4 day walking- looking for overall advice please

[Pa Dinneen]

Hi,

My wife (41) and mother in law (67) want to spend 4 days walking the trail, ending up in Compestella. They have no idea about the trails, where to start etc.

• they'll be flying from Ireland
• Mother in-law likes nice accommodation- e.g. not basic hostel if possible. Maybe she'll have to put up with it if that's all that's available along the route
• both are relatively fit, no injuries

I have no real idea where to begin, can anyone help with advice please:

1. What route would you recommend & why? I think Camino Ingles was recommended somewhere so posting this thread here.
2. What's easiest places for them to fly in and out of?
3. Any recommended nice accommodation along the trail? (I presume once I know what trail it's easy to look up accommodation but I've no idea re how much accommodation there is)
4. Anything else to note?

Thanks in advance,
Pa.

 

[nidarosa]

Why not try the Celtic camino? You do a 25 km or more walk in Ireland before flying out from Dublin to Santiago (or Coruña, not sure who flies there from Ireland), then walk 75 km from Coruña to Santiago and fly back to Dublin again. It would qualify them for a Celtic certificate and also a Compostela, and they would have a nice training walk before they go. There will be hotels but you might have to taxi back and forth to them, which could mean two nights in the same room, so they could even walk without packs one day.

More info in this forum post: Celtic Camino 2018

 

[Pa Dinneen]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll look at your Celtic route post. I don't know but am guessing they're not interested in the Compostela, just want the walking experience.

 

[Jan_D]

Hi, it's very difficult to answer your question as there are so many routes into Santiago! Each of the routes is named after its point of origin, i.e. the Camino Frances starts in France, and the Camino Portugues in Portugal. All of the routes have a variety of types of accommodation, and are well way-marked with yellow arrows and shells, especially the closer they get to Santiago.

Here's a map to give you an idea: https://www.gronze.com - if you click on each camino name, you'll get information about distances and accommodation. The most well-travelled route is the Camino Frances. The Camino Ingles is often recommended as a 'short camino', as it can be walked in 5 days from start to finish - although you could really start "4 days away" on any of the routes, depending on which is the most convenient.

For example: I see that Ryanair have flights Dublin-Vigo from March onwards - so perhaps you could walk to Santiago from Redondela (on the Camino Portugues) for 4 days? Just an idea! Otherwise maybe Google/ search this forum for a bit of info on each of the routes to see if anything appeals.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I'm not sure about fancy lodgings on this route but consider doing a camino starting from Santiago. The Camino Finisterre is a 3 or 4 hike to the ocean at the town of Finisterre. Then there is a one ofr two day walk from there to Muxia, another sea-side town. If you are slow you go to Finisterre and bus back from there otherwise you bus to Santiago from Muxia. You can get a certificate of distance in both towns.

The Santiago tourist office can give you a paper copy of this guide that they also have online at: http://www.caminodesantiago.gal/documents/17639/155453/Fisterra Muxía - Plano - EN.pdf?version=1.0

 

[MaryLynn]

The Camino Frances has the best infrastructure--it is a well-signed, well-traveled, and well-organized route. Your wife and her mother would have no problem following the signage and there are plenty of accommodations along the way that are fancier than albergues and can be booked in advance. They could start in Portomarin, which has bus service, and walk four days into Santiago. My Michelin map indicates it would be four days of walking 25km, 30km, 19km, and 20km - but they could make it four ~20-25km days. There would be plenty of people walking along the way and they will feel part of the whole experience. They might have to fly into Santiago and take a bus to Portomarin to begin their four-day walk, if they can't fly into Sarria. It sounds like a short, but fun Camino adventure!

 

[Laura Blue]

Not really sure accommodation along the way is that fancy. Have walked in various ways, staying in hotels, maybe via Plata, or as suggested walk to Finesterre although won't get the buzz of finishing in Santiago.

 

[peb]

The Ingles from Ferrol is 112km long. Meaning, for a 4 day walk, you need to be doing almost 30km every day. The 'guidebook' stages of the Ingles are for a 5 day walk, meaning that you are planning to walk quicker and longer stages than many guidebooks, and many people do the Ingles over 6 days. The question is, will your wife and mother in law be able to do this?

If a 4 day Ingles were to be planned, I would go for the following:

Day 1 - Ferrol to Pontedeume, but walking across the N-651 bridge shortcut from Ferrol to Fene - about 7 hours walk - 26km

Day 2 - Pontedeume to Betanzos - about 25km - about 7 hours walk.

Day 3 - Betanzos to Buscas (this is about 1 hour past the Hospital de Bruma albergue) staying at Casa Rural Donnamaria - about 32km walk - 10 hours

Day 4 - Buscas to Santiago - about 30km walk - 10 hours

Good, non-hostel accommodation can be found for all 4 nights.

First two days are tough if you are not fit and have not had training. Last two days are tougher still but doable. The Ingles is also not flat.

Whilst the above schedule is feasible, it does not give much scope for enjoyment. If the Compostela is not an option, I would consider what Rick has said, of walking in Ireland on the Celtic Camino and then from La Coruna to Santiago on that Ingles branch, walking from Santiago to Finistere, or just walking 4 days on the Frances as @marylynn suggests, not necessarily ending in Santiago.

 

[Via2010]

3 Suggestions:
1: Finisterre-Santiago
They fly to Santiago, then bus to Finisterre (several connections a day). Finisterre offers both hostels and Hotels. I found Hotel Ancora cheap and clean. Next Day walk to Logoso (27 km, private hostel) or Olveiroa (31 km, Casa Rural As Pias). Then to Santa Marina (from Logoso 16 km, Casa Pepa offers private rooms) or straight to Negreira (33 km, various options) and finally Santiago (23 km). If they can walk longer distances, they could even start at Muxía (30 km nice walk to Finisterre). There is a bus twice a day but they could also call a taxi (60-70 € from the Airport).
2. Ourense - Santiago
Flight to Santiago then bus or train to Ourense. Walking Ourense - Cea (23 km) - Castro-Dozón via the monastery of Oseira (20 km) - Silleda (28 km) - Outeiro (20 km) - Santiago (16 km). It is also possible to do this in 3-4 stages.
3. Lugo - Santiago
Several direct buses from Santiago Airport to Lugo every day. From there they could either walk along the "via verde" to Friol and then continue on the Norte to Santiago or head for the main route, hitting the CF at Melide.

BC
Alexandra