Starting in A Coruña vs Ferrol?

[trecile]

I'm already thinking about what to do after I finish my Camino Portuguese from Lisbon in May. Instead of walking (again) to Finisterre and/or Muxía I'm thinking about walking the Inglés. Other than a shorter distance, what are the differences between starting in A Coruña vs Ferrol. Are they any "must sees" when walking from Ferrol that I would miss if I chose to walk from A Coruña? Starting from A Coruña is appealing because it's so easy to get to from Santiago.

Of course it's all contingent on how many days (if any) I will have to walk.

Also, I don't need to collect a Compostela.

 

[SabsP]

I can 't give an opinion about A Coruña but I highly recommend Pontedeume and Betanzos.I really like the quiet vibe of these two towns.
Also the first day out of Ferrol is quite nice although some people find the town a bit dull.

 

[miguel_gp]

A Coruna is the nicer of the two cities but the walk out of Ferrol on the first day is more scenic. Apart from a short section along a promenade, leaving A Coruna is very urban for about 12-13 km. Have to agree with @SabineP that Pontedeume (with a very nice beach nearby) and Bentanzos are really nice towns to stop over in. The walk from A Coruna is OK though if you do not have enough time to walk from Ferrol.

Should you want some more detailed information, The Confraternity of Saint James are running an online Camino Ingles Master Class with guide writer Mark McCarthy, at 7pm London Time on Monday 28th February.
Further details and the mechanism to book can be found here: https://www.csj.org.uk/Event/camino-masterclass-camino-ingls

 

[miguel_gp]

6 or 7 buses a day from Santiago to Ferrol so it also easily accessible after your Portugues.

 

[davebugg]

Check the total distance of both routes. I believe that the A Coruna variant is too short to meet the 100 Km requirement for a Compostela, which you may not care about for this walk. I think there is an exception for those who actually live in A Coruna and can prove residence, but someone would need to verify this..

When Jill and I walked from Ferrol, we really enjoyed following the harbor area out of town, and even the portion that was in the town was enjoyable. We walked to Betanzos (oops} Pontedueme the first day and it was scenic and enjoyable. . except for a couple of short but steep downhill sections for Jill.

 

[henrythedog]

On the one occasion that I visited Ferrol it could well be described as ‘closed’ I overnighted in Coruna, which was delightful. I visited John Moore’s grave https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Moore_(British_Army_officer) and had a lovely evening in the various friendly bars.

I took the first ‘bus of the day to Ferrol, disembarked, failed to find anywhere open and started walking. It’s an excellent route and more authentically Spanish (or Galician) than the Frances.

And relax.

I’ve failed to find an opportunity for my Trenhotel story thus far, so here we go:

To walk the Ingles I took the Trenhotel train from Madrid Chamartin to Coruna. It left Madrid at about 11 at night on platform adjacent to similar trains to Lisbon, Barcelona and somewhere else. All looked identical, left from adjacent platforms and left within 20 minutes of each other at a time when most passengers would be tired, distracted or (in my case, amongst others) inebriated.

I got on as soon as convenient and found the bar, so as to not break my stride, then when they ran out of beer found my berth in a 4-bunk compartment. Being public-school educated I immediately shed all my clothes (OK, perhaps not exactly ‘all’ to appease the humourless - but let’s say I undressed for bed as one might expect in a sleeping compartment, OK?), then introduced myself to my more reserved companions. They all seemed to think that removing your shoes was as ‘undressed’ as you should be; having me in the room probably just confirmed their judgement.

Anyway …

The ticket check was about an hour after departure. To his consternation, but the delight of we other three, one of my companions was intending to go to Lisbon, was in the right compartment but on the wrong train, and found himself unceremoniously hoofed-off the train at one of those tiny stops in the middle of the meseta with no visible buildings in the vicinity.

Our mood lifted by this (what’s the Spanish for schardenfreude?) the remaining three of us decided that a bit of ‘survivor bonding’ was in order and persuaded the staff to reopen the bar. I did replace my trousers, just to be polite and so as to not frighten those of a nervous disposition.

