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English way

LaurenT

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
May 2023
Hi everyone. 3 or 4 of us are thinking of doing the English Way next May. I wonder if some could share their experience if they have done it - scenery, infrastructure, crowds etc. it is either this or last stage Portuguese Camino including Spiritual Variant. Much appreciated.
 
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This is a slide show of the Inglés I have just put together. Maybe it will whet your appetite. Back in 2018 there was very adequate infrastructure (some of the photos show albergues), not too many people though there was always company and make what you like of the scenery. We really enjoyed it and I think it would be ideal for someone new to the camino. Nice food too and people along the way generally friendly and helpful.
 
This is a slide show of the Inglés I have just put together. Maybe it will whet your appetite. Back in 2018 there was very adequate infrastructure (some of the photos show albergues), not too many people though there was always company and make what you like of the scenery. We really enjoyed it and I think it would be ideal for someone new to the camino. Nice food too and people along the way generally friendly and helpful.
Thank you very much Dick - very kind of you to send that. I have heard it often rains so I need to consider that too.😊
 
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The Camino Ingles has lots going for it. Ferrol was a good place to spend an extra day before starting. Betanzos is a great little place. Everyone seemed genuinely pleased to see pilgrims. The infrastructure is coming along nicely. ( Water fountains are springing up along the route )
It's no easy stroll in the park though. I got through over 8 000m of ascent along the route and in some places your choice of accommodation can be limited.

The final stretch of the Portuguese from Porto is also a beautiful walk. Likely bigger numbers of people. Certainly more accommodation. More "historic" sites. I walked "straight up" but having seen Efren Gonzalez's coverage of the Spiritual Variant, that's now top of my list for the next Camino.

I'm sure you'd enjoy either of them. It's not a bad decision to have to make :)
 
HI Lauren. I walked the English Way in August of 2021. Spain was just reopening from Covid and the albergues were only allowing 50% occupancy. The pilgrims I met seemed to be finding accommodations the whole time. I had booked private rooms because it is a short Camino and I had concerns about Covid, (they are much less now). I flew into Madrid, trained it to ScD and took a bus to Ferrol.

It's a very Spanish Camino and I was the only American. In fact there was only one non Spaniard that I met on my walk (she was from Rome). I met a lot of wonderful people and would do it again in a heart beat. The highlights for me were the walk around the bay in Ferrol, the walks into Pontedeume and Betanzos, Teh Enchanted Forrest, and arriving at SdC. Also Casa Avelina should not be missed, its on the way into Bruma/Meson-do-Vento. The two ladies who run the cafe are the best! I also loved walking through the eucalyptus forests.

Here's a link to my FindPenguins blog/log of my walk:


 
You have a difficult yet wonderful choice chooing between these two routes. They’re both great experiences. In 2018 my wife and I walked the Inglés during a very rainy Semana Santa. In spite of the weather, we thoroughly enjoyed the relative quietness of this Camino and the fact thst we were primarily surrounded by Spanish pilgrims. As it was a holiday week, we booked accommodations ahead. This worked out very well as we weren’t sure about how busy it would be since there were fewer albergues available to pilgrims. Although some mornings it seemed as though we had to walk further before our first coffee break, the infrastructure was certainly sufficient for an enjoyable Camino. Several charming towns are found along This Way. In particular, Pontedueme and Betanzos. In Betanzos you have to treat yourself to an omelette or tortilla español that they are known for. I highly recommend Casa Miranda.

Doing the last part of the Portugués, you could start in either Tui or Vigo, is also a great choice. Having walked both routes, including the VE just this past spring, they’re both excellent Camino experiences. Regardless of where you start, walking the Variante Espiritual will be very special. Although you will find more pilgrims on the Portugués route, there are not that many who choose to walk the VE. After the wonderfully historic Pontevedra, there’s a good climb out of Combarro taking you to the Monestario de Armenteira (another special spot). Depending in the time of year, you can reserve rooms there for just a single night. A pilgrims mass and dinner at the cafe/bar just across the street top off a great day on the Camino. In Vilanova de Arousa you can catch the boat for the ride to to Padrón. We traveled with A Mare for a wonderful rude up the river. Between the hiking and this boat section, I look forward to retracing my steps on the Variante Espiritual.

