First ever Camino

[Bex_c_9]

Hello !

So after a few years of wanting to do this but not having the tme or money I find myself all booked up and ready to walk ! I leave in 3 weeks and feel slightly unprepaired.

My plan is to fly to A Coruna on Friday 5th September, stay there for the night and then head to Ferrol by bus/train in the Saturday morning ready to begin my Camino. Do people think this is doable ? Will i have enough time to do the first stage from Ferrol to Pontedeume ? I'm physically fit, well I think I am.

Sunday - Pontedeume to Betanzos
Monday - Betanzos to Bruma
Tuesday - Bruma to Sigueiro
Weds - Sigueiro - Santiago

I plan on spending 2 nights in Santiago just to look around and relax before flying back to the UK on the Friday.

Would you recommend walking poles ?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It is an ambitious plan, but it can be done. I do recommend walking poles, but you may need to take them as checked baggage.

Buen camino!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hola and welcome.
I would suggest walking from Ferrol out to Narón (Hotel Kensington) or Neda (albergue) on the Saturday and then to Pontedeume on the Sunday. This is a good way to get into the camino and without overdoing the first day. Then continue as you have planned. Some-one recently found that first stage Ferrol to Pontedeume was much harder than expected even with training and had foot problems.

If you do this then I would suggest phoning the Kensington (very pilgrim friendly) to book a room if the Camino is busy, even more important if staying in Ferrol for the night as the holiday weekenders will be there. Many folk leave on Friday/Saturday and breaking the journey at Narón will let the weekend folk get ahead of you and probably be quieter than Ferrol itself.
Buen Camino

 

[Al the optimist]

Betzanos to Bruma is quite a hard day for most people (including me). So I think that auntie's suggestion is a good one so that you are not too tired before it. BTW I might be walking into SDC around the 10th September.

 

[Arn]

My plane into ACoruna was delayed, so I took a taxi (60 euros) directly to Ferrol, got a good nights sleep then off along the Way. There's only one very steep leg toward Bruma

The family who own the O Meson Novo Pension in Meson do Vento have been welcoming pilgrims occasionally for 34 years. They know the route is growing in popularity. Therefore they are now providing a new service:

They will pick up pilgrims at an agreed point – say the Bar Julia - 18kms from Betanzos and just before “the hill”. They will transport them to their pension if accommodation is booked for 18 Euros per person and will return them to the pick up point next day. Transport is free of charge.

The parents worked for 10 years in Leeds in England and their English is very good. Antonio their son who will run the taxi service undertands English very well.

Telephone

981 692 776
981 696008

Mobile number for Antonio – 678 585 431

I stayed there and the parents are as gracious as JW says.

Buen Camino,

Arn

 

[Tia Valeria]

@Bex_c_9 :- We broke the Betanzos-Bruma stage into 2 days. If you book with Meson Novo they will pick you up at Casa Julia and return you there next day. Lovely folk. If you are finding that stage too long then it is worth doing, especially as you have 2 nights for Santiago planned. It would cut it down to 1 night there but is worth keeping in mind.

 

[Bex_c_9]

Hi folks

thank you all so much for the advice. I'll take it all on board and look at changing my plans to make life a bit easier. Really looking forward to this. This year I promised myself to do more things to challenge myself !