Santiago to Finisterre or Muxia - want to do both, which one first and last?

[Travel Diva]

After Santiago we want to keep walking to the both Finisterre and Muxia, but don't know which one to do first and to do last.

How much are each distance and how easy/hard is the path?

Are they well marked? Are there lot of travelers?

Which one would you do first and last, and why? I hear both are good and its my one in a life time chance to do this and want to explore both points.

Which one would you also recommend staying over night if we wanted to stay, we want to treat ourselves to a nice hotel or Casa Rural?

thanks!

 

[Justdavid]

I walked to Finisterre first, spent several days and then walked to Muxia. The road to Finisterre is good and there are adequate albergues along the way, especially the government ones. The municipal albergue in Finisterre was okay but not great. The road to Muxia is incredible but be sure to get your sello halfway in Lira if you want to get the compostella in Muxia at the tourist office. The municipal albergue in Muxia is somewhat institutional but good. Should you want to spend a few extra days in Muxia, I highly, highly recommend contacting Tracy Saunders at The Little Fox House about visiting her and staying at her casa do reposito -- it is a "donativo" and is located about 18 km from Muxia. Let me know if you have further questions and ... Buen Camino!

 

[weekjchammings]

After Santiago we want to keep walking to the both Finisterre and Muxia, but don't know which one to do first and to do last.

How much are each distance and how easy/hard is the path?

Are they well marked? Are there lot of travelers?
Which one would you do first and last, and why? I hear both are good and its my one in a life time chance to do this and want to explore both points.

Which one would you also recommend staying over night if we wanted to stay, we want to treat ourselves to a nice hotel or Casa Rural?

thanks!

Hello Travel Diva,

At least with this request you should only get 2 versions...............
1. Santiago........Negrera.........Oliveroa.........Muxia................Finisterre
2. Santiago........Negrera........Cee............Finisterre..............Muxia.

I prefer route one because for me logically the final destination should be Finisterre ( the end of the earth ). Also sadly since last years fire at Muxia would not be the image I would want to remember at the end of my Camino. Also the return from Finisterre unless you are walking has a far better bus service than Muxia. Four days walking is comfortable, 3 days if you put your foot down.

 

[pbucilla]

I support whole heartedly Justdavid's suggestion about staying with Tracy at The Little Fox House. She offers pilgrims a chance to reflect and to receive support after their pilgrimages. She's very knowledgeable about the area too. Here is her website http://www.thelittlefoxhouse.com/

 

[Tincatinker]

The Beloved and I went via Dumbria (loved the Albergue) and Muxia, and spent a night at Lires which is a lovely spot to wind down in. Many find Muxia a more fitting end to the Camino. If you search the Forum threads around this topic you will find Fisterra dubbed as commercial / touristy compared to Muxia. Nonetheless there is something special about sitting on the rocks at the end-of-the- world.

 

[Travel Diva]

Hello Travel Diva,

At least with this request you should only get 2 versions...............
1. Santiago........Negrera.........Oliveroa.........Muxia................Finisterre
2. Santiago........Negrera........Cee............Finisterre..............Muxia.

I prefer route one because for me logically the final destination should be Finisterre ( the end of the earth ). Also sadly since last years fire at Muxia would not be the image I would want to remember at the end of my Camino. Also the return from Finisterre unless you are walking has a far better bus service than Muxia. Four days walking is comfortable, 3 days if you put your foot down.





View attachment 9134

Thanks what you said makes good sense to me - I will walk to Muxia first and then to Finisterre as I really want to sit at the edge of the world or once it was and finish with that note. I cant wait, thanks all for your replies.

 

[peregrina2000]

If you're going to walk to Muxia first, and if you are going to do it in three days, let me put in a plug for a different two nights along the way. It gives you the long day first, followed by two shorter days, which is nice because you can arrive in Muxia early.

Day 1 -- Santiago to Vilaserio. Vilaserio, about 12 km beyond Negreira has a nice private albergue, as well as a municipal albergue that has been reported as basic.

Day 2 -- Vilaserio to Dumbria, a pretty incredible municipal albergue built with money donated by the owner of the Zara chain. This is probably the best facility with the fewest users. It's a shame more don't enjoy it.

Day 3 -- Dumbria to Muxia is an easy and pretty walk.

