Camino ingles

[Yctoo]

First time walkers beginning the Camino Ingles on October 3 and looking for any advice we can get. Two older Canadian women looking forward to the walk, the people and the countryside

 

[natefaith]

Buen Camino and welcome to the Forum!

There's a subforum dedicated to the Camino Inglés here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/camino-ingles.23/. Take a look and then ask a question if you need suggestions on something.

Take care and enjoy the journey.
Faith

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Buen Camino.

Always carry enough water and snacks to last you between stops - bars are few and far between and no fuentes.



There's a decent supermarket once you cross the bridge into Fene and bars on the way out then I saw nothing until the outskirts of Cabanas where there was a small bar/tienda before you see a parade of shops in Cabanas on your left (good fruit shop) and a Tourist Information office in the park on your right before crossing the bridge.

The walk out of Pontedeume is a climb you think will never stop but it does and there's a rest area 3/4 of the way up and a bar (that should read Meson Paz) at the top of the climb.

I saw nothing between Pontedeume and Mino. The new route into Mino brings you to some bars and another TI office.

I don't recall seeing anything between Mino and Betanzos.

Nothing on the next section either but I turned off the official Camino at the Presedo refugio a little way short of the Bar Julia on the old route.



Between Hospital de Bruma and Ordes I saw THREE bars/cafes!
Beware the dinosaur! (You'll understand)
Have a cream cake (or two) in the Hotel Restaurante Nogallás in Ordes

Then saw nothing until the industrial suburbs of Santiago at the Bar Poligono.

The entry into Sigüeiro has been changed - I'd follow the thin (reddish?) line not the thick (purple? sorry I'm colourblind) line. The thin line is a quiet country road, the thicker is right alongside a noisy highway. They both go from A to B!




(it gets busier than this! path is now between trees and crash barrier)


Which would you choose?

Sorry if all that's a bit long winded but it's meant to help highlight the scarcity of facilities between towns.

PM me if you have any questions.

 

[peb]

Do not know how long you have, but the Ingles guidebook stages are long, over 25km each day.

I would break either break the 1st stage from Ferrol to Pontedeume in two, staying overnight at either Neda or Xubia. Alternatively, walk over the short cut from Ferrol to Feme via the N-651 bridge. You still walk 100km to SdC and so still qualify for a compostela

The 2nd day guidebook stage from Pontedeume to Betanzos can also be broken in two staying at Mino, which is a lovely seaside town that the Ingles only skirts on the outside of.

@Jeff Crawley's advice in all he says above is sound, especially avoiding the annoying walk along the motorway on the way to Sigueiro for the good part of an hour. On Jeff's other point, sometimes, it can be over an hour between a shop, restaurant, or bar, and the next one. Just you and the countryside, which is the beauty. But if you are not adequately stocked up on provisions to eat and drink along the way, the walk will not be enjoyable. this is especially, because in some places you stop at along the way, even larger places like Ferrol and Betanzos, you will struggle to find a place to eat dinner until 9pm. Shops generally open late in the evening and thereby late in the morning (after you have set off). Therefore, buy what you need for the next day, the evening before.

 

[Stefystar]

I wonder if the route you propose is still marked with mojones??

 

[Stefystar]

I wonder if the route you propose is still marked with mojones??

I have walked the one nr the motorway and I agree it is not a nice walk.. beside the few and far between marking, at time was not sure if I was following the right way, as I met so very few pilgrims..I was alone most of the way...but I wander what made them change in so unpractical way??
Would anyone know??

 

[peb]

If it is anything like the old route to Cabanas and Pontedeume from Vilar do Colo, I would expect there still to be painted yellow arrows on the streetlights, but basically, you follow the country road. Basically, you ignore the waymarked right turn once you have crossed the motorway and carry on walking on the road

The only reason I can think of changing the route is that the old route is on a country road; i.e. tarmac and no pavement, so they changed it to a non-tarmac route. Without that, basically the whole stage from Hospital de Bruma to Sigueiro is on roads / tarmac, albeit mainly very quiet roads.

I really did not like walking on the side of the motorway for the good part of an hour (albeit you are fenced away from the motorway), and if I did the Ingles again, I would do walk the old route shown by Jeff. As Jeff's map shows, you join the new route almost an hour later on the outskirts to Sigueiro, where if I am correct, there is a T junction and a bus stop with a shelter (where I thankfully was able to shelter from a very large thunderstorm)

 

[Jeff Crawley]

If it is anything like the old route to Cabanas and Pontedeume from Vilar do Colo, I would expect there still to be painted yellow arrows on the streetlights, but basically, you follow the country road. Basically, you ignore the waymarked right turn once you have crossed the motorway and carry on walking on the road

The only reason I can think of changing the route is that the old route is on a country road; i.e. tarmac and no pavement, so they changed it to a non-tarmac route. Without that, basically the whole stage from Hospital de Bruma to Sigueiro is on roads / tarmac, albeit mainly very quiet roads.

I really did not like walking on the side of the motorway for the good part of an hour (albeit you are fenced away from the motorway), and if I did the Ingles again, I would do walk the old route shown by Jeff. As Jeff's map shows, you join the new route almost an hour later on the outskirts to Sigueiro, where if I am correct, there is a T junction and a bus stop with a shelter (where I thankfully was able to shelter from a very large thunderstorm)

You got it - and an open air swimming pool! Blisteringly hot the day I arrived but no costume

From the 2013 Google views on it looks like the old way is gravel with grassed verges for over 90% of the way - can't imagine why they re-routed.