One of the best nights of my life. The cost of my bed was pretty much wasted, we only had an hour or so after the wine ran out before we got to Coruna.

 

[peregrina2000]

Here’s another vote for the start in Ferrol. I agree that Pontedeume and Betanzos are both really nice places to spend some time. Ferrol isn’t too exciting, but it is on the coast and has a modest parador where you can sometimes get very good last minute rates. If you can’t get all the way to Santiago with the time you’ve got, you can probably quite easily hop on a bus to A Coruña and then down to Santiago.

A Coruña does have a VERY nice tapas section in the centro histórico and a very old Santiago church, though, so you might just want to wait to see how many days you have after you arrive in Santiago and go with whichever makes the most sense.

 

[SioCamino]

You can combine walking a pilgrim path in Ireland with the route from A Coruña to complete the Celtic Camino... More info on this from the Camino Society of Ireland

Celtic Camino - Camino Society Ireland

Records the names of those Irish pilgrims who have received a Camino Certificate or Compostela and have requested to have their names included in the Book

www.caminosociety.ie

And here are some suggestions for the min 25km stage in Ireland

Celtic Camino - Camino Society Ireland

Celtic Camino Suggested routes in Ireland

www.caminosociety.ie

 

[kenwilltravel]

I'm already thinking about what to do after I finish my Camino Portuguese from Lisbon in May. Instead of walking (again) to Finisterre and/or Muxía I'm thinking about walking the Inglés. Other than a shorter distance, what are the differences between starting in A Coruña vs Ferrol. Are they any "must sees" when walking from Ferrol that I would miss if I chose to walk from A Coruña? Starting from A Coruña is appealing because it's so easy to get to from Santiago.

Of course it's all contingent on how many days (if any) I will have to walk.

Also, I don't need to collect a Compostela.

I have not walked the Inglés but think A Coruña would be an interesting place to start from. Its Roman lighthouse (Torre de Hércules) is definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. Dating from the 1st or 2nd centuries, and restored in the 18th century, it's the world's oldest extant lighthouse. The harbour area is also charming.

 

[kenwilltravel]

On the one occasion that I visited Ferrol it could well be described as ‘closed’ I overnighted in Coruna, which was delightful. I visited John Moore’s grave https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Moore_(British_Army_officer) and had a lovely evening in the various friendly bars.

I also reserved some time to visit General John Moore's grave in A Coruña. He saved the British army from Napoleon in 1809.

 

[trecile]

I have not walked the Inglés but think A Coruña would be an interesting place to start from. Its Roman lighthouse (Torre de Hércules) is definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. Dating from the 1st or 2nd centuries, and restored in the 18th century, it's the world's oldest extant lighthouse. The harbour area is also charming.

I have spent a few days in A Coruña after a previous Camino and I loved it there!

 

[Bill's_Walking]

I loved the walk put of Ferrol around the estuary and then on to Pontedeume and Betanzos. Not to be missed are Meson - Museo restaurant between Betanzoz and Bruma with it's wonderful murals and food as well as Casa Avelina the most welcoming place I found. Although Casa Avelina seems to be on the the route after both the Ferrol and A Coruña routes join, so you can't go wrong there.

 

[VNwalking]

Coruna variant is too short to meet the 100 Km requirement for a Compostela, which you may not care about for this walk. I think there is an exception for those who actually live in A Coruna and can prove residence, but someone would need to verify this..

She said she doesn't need another compostella, so that isn't a consideration.

can 't give an opinion about A Coruña but I highly recommend Pontedeume and Betanzos.I really like the quiet vibe of these two towns.

I'm the mirror image of Sabine, and everyone who walked from Ferrol, because I've only walked from A Coruña. I loved it, day 1 included. It's urban, or suburban, until after you turn away from the river and head towards Sergude.