Margaret has given a good list of all the new places, and a post of mine after my 2012 walk has many of them listed as well. http://www.caminodesantiago.me/comm...on-santiago-muxia-fisterre.14568/#post-100033

 

[mspath]

Be sure to check what Laurie, other pilgrims and I wrote about these routes in this earlier Forum thread and particularly Santiago to Muxia in this Forum thread. I have walked from Santiago to Finisterre seven times and in December 2013 walked from Santiago to Muxia. However I have not yet walked from Finisterre to Muxia or vice versa.

In Santiago the Galicia Tourist Office at 130 rua do Vilar near the cathedral has a good free list of ALL services on the paths to Finisterre and Muxia. This includes food shops, albergues, lodgings, restaurants, bars, banks, buses, etc. Their multilingual staff is also most helpful.

If you are walking fresh from Santiago and your body is not yet in walking mode you might find Laurie's proposed Day 1 a bit too long a stretch crossing the rolling hills. Nor would I describe her proposed Day 2 from Dumbria to Muxia as easy. It is beautiful but involves much cross forest walking on rarely marked paths. Be prepared with adequate water and trail snacks. However the view as you FINALLY glimpse the sea is glorious.

Buen camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[weekjchammings]

Thanks what you said makes good sense to me - I will walk to Muxia first and then to Finisterre as I really want to sit at the edge of the world or once it was and finish with that note. I cant wait, thanks all for your replies.

Hello Travel Diva,

I trust you will have a fine sunset at Finisterre and have your credential stamped in the lighthouse.

 

[peregrina2000]

Be sure to check what Laurie, other pilgrims and I wrote about these routes in this earlier Forum thread and particularly Santiago to Muxia in this Forum thread. I have walked from Santiago to Finisterre seven times and in December 2013 walked from Santiago to Muxia. However I have not yet walked from Finisterre to Muxia or vice versa.

In Santiago the Galicia Tourist Office at 130 rua do Vilar near the cathedral has a good free list of ALL services on the paths to Finisterre and Muxia. This includes food shops, albergues, lodgings, restaurants, bars, banks, buses, etc. Their multilingual staff is also most helpful.

If you are walking fresh from Santiago and your body is not yet in walking mode you might find Laurie's proposed Day 1 a bit too long a stretch crossing the rolling hills. Nor would I describe her proposed Day 2 from Dumbria to Muxia as easy. It is beautiful but involves much cross forest walking on rarely marked paths. Be prepared with adequate water and trail snacks. However the view as you FINALLY glimpse the sea is glorious.

Buen camino,

Margaret Meredith

Margaret's right that the Vilaserio-Dumbria-Muxia staging makes for some long days, but my suggestion is offered only as an alternative to those who are going to do this in three days, because either way you split it up into three you will have some long days. Negreira-Oliveiroa-Muxia became the "standard", I think, just because that's where the only accommodations were way back when. With all of the new albergues and private facilities going in, there are many ways to split things up into different three day stages, or even four or five days now.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Mark2012]

I walked from Santiago to Finisterre and on to Muxia in June of 2012 and 2013. I hope to get back to the Camino again later this year, and if I have time to walk on from Santiago, I think this time when I reach the fork in the road where left puts you on a track for Finisterre and right for Muxia, that I will go right.

In 2012, arriving in Muxia felt a little bit anti-climactic. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful place, but having spent the previous night walking up to the Finisterre lighthouse, just missing the sunset (!), and then sitting on the rocks with friends and drinking a little too much wine until well after dark... it felt much more like an ending, whereas walking on to Muxia was more like an epilogue. It was much quieter, both as a place and in terms of the number of pilgrims. Again, absolutely nothing wrong with that, but having experienced it in that sequence in 2012, I was seduced by the idea of retracing my steps from Santiago in 2013, but also with the intention of walking back to Santiago from Muxia. Well, that plan didn't quite work out. I walked up into the hills, but found it very difficult to orient myself and precious few markings were visible. I sensed it was inevitable that I would get lost and so took it as a sign that my time walking had come to an end for 2013 almost without my knowing it!

This year (fingers crossed!), I will definitely go to Muxia before Finisterre. As I said previously, Finisterre feels more like an end point than Muxia, or at least it felt that way to me, especially in 2012 (less so last year, but that was partly down to the inclement conditions). Also, I suspect it will be a lot easier to stay on track for walking back to Santiago if you go to Muxia first and then on to Finisterre!

