Ferrol - Santiago de Compostela, 22. october - 25. october 2023 (4 days), distance: 121.5km (1199.9km).
Camino Inglés is the least interesting of all the routes to Santiago de Compostela. At least that is the word. Not from everybody, though, but there are some voices in the air. I have done it two times previously. With the last time doing it in reverse, going from Santiago de Compostela to A Coruña. The first time, I walked together with my cousin. I found that I would like to walk it on my own, and see if what I remember from it would collate with those whispers in the air.
The port town of Ferrol, starting point of the English Way.
And being a short Camino, I opted to do this again instead of the Camino de Finisterre.
Muiño das Aceas.
You can start the Camino Inglés from either Ferrol or A Coruña, but starting from the latter will not make you eligible for the Compostela. That matters little to me, my cupboard back home has enough of this piece of paper already. Normally, I would like to spend one evening at the place I am starting from, but time makes me decide otherwise. From Santiago I take a bus to Ferrol and start straight away, only having to make my way to the starting point at the port first. Which makes it a late start, at almost twelve o’clock.
Nature reserve after the Neda albergue.
The part of the English Camino that I find the most interesting is from its start at Ferrol until Betanzos, normally the two first days. After that there are some nice sections and places in between, but it fails to interest me that much.
Looking across to Pontedeume.
Out of Ferrol, I am somehow excited by the late start, seeing it as a kind of a little adventure in terms of reaching my destination not too late. As before, the alternative past the old Muiño das Aceas is advisable, even with less time available. And do not follow the ordinary waymarks after crossing over the Ria de Ferrol at Xuvia, instead do the old route that goes past the Neda albergue. This route is much more scenic than the route just following the road, going through a small reserve next to the estuary before it will join the new official route before Neda.
Ponte de Pedra, Pontedeume.
With dramatic clouds on the sky, I arrive at the Ponte de Pedra at the entrance of Pontedeume, with just enough time to visit the museum and tower of Torreón dos Andrade. Given the late start, I had wondered about not going as far as to Pontedeume, but stop at place before, but being back I was happy with my decision. Pontedeume is a small, but charming town boasting some nice narrow streets with small plazas between them. And a vending machine where one can buy fishing equipment and bait. I eat a delicious dinner at Taberna Zas.
San Miguel de Breamo.
Normally, I would find the distance between Pontedeume and Betanzos too short, but as with the former, the latter is one of the highlights of this Camino. One way to extend the day is to visit the small chapel of San Miguel de Breamo, situated in a very serene location. Views of Pontedeume, with the bridge and estuary and surrounding landscape can be seen on the walk up to it, and there is an easy to find route that can get you back to the Camino without having to backtrack.
The Camino Inglés going underneath a grape arbor.
Returning to the Camino, there are almost no clouds in the sky and a heating sun. After a descent through woods, it has all changed and just before I get to Ponte Baxoi, I barely escape a sudden deluge at a pilgrim café appearing just at the right time. This would be the norm for the rest of the day, walking in nice weather with brief deluges hitting at uneven times.
The bay windows of Betanzos.
Apart from the the walk to up to the Iglesia de San Miguel de Breamo, the short section after Miño is the most notable on the way to Betanzos. The huge trunk of the tree inside the park near the Antiga Fábrica de Curtidos does still stand there, but the park itself is now more overgrown. Choose the wooden boardwalk going around the small park and then visit the Praia da Alameda beach. At A Ponte do Porco with its pig statue, the route before crossed the river on the bridge and went up the hill just across, but now the route has been changed. By my remembrance it is for the better.
Betanzos in the evening.
Betanzos is to me the highlight of the Camino Inglés. Just spend the time walking through the charming streets are recommended, but there are nice plazas, churches, old buildings, and nice cafés to visit. One of the features of the town that fascinates me is the bay windows of the apartments lined up above one of the narrow streets. It also features a vending machine containing sex toys, which I found amusing given its fishing counterpart in Pontedeume.
Rainbow.
After Betanzos, it is normal to stay at the albergue at Hospital de Bruma, once a medieval hospitales. On the way there it becomes apparent that the route has again changed since I walked it back in 2016, I walk for a long time expecting to see the signs of Casa Julia appearing, but it never materialises. I do not remember if I enjoyed the old route that much, but I cannot say the new route is much interesting either.
Path on the old route of the Camino Inglés.
I stop for a very late lunch at the bar at Hospital de Bruma before walking alone the rest of the way to A Rúa, enjoying all the amusing sculptures and paraphernalia at O Castro on the way. A Rúa is not big, consisting of not much of a couple of houses, but it does has a church and two bars (one that appears to be the morning bar and the other being the evening bar). No albergues, but a very wonderful Casa Rural (Dona María).
Cabeza de Lobo, the dinosaur is really moving around.
On the last of the few days the Camino Inglés takes, I understand more of the resentment that I have heard about the route. When I walked it back in 2016, I remember a long stretch of walking in a straight line through a forest, not so interesting at all, but far better than the new route. For those straight five kilometres through the forest are far more preferable than the same distance walking next to a noisy highway. The heavy rain does nothing to improve my mood either. The enchanted woods are almost the only boon for the eye between Sigüero and Santiago de Compostela, with the exception of arriving at the old town.
One of the worst sections of any Camino de Santiago, walking next to the noisy highway before Sigüeiro, the lousy weather does not make it any better.
No views of the cathedral when I walk into Santiago, the clouds are lying low in the heavy rain. Although the clouds are not lifting, my mood is significantly lifting when I once again walk through the old and beautiful buildings. And the weather gods are smiling at me when I arrive at the Praza do Obradoiro. No sun, but the rain is gracefully taking a break while I am at the square. People are looking amused at me when I sit down, being the only one doing so.
Bridge in Área Recreativa De Carboeiro in Sigüeiro.
I find the changes being done to the Camino Inglés are making it a lot less interesting than it was when I first did it, and even then, it was not that much interesting in total. Despite that, I am actually happy to have done it, but does not expect to return.
Bosque Encantado.
My time in Spain (and Portugal) has come to an end, my combination of the different Camino de Santiago routes has come to an end. It has been a thrill, 43 days, 8 different Caminos and about 1200 kilometres walked.
Wet on the Praza Obraidoro, had to sit down anyway.
If there is one thing that I want to be the lesson of these series of articles, is to choose adventure. Follow your impulses, make your own way. I think the example of Petra is the best one, she chose to change her route on impulse on the way. There were obstacles on the way, but that is part of the adventure, and she overcame those. Do not see the pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela as a fixed way depending on the way you chose, combine them. With the additions of new routes appearing the routes appear more and more like a grid than separate one-directional ways.
Panorama, Catedral de Santiago de Compostela.
Buen Camino!
San Martin Pinario in the evening rain.
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