Camino Ingles from 21st May (was One month to go)

[Jeff Crawley]

It came as a bit of a shock this morning to find I've just one month before I fly over to Santiago to start my Ingles.

Everything is pretty well sorted - it'll be a "cut-down" Camino this time (no blogging, no excess electronic kit, just 2 changes of clothes), all rooms have been booked (I no longer share rooms with other pilgrims - the snoring, mine and theirs, the smell of dirty socks, mine and theirs etc.) so no need for towels or bedding and I've watched The Way twice and all three episodes of the BBC Pilgrimage to Santiago . . .

Just one question - will I need a hiking pole for the Ingles? I normally use one but I'm carrying my pack into the cabin so that rules out taking one with me (and bringing one back) but 66 years old, recovered from a bad knee, not done enough training walks (weather/snow/bad knee/lame excuses).

I arrive in SdC at 09:00 local time from London so I thought I might bus into the city, "borrow" (for a donotivo) an abandoned pole from the Pilgrim House, mooch around and catch the train to Ferrol, maybe even stop off in Coruna to see Gen Moore's memorial. Bring back the pole a week later and not feel guilty about buying a new pole and discarding it after just one week.

What do we think?

 

[Bradypus]

Just one question - will I need a hiking pole for the Ingles? I normally use one but I'm carrying my pack into the cabin so that rules out taking one with me (and bringing one back) but 66 years old, recovered from a bad knee, not done enough training walks (weather/snow/bad knee/lame excuses).

I arrive in SdC at 09:00 local time from London so I thought I might bus into the city, "borrow" (for a donotivo) an abandoned pole from the Pilgrim House, mooch around and catch the train to Ferrol, maybe even stop off in Coruna to see Gen Moore's memorial. Bring back the pole a week later and not feel guilty about buying a new pole and discarding it after just one week.

Very little of the Ingles is on rough ground so probably not necessary for that. But there are a couple of short sharp hills where one would be handy. Two might be even better. I've recently been diagnosed with arthritis in one knee and the other is pretty suspect too. For decades I have resisted using twin poles - partly because I didn't find much benefit with them on previous attempts but mostly because I didn't want to look like a complete prat. After a couple of caminos ended very painfully and I was diagnosed with arthritis I reluctantly decided to use them on the Via de la Plata and for a long walk in Japan recently and now have to declare myself a convert. About 1500km trouble free in the past few months. I've now decided that for all but short local walks I will be using two in future. Why not pick up two if they are going spare? I remember seeing a mountain of the things in a store room in The Last Stamp too. If Pilgrim House can't help you you might try asking there.

If you have not visited A Coruna it might be worth giving it a day - or at least a half-day. Great town!

Pax et bonum.

 

[natefaith]

Hi Jeff,
That's great that your Camino Inglés is so close!

I was so grateful for my two trekking poles on the Inglés in July - it was hillier than I'd expected, here and there, with a few steep climbs and descents. I did get a couple of blisters and probably would've suffered a few more if I didn't have the poles.

Pilgrim House still has a bunch of poles so you're welcome to grab one or two! What day of the week will you be in? Please just keep in mind that we're closed Wednesdays and Sundays. It will be great to meet you before and/or after your walk.

Enjoy all the planning and Buen Camino!
Faith

 

[peb]

Sticks and poles are personal, and therefore, if you normally walk with a pole, then your idea of picking one up at the Pilgrim's office appears to me to be a good idea. If you find walking with the pole does not work, then you can always drop it off at any alberge on the way, even if you do not stay there. Alternatively, many shops in Santiago sell poles, which, depending on how much they cost, you may find a better fit. There is also a Decathlon shop in Ferrol, but there is no guarantee they have walking sticks.

The stages on the Ingles are quite long, and so the worst thing would be to walk uncomfortably, regretting not picking up a pole in Santiago as you planned.