A lovely shorter camino, doable in 3½ days (we started from A Coruña after an early lunch),

 

[Camineiro]

You may combine both legs.
First you start your camino in Ferrol and walk up to Bruma.
From Bruma you take the bus to Coruña and walk back from Coruña to Bruma.
It‘s about 30km from Coruña to Bruma.
In case you like to walk shorter distances you can stop at the albergue in Sergude (approx 20km from Coruña).
After staying overnight the 2nd time in Bruma you continue towards Santiago.
I‘ve met several pilgrims doing it that way.

 

[Glenshiro]

I immediately shed all my clothes, then introduced myself to my more reserved companions. They all seemed to think that removing your shoes was as ‘undressed’ as you should be; having me in the room probably just confirmed their judgement.

Makes you proud to be British, eh?

 

[Meggins]

I have spent a few days in A Coruña after a previous Camino and I loved it there!

Me too!

 

[henrythedog]

Makes you proud to be British, eh?

Immensely, thanks for asking.

 

[gollygolly]

I have walked from Ferrol as well as A Coruña. Both of these starting points have something to offer, and I would be hard pressed to say one is better than the other. If you are in A Coruña, strongly recommend going to the Iglesia de Santiago and the Torre de Hércules (the lighthouse), while if you start in Ferrol, not from a position of reverence but for something of an insight into history, there is the birthplace of Franco as well as the naval yards that can be seen.

Were you to start in A Coruña, you would miss out on passing through Pontedueme and Betanzos.

There is always the possibility, if time allows, to walk both !

Bon camino !

 

[Lydia Gillen]

I plan to walk from Ferrol this May. I would have preferred to start in A Coruna because it was to A Coruna that most of the ancient Irish pilgrims went. In Dublin they used to wait at one on the city gates which later came to be called St. James gate, well known nowadays because of its connection with Guiness.
However I had to decide on Ferrol because I was told there is no rucksack transport from A Coruna, and nowadays I need that.

If you are English speaking be sure to come up to room 6 in the pilgrim Office for a cup of tea after the English Mass. I'll be there late April until mid May, then I go to Ferrol.

 

[Elle Bieling]

I agree to do both! I took the bus back to A Coruña myself. I loved the Torre, the beaches, the galerias and one that no one mentioned, the Castillo de San Anton. All very interesting places! Click this link to see my photos of this amazing place: https://www.pilgrimagetraveler.com/la-coruna.html

But for me the climb from A Coruña to Sergude was significant and I would not have wanted to go the full 33 km to Bruma. Sergude has a lovely albergue and it appears to be open.

Indeed, the towns along the Ferrol route are charming and if you like beaches, I would add Miño as a stop. However, it looks like the albergue there is still closed.

Regardless, whatever you choose, be prepared for hill climbs, up and down, up and down. They may be short, but neither route is easy!

 

[OTH86]

Indeed, the towns along the Ferrol route are charming and if you like beaches, I would add Miño as a stop. However, it looks like the albergue there is still closed.

I would second @Elle Bieling 's suggestion to stop in Miño, and head out the the Praia Grande de Miño - beyond the also beautiful Playa A Ribeiro de Miño. Instead of turning left at the top of the hill in central Miño following the yellow arrows, turn right - it's less than a mile thru a nice neighborhood with a few places to stay. At the beach, stop at the Restaurante Playa for an ice cream cake and enjoy the view!
Buen Camino!

 

[vanrobin]

As some of the others did, we walked to Bruma from El Ferrol and then took the bus to A Coruna to come back to Bruma. Cafe Avelina is a highlight and is on both routes a few km before Bruma. A Coruna is a most interesting city but the walk out is not very interesting (indeed decidedly unattractive) whereas coming out of Ferrol round the estuary and the naval yards and two old churches is very interesting. We stayed at Neda the first night (16km) which made the next day into Pontedeurme quite short but it was quite a climb. Pontedeurme and especially Betanzos are charming. The Ingles is a great camino and deserves more pilgrims. For the 100km check off I found it much preferable than the Frances from Sarria. But at some point everyone needs to do the latter to experience Portomarin if nothing else.

 

[JohnLloyd]

Reading with interest, pretty convinced of the need to start at Ferrol now.

But what about looping up to A Coruña and then walking to Santiago from there? Would that work?

