Expectations

[Old Git]

I am hoping to do the Finesterre next year but I am a 72 year old having 4 prosthesis so I'm not the quickest ! and partially sighted as a result of 3 strokes last year.
Can anyone give me advice of what to expect in terms of distances and terrain, thanks

 

[Tincatinker]

Amigo, I think that for you doing the Finisterre will be a bit like doing the Tango. You'll do it but perhaps not quite as elegantly as you might have. Most of the terrain is fairly gentle, rolling hills. The track over the "mountain" has been much improved by the xunta and the notorious descent into Cee is a well graded path rather than the rocky route it was. https://www.gronze.com/santiago-finisterre will provide all the info you need on distances, profiles and accommodation. Happy planning and Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 67185]

I am hoping to do the Finesterre next year but I am a 72 year old having 4 prosthesis so I'm not the quickest ! and partially sighted as a result of 3 strokes last year.
Can anyone give me advice of what to expect in terms of distances and terrain, thanks

Welcome to the Forum, Old Git

The good news is, you are in a forum with a wonderful group of people. Most are here to help people like you to achieve their pilgrimage goals. We can offer you encouragement, knowledge, and point you in the direction that will help you help yourself.

Given those physical concerns which you have shared with us, please listen carefully to the advice of those experienced in that route. Also keep in mind that you can consider supplemental help in order to achieve your goals if you are simply unable to physically do 100% of the walking. There are buses and taxis which can help you through the most problematic parts of the route. You can also use supplemental transportation to assist you if you find that you cannot manage the daily distance you want to achieve; you can walk for as long as you can manage, then take a taxi to your lodging the rest of the way.

Do not focus on what you can't do, evaluate honestly what you can do and then brainstorm strategies to compensate. There are many of us here who are gladly willing to help, and those who will have shared your same concerns that can relate to you how they accomplished their Camino goals.

My suggestion to start is this:

1. Take a deep breath. Write down in large letters the reasons why you want to go on Camino. Place that piece of paper where you can see it every day. That way, if anxieties and fears threaten to overwhelm you as you plan, you can just breath, read what you have written, and focus on those reasons until the negative stuff fades.
2. Make a list of questions and concerns that you have.
3. Go to the Search Engine at the top of the Forum pages.
4. Enter the words or phrase that you want more information about. You will get a huge amount of information to explore.
5. If you find that you need help with anything, post a new thread so that your question or concern can be readily seen. If you post a question within someone else's thread, you won't receive as big of a response.
6. Remember that perfect timing as it relates to how you feel, scheduling, and day to day life issues, seldom align themselves perfectly. If one waits for such to occur, doing something like a pilgrimage will always be in danger of taking a back seat while you wait for that perfect alignment to happen.

My thoughts and prayers are with you as you plan your journey. While you might not be able to do the Camino the manner that most pilgrims are able to do so, there can be a way for you to achieve your goals.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

In 2015 the tourist office in Santiago de Compostela gave out a free guide for the walks to Muxia and Finisterra (in English). I found a version of this online at: http://www.caminodesantiago.gal/documents/17639/155453/Fisterra Muxía - Plano - EN.pdf?version=1.0

My concern for you is that the albergues were further apart than on the CF and thus there could be longer daily walks. However, since the PDF was created, more places to stop have been created. See the link to Gronze in post #2 to see how things are now.

If the PDF file linked to above does not work the file may have been renamed or moved. To locate it (or newer versions) try a Google search for these words: Santiago Muxia Fisterra Langosteira Amarela Vilar Sardiñeiro Grissaphan Fontana Laffi Ultreia Costa da Morte Codex Calixtinus Xacobeo Galicia -izquierda

 

[Old Git]

Valuable information friends I am most grateful. The planning has started.

 

[lt56ny]

I have a few more suggestions for you. I have walked with people as old as 85. I met a man who was in his late 70”s who said I never walk more then about 12k. So if I there are not Albergues I talke a short taxi ride to the next Albergue.
I would think about purchasing some more apps such as Wise Pilgrim or Buen Camino or the Brierley book. No app or Gronze has every Albergue or Pension. Make a list of the distances between Albergues or pension and a list of each of the accommodations in each village. Make them large enough so you can clearly see them and laminate each page. Each evening when you arrive at your destination call ahead (if you are not walking in peak season especially) to make sure where you may want to go is going to be open. Walk short distances if possible. Take your time and enjoy the sights and sounds. I love to hear the sound of my feet hitting certain surfaces, especially gravel. For me it has a really hypotonic and quieting effect on me. Listen to your body. I haven’t walked that route in many years but I doubt you will have to worry about sleeping espero you call ahead. It took me 3 days to walk it when I was 55. It will take me 4 next year when I am 65. So go ahead and splurge, I know you have the time. Take 5 or 6!
Buen Camino your Camino has already begun. You are now a Peregrino!

 

[WalkingJane]

Valuable information friends I am most grateful. The planning has started.

You can do this. Just remember Sinatra's "I do it my way..." I followed the Camino in two steps in 2015 at 82 by doing this. Note I used "followed" rather than "walked" though I was able to walk a good deal, e.g. up to Orisson the first day. I also had to do it in two parts, coming back to the US partway through May to help my sister move from North Carolina to Tacoma, WA so she could be near her daughter during treatment for cancer. Went back for the month of October. My days were always shorter than the Breierly guide as I considered that a guide, not Bible. The experiences I had riding local buses now and then were a great part of the trip. Was so glad I could manage some Spanish without the phrase book, and had fun with charades when necessary. As I got off a bus in Carrion de los Condes a woman getting off took me to Espirita Santa and handed me off to the nuns there. Went to Portugal in 2018. About that another time...

 

[Afri-Can]

After enjoying the French Way so much in 2015, my wife and I decided to do the Finisterre to Muxia via Finisterre with our grown kids in 2017. We took it a slow 7 days walking with one rest day in Finesterre and all enjoyed it very much.

The only semi strenuous uphills that I can remember was between Santiago and Negreira (cyclists had to get off their bicycles and I think mainly because we slowed them down, see photo) and between Corcubion and San Roque and they weren't that bad either compared to others on the various Caminos. The downhill into Cee is really a little calf (see photo).

The villages are distanced such that you really don't have to walk more than 13-14km to get to the next albergue if you're willing to go short hops.

I have attached a pdf of a spreadsheet with our planning for our trip (seems I can't upload an Excel file here) with a proposed column for short hops for you (the yellow highlighted towns had albergues at the time we went). Unfortunately photos don't do justice to gradients. I have short videos of the downhill into Cee and the uphill to San Roque if you're interested (they're like 30sec each) that I can send them to you offline (seems I can't upload them here) to give you an idea of the terrain. Don't know how that works, though.

We used the Wise Pilgrim guide book and app and the guide book by Anna Dintaman and David Landis for planning.

My hope is that we can still walk Caminos at 72! Hope this helps. Enjoy the walk and God bless.

 

[Afri-Can]

Seems I'm not too good at posting stuff. The photos look horrible and the spreadsheet has disappeared. I'll try again

 

[Owen Duguay]

Old Git: you have guts. I am betting my money on you.

 

[Old Git]

Seems I'm not too good at posting stuff. The photos look horrible and the spreadsheet has disappeared. I'll try again

Thank you so much for this, this will definitely help me with the planning. Buen Camino