Camino de Santiago de Compostela

[peregrina2000]

Hi, I know that this information is all here somewhere, but I'm at a slow computer in a public library in Vilar de Barrio and I don't have much time left, so I'm going to post in the hopes someone will be able to help me out.

I now have some free days at the end of my Vdlp in a week or so and though I won't have time to walk to Muxia but am thinking it would be nice to take a bus out and spend a night there. Can anyone help me with bus schedules, or at least confirm that there is regular bus service from SdC? And are there many places to stay there, and if so, any recommendations? Thanks much, Laurie

[JohnnieWalker]

Yes there is a regular bus service - I'm sure Roberto will check this for you. See this link: santiago-to-finisterre-and-muxia/topic6359.html An alternative would be to go via Finisterre

Yes it is beautiful

Yes it has a fabulous albergue if you want to stay there

Yes there are lots of places to stay including a cheap and large hotel with sea views

Yes the mariscos are out of this world

[JohnnieWalker]

Laurie

I've tried to find the hotel I stayed in in Muxia and can't. I literally walked in on the route and along the main street with buildings on one side and the sea on the other and there was a large hotel virtually empty with rooms at very reasonable prices. There are more hotels along the front.

Buen Camino

John

[Canuck]

Laurie,

John has said it all.
And for accommodation, if all else fails, there will be one or two old ladies on the street offering you a room in their homes, better yet, offering you a whole house. That's what happened to me a few years back.

Cheers,
Jean-Marc

[peregrina2000]

You guys are great, thanks much. Sounds like I will be able to find something easily. Can't believe I'm only a week from Santiago -- one of these years I'm sure I'm going to say, oh hooray, I can't wait to get to Santiago, but all I feel now is that wish to keep on walking. Laurie

[peregrina2000]

Well, I did some hauling a** as we would say in the US of A, and I am now in Santiago. That means I can walk to Muxía! Weather looks good, I look forward to beautiful sea views and great mariscos.

Buen camino a todos, Laurie

[skilsaw]

Hi peregrina2000
I didn't know you took a donkey on the Camino.
Too bad you had to drag it to Santiago.

Enjoy your trip to Muxia.

David, Victoria, Canada

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola Laurie

I've e mailed you. Congratulations. If you want to walk the road less travelled take the branch to Muxia at Hospital and then you have the option to walk back round to Finisterre if you have time.

Enjoy!

John

[peregrina2000]

Hi, David and Johnnie,

I'm happy to report that my donkey and I are doing fine. No more pushing or pulling required. We are now in Negreira, in the municipal albergue that's a bit up the hill out of town. There are 20 places there and they fill up every day. But luckily there are at least two private albergues, and a hotel or two to take the surplus back in the town.

It's such a shock to see all the people. The people who walked the Camino Francés marvel at the small numbers. Those of us who walked the Vdlp are amazed at the huge numbers. We stopped at a bar for coffee about 10 km outside Santiago, and saw at least 8 other peregrinos -- we never saw that many for days on end on the Vdlp!

I have to say that Ponte Maceira is one of the most beautiful spots on any camino I have walked. The bridge, the icy water, the old mills, the old homes, and the beautiful river flowing with all the trees on either side. It is gorgeous. It's only a few km outside of Negreira, but if you come this way, you should plan a stop here. I soaked my feet in the river for 15 minutes (a tip I got from Jan Brilleman of this forum many caminos ago) and it is the best thing you can do for your feet. Not to mention the joy you have just sitting there and soaking up the wonderful surroundings.

I am not quite sure how I will walk to Muxía, whether from Hospitales or from Muxía. I have to admit I find that crossing on the stones under water (between Finisterre and Muxía) kind of daunting. In Santiago, I ran into a guy I knew on the Vdlp who had just returned from this route, and he said the water was over the knees and the stones were far apart. Not my kind of adventure. But the walk from Finisterre to Muxía does appeal because of all the beautiful views. Well, I will decide by tomorrow.

Buen camino a todos, Laurie

[JohnnieWalker]

Laurie - you don't need to use the stepping stones - there is an alternative road waymarked

[lynnejohn]

Laurie -
You're right about Ponte Maceira - because of your posts we were reviewing our notes and pictures from our last VDLP and because we're walking to Finisterre and Muxia again, we decided to stay over at Ponte Maceira as it was so beautiful we hated to leave it and walk on. We've got time!

Hope you stay dry and take the alternate route that Johnnie points out!

lynne

[Canuck]

Laurie,

Go ahead! Walk the stones.

It's not that daunting and it makes for a bit of excitement. The tingling in your feet once you're finished will stay in your memory for a long time.