As @Bradyplus, says, the Ingles doesn't walk on the rough ground that other of the Caminos cover in the mountains. About half of the Ingles is on tarmacked roads, including the two steep 20 minute climbs out of Pontedeume and Betanzos. The rest is on country tracks. I thought about walking poles, but decided that due to the long stages, I wanted to save my energy moving my legs, not my arms.

There is only 1 direct train day per day from Santiago to Ferrol, leaving Santiago at 14.15 arriving Ferrol at about 4pm (cost about € 16, and you have the privilege of going on a high speed Alvia train). Therefore, unless you stay in La Coruna for a night (which I did and would do so again, because the Tower of Hercules and the Riazor are worth seeing) stopping off at La Coruna may be an issue. Moore's tomb is in the Xardin de San Carlos in the old citadel, and the battlefield with the Moore memorial, harder to find and reach in the hills in the suburbs.

The train station at La Coruna is some way from the city and the uphill walk back to the station from the city is not something, I would do with a pack. Maybe, as you will have had a very early start if you land at 09.00, better to take the bus into Santiago, pick up that stick, have a good lunch and then sleep / relax on the train to Ferrol early afternoon. This is especially because I found it very difficult to find a restaurant serving good evening meals which was open before 9pm in Ferrol (again, noting your very early start).

What you can then do on arrival in Ferrol after finding where you stay is to walk down to the start of the Ingles by the harbour, obtain a credencial / first stamp from the tourist office by the harbour (open till 6pm) and then walk up to the tourist office by the station for a second stamp (open till 7pm), so that next day, you save yourself the time of not needing to go down to the harbour again and start walking from the front door of where you are staying (obtaining a stamp before you leave), especially because the tourist offices are not open until 10am and the first stage (if you are walking all that way) to Pontedeume is very long. There is also a large El Corte Ingles supermarket on the main shopping street in Ferrol to pick up water / fruit / provisions which is open until 9pm.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Very little of the Ingles is on rough ground so probably not necessary for that. But there are a couple of short sharp hills where one would be handy. Two might be even better. I've recently been diagnosed with arthritis in one knee and the other is pretty suspect too. For decades I have resisted using twin poles - partly because I didn't find much benefit with them on previous attempts but mostly because I didn't want to look like a complete prat. After a couple of caminos ended very painfully and I was diagnosed with arthritis I reluctantly decided to use them on the Via de la Plata and for a long walk in Japan recently and now have to declare myself a convert. About 1500km trouble free in the past few months. I've now decided that for all but short local walks I will be using two in future. Why not pick up two if they are going spare? I remember seeing a mountain of the things in a store room in The Last Stamp too. If Pilgrim House can't help you you might try asking there.

If you have not visited A Coruna it might be worth giving it a day - or at least a half-day. Great town!

Pax et bonum.

Thanks for this - I'm a confirmed one-pole man. If I use two I tend to walk too quickly and I intend to savour this Camino!

Besides, if it's sunny I'll need the other paw for my sun-brella!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Hi Jeff,
That's great that your Camino Inglés is so close!

I was so grateful for my two trekking poles on the Inglés in July - it was hillier than I'd expected, here and there, with a few steep climbs and descents. I did get a couple of blisters and probably would've suffered a few more if I didn't have the poles.

Pilgrim House still has a bunch of poles so you're welcome to grab one or two! What day of the week will you be in? Please just keep in mind that we're closed Wednesdays and Sundays. It will be great to meet you before and/or after your walk.

Enjoy all the planning and Buen Camino!
Faith

Hello again Faith,

I'll be arriving at SdC at 09:00 on Monday 21st May so will have plenty of time on my hands before heading for the coast.

Will look in on you and say hello - I look just like my avatar except no penguin

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Thanks for this - I'm a confirmed one-pole man. If I use two I tend to walk too quickly and I intend to savour this Camino!

Besides, if it's sunny I'll need the other paw for my sun-brella!