Both are great Caminos. But, if I had to pick just one to walk, I would probably do the Portugués again. Both certainly have pluses and minuses, but overall, the Portugués gets my vote particularly when you include the VE along The Way.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
The Camino Ingles has lots going for it. Ferrol was a good place to spend an extra day before starting. Betanzos is a great little place. Everyone seemed genuinely pleased to see pilgrims. The infrastructure is coming along nicely. ( Water fountains are springing up along the route )
It's no easy stroll in the park though. I got through over 8 000m of ascent along the route and in some places your choice of accommodation can be limited.

The final stretch of the Portuguese from Porto is also a beautiful walk. Likely bigger numbers of people. Certainly more accommodation. More "historic" sites. I walked "straight up" but having seen Efren Gonzalez's coverage of the Spiritual Variant, that's now top of my list for the next Camino.

I'm sure you'd enjoy either of them. It's not a bad decision to have to make :)
Thank you. The Spiritual Variant is quite a drawcard but you are right, a lovely decision to have to make.😊
 
You have a difficult yet wonderful choice chooing between these two routes. They’re both great experiences. In 2018 my wife and I walked the Inglés during a very rainy Semana Santa. In spite of the weather, we thoroughly enjoyed the relative quietness of this Camino and the fact thst we were primarily surrounded by Spanish pilgrims. As it was a holiday week, we booked accommodations ahead. This worked out very well as we weren’t sure about how busy it would be since there were fewer albergues available to pilgrims. Although some mornings it seemed as though we had to walk further before our first coffee break, the infrastructure was certainly sufficient for an enjoyable Camino. Several charming towns are found along This Way. In particular, Pontedueme and Betanzos. In Betanzos you have to treat yourself to an omelette or tortilla español that they are known for. I highly recommend Casa Miranda.

Doing the last part of the Portugués, you could start in either Tui or Vigo, is also a great choice. Having walked both routes, including the VE just this past spring, they’re both excellent Camino experiences. Regardless of where you start, walking the Variante Espiritual will be very special. Although you will find more pilgrims on the Portugués route, there are not that many who choose to walk the VE. After the wonderfully historic Pontevedra, there’s a good climb out of Combarro taking you to the Monestario de Armenteira (another special spot). Depending in the time of year, you can reserve rooms there for just a single night. A pilgrims mass and dinner at the cafe/bar just across the street top off a great day on the Camino. In Vilanova de Arousa you can catch the boat for the ride to to Padrón. We traveled with A Mare for a wonderful rude up the river. Between the hiking and this boat section, I look forward to retracing my steps on the Variante Espiritual.

Both are great Caminos. But, if I had to pick just one to walk, I would probably do the Portugués again. Both certainly have pluses and minuses, but overall, the Portugués gets my vote particularly when you include the VE along The Way.
Thank you so much. I am leaning this way too . I will look at Vigo as a starting spot.
 
HI Lauren. I walked the English Way in August of 2021. Spain was just reopening from Covid and the albergues were only allowing 50% occupancy. The pilgrims I met seemed to be finding accommodations the whole time. I had booked private rooms because it is a short Camino and I had concerns about Covid, (they are much less now). I flew into Madrid, trained it to ScD and took a bus to Ferrol.

It's a very Spanish Camino and I was the only American. In fact there was only one non Spaniard that I met on my walk (she was from Rome). I met a lot of wonderful people and would do it again in a heart beat. The highlights for me were the walk around the bay in Ferrol, the walks into Pontedeume and Betanzos, Teh Enchanted Forrest, and arriving at SdC. Also Casa Avelina should not be missed, its on the way into Bruma/Meson-do-Vento. The two ladies who run the cafe are the best! I also loved walking through the eucalyptus forests.

Here's a link to my FindPenguins blog/log of my walk:


Hi William, Thank you very much for recording this. I hope to walk the Camino Ingles some day soon. Lydia
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Thank you Lydia. It sounds lovely - strange I thought there would be more English / Irish pilgrims.
There would have been, back a bit. As in back 600years or so. There were at least three ships captains licensed to carry Pilgrims from my home port to Spain, usually Ferrol or A Coruna, sometimes Bilbao. One, Thomas Attenhalle, licensed in 1423 to convey 60 pilgrims , was fined heavily for failing to bring back all that he had taken. On a subsequent voyage he brought back the corpus and was granted a rebate.
 

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