Best sections to skip from Santiago to Finisterre?

nichollsb · Mar 31, 2017

My husband and I want to walk to Finisterre, but we may not have all five days (4 days of walking, then the bus back). Nor do we want to do killer 30-mile days. Is it possible to take a bus half-way there and walk the rest? And if so, which is better, the first half/quarter of the way, or the second half of the way?

Lastly, do you advice making reservations a day ahead for places to stay if you don't want to stay at the public albergues?

trecile · Mar 31, 2017

nichollsb said:
My husband and I want to walk to Finisterre, but we may not have all five days (4 days of walking, then the bus back). Nor do we want to do killer 30-mile days. Is it possible to take a bus half-way there and walk the rest? And if so, which is better, the first half/quarter of the way, or the second half of the way?

Lastly, do you advice making reservations a day ahead for places to stay if you don't want to stay at the public albergues?

I walked it in 3 days. None of which were 30 milers.
My stages were

Santiago to Negreira 13.67 miles
Negreira to Olveiroa 22 miles
Olveiroa to Finisterre 20.19 miles

I stayed in all private hostal/pension rooms with private bath, since I started coming down with a cold after I left Santiago. I didn't need a reservation at any of them, but I did have a reservation in Finisterre.

This site is good for planning the walk.

whariwharangi · Mar 31, 2017

If I didn't have the time to walk it ... I wouldn't walk it at all.

trecile · Mar 31, 2017

It might also be nice to bus to Finisterre or Muxia and walk between the two, which should take a day. Or you could split it into two easy days of walking.

Rick of Rick and Peg · Mar 31, 2017

trecile said:
It might also be nice to bus to Finisterre or Muxia and walk between the two, which should take a day. Or you could split it into two easy days of walking.

That was my thought too. Spend a day exploring each and walk between the two. The bus service is better between Finisterre and Santiago than between Muxia and Santiago so you may want to end up in Finisterre. I just can't decide on what part of the Santiago to Finisterre walk would be the better one.

There is an online guide to Fisterra and Muxia from Santiago available here:
http://www.caminodesantiago.gal/documents/17639/155453/Fisterra Muxía - Plano - EN.pdf?version=1.0

The website https://www.pilbeo.com has links to bus schedules for the Fisterre/Muxia area. Their English language webpage at https://www.pilbeo.com/en indicates that they are a Camino de Santiago luggage transport service. On their website they kindly supply bus schedule information at webpage https://www.pilbeo.com/en/bus-schedules (or https://www.pilbeo.com/es/horarios-autobus in Spanish.) For each of the bus services they provide a link to the bus company.

Tincatinker · Mar 31, 2017

There is an earlier thread on this question or a permutation of it. Haven't got time to search now but as I recall consensus was that it would be quicker and easier to walk all the way rather that try and 'hop' a bit by public transport, other than a Taxi. The reasoning being that buses from Santiago mainly follow the coast to Cee. From Cee it is possible to catch occasional local buses into the 'interior' but you would likely spend two days achieving that which you could do in one day on foot.

I've taken three days to Muxia and another two to Fisterra; three days to Cee and caught the bus back to Santiago from there and, taken the bus to Fisterra walked to Muxia and on to Santiago in five days. All things are possible; some more readily achieved

Camino Chrissy · Mar 31, 2017

trecile said:
It might also be nice to bus to Finisterre or Muxia and walk between the two, which should take a day. Or you could split it into two easy days of walking.

I walked from Muxia to Lires, then Lires to Finesterre the next day. All in glorious warm, sunny weather in late May 2015. I'm doing it again same timeframe this year again, but I'll definately need to "cross my fingers" in hopes of more great weather this time around. I loved the relaxing, easy peasy two ten milers!

Priscilla NC · Mar 31, 2017

If I only had 5 days, I'd take a bus to Muxia, walk 2 days to Finisterre (Lires is a good place to stay in between), then take the bus from Finisterre to Santiago.

I have to say I loved walking it all. But sometimes our schedules don't allow for that.
Buen Camino!
Priscilla

Camino Chrissy · Mar 31, 2017

Priscilla NC said:
If I only had 5 days, I'd take a bus to Muxia, walk 2 days to Finisterre (Lires is a good place to stay in between), then take the bus from Finisterre to Santiago.

I have to say I loved walking it all. But sometimes our schedules don't allow for that.
Buen Camino!
Priscilla

That's exactly what I did and will be doing it that way again this spring. If I had unlimited time I would love to walk the whole way, but anything over 18 miles (if not flat) poops me out big time!

nichollsb · Mar 31, 2017

Thanks, all! I love your suggestions.

Tulle · Apr 3, 2017

Camino Chris said:
I walked from Muxia to Lires, then Lires to Finesterre the next day. All in glorious warm, sunny weather in late May 2015. I'm doing it again same timeframe this year again, but I'll definately need to "cross my fingers" in hopes of more great weather this time around. I loved the relaxing, easy peasy two ten milers!

Is this route well marked?

Rick of Rick and Peg · Apr 3, 2017

Tulle said:
Is this route well marked?

I don't remember any problems. From Finisterre to Lires (2015) there were some long stretches with no marking even though you were on the camino. I guess the thought was "We pointed you down the road and you won't need any arrows until you need to turn." It would have been nice to see a few reassuring arrows though. Note that people walk in both directions between Finisterre and Muxia so there are arrows pointing both north and south. If you stop for a break or pause at an intersection with multiple paths be sure that when you continue you don't follow arrows pointing you back in the direction you just came from.

Camino Chrissy · Apr 4, 2017

Tulle said:
Is this route well marked?

Yes, it is for most of it. I do remember just one questionable area, but easy to get it figured out.

Suzanne S. · Apr 4, 2017

Camino Chris said:
I walked from Muxia to Lires, then Lires to Finesterre the next day. All in glorious warm, sunny weather in late May 2015. I'm doing it again same timeframe this year again, but I'll definately need to "cross my fingers" in hopes of more great weather this time around. I loved the relaxing, easy peasy two ten milers!

That's exactly what I did. The Muxia to Finisterre walk was lovely!