I also am a confirmed one-poler. My main reason is that it is much easier to grab my phone for the 2000+ photos I take! And, yes, dealing with my umbrella when needed, too.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Sticks and poles are personal, and therefore, if you normally walk with a pole, then your idea of picking one up at the Pilgrim's office appears to me to be a good idea. If you find walking with the pole does not work, then you can always drop it off at any alberge on the way, even if you do not stay there. Alternatively, many shops in Santiago sell poles, which, depending on how much they cost, you may find a better fit. There is also a Decathlon shop in Ferrol, but there is no guarantee they have walking sticks.

The stages on the Ingles are quite long, and so the worst thing would be to walk uncomfortably, regretting not picking up a pole in Santiago as you planned.

As @Bradyplus, says, the Ingles doesn't walk on the rough ground that other of the Caminos cover in the mountains. About half of the Ingles is on tarmacked roads, including the two steep 20 minute climbs out of Pontedeume and Betanzos. The rest is on country tracks. I thought about walking poles, but decided that due to the long stages, I wanted to save my energy moving my legs, not my arms.

There is only 1 direct train day per day from Santiago to Ferrol, leaving Santiago at 14.15 arriving Ferrol at about 4pm (cost about € 16, and you have the privilege of going on a high speed Alvia train). Therefore, unless you stay in La Coruna for a night (which I did and would do so again, because the Tower of Hercules and the Riazor are worth seeing) stopping off at La Coruna may be an issue. Moore's tomb is in the Xardin de San Carlos in the old citadel, and the battlefield with the Moore memorial, harder to find and reach in the hills in the suburbs.

The train station at La Coruna is some way from the city and the uphill walk back to the station from the city is not something, I would do with a pack. Maybe, as you will have had a very early start if you land at 09.00, better to take the bus into Santiago, pick up that stick, have a good lunch and then sleep / relax on the train to Ferrol early afternoon. This is especially because I found it very difficult to find a restaurant serving good evening meals which was open before 9pm in Ferrol (again, noting your very early start).

What you can then do on arrival in Ferrol after finding where you stay is to walk down to the start of the Ingles by the harbour, obtain a credencial / first stamp from the tourist office by the harbour (open till 6pm) and then walk up to the tourist office by the station for a second stamp (open till 7pm), so that next day, you save yourself the time of not needing to go down to the harbour again and start walking from the front door of where you are staying (obtaining a stamp before you leave), especially because the tourist offices are not open until 10am and the first stage (if you are walking all that way) to Pontedeume is very long. There is also a large El Corte Ingles supermarket on the main shopping street in Ferrol to pick up water / fruit / provisions which is open until 9pm.

Thanks so much for all the advice - couldn't have asked for a more detailed itinerary!

I shall drop by Nate and Faith and "rent" a pole - it's not that I'm against buying one (even a super cheapie from Decathlon) but it seems profligate to buy one only to use it for a week and then abandon it!

My revised plan is (as suggested) lunch in SdC after dropping in on the Pilgrim House and heading up to Ferrol and wander around collecting sellos here, there and everywhere. I live just outside of Canterbury in England and in the next two weeks shall walk the first stages of the Via Francigena to top up my stamps - the new credentials are beautiful but SO much blank space - when I got the first stamp at Canterbury Cathedral the clerk was all excited and asked if I was walking to Rome and seemed a little disappointed when it was "just SdC"!

I'm in no rush for this Camino - retirement can be such fun! I've booked into the Hostal de Frontera for the first evening and shall be at Fene (via Neda) on the second leaving Pontedeume for the third and am actually taking a full 8 days to get to SdC.

That said I think I'll leave La Coruna until September/October when I'll be working in the Pilgrim Office and I can use one of my days off to fully enjoy the city (I'll also bus to Fistera as I've never been there either).

Once again, thanks for the advice - my feet are starting to get itchy!

 

[natefaith]

I wished I'd had a full 8 days to enjoy the Inglés, Jeff, so I'm glad you've given yourself that much time.

