Day 5 Muxia to finisterre

We didn't make it as far as finisterre as we were staying in CEE we took a detour courtesy of a kind donativo place and €50.

That was where it ended but the beginning was lots of fun too. The logging took our last ounce or 28 grams of strength and also €0.70 as the juice machine made us think we could get sustenance.

We started out in our apartment in Muxia fully aware there were few stops so we better go to the supermarket. 

Simon had gone the night before and with the exception of opening the flat door it was superb. 

We had milk for our cola cao and nothing to put in our sandwiches, except the bananas we ate at breakfast. Oh and some bags of his favourite mouth drying crisps 🤣

We made the usual Camino mistake and ignored our advice from the night before. There's bound to be somewhere.

Ah yes. Bound to be. That's when St Jacques laughs and doesn't provide!

We walked and took pictures. It's a stunning walk out along the shore and the road for about 2km.

We walk up past the parador on the hill.

We walk past the stadium and then it seemed, we walked up.

We walked up and up and up.

We continued to walk up and up and up.

Simon and Stu walked up and up and up.

I started lagging behind and taking pictures and eating my mints. On the plus side I got some lovely pictures but time was ticking along.

We got to the top of the hill after a few hours and arrived in the red herring town of Frixe an hour later.

We walked down past the pink house.

The we went to the hotel who said no coffee here and then back past the pink house.

Then we left to go to Lires.

We'd bumped into our new South Korean pals a bit earlier and I can't say how happy we all were to meet them again on Noia. Simon said they were on our bus from fisterra but as we joined at Cee we just sat down and never acknowledged them. We can be so ignorant, a great pilgrim trait.

We were past it when we arrived in Lires but found solace in the food and drink. No pictures as we were eating. Suddenly energy let us see the sea views.

When we left we had a good clip about us but as we were debating road or trail you sensed the worst.

Another stop saw us enjoying the shade.

Water was low and time was high. It was now 4pm and we had planned to taxi.

We were 8 km from Cee. We paid €50 and were happy to get to a restaurant in CEE.

Day 1 to Negreira

We strolled down to the cafe and sat down.

Great breakfast and ready to rumble.

Cross the street into the park.

Up the hill down the steps, down the hill, up the hill

yep a lot of strolling and unlike January a lot of cafe. It was great to stop and the only sadness was the riverside bar is reservations only and closed tuesday and wednesday so one for a reverse camino where we arrive at 2pm on a monday! We arrived at our flat which was opposite the language school. I gave it a superb review as it was superb. 3 of us each paying 30 euro was luxury.

serendipity - so funny how often you meet pilgrims

It's even funnier how you bump into pilgrims on the bus route too!

We first let this lovely couple from south Korea on the hills outside Muxia.

it was a wonderful piece of serendipity as I was asked where you get a pilgrims passport for the Finisterre section and as if by magic I pulled two put of my pocket and handed them over with a few stamps from our stays on the way to Muxia.

move forward a day and here we are at the bus station at Noia on the way back to Santiago and look who's here. Brilliant I love it, only on the Camino.

I like to take a passport and stamp it but frequently I forget and I never get around to getting a Compostela so I was delighted the passports continued on their Camino too.

if the bus is early the driver often tells the passengers they can use the bano or have a cigarette break. Serendipity!

on the way from Muxia to finisterre

I had such a wonderful time on this stretch of the camino. The joy of walking out and the pain of going uphill when every piece of my gravity says gently downhill works. Think water of Leith or even a canal. I can do flat level too. This felt like Edinburgh and the radical road never ends. I've never lied about how much I love the weight I shift if I walk up hill but equally I could walk all day on the flat! This hill was our Camino moment.

Snug as a smug thing

Yes, it pays to play the game and we pulled it off again 

Si and I found ourselves 3 seats in an otherwise busy plane on our way to walk to finisterre.

I'll never tire of the slight of hand that gets me great seats almost ever time I fly.

It's a patience that seems to grow with my age and as a reward I always thank ryanair and buy a few wee bottles of red.

7 nights in June

This will be my third Camino out of Santiago this year and will contrast well with the previous ones in January and April.

The biggest difference will be the heat and consequently the distance we walk each day. Jimmy is also 75 so let's face it he's giving me a few years, although I'm giving him a few stone.

Our first night will be in Santiago and probably Alda Carlos unless I discover another place.

Price dictated PR Paz in April and it was great. 

We won't walk as far either on day 1 so probably pontemaceira.

It's 4km before negreira so should be a good 18km opener especially as there is at least 4km of altitude climbing to alto do vento and alto do mar.

I remember walking out down the hill from Santiago and it's lovely looking back. Smelling the roses in June will be so much fun so 10-12 mile days will be more than enough. It's 90km and 5 days to do it will be grand.

Out Costa do cano and on to Alto vento works for me.

Pontemaceira has a casa but looks like only bookable for two nights so plans are changing as usual!

Camino Finisterre 7 nights from Edinburgh Tuesday 25th April 2023

Yes Fat Al's favourite new camino. Arrive Santiago 9pm and check into hotel Alda on 6B bus route. Walk into town for 11pm and scran a few tapa drink a few drinks. Stu will check into PR Paz de Agra.. Wednesday - Walk out 8 hours to negreira Thursday - Walk out 7 hours to 10km from Oliveroa, maybe Albergue Monte Aro Friday - Walking 10km to Oliveiroa will be 2 hours and O'Logoso from Oliveiroa is 90 minutes so it might be a bit short doing a 18km day then carry on towards Dumbria and Casa a Pichona. Saturday - Laave Casa a Pichona via the muxia road to Piso O Percebe. Sunday - Leave Piso Percebe in Muxia for Finisterre, the walk bus or taxi to Cee where we stay in a Lobeira Grande again Monday - Leeve Fini CEE. Tuesday - bus from Cee to Santiago with a lunch time stop at the bus stop on the way at Cafe bar Louro and the panederia Luane. Then bus to Santiago to Airport