Either way, for anyone who has the time, I would heartily recommend walking on to either or both. After the busy last days walking in Santiago (certainly on the Frances), it is beyond bliss to find yourself walking on and for the numbers to have thinned out. Most people finish up in Santiago, it's still a small percentage that walk on, so it's nice to avail of that quiet and stillness again.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hello Travel Diva,

I trust you will have a fine sunset at Finisterre and have your credential stamped in the lighthouse. View attachment 9136

Ahhhhh, Keith,
I have walked to Finisterre many times and have never been lucky enough to see a sunset like this. In fact, I would say I don't think I've ever even seen the sun at sunset, it's always been totally blocked by heavy cloud cover. You are one lucky pilgrim! Maybe this year will be the charm.

Buen camino, Laurie

p.s. But I did see a pretty sunset from the rooftop of the albergue in Muxia, not as nice a spot to watch the sunset, but it had a nice atmosphere because there was a large group of us there together.

 

[Al the optimist]

Have walked to Finisterra (Negreria/Olvieroa/Cee/Finisterra) and to Muxia (Negreria/Muxia- yes that's right!). I arrived in Finisterra on a feast weekend and it celebrated, dancing into the early hours with other pilgrims. That it was a sunny and warm September evening after the sea ceremony in the afternoon helped make it a good day. When I got to Muxia (last June before the fire) I found it much more tranquil and peaceful. There I met someone I had met on the CF who had enjoyed a night in Lires and recommended it. I then shared a taxi with someone to Finisterra to meet a buddy I had met on the CF. It poured of rain! So no, I haven't seen the sunset, I hope to this year. My intention is Finisterra then Muxia, all being well. At the end of the day it is all about personal preference and how you feel at the time, after all by then you will have learnt to be flexible and that all plans are only plan A.

 

[weekjchammings]

Ahhhhh, Keith,
I have walked to Finisterre many times and have never been lucky enough to see a sunset like this. In fact, I would say I don't think I've ever even seen the sun at sunset, it's always been totally blocked by heavy cloud cover. You are one lucky pilgrim! Maybe this year will be the charm.

Buen camino, Laurie

p.s. But I did see a pretty sunset from the rooftop of the albergue in Muxia, not as nice a spot to watch the sunset, but it had a nice atmosphere because there was a large group of us there together.

Ahhhhhhh Laurie,

More too drool over, not particularly good photos but they give you a flavour with my idiot proof camera. Also a few of Muxia. If the weather is fine get out there early say 19.00 take a picnic and of course a bottle of vino tinto...........magical. In total at Finisterre the colour was from 22.08 - 22.20.

 

[Travel Diva]

Thanks so much for your kindness and sharing your stories and experiences.

From what I've been able to piece together I will be going from Santiago to Muxia first and stay overnight, plus a full day to do nothing - as I am around the weekend of July 25 St. James festival in Santiago and want to avoid the crowd, so I will have lots of time to wander around and avoid Santiago for few days. Staying a full extra day hopefully I will see the sunset and if doesnt happen that's okay as I will have lots to reflect. Its a pity the church's roof was burned down last year from the lightening storm so not sure how the church looks now or if they will even let us inside for safety but I will I get to. I will just wander around Muxia area for a day and do nothing but look out to the sea, write and drink lots of wine.

After my day off I will walk to Finisterre and I know it will be a full day - of up and down but will start early (after sun rise). Since it will be July the sunset should be late, but will head for it. Good pointer, I will keep a bottle of wine in the pack for the rock.. and watch the glory. I will also spend an extra day here to reflect and just enjoy the quietness before looping back to Santiago.

 

[Al the optimist]

In Muxia go to the top of the hill above the chursh for great views. Don't forget to crawl under the sail!

 

[weekjchammings]

In Muxia go to the top of the hill above the chursh for great views. Don't forget to crawl under the sail!

Hi Al,
How many times did you crawl under the sail and were you completely cured or is it still work in progress ? Photo attached...............

 

[Al the optimist]

I had nothing to cure (other than my soul maybe). If I had done the 9 times under the Pedra dos Cadris I would have had something needing curing.