfers falling off their boards as really quite impressive surf gets up. There are historic sites like the Tower of Hercules.

However, as had been said, the distance to Santiago going straight to Bruma and then on down to Santiago is not enough to earn a Compostela. And truth be told, the walk out of A Coruna is rather tedious and it is understandable that some advise taking the bus for the first 7 or 10 k. After that however the route is interesting but in my opinion not bursting in character.

The route from Ferrol though less authentic in historical terms perhaps is a good walk with excellent views in places and stops in picturesque Pontedueme and Betanzos. It does qualify for a Compostela. For that reason it seems to have become the choice for modern pilgrims.

I found the locals on the Ferrol route much more aware of the Camino than on the A Coruna arm - but of course both are routes less travelled in comparison to others.

I hope this helps.

John

[peregrina2000]

Thanks much for all this information on the Camino Ingles, it's so helpful.

Did anyone do the little from Pontedeume to visit the San Miguel de Breamo church? Any idea how far it was? It looks lovely. Are there other not to be missed places close to the route?

Thanks, Ingles experts! Laurie

[JohnnieWalker]

Laurie

Interested by your enquiry, last week I decided to visit the church of San Miguel de Breamo. If ever you are looking for some early morning cardio exercises this is the visit to make! Thanks a lot

There are two ways of visiting the church

1 Go up to the church of Santiago behind which is a notice board illustrating the ways to get there through the forest. I'd advise sketching it on a piece of paper to take with you as waymarking has faded. Go up the steps behind the notice board and proceed up the street to house number 8 turn right and continue up...up....up...up...up then you reach the church. If you follow this all the way you will not have the clear vistas of the sea which you get on the road so it possible after the first stretch up the steps through the trees to turn right onto the road and descend either by the road or the forest route.

2 Follow the yellow arrows up the Rua Real for about 1k then follow the road sign marked 3k to the church of San Miguel de Breamo.

Reading in the CSJ guide that there was a climb I opted for leaving my rucksack and after an early breakfast up I went via the forest route then the road - I came back via the forest path a round trip of about 1.5 hours.

Another option would be simply to set off as usual and 1k up on the climb out of Pontdeume by road on the Camino route take the road detour 3k to the right returning to that same spot after your visit.

Is it worth it? Like all detours it is a matter of personal choice. These might help

[JohnnieWalker]

Access to the forest path and the view from the road

[Peter Robins]

that path doesn't seem to be marked on the IGN map http://petersmaps.googlepages.com/ol_mt ... layers=B0T

[JohnnieWalker]

Just because you can't see it doesn't mean its not there!

The steps up from the side of house number 8 lead very quickly to a narrow path up with more little steps all the way to an intersection with the road - to follow the forest path you fo straight accross and up a forest "path" - all of this unlikely to be on a map! But trust me its there - pant...pant

I tried to take a pic of the infromation board about San Miguel de Breamo with a schemtaic map at the Church but it had been vandalised but still clear enough to the eye to sketch down the path.

[peregrina2000]

Thanks for all the information and the pictures, John. So infuriating that there's another beautiful romanesque church in Spain and guess what, it's never open! (At least that's how I interpret the note at the bottom of the inside picture you posted). I will definitely walk up there, and will use your information as a guide. If nothing else, the exterior seems to be in good shape, and that's quite a nice view you posted!

I'm also going to PM you, because I am planning to walk this way in a little more than a month, and it sounds like it could be frustrating at times. I am missing that part of the brain that gives people instincts on which way to go when they come to an unmarked intersection on the Camino, and I envision many wrong turns!

Thanks again so much, Laurie

[Peter Robins]

Hi - Hopefully Peter R will join in on this one too

only just noticed it. I think the main reason why the modern route starts in Ferrol (and why there's an albergue in Neda) is because it was a group from Neda who initiated the modern development of the CI. Guidebooks can't find much to say about Ferrol - naval port, er, um - tho it was an entrepot in the medieval trade from the Med with England and Flanders; the Pisans, IIRC.

As you say, the exit from Corunna is pretty tedious. One possibility is to fly into Corunna airport and start there - it's more or less on the route.