Shortcut,day one on the Ingles.

[joeboybollo]

Is there pedestrian access between Ferrol and Fene across the FE-14 bridge? Ferrol to Pontedeume is too long and Ferrol to Naron is too short and I don't fancy the albergue at Neda. Thought the bridge route would be o.k. at about 15km.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Yes there is. However this is not the designated Camino Ingles if that is important to you. That's why this and other shortcuts aren't included in the guide.

 

[joeboybollo]

Yes there is. However this is not the designated Camino Ingles if that is important to you. That's why this and other shortcuts aren't included in the guide.

Thanks Johnnie.We already have a certificate so just getting to Santiago is all we want to do,and we are taking our time to enjoy the scenery.The rest of our journey is by the designated way i.i Betanzos,Bar Julia.Bruma,Sigueiro etc. Thanks for your reply
Joe.

 

[anita_m]

I walked from Ferrol to Fene across that bridge--not intentionally, but I didn't see the way markers--and I still earned my compostela. I think I had read it was was shorter option in an older guide book so I wouldn't worry about it. It takes a few km off the total but not that much.

 

[nidarosa]

This is good info. I walked the Ingles in 2009, my first ever multi-day walk and my first Camino, and next year I will be bringing a new pilgrim to the Ingles for her first taste of the Camino. We do however have a problem with regards to max daily kms and time constraints, so we were considering starting from Neda. If we could walk across this bridge instead and shorten the walk to Pontedeume that would be great. If she could earn her Compostela in the Year of Mercy too, that would make her very happy. From Pontedeume we would follow the normal signposted way, but is it hard to find the way to Pontedeume from Fene? And how many kms would that be - the OP suggests 15 kms and the guide says Ferrol-Pontedeume is 29 kms, so that seems like a very good saving ... while still staying above 100 kms. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[Tia Valeria]

If you are not too short of time then why not walk short days anyway. Ferrol-Neda; Neda-Pontedeume; Pontedeume-Miño; Miño-Betanzos; Betanzos-Presedo; Presedo-Bruma; Bruma-Sigueiro; Sigueiro-Satiago. That makes the Bruma to Sigueiro the longest day.
If you are really short of time then you should be able to pick up the Camino in Fene. Starting from Neda is also OK for the 100kms.

 

[nidarosa]

Thanks, Tia. We do unfortunately have time limits due to my friend's job (us freelancers can camino when we want, luckily) and she can't realistically do more than 15-20 kms a day, so if I am right that the bridge makes it ca 16 kms to Pontedeume, that is doable in one day and saves a bit of time which can be used to split one of the other days. Thanks for the suggested stages too, the way our plan looks right now, Meson do Vento to Sigüeiro would be the longest day at 22 kms. I have also ordered the CSJ guide to refresh my memory on which parts need to be taken slower (ie that uphill).

 

[anita_m]

I wore a GPS watch on the whole time that I walked...except for a few longer days when the battery died before the end of the day. Walking from Ferrol to Pontedeume via Fene was a little over 19km (you can verify this using Google maps for walking distances if you like), while Ferrol-Neda-Fene-Pontedeume is ~28km, saving about 9 km, and therefore still eligible for the Compostela.

Ferrol-Pontedeume 19+km
Pontedeume-Mino 23km
Mino-Siguero 26km
Siguero-SdC 16km
Total=106+km

Ferrol across the FE-14 bridge used to be listed as an alternate route in one of the guides that I have (not sure if it was the old CSJ guide or not, but I'll check).

 

[nidarosa]

@anita_m , that is very good information, thank you! Did you find it easy to pick up the main route again on the Fene side? I'll look when my CSJ guide comes, you have to walk through/near Fene anyway, no?

 

[anita_m]

@anita_m , that is very good information, thank you! Did you find it easy to pick up the main route again on the Fene side? I'll look when my CSJ guide comes, you have to walk through/near Fene anyway, no?

Yes, as far as I know you aren't "required" to walk through Neda, and from what I read, the walk is largely industrial and you aren't missing much by bypassing it. And yes, either way, the Camino passes through Fene. As long as you walk the whole way from Ferrol and get your stamps along the way, you will meet the 100km requirement you should be good to go.

It was a little tricky immediately after crossing the bridge. Walk into the town, there are a few cafes--I ate lunch at Café Reuben. They are building a new albergue there, across the street. Just around the corner is the Concello de Fene, and they have clean restrooms, will give you a sello, and show you the way....it's a little tricky finding the alleyway, but they were very helpful and spoke good English.

 

[nidarosa]

@anita_m , thanks again for stellar info. I am making notes of all this. When I walked it in 2009 we walked on tarmac next to the promenade, which would have been nicer, and I remember walking through a large industrial area on the way to Neda, where we stayed at the albergue. Can't wait for my CSJ guide so I can start scribbling in the margins! Btw, do you have a blog or pictures somewhere? I am looking at a few but would like to add yours if you have one.

