Last 100 km of Camino Portuguese or Finisterre

[Camino33]

Hi, I have five days to walk a part of the Camino and I am deciding on which route to choose. I will arrive in Santiago next weekend. I walked previously the full Camino Frances, the Camino Finisterre and the first part of the Camino del Norte.

This time, I am choosing between Camino Ingles, Camino Portogues and Finisterre.

I have already been to Finisterre, it was beautiful and I would like to repeat it at some point.
I read about the Camino Ingles. I am very used to hike so I think I can do it in five days from Ferrol, I am more worried about the following.
1)is it easy to reach Ferrol by Santiago?
2)I don't like to walk on asphalt. Is it still scenic or is it more "urbanise" compared to other Caminos?

The Camino Portoguese seems beautiful but I don't know much about it. How does it compare to the Camino Ingles? I would like something that is not too crowded but where there are still people to talk with. Also, it would be nice if there are good food options and good nature to see etc.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I'd go for the Ingles. It's easy to get to from Santiago by either bus or train.
The surfaces are mixed between quiet country tracks and roads - none of the granite block surfaces that everybody here seems to hate on the Portuguese.
As you head into Sigüeiro don't walk along the track beside the Autoroute (there is a fence) - it's noisy and dirty. The alternative runs parallel but is much quieter and more rural.

Follow the green line not the yellow one

 

[Camino33]

I'd go for the Ingles. It's easy to get to from Santiago by either bus or train.
The surfaces are mixed between quiet country tracks and roads - none of the granite block surfaces that everybody here seems to hate on the Portuguese.
As you head into Sigüeiro don't walk along the track beside the Autoroute (there is a fence) - it's noisy and dirty. The alternative runs parallel but is much quieter and more rural.

Follow the green line not the yellow one

View attachment 131326

Thanks!

 

[dougfitz]

If I only had five days to walk, I would choose the CI. It is easy to get to Ferrol, and I think it is a little more scenic. What I found was that there were many more pilgrims walking from Tui, but I was also walking the CP a month later than I had walked the CI. That might have accounted for some of the difference in pilgrim numbers.

 

[Camino33]

If I only had five days to walk, I would choose the CI. It is easy to get to Ferrol, and I think it is a little more scenic. What I found was that there were many more pilgrims walking from Tui, but I was also walking the CP a month later than I had walked the CI. That might have accounted for some of the difference in pilgrim numbers.

Thanks, that's very useful! When you say more pilgrims, what do you mean? Is it super crowded like after Sarria on the Camino Frances or just a bit crowded? Was is still easy to find accommodation or you have to book to be sure to find a place?

 

[xin loi]

I would walk Santiago to Mucia to Finisterre--Beautiful hike and you get TWO Compostellas or what ever they call them. Portuguese is not much of a scenic walk, because it is almost ALL cobblestone--even paths in the woods! Would not recommend it to anyone, unless they just wanted some exercise.

 

[dougfitz]

I would walk Santiago to Mucia to Finisterre--Beautiful hike and you get TWO Compostellas or what ever they call them. Portuguese is not much of a scenic walk, because it is almost ALL cobblestone--even paths in the woods! Would not recommend it to anyone, unless they just wanted some exercise.

The CP from Tui, which is what one might do in five days, has very little cobblestone compared to the earlier sections in Portugal. The trail surfaces are not that much different to any of the other routes in Galicia, so far as I could recall, having walked four of the five major approaches to Santiago.

Edit: and the certificates that you get at Muxia and Finisterre are NOT compostelas. They are nice to have, and I did obtain both of them when I walked, but I would never equate them with the Compostela.

 

[trecile]

Portuguese is not much of a scenic walk, because it is almost ALL cobblestone

Not after you cross the border into Spain. However I found the part from Tui on to be busy.

 

[Camino33]

Not after you cross the border into Spain. However I found the part from Tui on to be busy.

Thanks for the comment. Apart from be busy, it is scenic?

 

[dougfitz]

Apart from be busy, it is scenic?

You seem to be asking three questions about this:

a. is there a lot of asphalt? Someone else might have the inclination to research how much sealed road, unsealed road and 'natural' path is involved. My memory of the CP and CI is that where the routes can be taken off-road, they are. The roads that are used are quieter ones in the main, but that doesn't mean that you won't have to walk beside a major road coming into a town or crossing a river.

b. is it urbanised? There are major towns and villages on both routes. Most of these are compact places, and don't dominate the countryside with an extensive urban sprawl. Even Santiago, which does seem to spread out more than some of the other cities along the routes, isn't that extensive geographically.

c. is it scenic? Yes and no. At one level, this region has had centuries of human intervention, and there is little that doesn't show the result of that. Some natural woodland does remain, but you are more likely to be walking through farmland or forest plantation. You will still see the natural shape of the landscape - the topography of the land, and in short sections, the coast. But don't expect any route to pass through any large section of the countryside that has remained in what might have been its original natural state.

 

[Camino33]

You seem to be asking three questions about this:

a. is there a lot of asphalt? Someone else might have the inclination to research how much sealed road, unsealed road and 'natural' path is involved. My memory of the CP and CI is that where the routes can be taken off-road, they are. The roads that are used are quieter ones in the main, but that doesn't mean that you won't have to walk beside a major road coming into a town or crossing a river.

b. is it urbanised? There are major towns and villages on both routes. Most of these are compact places, and don't dominate the countryside with an extensive urban sprawl. Even Santiago, which does seem to spread out more than some of the other cities along the routes, isn't that extensive geographically.

c. is it scenic? Yes and no. At one level, this region has had centuries of human intervention, and there is little that doesn't show the result of that. Some natural woodland does remain, but you are more likely to be walking through farmland or forest plantation. You will still see the natural shape of the landscape - the topography of the land, and in short sections, the coast. But don't expect any route to pass through any large section of the countryside that has remained in what might have been its original natural state.

Thanks for the honest feedback. I care about all three components. I don't like to walk on asphalt, especially if it is along main roads.

Urbanised can be good. I like small cities and villages (like the old ones where there are 1000 people living) but I don't really like to walk into big cities or industrial areas. I have done this for example in Bilbao and Pamplona and I didn't enjoy it.
Scenic is maybe the most important one, I really like to have nice views. I felt that during the Camino Finisterre I had some decent views and same during the Camino del Norte early stages. I don't remember much of the stages from Sarria to Santiago

 

[FreshAir]

I've walked the Inglés in October 2017 and Santiago - Finisterre (not Muxia, unfortunately) during Easter 2018. Things have certainly changed but I preferred the route to Finisterre. More asphalt on the Inglés, for sure.
And, mind you, the weather was gorgeous on the Inglés and I got rained on quite a lot on my way to Finisterre, but still.
As to difficulty, none of them seemed that hard (at least compared to Salvador).
Hope this helps!

 

[Camino33]

I've walked the Inglés in October 2017 and Santiago - Finisterre (not Muxia, unfortunately) during Easter 2018. Things have certainly changed but I preferred the route to Finisterre. More asphalt on the Inglés, for sure.
And, mind you, the weather was gorgeous on the Inglés and I got rained on quite a lot on my way to Finisterre, but still.
As to difficulty, none of them seemed that hard (at least compared to Salvador).
Hope this helps!

Thanks! A comparison is very helpful for me! I think Finisterre will be probably