Finisterre/Muxia loop and certificates

[AJGuillaume]

After our Caminho Português, we intend to walk a loop from SdC to Finisterre and Muxia. I had just assumed we would walk to Finisterre, then to Muxia (via Lires) and then come back to SdC.
Having read a few posts in this forum, I wonder whether there is a 'better' order/direction of walking the loop, ie, is it better to walk to Finisterre first, or to Muxia first?
Also, it seems there are two certificates that can be obtained at Finisterre and Muxia. Where do we get them, and what are the requisites to receive them?
Thank you in advance!
Buen Camino!

 

[trecile]

I've walked both ways, and neither is better - they both are good.

 

[Tincatinker]

The certificates are available from the respective Tourist Offices and Municipal Albergues. A Credencial is available from the Galician Tourist Office on Rua do Vilar. Whichever way you walk, and as @trecile says both are good, don't forget to get a sello in Lires. Oh, and if you walk Muxia, Fisterra,SdC or Fisterra, Muxia, SdC you can claim another Compostella for having walked a qualifying Camino to Santiago. Just get your Two Stamps per Day!

 

[peregrina2000]

After our Caminho Português, we intend to walk a loop from SdC to Finisterre and Muxia. I had just assumed we would walk to Finisterre, then to Muxia (via Lires) and then come back to SdC.
Having read a few posts in this forum, I wonder whether there is a 'better' order/direction of walking the loop, ie, is it better to walk to Finisterre first, or to Muxia first?
Also, it seems there are two certificates that can be obtained at Finisterre and Muxia. Where do we get them, and what are the requisites to receive them?
Thank you in advance!
Buen Camino!

Hi, AJ,

Take a look at some of these posts.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/sdc-to-finisterre-then-muxia-or-to-muxia-then-finisterre.37121/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/santiago-to-finisterre-or-muxia-want-to-do-both-which-one-first-and-last.25465/#post-201265

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/first-to-muxia-or-fisterra-which-route.13419/#post-106345

I can’t tell from what you write whether you are you going to walk the whole loop, Santiago to Santiago, or whether you are choosing between Santiago-Finisterre-Muxia-bus and Santiago-Muxia-Finisterre-bus.

If it’s the latter, the choice is then whether you want to walk Hospitales to Dumbría to Muxia, or whether you prefer Hospitales to Cee to Finisterre. Hospitales to the headlands with the beach vista and down into Cee is very pretty. But the route through Dumbría is very nice too (with the albergue there being a show-stopper — but I know you don’t stay in albergues, so that’s a non-issue). The romanesque church at Moraime has some gorgeous carvings, and the monastery next door was opening a hotel when I last walked through. Just checked and it looks like it is up and running and very nice. https://www.hostelmonasteriodemoraime.com/en. And to top it all off, it shows that you can now get a tour inside the church — I’ve been by three or four times and never was able to get in.

So those are some scattered comments, but all in all you can’t make a wrong decision here!

 

[AJGuillaume]

Hi, AJ,

Take a look at some of these posts.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/sdc-to-finisterre-then-muxia-or-to-muxia-then-finisterre.37121/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/santiago-to-finisterre-or-muxia-want-to-do-both-which-one-first-and-last.25465/#post-201265

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/first-to-muxia-or-fisterra-which-route.13419/#post-106345

I can’t tell from what you write whether you are you going to walk the whole loop, Santiago to Santiago, or whether you are choosing between Santiago-Finisterre-Muxia-bus and Santiago-Muxia-Finisterre-bus.

If it’s the latter, the choice is then whether you want to walk Hospitales to Dumbría to Muxia, or whether you prefer Hospitales to Cee to Finisterre. Hospitales to the headlands with the beach vista and down into Cee is very pretty. But the route through Dumbría is very nice too (with the albergue there being a show-stopper — but I know you don’t stay in albergues, so that’s a non-issue). The romanesque church at Moraime has some gorgeous carvings, and the monastery next door was opening a hotel when I last walked through. Just checked and it looks like it is up and running and very nice. https://www.hostelmonasteriodemoraime.com/en. And to top it all off, it shows that you can now get a tour inside the church — I’ve been by three or four times and never was able to get in.

So those are some scattered comments, but all in all you can’t make a wrong decision here!

Thank you Laurie!
We intend to walk the loop SdC back to SdC, and it's because I recalled reading something about one direction being better than the other (but not being able to find the reference) that I asked my question.
I now have ample reading material, thanks to you!
Just to clarify, if an albergue has private rooms, we will stay there The only reason we wouldn't stop in Dumbria is to break the Muxia to Olveiroa stage into two equal shorter stages. From the info on Gronze, it looks like we might overnight at the Albergue O Cabanel in A Grixa. They have private rooms.
Thank you also for the reference to the church in Moraime.
I haven't forgotten that I need to post my stages for the Caminho Português: I still have to finalise from Porto to SdC.
Thank you again for your help!
Buen Camino y Feliz Año Nuevo!

 

[Felice]

Check out the gronze stage profiles if hills bother you!
There's a 300m steep hill just before the coast at Cee. So if you like going uphill and struggle with steep descents, then walk Fisterra to Santiago. If you don't like going uphill, then walk Santiago to Fisterra.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thank you Laurie!
We intend to walk the loop SdC back to SdC, and it's because I recalled reading something about one direction being better than the other (but not being able to find the reference) that I asked my question.
I now have ample reading material, thanks to you!
Just to clarify, if an albergue has private rooms, we will stay there The only reason we wouldn't stop in Dumbria is to break the Muxia to Olveiroa stage into two equal shorter stages. From the info on Gronze, it looks like we might overnight at the Albergue O Cabanel in A Grixa. They have private rooms.
Thank you also for the reference to the church in Moraime.
I haven't forgotten that I need to post my stages for the Caminho Português: I still have to finalise from Porto to SdC.
Thank you again for your help!
Buen Camino y Feliz Año Nuevo!

If there is any way to schedule a stop in Vilaserio, the albergue Casa Vella is a beautiful old stone house with an albergue and some private rooms. The woman who is in charge is a wonderful person. After she lost her husband, her daughter said she lost all sense of purpose. They encouraged her to open an albergue in the family home and after extensive renovation, have opened a beautiful place with a lovely garden. I have stayed there and in O Rueiro, an albergue owned by the restaurant/bar in town. I would sleep in Casa Vella and eat in restaurant of O Rueiro. https://casavellavilaserioblog.wordpress.com/

 

[AJGuillaume]

If there is any way to schedule a stop in Vilaserio, the albergue Casa Vella is a beautiful old stone house with an albergue and some private rooms. The woman who is in charge is a wonderful person. After she lost her husband, her daughter said she lost all sense of purpose. They encouraged her to open an albergue in the family home and after extensive renovation, have opened a beautiful place with a lovely garden. I have stayed there and in O Rueiro, an albergue owned by the restaurant/bar in town. I would sleep in Casa Vella and eat in restaurant of O Rueiro. https://casavellavilaserioblog.wordpress.com/

Thank you Laurie!
On the way to Finisterre, we have planned a stop at Vilaserio.
So these are the planned stages:
Santiago de Compostela
Roxos (off Camino)
Negreira
Vilaserio
Santa Mariña (As Maroñas)
Olveiroa
Cee
Fisterra
Fisterra (2 nights so we can walk to the cape and back)
Lires
Muxia
A Grixa
Olveiroa
Santa Mariña (As Maroñas)
Negreira
Roxos (off Camino)
Santiago de Compostela
Short stages, so that my wife can enjoy the walk (her medication makes her tired).
So Vilaserio is definitely on the itinerary!