 

[JohnLloyd]

Starting from the UK, I'm guessing that a flight to SCQ and a bus/train to Ferrol is the simplest way of commencing?

 

[NualaOC]

I've only walked from a Coruña. It's about 72kms, so a good option if you've limited time. I walked about 6kms on my arrival day, 26kms the next day to Hospital de Bruma and about 40kms to Santiago on day 3. That worked for me as it was the start of a walk to Muxia. I

However - having recently looked at photos and route information on the Ferrol route, I'd probably choose a shortened version of the walk from Ferrol if I were in your shoes (or sandals ). I might arrive at the start point in the morning and just walk from there.

Isn't it great to be having these Camino mini-dilemmas again?

 

[miguel_gp]

Reading with interest, pretty convinced of the need to start at Ferrol now.

But what about looping up to A Coruña and then walking to Santiago from there? Would that work?

Hi John,

You can walk from Ferrol to Hospital De Bruma/Meson Do Vento and then catch one of the regular buses from MDV back to A Coruna and walk that leg over one or two days back to Bruma. The two legs converge a few kms before Bruma. It also means that you get two opportunities to visit Cafe Avelina, which many pilgrims mention is a great place to stop for a break.

However, if you meant walking cross country from Ferrol to A Coruna then there is no waymarked path that I am aware of between the two. However with a decent map I'm sure it could be achieved.

 

[JohnLloyd]

Hi John,

You can walk from Ferrol to Hospital De Bruma/Meson Do Vento and then catch one of the regular buses from MDV back to A Coruna and walk that leg over one or two days back to Bruma. The two legs converge a few kms before Bruma. It also means that you get two opportunities to visit Cafe Avelina, which many pilgrims mention is a great place to stop for a break.

However, if you meant walking cross country from Ferrol to A Coruna then there is no waymarked path that I am aware of between the two. However with a decent map I'm sure it could be achieved.

That's a perfect solution, although it always feels a bit weird to consider powered transport while on a Camino! Thanks for the tip about Cafe Avelina!

 

[camino.ninja]

I guess you already know since you mentioned you do not need the compostela, but Camino Inglés from A Coruña only counts as a camino for those living in A Coruña.

 

[miguel_gp]

I guess you already know since you mentioned you do not need the compostela, but Camino Inglés from A Coruña only counts as a camino for those living in A Coruña.

And those that have documented walking 25km in their home country

 

[camino.ninja]

And those that have documented walking 25km in their home country

But this is a special deal for those walking in Ireland, Scotland and England, right? They can continue their walk in Spain?

 

[miguel_gp]

But this is a special deal for those walking in Ireland, Scotland and England, right? They can continue their walk in Spain?

This is a good point point @camino.ninja. My understanding was that it is your county of origin and not necessarily just UK and Ireland but I will try to clarify this and post back in the thread.

 

[Mark McCarthy]

I talked to the Pilgrim Office this week and they said that would accept 25 - 30km walked in any country with at least one stamp. For the distance, they would accept the good word of the pilgrim. Personally I would look to get at least two stamps (one at the start and one at the final destiantion) in your home country plus a Google Maps printout of the walking distance. However, the Pilgrim Office person I spoke to was relaxed about the requirement, but just one stamp appeared an absolute minimum requirement. In the UK you can get stamps from churches, post offices and banks. The A Coruna route is a nicer route (IMHO) than the Ferrol route (which is also lovely IMHO). To get back to back from Hospital de Bruma to A Coruna the bus stop is in front of Hotel Canaima (www.monbus.es/en ) and from there is a bus every 30 minutes to Ferrol. I would add that the Xunta albergue in Sergude on the A Coruna route is the nicest Xunta albergue I have stayed at and there is a lovely local bar down the road where you can eat. I would also say that Bar Avelina where both legs on the camino meet up offers a special welcome. Whichever leg you choose, you will have a lovely little Camino but beware the climb to Hospital de Bruma/Meson O Vento is a killer! Buen Camino!