Buen Camino!
Faith

 

[Jeff Crawley]

So, three weeks until I start out so should really be getting things sorted.

Loaded the recently provided "routes of all the caminos" onto Google Earth and flew the full length of the Ingles - not the prettiest of routes but the thought occurs that, in some areas, food stores/cafes might be in short supply.

Has anybody come across a .gpx or .kmz/l file indicating where food or refreshments may be found?

Any Ingles veterans have any advice.

I'm not panicking, honest.

 

[mylifeonvacation]

Has anybody come across a .gpx or .kmz/l file indicating where food or refreshments may be found?

There's a kmz file from a couple of years ago that @miguel_gp posted that does show some of the café/bars/restaurants. But I'd probably look first at Gronze's pages about the English route. It indicates which towns/places have a spot for food/drink. Now, whether the place will be open when you go by, that's another story!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

There's a kmz file from a couple of years ago that @miguel_gp posted that does show some of the café/bars/restaurants. But I'd probably look first at Gronze's pages about the English route. It indicates which towns/places have a spot for food/drink. Now, whether the place will be open when you go by, that's another story!

Good thinking - thank you kindly.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

A word of caution: Take care of your boots!

Two weeks to go and I've just discovered I've destroyed my boots.

We've had a very strange spring here in the UK. Snow, lashing rain and two mini-heatwaves.

I've been walking as much as possible in either boots (wet and muddy days) or trail runners (drier, warmer days).

Last weekend was a muddy walk and so, when I got home I took my very muddy boots through the the sun room at the back of the house with a view to scrubbing them under the hose when the rain stopped. They were sitting on a large, black plastic bag which folded over them and so they sat for nearly a week during which time the weather has flipped and for the last two days we've have temperatures in the mid-20s except that my sun room hots up 45 degrees Celsius on a clear day and look what's happened to the boots:



The glue has melted and the sole at the toe has peeled away as has the waterproofing bumper around the toe box. Since taking the photos I've tried some high strength glues to no avail - the sole has too much curl to close the gap and there are gaps in the bumper that will allow water to trickle in.

So it's either the well worn trail runners or some relatively new Merrell shoes

They did say in the army "take care of your boots and your boots will take care of you".

 

[peb]

Should be warm and dry enough in Galicia for trail runners now. I would caution new shoes for a long walk day after day

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Should be warm and dry enough in Galicia for trail runners now. I would caution new shoes for a long walk day after day

I think I agree. I did 10k yesterday and another 12 today in the Merrells but while they're comfortable they don't feel mmm "cosy" yet.
A walking buddy has suggested a local boot menders in town otherwise I'll go trail runners with a spare pair of insoles like Trecile suggested.

 

[peb]

Jeff, about half the Ingles is on asphalt (local country roads). If I were walking the Ingles now in minimum temperatures of 18 degrees plus (and possibly higher), I would not take walking boots. As long as your trail runners can cope with a possible day's rain, I would have thought the lighter footwear would be much more comfortable .

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Jeff, about half the Ingles is on asphalt (local country roads). If I were walking the Ingles now in minimum temperatures of 18 degrees plus (and possibly higher), I would not take walking boots. As long as your trail runners can cope with a possible day's rain, I would have thought the lighter footwear would be much more comfortable .

Convinced!

 

[peb]

Jeff, when in Santiago, be sure to pop into the new Anglican and pilgrim centre coordinated by Sybille Yates of my former chaplaincy.

www.egeria.house for more details

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I shall do my best if I have time - I've already said I'd drop by the the Pilgrim House when I get to SdC.
Won't be able to do it when I leave as the airline has brought forward my flight time home from lunch until breakfast.

If I miss out this time I'll drop by when I come back in September.

 

[natefaith]

Buen Camino, Jeff! It's not long, now! And it looks like you'll have sunny weather to start - wonderful!
Faith

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Nothing like getting local knowledge.
Bye bye everybody. See you all in a week or so.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Well, THAT was different!

