Astorga - Santiago

[Beverley Sollinger]

Hi there, me again.
1. The two responses I got were that to start from Astorga and make it to Santiago in 10 days was pushing it a bit. I now have 12 days (leaving Santiago on the 12th day at 6pm) to fly to Madrid. If I dont walk to Finisterre and finish at Santiago - do you think this will be enough time i.e the 12 days to walk from Astorga to Santiago?

2.If I fly into Madrid is it better to take the coach all the way to Astorga, or should I fly to Bilboa and take the bus from there to Astorga?

 

[William Marques]

Go for it! It will be good not to miss those two days they are amongst the most pleasant on the route.

I think you will find it much easier flying to Madrid and catching the coach from there. I don't think there's much difference in distance anyway.

Buen Camino
William

 

[sillydoll]

Astorga to Santiago

Go for it Bev! You can have it all with 12 days.
The path from Astorga, through Rabanal passing the Cruz de Fero and Tomas the Templar's refuge at Manajrin is wild and beautiful. The famous "Ave Fenix" refuge is in Villafranca and the scenery up to O'Cebreiro is spectacular.
If you have a free day you can get a morning bus to Finisterre - throw your stones at the Sun God who swallows up the land each night and get the afternoon bus back to Santiago.
Buen Camino.

 

[Beverley Sollinger]

thanks!

thanks for the encouraging feedback. i will definitely try and go for it. now of course the lure of finisterre is calling me! if i can i will try and walk there but if not i will just take the bus. i keep on emailing the person helping me with my flights to make it one day more and one day more. so now i arrive in astorga (by coach from madrid) on monday 12th june and will start to walk on tuesday 13th june which gives me 12 full walking days. if im tired and have had enough i will call it over in santiago. if by some chance ive really pushed it MAYBE i will have 2 days left to walk to finisterre but i think that is pushing things a bit! however much research one does, this journey can not really be planned. going with the flow is the way i feel things must be done. 14 days would be ideal for the whole thing from astorga to finestirre but work calls me back...

 

[sillydoll]

Astorga to Santiago

Two days to Finisterre is a bit of a stretch Bev. If you only have one free day, catch the bus there. If you have 2 spare days, spend the 2nd day exploring Santiago. The pilgrim's mass at mid-day is very special - you don't want to miss it.

 

[Beverley Sollinger]

finisterre

work has now taken a back seat. i have tracked many peoples journeys - on the internet - from astorga to santiago and it seems like i will be able to make that in 10 days - if all goes well. i have then extended my trip to give myself 3 days to get to finisterre so that makes it 13 days in total. (one day to travel on either side too and a night in astorga before i start). i think that should be ok. if im struggling i will just get a bus halfway to finisterre at the end which will 'buy' me a day...

 

[sillydoll]

Good planning.
In 2002 we walked from before Astorga to Santiago in 10 days and arrived in Santiago in time for the Mass.
You will be just fine!
Hamba kahle usisi!