Hi, zcfaac!
I walked to Finisterre alone (female, mid-50s) in 2004. It was September, and the crowds were not huge, but enough to make the albergues seem well occupied. There was never a time that I felt uncomfortable, and as always, there is no shortage of walking companions if you don't want to walk alone. The walk was very nice, a few stretches on highway (right before Oliveiroa and after Cee on the way to Finisterre are two that stand out in my mind), but lots of off-road beauty.
Here are the logistical details:
Day 1 – 22 km Santiago to Negreira (unlike the other camino entrances into Santiago I've taken, this way out of town takes you into pure countryside about 10 minutes after you leave the cathedral.) There is no industrial or residential suburban stuff to go through. It’s a wonderful walk, takes you through some really pretty small towns. Several cafes and restaurants on the way for rest stops. Woman who runs the albergue in Negreira cooks supper. In town, there are many restaurants and cafes (in fact, I believe there’s a restaurant in Negreira with a Michelin star).
My one and only bad dog experience (in four caminos) happened a few km before Negreira. The gates to a huge manor estate were open, and as I walked by, two large growling german shephards came racing out of the gate and towards me. At just that moment, a car came by on the street and stopped. I hopped in and he drove me about 200 yards beyond the dogs. Later that night in the albergue, a woman arrived who had been bitten by those same dogs.
Day 2 – a long haul, about 35 km from Negreira to Oliveiroa (but no obvious stopping point in the middle). Oliveiroa is a small hamlet of about 7 houses, the refugio is in an ancient stone house, adjacent to another stone building with many pigs snorting around, kind of bucolic, no? The woman in charge also makes a basic dinner for all pilgrims. There is a bar in town up on the road where pilgrims congregate before dinner.
Day 3 – About 27 km to Finisterre, the end of the world. The refugio is right in town near the harbor. Make sure to walk up to the lighthouse, at sunset especially, for a drop dead gorgeous sight. Though it really isn’t the westernmost point of Europe (that distinction belongs to Cabo da Roca on the coast outside of Lisbon), it is a very beautiful spot.
As far as accommodations for non-pilgrims, I think Oliveiroa is the only problem. Negreira and Fisterre both have options. But I think I remember a larger town a few km before Oliveiroa, with a name that sounds similar (in fact some walkers took a wrong turn to get to it because the names are similar).