Miscellaneous ramblings from a returned pilgrim:

> sorry I missed you, Faith, I did "rent" a pole and what a life saver it was!

> you never said you had . . . UKULELEs at the Pilgrim House! I shall try and bring out some suitable (simple) song books in September (the heck with syncopation, just look at that alliteration!)

> the train journey from SdC to Ferrol is to be recommended - beautiful.

> railway officials are just as bad in Spain as anywhere else - got turfed off platform 5 because (along with others) I hadn't been strip searched and x-rayed. Shame because I was having a nice conversation to two Australian CFers - apparently Sarria and onwards was "bloody awful" (that would be mid- to early May I'd guess)

> did you ever see the like of those cranes in Fene?

> there's a supermarket (Avenida Mar, s/n, 15500 Fene, La Coruña, Spain) just behind the little riverside park that has an orange juicer. You slot one of their new bottles (500, 750ml) in place, pull the lever and watch the fresh oranges being squeezed - brilliant!

> When you are warned about the climb out of Pontedeume they are NOT joking. I might have died if not for Faith's hiking pole and the little seating area 3/4 of the way up (SO unfit).

> Meson Paz likewise saved my life.

> there's a bar (Bar Navedo) about 2.5km south of Mino - I think the first I saw outside of a town since Fene

> speaking of Mino - it's nice to have a town you descend from at the start of a new day.

> Did not like Betanzos - it rained and was home to the only unlocked church I found (a dark, unwelcoming one at that)

> went "off piste" after this and stayed at Costa de Egoa on a recommendation from an American pilgrim on ViewRanger. FABULOUS place and you dodge Hospital de Brouma except it rained most of the morning and was cold and misty in the afternoon. There were also more arrows painted on the roads than seen at Custer's Last Stand - it appears the flecha amerillo has caught on with cyclists that have nothing to do with the Camino.

> Ordes - pretty ordinary but good cream cakes.

> Siguiero has a fine, open swimming pool but I had no cossie (look it up)

> Tourigrinos exist on the CI but, curiously enough, walk with laden 40 litre packs for a few Ks before slumping in their mini-coach.

> Do NOT, under any circumstances, stay in the Deluxe Single room at Hostal Forest in SdC - it is unfit for human habitation unless you're an exhausted pilgrim

> Is the Ingles the ugliest entrance into SdC?

> queued for nearly 3 hours for my Compostela so didn't get to meet Faith for a second time (I got to the PH at 18:20 and left the pole nearby hoping somebody would take it)

> the "Two Sisters" statue has been sand blasted and repainted

> I lost both my national and my pilgrims passports somewhere in town (possibly Casa Manolo but they've not responded to my email) Faith, if you're passing could you ask? Pretty please. It's the name of Jeffrey Crawley.

> Spanish passport control couldn't have been nicer (get this grubby pilgrim out of Spain!)

> Her Britannic Majesty's BCA were outraged that I should attempt to enter my own country without a passport when I should have travelled 600km to see her Ambassador in Madrid.

Sorry that's a LOT of rambling there!

On a more serious note I found this a lot more psychologically challenging than the CF and the CP. Last Friday I saw just one other pilgrim who just grunted and powered on and yesterday another singleton who was literally aid back on a bench and taking his time.

On the upside I lost an incredible 10 pounds in weight over 8 days - just a little bit less than the weight of my pack.

I'll shut up and go to bed now, night-night everybody, night-night.

 

[Bradypus]

Sounds like one to remember Jeff

 

[mylifeonvacation]

What an adventure! Thanks for sharing!

 

[darronb]

I'm starting my CI Saturday shall see how we get on. Fingers crossed

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Jeff, about half the Ingles is on asphalt (local country roads). If I were walking the Ingles now in minimum temperatures of 18 degrees plus (and possibly higher), I would not take walking boots. As long as your trail runners can cope with a possible day's rain, I would have thought the lighter footwear would be much more comfortable .