 

[JohnLloyd]

I talked to the Pilgrim Office this week and they said that would accept 25 - 30km walked in any country with at least one stamp. For the distance, they would accept the good word of the pilgrim. Personally I would look to get at least two stamps (one at the start and one at the final destiantion) in your home country plus a Google Maps printout of the walking distance. However, the Pilgrim Office person I spoke to was relaxed about the requirement, but just one stamp appeared an absolute minimum requirement. In the UK you can get stamps from churches, post offices and banks. The A Coruna route is a nicer route (IMHO) than the Ferrol route (which is also lovely IMHO). To get back to back from Hospital de Bruma to A Coruna the bus stop is in front of Hotel Canaima (www.monbus.es/en ) and from there is a bus every 30 minutes to Ferrol. I would add that the Xunta albergue in Sergude on the A Coruna route is the nicest Xunta albergue I have stayed at and there is a lovely local bar down the road where you can eat. I would also say that Bar Avelina where both legs on the camino meet up offers a special welcome. Whichever leg you choose, you will have a lovely little Camino but beware the climb to Hospital de Bruma/Meson O Vento is a killer! Buen Camino!

That’s great information, Mark! Thanks a lot!

 

[SabsP]

I talked to the Pilgrim Office this week and they said that would accept 25 - 30km walked in any country with at least one stamp. For the distance, they would accept the good word of the pilgrim. Personally I would look to get at least two stamps (one at the start and one at the final destiantion) in your home country plus a Google Maps printout of the walking distance. However, the Pilgrim Office person I spoke to was relaxed about the requirement, but just one stamp appeared an absolute minimum requirement. In the UK you can get stamps from churches, post offices and banks. The A Coruna route is a nicer route (IMHO) than the Ferrol route (which is also lovely IMHO). To get back to back from Hospital de Bruma to A Coruna the bus stop is in front of Hotel Canaima (www.monbus.es/en ) and from there is a bus every 30 minutes to Ferrol. I would add that the Xunta albergue in Sergude on the A Coruna route is the nicest Xunta albergue I have stayed at and there is a lovely local bar down the road where you can eat. I would also say that Bar Avelina where both legs on the camino meet up offers a special welcome. Whichever leg you choose, you will have a lovely little Camino but beware the climb to Hospital de Bruma/Meson O Vento is a killer! Buen Camino!

The steep climb is now less steep since the etapa to Bruma got rerouted.

 

[Jopoke]

I'm already thinking about what to do after I finish my Camino Portuguese from Lisbon in May. Instead of walking (again) to Finisterre and/or Muxía I'm thinking about walking the Inglés. Other than a shorter distance, what are the differences between starting in A Coruña vs Ferrol. Are they any "must sees" when walking from Ferrol that I would miss if I chose to walk from A Coruña? Starting from A Coruña is appealing because it's so easy to get to from Santiago.

Of course it's all contingent on how many days (if any) I will have to walk.

Also, I don't need to collect a Compostela.

We did both. We started from Ferrol and when we reached the meet point we caught the bus up to A Coruña. It only added a few days more and it satisfied both our wants.

 

[miguel_gp]

I talked to the Pilgrim Office this week and they said that would accept 25 - 30km walked in any country with at least one stamp. For the distance, they would accept the good word of the pilgrim. Personally I would look to get at least two stamps (one at the start and one at the final destiantion) in your home country plus a Google Maps printout of the walking distance. However, the Pilgrim Office person I spoke to was relaxed about the requirement, but just one stamp appeared an absolute minimum requirement. In the UK you can get stamps from churches, post offices and banks. The A Coruna route is a nicer route (IMHO) than the Ferrol route (which is also lovely IMHO). To get back to back from Hospital de Bruma to A Coruna the bus stop is in front of Hotel Canaima (www.monbus.es/en ) and from there is a bus every 30 minutes to Ferrol. I would add that the Xunta albergue in Sergude on the A Coruna route is the nicest Xunta albergue I have stayed at and there is a lovely local bar down the road where you can eat. I would also say that Bar Avelina where both legs on the camino meet up offers a special welcome. Whichever leg you choose, you will have a lovely little Camino but beware the climb to Hospital de Bruma/Meson O Vento is a killer! Buen Camino!

