I've been asked to post this very helpful diary which I am sure others will find useful:
Camino Ingles Feedback
A Fifty something lady on her own.
This was a lovely 5 day walk. I obtained my credencial from the CSJ. I missed the turismo in Ferrol and all the others on the way were ‘cerrado’. Each day I had a very good desayuno, either tostada or churros and always carried food in case there was nowhere suitable to eat, but usually there was. 9.00pm is a bit late for me though [Hostel Miras, Sigueiro]. There were more short, steep hills than I expected although I know it’s Galicia. Weather was good for November, only Tuesday was very wet and misty. I usually just follow the waymarks, if I cannot see which way to go I just look in both directions and usually see the next waymark. My bag usually ends up quite heavy because I get so much information. The days are short in November and it does not get light until 8.10ish and beginning to get dark around 6.15pm.
Sunday 16th November 2008
London Stansted to Santiago with Ryanair, Empresa Freire airport bus to Santiago bus station 3€ and 13.30 Castromil/Monbus Santiago to Ferrol 9.90€, arrive Ferrol bus station 14.45. I found getting my bearings difficult, especially on a Sunday afternoon when most places were closed so eventually ended up at Hotel America, 35€, completely wrong area to where I wanted to be, but nice hotel.
Monday 17th November 2008
Walked towards harbour to start Camino but stopped off at 9.00am mass at the convent opposite the parador, they did not have a sello so got my first sello at the farmacia near the first waymark. Found my way out ok until I lost the waymarks near Avenida do Mar so walked round Al Campo shopping centre and asked at a hostel/bar Casa Juanito and they gave me directions and a map of Naron. It was ok once I found Lidl. I carried on but eventually followed waymarks through some trees which brought me on to the railway line so I just carried on until I got through a gap in the fence and crossed the river on a footpath by the side of the railway line. This came out in Neda, I stopped for a drink in Hermida Bar, Castelao 31, very pilgrim friendly they gave me a nice little leather purse. After this straightforward walking, stopped at Fene and got a Camino Ingles booklet with front page for sello, also stopped at Cabanas on the beach for a beer. Arrived Pontedeume about 5.30pm. Overnight
Pension Allegue 13€ and paid bill, did not open until 10.00am next day. Sello after mass at church of Santiago.
Tuesday 18th November 2008
Straight forward up and down walking today, and raining and misty. Nice coffee stop at Bar Almeda. Arrived Betanzos about 3.15, beer stop first then booked in Hostel Universal 15€, paid bill and got a sello, again they do not open very early in the morning. The turismo had relocated to the library and a very helpful lady who liked to practise her English gave me lots of information about the area. The Church of San Francisco was closed for decorating but another helpful lady took me in. The Church of Santa Domingo appeared to be the main church with a list of all the services, the church of Santiago was closed but there was a nice little bar opposite.
Wednesday 19th November 2008
I was expecting this to be a long hard day but everything was fine. I stopped at Casa Julia for a coffee and also Car Bar Vinozo [this is what I call a mans bar]. I walked by the albergue at Bruma to Meson do Vento and stayed at Pension O Meson Novo 18€, large, comfortable warm room and the lady speaks excellent English and makes a nice tortilla. Says they open at 5.30am in the morning.
Thursday 20th November 2008
Walked by the albergue and Benino was just going in so stopped for a sello, 3 pilgrims had stayed 1 Spanish and 2 Irish but the Irish girl was not very well so could not carry on. Straightforward walking again, passed a dinosaur model near Bar Novo. Arrived Siguero and checked into Hostel Miras 15€, very basic and lots of traffic noise, I opened the window the following morning and the curtains fell down. I went to mass at the Church of Barciela and it was a lovely service [6pm] I asked for a sello but the normal priest was off sick and no one could find it, it was a bit like hunt the thimble round the church, eventually they decided they would write on my credencial. Segueiro is definitely a mans town.
Friday 21st November 2008
Walking straightforward until I reached the outskirts of Santiago, I lost the waymarks somewhere around the large walled cemetery so after walking all the way round it decided to follow the main road into Santiago looking for where I should have come out. Reached the Cathedral and then collected my Compostela and met my husband in Bar El Derby about 12.45, he had just arrived on the Ryanair flight. We then spent three nights at the Airas Nunes hotel. The albergue in Santiago is closed until April 2009. We also like Lizarran pincho bar almost next door to El Derby.