 

[Staggerlee]

Hi Linda,
Walked this way last month, including the shortcut.
After the bridge, keep straight on, passing a Gadis supermarket on your right. At the next junction there is a bar with a mannequin in full pilgrim garb! Turn right here and you will pick up the arrows.

My stages :-
Ferrol - Pontedueme - 16km
Pontedueme - Betanzos - 20km
Betanzos - Bruma - 28km
Bruma - Siguero - 24km
Siguero - Santiago - 16km

Cheers

Andy

 

[nidarosa]

@Staggerlee : Andy, thanks for your stage info! I reckon if we get some training in, the 24 km day will be doable as long as we know we have a room and can take all the time in the world, and we will have to split the 28 km one. Good to know you too landed on 16 km for the shortcut on day one, our regular training walk is 18 km so we know we can do that. Starting to get really excited about the Ingles now!

 

[Staggerlee]

The long day can be split nicely at Presedo.
On the 24km, beware of dinosaurs!
The Sandstone Trail is great prep for the Ingles.

 

[nidarosa]

Haha, yes I remember the dinosaurs - and the little Chinese warrior if I remember correctly? We started wondering whether we had filled the water bottle with vodka by mistake ... It will be 7 years since I was last there so I will still have a feeling of seeing something new. Lots of new places to stop as well. And I intend to spend more time in Pasatiempo this time!

 

[anita_m]

The morning past the dinosaur area was quite pleasant. (I just uploaded a photo I took, but don't know where it went!).

You will find Carolina, a UK expat, who speaks perfect English at Cafe bar O Croceiro in Pontevedra, I enjoyed a nice quaint lunch there.

Anyway, in the afternoon, just to warn you, it was the worst and most difficult trek for me. EVER. In my entire life. I just wanted to lay down and die, literally. I was quite alone. and in a LOT of pain. I never saw another pilgrim, another person, or any other living creature whatsoever. It was pure torture! My feet were absolutely killing me every f***ing step of the entire second half--about 15k (over 9 mi). I still to this day cannot believe I survived it.

When I finally literally limped into Siguero, the first thing I saw was the bright neon sign for the Farmacia, which I immediately walked toward (all uphill, of course) and got some Compeed and anti-septic gel and some vaseline. I was also quite sunburned. It was truly was most difficult day for me ever. I was so glad to end up at Hostel Siguero. Lucia was wonderfully sympathetic and helpful. And the cafe there had the biggest, most delicious potato frittata ever--it was HUGE. A nice green salad. and she even went out and bought me gluten free bread, which I didn't ask for, but when I turned down the usual bread and explained why, she did that all on her own--as did many other hosts where I stayed. The Spanish are very, very welcoming and bread is an important part of their culture, apparently. Everyone was SO nice and accommodating. She offered to buy me a beer since the backpack shuttle had lost my duffle--which I was using their service because I had packed way too much stuff, so I forwarded my light duffle every day and only had to carry the barest of essentials in my backpack. My duffle showed up eventually, but only after I had a meltdown and ended up calling my best friend back in the States to vent and get some sympathy! It all worked out in the end. Hotel Siguero was great. I would definitely stay there again. But when I go back in 2016 to walk from Tui to SdC, I will be wearing different hiking shoes and also putting vaseline on my feet daily.

 

[anita_m]

Here's Mr. Dinosaur.

 

[ezduzit777]

Is there pedestrian access between Ferrol and Fene across the FE-14 bridge? Ferrol to Pontedeume is too long and Ferrol to Naron is too short and I don't fancy the albergue at Neda. Thought the bridge route would be o.k. at about 15km.

I will have my disabled son and his Service Dog when we do Camino Ingles.....I agree with you....could you please message me if anyone ever answers you?

 

[C clearly]

I will have my disabled son and his Service Dog when we do Camino Ingles.....I agree with you....could you please message me if anyone ever answers you?

Welcome to the forum, @ezduzit777 . Perhaps you can't see the 15 replies to @joeboybollo. He asked the question in 2015 and lots has changed since then. If you can explain your question a bit further, I'm sure you'll get some help from forum members who have walked more recently.

 

[joeboybollo]

I will have my disabled son and his Service Dog when we do Camino Ingles.....I agree with you....could you please message me if anyone ever answers you?

Is there pedestrian access between Ferrol and Fene across the FE-14 bridge? Ferrol to Pontedeume is too long and Ferrol to Naron is too short and I don't fancy the albergue at Neda. Thought the bridge route would be o.k. at about 15km.

Regarding the albergue at Neda,I actually stayed in it last year and it was very nice.I think it must have been refurbished lately.And the journey on to Pontedeume was also fine. Sorry now that I poor-mouthed this albergue.