2nd that Mark. Having spoken with Johnny Walker yesterday, who was involved in the initial negotiations with the Cathedral authorities for this exception to the 100km rule, there are no rules surrounding which countries the 25km must be completed in or prescribed routes they must be completed on.

 

[SabsP]

2nd that Mark. Having spoken with Johnny Walker yesterday, who was involved in the initial negotiations with the Cathedral authorities for this exception to the 100km rule, there are no rules surrounding which countries the 25km must be completed in or prescribed routes they must be completed on.

Hi @miguel_gp just out of curiosity : have there been other changes on the Ingles route after 2018?

 

[Bill's_Walking]

Hi @miguel_gp just out of curiosity : have there been other changes on the Ingles route after 2018?

The changes are so recent that some of the "old" way markers have not been removed. I was in Neda and missed the new way marker and was starting to follow the old ones until a fellow pilgrim ran up to me to show me the right way.

 

[stuwmson]

I'm already thinking about what to do after I finish my Camino Portuguese from Lisbon in May. Instead of walking (again) to Finisterre and/or Muxía I'm thinking about walking the Inglés. Other than a shorter distance, what are the differences between starting in A Coruña vs Ferrol. Are they any "must sees" when walking from Ferrol that I would miss if I chose to walk from A Coruña? Starting from A Coruña is appealing because it's so easy to get to from Santiago.

Of course it's all contingent on how many days (if any) I will have to walk.

Also, I don't need to collect a Compostela.

why not do both. you must walk to the most ancient lighthouse in Coruna. spend one overnight to see the rest of the city. then take the bus to Ferrol and walk the ingles. check out our blog caminowalkaboutingles.blogspot.com

 

[trecile]

Thanks for all the insights. Of course it all depends on how much time, if any I have at the end of my Camino, but I think that I´m leaning towards the Ferrol start, or do both if time allows.

why not do both. you must walk to the most ancient lighthouse in Coruna. spend one overnight to see the rest of the city.

I´ve already spent several days in A Coruña - I liked the city so much I think that´s why I was drawn to start from there. But, I haven´t visited Ferrol yet!

 

[JohnLloyd]

I hope you don't mind me piggybacking on your thread, @trecile!

I'm looking at flights from the UK.

It seems the most sensible approach is to take a one-way flight to A Coruña, and then another one home from Santiago de Compostela.

That seems less of a faff than a return trip to SCQ and a train/bus up to Ferrol or A Coruña.

Any thoughts on that?

 

[trecile]

I hope you don't mind me piggybacking on your thread, @trecile!

I'm looking at flights from the UK.

It seems the most sensible approach is to take a one-way flight to A Coruña, and then another one home from Santiago de Compostela.

That seems less of a faff than a return trip to SCQ and a train/bus up to Ferrol or A Coruña.

Any thoughts on that?

I think that the only problem you will encounter is that the flights from London to A Coruña all seem to have connections, some of them quite long! But it´s probably easier to do a simple plane change in Madrid (or another airport) than to fly to Santiago, leave the airport and get to the train station.

 

[peregrina2000]

I think Vueling goes direct from London to A Coruña, at least that’s what I remember from a Primitivo pilgrim last fall.

 

[JohnLloyd]

It does, about £90.

 

[trecile]

I think Vueling goes direct from London to A Coruña, at least that’s what I remember from a Primitivo pilgrim last fall.

It does, about £90.

That's perfect then!

 

[Mark McCarthy]

John, it is a great option. The direct outbound flights are only Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays with Vueling. Return flights back to Gatwick also with Vueling every day in the summer.

 

[trecile]

The direct outbound flights are only Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays with Vueling.

That must be the reason why I didn't find any non-stops on the random Thursday in March I searched.

