Camino de Santiago Finisterre
INTROThe Camino de Santiago is a network of long distance pilgrimages throughout Europe, primarily Spain, leading to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
End of the world
This is about the North route (del Norte) which I began in San Sebastián, Spain. This route is roughly 500 miles (800 kilometers). This is different from an other backpacking I’ve done; less wilderness, more showers/town food. This comes after my completion of the Camino de Santiago Frances. This is an extension to any or all Caminos!
Day 28 - 31 took me from Santiago de Compostela, Spain - Finisterre, Spain
OVERVIEWDAYS4
MILES/kilometers58.8/94.7
TOTAL ELEVATION GAINED6390 ft
TOTAL ELEVATION LOSS7052 ft
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Reaching the Atlantic Ocean after walking across Spain x2
Connecting with Camino friends in Santiago one last time
Getting my first tattoo in 10 years!
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Accommodation drought along the Finisterre route lead to long days
Nauseating bus ride through the mountains
In Depth
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Accommodation: A Casa do Boi
Distance: 6.2 miles / 10 kilometers
Elevation Gain: 433 ft
Elevation Loss: 1014 ft
My first day on the Finisterre route is the day that I arrived in Santiago to finish the Camino del Norte. As I had already been in Santiago for my completion of the Camino Frances I felt okay with just stopping in to Santiago, going to mass, visiting some friends, knowing that I would be back in a few days.
I was able to hike about 6 miles/10km out of town for the day. I was walking out of the city along roads, but then I got onto a high plateau and had fantastic views of Santiago. There was also lush forest trails that I was not expecting as the last several stretches of the Camino del Norte had been primarily road.
It was a warm and sunny day. I had also traveled a long distance, so I was very thankful to see my albergue for the night.
A Casa do Boi was one of the most beautiful albergues that I had been to. The dorms were small with limited people, but the updated. There was a great living and dining space, that made me sad that I was only staying there one night. There was also a restaurant on site and though they had almost no gluten-free options, everything that they did have looked delicious.
I chatted with some friends and family and tucked in for the evening knowing I had a very long day ahead of me due to an accommodation drought!
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Accommodation: Hotel Casa Jurjo
Distance: 25.5 miles/41.1 kilometers
Elevation Gain: 3390 ft
Elevation Loss: 2575 ft
The issue I discovered the night prior was that I had not booked accommodation in advanced for the next few nights because I did not think that the pilgrims were going to be on the Finisterre extension. I was very wrong. Everything in between 15 km and 40 km was booked (9 miles to 24 miles). So I unfortunately had to go the long distance because of my timeline with my flight back to the United States.
The day somewhat flew by actually. I met some lovely people along the way and saw some beautiful views. I was still in the high plateau farmland, but I knew that the ocean would be coming at any point.
Because these miles to finish, there felt like a bonus almost like a vacation, I stopped at most opportunities and got a cold beverage, which helped with the heat and humidity. I took alternate to get to the accommodation to A Picota. There are several different ways you can do these routes so I took the southern way.
Along this extension, there was also a cut off for Muxia. This went to the north and typically people do Finisterre in addition to Muxia but I only had time for one. You’ll see the shell signs below that you could choose either direction because it is a lollipop trail.
I got to my accommodation and ended up being a very cute small hotel. So I was able to have a relaxing evening to myself and did not have any snorers in the room. This was a Saturday night so I stocked up on food for things being closed on Sundays.
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Accommodation: Albergue O Bordón
Distance: 14.7 miles/23.7 kilometers
Elevation Gain: 1166 ft
Elevation Loss: 2045 ft
The hotel provided breakfast the following morning and even had some gluten-free options for me so I opted into that to save my store-bought food for later in the day. Because I had a shorter mileage day, I ended up staying in the hotel until 11:00am having a lazy morning to myself.
Again this day was half road walks and half trails and it dropped me off in Cee, Spain. Cee was the point that I could see the ocean henceforth and soon was able to see Finisterre in the distance. My accommodation this night was in albergue again and it turned out to be my last one of all my Camino’s!
I met a lovely guy Steve, originally from the United States, but now lives in England and has lived all over the world. There were some similarities between our lives that you would not think on the surface. Again, demonstrating that people from all over the world are more alike than different.
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Accommodation: Santiago with friends
Distance: 12.4 miles/20 kilometers
Elevation Gain: 1401 ft
Elevation Loss: 1418 ft
I set out the next morning at a decent time, but did not have too many miles for the day to get to Finisterre. I walked around Cee’s big bay and had breakfast in town before heading up the big climb. This café I chose correctly because they also have gluten-free options for me which was a real treat on my last day of hiking.
The miles flew by and just as I was beginning to enter the greater Finisterre area I started hiking with a man named Jesus originally from Spain now lives in France, but has lived all over the world. Again it’s amazing to hear stories from people who have lived interesting lives. He has been nomadic for at least the last 10 Years and said that he has never been happier in his 50 years. Also wrapping up my camino with a man named Jesus is just funny.
I got to Finisterre proper and it was only about 2 miles more to get to the “end of the world “a.k.a. The ocean. Alessandro and Sophie were going to be in town this day so I met up with Alessandro and we had a little lunch. We then went and hiked to the end of the world.
There were hordes of tour buses that were also heading up this road to get to the destination. There was a 15 minute queue for the 0.00 km sign. But because I had completed now 2.5/3 Camino’s, I felt okay taking some time with the sign for photos. We hiked down to the rocks, sat, and stared at the ocean for a while. I really took in the moment to take in that I hiked across the entire width of Spain more than once. From the Frances, I hiked from France all the way across Spain and then added in the Norte as well.
A lunch and a celebration was in order. Sophie arrived later than expected, but we all had ice cream before I got back on my bus to Santiago.
The bus was just over two hours and delivered me back into Santiago for a third time where I would spend one last night with tons of lovely people that I had met along the way. Nicole and Markus got a large Airbnb and invited anyone who could come to stay, which was such a fantastic way to wrap up my time in Spain. We sat around the table representing a multitude of countries, and I enjoyed every moment.
The following day, I did some chores. I got a tattoo of an arrow on my foot! Small bits of shopping and laundry.
I then made my slow way back to the United States taking a train from Santiago to Madrid and flying from there.
GALLERY
