Camino Ingles Backwards?

[Spinningwoman]

I've just completed my Camino from Santander via Oviedo and the Primitivo and have quite a lot of time left as my ferry back from Santander isn't until 11th May. I know walking to Finisterre is the obvious thing to with the time, but I'm rather taken with the idea of walking 'home' via the Ingles and picking up the FEVE in Ferrol. I have access to maps and a app on my phone, so some of the reverse way finding problems ought to be eased by that. Does anyone have any wisdom to share? Thanks

 

[NualaOC]

Hi @Spinningwoman, here's a thread that will hopefully help to answer your question: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-inglés-2016-advice-needed.37221/#post-358327

For what it's worth (and in spite of the potential difficulties), I think that 'walking home' is a wonderful idea. Good luck!

 

[Spinningwoman]

Hi @Spinningwoman, here's a thread that will hopefully help to answer your question: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-inglés-2016-advice-needed.37221/#post-358327

For what it's worth (and in spite of the potential difficulties), I think that 'walking home' is a wonderful idea. Good luck!

Thank you, I didn't find that on my search.

 

[Bradypus]

Here is a fun little story from a walker headed the wrong way. From Nicholas Crane's book "Clear Waters Rising"

 

[Spinningwoman]

I am a tiny bit afraid that that might be my problem. And as it happens, I am a vicar.. Though not wearing my dog-collar.

 

[Bradypus]

And as it happens, I am a vicar.. Though not wearing my dog-collar.

I don't wear mine these days either. I think you might have less trouble trying to explain that you are not a Catholic priest though.

 

[AJ]

I found walking the wrong way ( Santiago to Ribadeo, Oviedo to Unqera) to be a strange experience. Firstly although there was waymarking, there wasn't a lot and I found myself walking the road mostly. Local people often told me I was going the wrong way. The worst part was a feeling of almost alienation with respect to normal pilgrims walking the "right" way. I stayed in the same albergues as them, but I wasn't one of them. No sense of camaraderie at all.

 

[mylifeonvacation]

It's a beautiful route and would be a lovely walk "downhill" towards Ferrol! I wasn't sure from the original post if you have the actual route downloaded to an app, so I'll drop in a link to a thread that contains that information, just in case: https://caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-ingles-oct-2014.29467/#post-249981

Enjoy the extra time in Galicia! Buen Camino

 

[Spinningwoman]

I'm really conflicted about this - people keep telling me how lovely Finisterre and Muxia are and I am wondering if it really is just my awkward 'don't want to do the same as everyone else' streak kicking in!

 

[Spinningwoman]

So far all my other Camino questions have sorted themselves out, so maybe I will just get lost tomorrow and find myself on one road or the other!

 

[NualaOC]

I'm really conflicted about this - people keep telling me how lovely Finisterre and Muxia are and I am wondering if it really is just my awkward 'don't want to do the same as everyone else' streak kicking in!

That's a tough choice..... there's something really special about arriving at the ocean in Finisterre or Muxia (I am especially fond of Muxia). But then again, walking towards home has a lot of appeal too.
Have you enough time to to a bit of both?

 

[SYates]

Actually you could use the Camino Ingles, walking backwards, to walk to San Andres de Teixido, which is ~45km from Ferrol if I remember right and a pilgrimage very few foreigners know about https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Andrés_de_Teixido

So many ways, so little time! Buen Camino! SY

 

[Spinningwoman]

I think I have settled on Finisterre and Muxia, saving the Ingles for another time, maybe with friends who want a shorter Camino. The path to Finisterre passes right by the door of my lodgings so it feels appropriate. Thanks for the help.

 

[NualaOC]

You'll have a really nice walk out of Santiago tomorrow. Buen Camino!

 

[Spinningwoman]

Yes, not mentioning the rain forecast for a few days time! But I have had so much rain forecast for this trip, and yet when it mattered there was sun. So I am not worried. Being English, I am used to rain.

 

[AJ]

Actually you could use the Camino Ingles, walking backwards, to walk to San Andres de Teixido, which is ~45km from Ferrol if I remember right and a pilgrimage very few foreigners know about https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Andrés_de_Teixido

I only learned about this one recently. It is included in the book Powerful Places on the Caminos de Santiago. I am thinking about a coast - to coast starting Tarifa and finishing San Andres de Teixido.

 

[MesaWalker]

My wife and I are thinking about a coast to coast walk in Spring 2023 - Cadiz, then Via de la Plata to SdC, then possibly Camino Ingles backwards to A Caruña or Ferrol. We've been to Finisterre and Muxia previously.

A question for anyone who has walked any camino backwards - Do you sense a lot more people on the trail? When you're going the traditional direction, you may be walking with a lot of people going roughly the same speed and may actually never see them during the day because they are a km or 2 ahead or behind you. But walking a camino backwards, you would actually cross paths with everyone heading the traditional direction. Was that a distraction or a frustration? Is that a major downside to walking a camino backwards?

Does anyone have any other thoughts pro or con? I've read the posts about waymarking challenges and lesser comeraderie with other pilgrims.

Thanks!