 

[Chenahusky]

I have started the Ingles from A' Coruna three times, making up the distance in the UK before travelling to Spain. We usually use a variation on the Pilgrims Way to Canterbury. As far as stamps are concerned, it pays to do some homework, they are there, just dificult to find. We start at Rochester and then cover more than the distance required. For pilgrims in the UK the cost of accommodation is the real killer. On the attached Credencial you will see duplicate stamps, as we do it often as a days walk, then returning home, (London based).
The hill up to the road to Meson do Vento is a good pull, but not too desperate. It also puts you close to the wonderful Cafe/Bar Avelinas, absolutely compulsory visit.
As other have said perhaps the best bet is do both.

 

[JohnLloyd]

A Coruna is the nicer of the two cities but the walk out of Ferrol on the first day is more scenic. Apart from a short section along a promenade, leaving A Coruna is very urban for about 12-13 km. Have to agree with @SabineP that Pontedeume (with a very nice beach nearby) and Bentanzos are really nice towns to stop over in. The walk from A Coruna is OK though if you do not have enough time to walk from Ferrol.

Should you want some more detailed information, The Confraternity of Saint James are running an online Camino Ingles Master Class with guide writer Mark McCarthy, at 7pm London Time on Monday 28th February.
Further details and the mechanism to book can be found here: https://www.csj.org.uk/Event/camino-masterclass-camino-ingls

Booked! Thanks for the tip!

 

[miguel_gp]

Hi @miguel_gp just out of curiosity : have there been other changes on the Ingles route after 2018?

Hi @SabineP,

I updated my online map in Feb 2020. At that time I believe it was accurate and included both the new routing on the Ferrol arm (by-passing Casa Julia and the infamous hill to Bruma) and various other changes that had been made:-

• leading into Cabanas and Pontedeume
• between Mino and Porto Abaixo
• along the main road before Presedo
• before and after Sigueiro
• routing back behind Hotel Castries and through the Enchanted Wood
• in the outskirts of Santiago

I'm unsure when these route changes were made as I just did a "catch up" update to the map, having not walked from Ferrol since 2016.

When I get a chance I may add an additional layer to the map, showing the route prior to the changes above, just for comparison.

It does seem that a couple of the changes were for commercial rather than scenic and/or safety reasons

View Map

 

[SabsP]

It does seem that a couple of the changes were for commercial rather than scenic and/or safety reasons

View Map

Indeed ! Especially before and after Sigueiro I could not understand what the advantage was of that specific rerouting.

 

[JohnLloyd]

Well, I'll be walking it in a month, so I'll be sure to provide updates as I go.

 

[SabsP]

Well, I'll be walking it in a month, so I'll be sure to provide updates as I go.

Not the first time I make this recommendation.

This is one of the best places to stay on the Ingles.
Exceptionally nice hosts.

INICIO | SIGUEIRO HOSTEL - Bed & Breakfast

[Telf. +34.981 973 636 | +34.615 499 071 ] SIGUEIRO HOSTEL - Bed & Breakfast, Albergue de Peregrinos del Camino de Santiago en Sigüeiro. Alojamiento para peregrinos.

www.sigueirohostel.com

 

[JohnLloyd]

Here's a silly question.

This Camino seems to be "the road less travelled" by comparison to other routes.

Walking in April, finishing well before Easter, am I safe to assume that it'll be easy to find places to stay without booking ahead?

I'm giving myself ten days, allowing me to finally visit Muxia too.

Thoughts?

 

[SabsP]

Here's a silly question.

This Camino seems to be "the road less travelled" by comparison to other routes.

Walking in April, finishing well before Easter, am I safe to assume that it'll be easy to find places to stay without booking ahead?

I'm giving myself ten days, allowing me to finally visit Muxia too.

Thoughts?

The Ingles is getting more popular though. But if you do not intend to stay in albergues but private places you will be ok!

 

[JohnLloyd]

I always prefer albergues to private accommodation.

That's an unmissable part of the pilgrim experience for me.

 

[Canche]

A Coruna is the nicer of the two cities but the walk out of Ferrol on the first day is more scenic. Apart from a short section along a promenade, leaving A Coruna is very urban for about 12-13 km. Have to agree with @SabineP that Pontedeume (with a very nice beach nearby) and Bentanzos are really nice towns to stop over in. The walk from A Coruna is OK though if you do not have enough time to walk from Ferrol.

