Narón and Neda - not the shortest way to Pontedeume?

[HeidiL]

I've been looking at Google maps, walking Ferrol - Pontedeume is A LOT shorter than passing via either. 14.5 km, as opposed to the approximately 29 km Johnny Walker's guide lists.

What gives? Are Neda and Náron just such beautiful places that they've been added to the route for scenic reasons, did the alcaldes bribe Johnny Walker, is this the traditional route to avoid using the bridge (whis has a perfectly fine pedestrian path running alongside it), have they been added to the route to ensure enough kms walked, or what?

Help!

 

[Deleted member 12253]

I've been looking at Google maps, walking Ferrol - Pontedeume is A LOT shorter than passing via either. 14.5 km, as opposed to the approximately 29 km Johnny Walker's guide lists.

What gives? Are Neda and Náron just such beautiful places that they've been added to the route for scenic reasons, did the alcaldes bribe Johnny Walker, is this the traditional route to avoid using the bridge (whis has a perfectly fine pedestrian path running alongside it), have they been added to the route to ensure enough kms walked, or what?

Help!

I

You are correct. You save about 12km. But why you there but to walk. I walked from ferrol to Santiago in 4 days . Could not get out of there fast enough. Did cross by railway line to save time

 

[Al the optimist]

People walk the Camino for many reasons. It would be fair to say that there is no "actual" Camino as with the passage of time the modern world has changed the landscape such that it would be impossible to recreate the path of old. All marked paths haves had to make compromises. They find alternatives which often keep the pilgrim from the traffic, and perhaps skirting properties. Occasionally there may be some commercial influences, but not so many. Why you walk is for you and you alone. You may or may not be a pilgrim and what you consider important is for you to decide. Often those who are (and many who are not) feel that following a prescribed course is formative and a significant part of the atmosphere. (As well as getting lost and finding your way back!)

Where you walk is your choice. Having walked this route twice I would personally not wish to miss this part out as I have found some peace in it's tranquillity and beauty. As for walking the bridge? Well I have never heard anyone praising the Sedna on the Camino Frances!

The Ingles is a lovely experience. It was my first Camino and like a first amour it remains in your mind and heart forever (Mr Alzheimer permitting!).

Whatever you choose may I wish you a Buen Camino.

 

[HeidiL]

We may be walking in the autumn with some friends who have never been on the Camino before, and they will have limited time (flying in from Australia). If we end up walking with them, saving 14 km at the start makes perfect sense to ensure that they actually get to Santiago!

 

[Al the optimist]

There was no implied criticism Heidi, just an observation for the general thread. If you are time constrained maybe consider walking from A Coruna? If a Compostela is important to you perhaps consider the new ruling allowing you to supplement your A Coruna Camino with a qualifying walk at home? (See Johnnie Walkers recent post.) I hope that whatever you guys do gives you the life changing experience it gave and still gives me.

 

[HeidiL]

Al, we have six Compostelas at home, but our friends would probably like to get them.

I'm a Camino addict and spend far too much time planning future Caminos, but none of mine have ever been life-changing. Just life-enhancing!

 

[musicman]

What was wrong with Ferrol ?

 

[Marigold Mama]

as

What was wrong with Ferrol ?

I also would like to know the answer..."What was wrong with Ferrol?"

 

[dougfitz]

I've been looking at Google maps, walking Ferrol - Pontedeume is A LOT shorter than passing via either. 14.5 km, as opposed to the approximately 29 km Johnny Walker's guide lists.

What gives? Are Neda and Náron just such beautiful places that they've been added to the route for scenic reasons, did the alcaldes bribe Johnny Walker, is this the traditional route to avoid using the bridge (whis has a perfectly fine pedestrian path running alongside it), have they been added to the route to ensure enough kms walked, or what?

Help!

I do hope that your uncharitable remarks about Johnny Walker are meant in jest. Clearly you haven't bothered to read the CSJ guide before bagging him out, because it quite clearly describes the alternative route crossing the footpath beside the railway line.

What might be at issue is the relative distances involved in walking the different routes. I have used two sources to calculate an approximate distance for the alternative Ferrol - Pontedeume stage - my own 2014 track log where I walked the traditional route via Neda, and the Centro de Descargas track information for the section across the footbridge beside the railway. Using the marked path and the footbridge alternative, I estimate the stage length to be 19 km.

It is possible to shorten this by a km or so in Ferrol by not following the waymarked path along the foreshore, and just walking the main roads to the start of the railway bridge. You might find that similar 'savings' can be made by not following the marked route after Fene. Perhaps these would result in another 4.5 km of savings to get down to this distance you suggest that you have calculated from Google, but you certainly wouldn't be following the waymarked Camino doing that. It might be more realistic to suggest somewhere around 17 km might be achievable this way, but without the benefits that come from following a waymarked path, and the risk that you will add as much as you save should you have difficulty following the shorter route.

 

[HeidiL]

I am sure Johnny Walker understoood it was a joke, yes.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola Heidi

First all in terms of the route - make sure you have the latest version of the guide where you can check out the relative distances.

Secondly you raise an interesting point. Often when I check distances on google maps I find that the shortest distance between two points on a camino route is a lot shorter than the distance following the camino. This is where the shortest walking route follows roads and bridges etc. Whilst everyone is free to walk wherever they wish the Camino isn't like that - the historic caminos like the Frances follow as closely as they can the route taken by medieval pilgrims. Modern routes like that from Ferrol are devised by local Amigos Groups who ask themselves "if medieval pilgrims walked this way - how would they go?" and then plot a route. Speaking personally I walk to enjoy it, to meet other pilgrims and to walk in the footsteps of those who have gone before. Unlikely on a dual carriageway!

Lastly don't worry about me - I get accused of lots of things. I got an email from a pilgrim who said "on the way up the hill from Bruma there are indeed toilets behind the church as indicated in your guide, but there was no toilet paper". Or the pilgrim who wrote to me "have you actually walked this route? I mean no one in the right mind would include that 4 km long straight stretch into Sigueiro - it is totally boring."

Buen camino

John

 

[maricristina]

Thanks John I do so love a good laugh! ( you should, of course, make sure the loo paper is in constant supply!)
Glad to hear it can now be possible to start in A Coruna ( the " correct" starting point in Galicia for the English pilgrims.....OK Scots and Irish too.)
When we walked in 2004 we started there and took the bus back from Hospital to come in again from Neda. We unveiled the granite memorial plaque on the church in tribute to those pilgrims who walked that Camino. Barry McGinley Jones was then president of the local amigos and had these slabs made. He had argued hard for a Compostela for those starting in A Coruna. He was a wonderful advocate for the route. He was an Australian who settled there and was known affectionately as
" Senor Mac". I am sorry he did not live to see the change to allow other pilgrimages to be added. Please, all pilgrims who pass, pray for him when you see those granite slabs.
With good wishes for Hogmanay....which is my birthday too!
Marion