Wade on,
Jean-Marc

[peregrina2000]

Thanks for all the encouragement about those rocks in the water -- I am thinking that all this apprehension I have is probably something like the feelings I had the first time I went up to O'Cebreiro -- people had given me such dire warnings that I was afraid I'd wind up in a ball shuddering on the mountainside and unable to continue -- but it was totally fine.

I'm in Finisterre now, having walked in on a glorious cool sunny day. Had a great fish meal in a restaurant where the woman told us the numbers of tourists are way way down from last year, and that they are kind of scared about how they will make it through the year if this trend continues.

There are now 4 or 5 albergues in Finisterre, we're in the municipal one.

I had one of those Camino moments today -- as I was hanging up my wash in the albergue, I looked out the window and across the street and thought, gosh that guy looks familiar. I ran down to check and sure enough -- it was Mattias -- a German guy who was the very first pilgrim I met on the Vdlp. It was in Itálica and we were both having coffee in a bar across from the ruins. Small world -- we spend a few minutes reliving some of our favorite Vdlp moments.

Onward to Muxia tomorrow, I will brave those stones come hell or high water, and I guess high water is a very good possibility!

Buen camino a todos, Laurie

[peregrina2000]

All that apprehension -- and I made it over the stones without difficulty. Not that you would have confused me with a mountain goat, but I didn't even slip once! The water had gone down a fair bit from what we had heard last week -- at the highest point it reached up a few inches below the knee. But those young 'uns just hopped right over the stones without missing a beat -- I don't think I was ever that nimble.

There was an article in yesterday's Voz de Galiza that 237,000 euros have been budgeted and actually signed over to build a bridge over that spot. They expect it to be done by the end of the year. The Spaniards I was walking with assured me that that was enough money to build one bridge and put the equivalent of four more bridges into the pockets of the políticos.

The alberque was about half full, and I got taken to a great little place near the harbor for a mariscada. The town of Muxía, IMO, made a big mistake by knocking down most of its old quarter and building square three story apt. buildings in its place. There are some nice buildings here and there, but no casco that's in tact. The site where the church sits is absolutely spectacular, with all those rocks. I'm glad I went, but I do think Finisterre seems more like an ending place. The hospitalero gave us a long explanation of why Muxía is the "real end", having something to do with the Virgen Mary arriving in Muxia an iron boat to help Santiago in his battles (I thought Santiago's body arrived in an iron boat, so maybe I've got my stgories confused).

Anyway, the bus from Muxía to Santiago is at 7:30 am (or 18:45), giving me a whole day here in Santiago. Peregrina no more. Time to try to wrap my head around that factoid. The city is extremely crowded. The headlines screamed that in the last two days more peregrinos arrived than in the entire two months of January and February. That seems like headline hysteria to me, I think Johnnie was one of a handful in January, and maybe a few more in February. But in any event, it is much more crowded than when I arrived last week. WEather is beautiful, hope it holds up for everyone on the Camino now. Buen camino a todos, Laurie

[peregrina2000]

I have a question for those of you who have walked to Finisterre or Muxia recently -- I see that Lynnejohn in this thread says something about "staying over" in Ponte Maceira. I'm wondering if that means spending the night or just taking a long break. Here's why I'm asking -- I have a friend who will be walking out to Finisterre soon and after hearing me wax poetic about Ponte Maceira, she asked me if there is a place there for spending the night. I can't find anything on the web, so I wonder if anyone has found someplace to stay in that lovely little town.

Thanks, buen camino a todos, Laurie

[Priscillian]

Hi Laurie,
I was in Muxia a couple of days ago and I stayed at the house of a lovely lady called Begona who has rooms for 20 -30 euros on the street which parallels the main seaside road. At the back of the house is the most amazing "stone garden". I can't remember exactly the name of the house but as you come in on the left hand side you will see a bar called O Xardin. The owner is a larger than life lady called Chelo who has a pilgrims book and will give you a free and very creamy dessert and a "chupito" of coffee liqueur with your menu del dia. If you ask her for Begona she will show you as the house is stone's away.
I really liked Muxia; in fact I much preferred it to Finisterre.
Buen Camino
Tracy
http://www.pilgrimagetoheresy.com
http://www.pilgrimagetoheresy.blogspot.com

[happyhiker]

Currently they are building a bridge so that you can bi-pass the stepping stones on the camino between Finisterre and Muxia. We were told by some people that we could still use the stones while the work was going on, and by others that we couldn't. We decided not to risk it and walked around which meant we walked longer, more on the road, and inland. This was still lovely, but I would recommend (having talked to other pilgrims afterwards) walking the stones until the bridge is ready and staying on the coastal path.