Should you want some more detailed information, The Confraternity of Saint James are running an online Camino Ingles Master Class with guide writer Mark McCarthy, at 7pm London Time on Monday 28th February.
Further details and the mechanism to book can be found here: https://www.csj.org.uk/Event/camino-masterclass-camino-ingls

It was a very good class by the way and was recorded.

 

[miguel_gp]

It was a very good class by the way and was recorded.

Certainly was. Anyone stumbling across this thread who would like to watch the recording (there is a small charge) can access to it via this link.

Camino Masterclass: Camino Inglés with Mark McCarthy - Recording - 31/12/2023 19:00:00

Recording: A masterclass on the Camino Inglés from Ferrol or A Coruña with a special guest! Camino author and Maths teacher, Mark McCarthy takes us through the "English Way".

www.csj.org.uk

 

[JohnLloyd]

Certainly was. Anyone stumbling across this thread who would like to watch the recording (there is a small charge) can access to it via this link.

Camino Masterclass: Camino Inglés with Mark McCarthy - Recording - 31/12/2023 19:00:00

Recording: A masterclass on the Camino Inglés from Ferrol or A Coruña with a special guest! Camino author and Maths teacher, Mark McCarthy takes us through the "English Way".

www.csj.org.uk

It’s well worth it. I learnt a lot!

 

[HeidiL]

I'm walking Ferrol-Santiago with my husband, our son and son's girlfriend over Easter, and have read this thread with great interest. Thank you to all participants!

 

[miguel_gp]

I'm walking Ferrol-Santiago with my husband, our son and son's girlfriend over Easter, and have read this thread with great interest. Thank you to all participants!

Buen Camino a todos.

 

[CJane]

Thanks for all great info. I’m traveling with 3 other 70+ ladies in May (2 are Camino newbies). I’ve completed Frances and Portuguese over past 9 yrs. Question: due to my PD movement disorder with slower speed and distance issues, we’re hoping to break up the 5-6 day travel time into 9-10 days. We’ll have lots of time to “smell the roses” and drink the wine. In addition to the suggested stages of Neda, Pontedueme, Betanzas, Bruma, and Siguero, it appears the stops in Mino, Presedo, A Rua area between Bruma/Siguero, and Formaris might even out the longer days and hills. Has anyone had experiences in those places? And during the latter half of May, would we need reservations for private albergues and hostels?

 

[JohnLloyd]

Thanks for all great info. I’m traveling with 3 other 70+ ladies in May (2 are Camino newbies). I’ve completed Frances and Portuguese over past 9 yrs. Question: due to my PD movement disorder with slower speed and distance issues, we’re hoping to break up the 5-6 day travel time into 9-10 days. We’ll have lots of time to “smell the roses” and drink the wine. In addition to the suggested stages of Neda, Pontedueme, Betanzas, Bruma, and Siguero, it appears the stops in Mino, Presedo, A Rua area between Bruma/Siguero, and Formaris might even out the longer days and hills. Has anyone had experiences in those places? And during the latter half of May, would we need reservations for private albergues and hostels?

I’m intending to take my time when I walk in the first week of April.

I’ll provide a full report afterwards!

 

[Bill's_Walking]

Thanks for all great info. I’m traveling with 3 other 70+ ladies in May (2 are Camino newbies). I’ve completed Frances and Portuguese over past 9 yrs. Question: due to my PD movement disorder with slower speed and distance issues, we’re hoping to break up the 5-6 day travel time into 9-10 days. We’ll have lots of time to “smell the roses” and drink the wine. In addition to the suggested stages of Neda, Pontedueme, Betanzas, Bruma, and Siguero, it appears the stops in Mino, Presedo, A Rua area between Bruma/Siguero, and Formaris might even out the longer days and hills. Has anyone had experiences in those places? And during the latter half of May, would we need reservations for private albergues and hostels?

Check out this thread here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-ingles-completed-july-11-21.70820/ . They may have some insights for you.