Sound advice - the traillies worked well and there was just the one day of rain.
Oddly my left foot got wetter than the right - I have vague memories of spraying the with a water repellent at some stage - perhaps one she got more than its fair share?

 

[peb]

Jeff, I agree with your advice on 'follow the granite waymarks', because in a number of places the Ingles path, in reality, varies from a number of guidebooks.

However, curious to know if you had any problems on the stage to Pontedeume at Cafeteria Villar de Colo, where you come up to an industrial estate and a couple of roundabouts each side of the motorway? When I did the Ingles in March, all waymarks at that point had disappeared, and there was no signage. Johnnie Walker's guide of keep straight on at he roundabout and under the bridge and then right at the next roundabout to walk up past the Opel garage turned out to be the correct route. In the absence of signage, a local angel told me to turn right at the first roundabout (where the sign says Pontedeume / Betanzos) and then right on an unmarked track at the edge of a field, which I understand is the old route, but had no granite markings thereon, just arrows on the road and on telegraph poles, all the way to Cabanas beach.

If I had more time, I would have stayed at Mino - lovely beach.

Like you, I encountered very few pilgrims on the way. For me, this gave me the solitude and contemplation that I needed for my pilgrimage, although it would have been good to see people ahead so that in those places where the route now deviates from the guidebook (and repeat, where that happens, follow the granite waymarks) to give confidence that I was walking the right way!

Am amazed Her Britannic Majesty's Border Control let you in. That experience must be a blog in itself. Did you carry a photocopy of your passport?

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Hi Peb,

I remember it well. I'd been following the "Dutch" alignment on my GPS from a posting which I believe was dated April 2018 (blue line on attached pdf). Just north of the industrial site I met a young German girl. When we got to the point marked "Split here" there was a granite cairn indicating right along a grassy path. My GPS said left. Julia went with the cairns, I went with the GPS.

We met up at the top but I had to walk through a roughly cleared area alongside the garage and scramble up a steep mud embankment to reach the road.

Thereafter I decided to follow the cairns/signs all the way down to the river (my recorded route is in yellow) - you can see how different they are! It was clearly marked and you can see how far the route has been moved from the beach.

Not sure why they've made some of these changes - it's like the road into Sigueiro, it's been moved from a dead straight country road running 0.5km parallel to the autovia onto a gravel track about 15m off the autovia so you get all the noise and smell and for what? Curious.

If you want a kml or kmz file for my recorded walk from Fene to Pontedeume let me know.

Had the data page of my passport scanned on my phone AND tablet but it was my drivers licence they used for imformation.

 

[peb]

Jeff,

Your pictures are very useful for anyone who is doing the Ingles either to print out or refer to.

I followed the waymark / cairn up to Cafeteria Villa de Colo, but then there were no waymarks / cairns at either the first or second roundabout. In the driving rain, a local told me to go along the blue (old) route, which I then followed painted on the street and lampposts all the way down to the beach at Cabanas.

What your pictures show that I should have walked to a third roundabout / junction, whereby I may have seen a waymark / cairn pointing me to turn right, along the new route. However, I did like my walk along the white sand beach at Cabanas which thankfully coincided with one of the few moments of the day when it did not rain, which the new route misses

I also did not like the 5 or 6km walk alongside the motorway on the way to Sigueiro. Whilst the ground was fairly easy to walk on, it was depressing seeing cars continually speed pass you, covering in little over an hour what you would walk in a week.

On a positive side, the other side of Sigueiro, the Ingles has been rerouted away from the busy Sigueiro - Santiago road and now walks alongside quiet country roads which are parallel to it. Also, and it should not be forgotten, the hard slog up to Hospital de Bruma has also been taken out, although the walk along the road and past the electricity substation the other side of Bar Avelina is not the most exciting, compared to a countryside path in the forest. Therefore, some of the re-routes have been improvements, but not all.