Camino Ingles Feedback
A Fifty something lady on her own.
This was a lovely 5 day walk. I obtained my credencial from the CSJ. I missed the turismo in Ferrol and all the others on the way were ‘cerrado’. Each day I had a very good desayuno, either tostada or churros and always carried food in case there was nowhere suitable to eat, but usually there was. 9.00pm is a bit late for me though [Hostel Miras, Sigueiro]. There were more short, steep hills than I expected although I know it’s Galicia. Weather was good for November, only Tuesday was very wet and misty. I usually just follow the waymarks, if I cannot see which way to go I just look in both directions and usually see the next waymark. My bag usually ends up quite heavy because I get so much information. The days are short in November and it does not get light until 8.10ish and beginning to get dark around 6.15pm.
Sunday 16th November 2008
London Stansted to Santiago with Ryanair, Empresa Freire airport bus to Santiago bus station 3€ and 13.30 Castromil/Monbus Santiago to Ferrol 9.90€, arrive Ferrol bus station 14.45. I found getting my bearings difficult, especially on a Sunday afternoon when most places were closed so eventually ended up at Hotel America, 35€, completely wrong area to where I wanted to be, but nice hotel.
Monday 17th November 2008
Walked towards harbour to start Camino but stopped off at 9.00am mass at the convent opposite the parador, they did not have a sello so got my first sello at the farmacia near the first waymark. Found my way out ok until I lost the waymarks near Avenida do Mar so walked round Al Campo shopping centre and asked at a hostel/bar Casa Juanito and they gave me directions and a map of Naron. It was ok once I found Lidl. I carried on but eventually followed waymarks through some trees which brought me on to the railway line so I just carried on until I got through a gap in the fence and crossed the river on a footpath by the side of the railway line. This came out in Neda, I stopped for a drink in Hermida Bar, Castelao 31, very pilgrim friendly they gave me a nice little leather purse. After this straightforward walking, stopped at Fene and got a Camino Ingles booklet with front page for sello, also stopped at Cabanas on the beach for a beer. Arrived Pontedeume about 5.30pm. Overnight
Pension Allegue 13€ and paid bill, did not open until 10.00am next day. Sello after mass at church of Santiago.
Tuesday 18th November 2008
Straight forward up and down walking today, and raining and misty. Nice coffee stop at Bar Almeda. Arrived Betanzos about 3.15, beer stop first then booked in Hostel Universal 15€, paid bill and got a sello, again they do not open very early in the morning. The turismo had relocated to the library and a very helpful lady who liked to practise her English gave me lots of information about the area. The Church of San Francisco was closed for decorating but another helpful lady took me in. The Church of Santa Domingo appeared to be the main church with a list of all the services, the church of Santiago was closed but there was a nice little bar opposite.
Wednesday 19th November 2008
I was expecting this to be a long hard day but everything was fine. I stopped at Casa Julia for a coffee and also Car Bar Vinozo [this is what I call a mans bar]. I walked by the albergue at Bruma to Meson do Vento and stayed at Pension O Meson Novo 18€, large, comfortable warm room and the lady speaks excellent English and makes a nice tortilla. Says they open at 5.30am in the morning.
Thursday 20th November 2008
Walked by the albergue and Benino was just going in so stopped for a sello, 3 pilgrims had stayed 1 Spanish and 2 Irish but the Irish girl was not very well so could not carry on. Straightforward walking again, passed a dinosaur model near Bar Novo. Arrived Siguero and checked into Hostel Miras 15€, very basic and lots of traffic noise, I opened the window the following morning and the curtains fell down. I went to mass at the Church of Barciela and it was a lovely service [6pm] I asked for a sello but the normal priest was off sick and no one could find it, it was a bit like hunt the thimble round the church, eventually they decided they would write on my credencial. Segueiro is definitely a mans town.
Friday 21st November 2008
Walking straightforward until I reached the outskirts of Santiago, I lost the waymarks somewhere around the large walled cemetery so after walking all the way round it decided to follow the main road into Santiago looking for where I should have come out. Reached the Cathedral and then collected my Compostela and met my husband in Bar El Derby about 12.45, he had just arrived on the Ryanair flight. We then spent three nights at the Airas Nunes hotel. The albergue in Santiago is closed until April 2009. We also like Lizarran pincho bar almost next door to El Derby.
