Santiago to Murxia or Muxia to Santiago

[Felice]

Last September, I walked the camino frances from SJPP, intending to continue on to Finisterre and Muxia but circumstances changed and I ended up flying home on the day after I arrived at Santiago. As a result, it feels like unfinished business, so this June, I am thinking of finishing my walk. So some questions:

How easy will it be to get a bed in an albergue in mid June - harder than on the frances in September? I gather that the route is becoming more popular, so is there any need to book in advance?

How warm will it be in mid June - do I need a sleeping bag? (I like to use my own, not an albergue blanket.) To give you an idea as to how much I feel the warmth/cold, last September I slept on top of my sleeping bag liner for the first half of September and only needed my light sleeping bag when I was in the Montes de Leon area in late September.

Ideally, I would like to walk the route in reverse, Muxia to Santiago since I am not a continuing pilgrim, but I assume that the route is only marked in one direction so that going in reverse would be asking to get lost.

Thanks in advance for your words of wisdom....

 

[Tincatinker]

@Felice, the route from Muxia back to Santiago is reasonably well marked but reversing any route is tricky. Brierley's guide to the Camino Finisterre includes a route description (other guides are available). Santiago - Fisterra - Muxia- Santiago will be considerably less busy compared to the Frances. If you are planning to only walk Muxia - Santiago you will be on the least populated leg of all. The only albergue where there may be pressure on beds is Olveiroa which will be busy with out-bound pilgrims heading to Fisterra. June will be warm, though as this is Galicia there is a strong possibility of rain.

Buen camino

 

[Dutch]

My guess, weatherwise, Mid june will be similar to beginning/mid of september. It can be warm to VERY hot, but also a chance it wont always be blistering hot. It still isn't july or august.

I use a very light down quilt and when its really too hot, just a liner. Won't touch the blankets in most albergues, but thats personal, i think.

Mid June will be busy, but september can also be very busy. You would know this. Seeing as you are starting at the end, it will be ok. I cant imagine you need to book ahead for any albergues.
Lots of people you'll meet probably started around mid may and may is just a bit less busy then June.
I don't think the walk to Finisterre is that busy at all, but i can only speak for periods may and sept. I dont know what happens in July and Aug

That said, i find that a lot of people, very enthusiastically, start out saying they will walk all the way to the ocean, but in the end just a small portion of people do. And that is understandable. They arrive in Santiago and mentally this feels like "the end". Or they are just plain tired and don't feel like walking anymore. Can you blame 'm?

When i walked to Finisterre the first time, it felt very weird to me. I arrived at SdC, got my Compostela, went to mass, said my goodbyes to new friends and then.....i started walking again. This felt strange....but only for a few hours. After my first cafe con leche it felt like being back on the road again

 

[Al the optimist]

I have walked to both Finisterra and Muxia. As you no doubt know most of the route is the same. There are supporters of both destinations though I personally prefer Muxia as the end destination. The reverse walk to SDC has no attraction to me but I can see someone wishing to do so to get a Compostela if that is what they want. Although the walk between the two costal towns can be travelled in a day there is a lot to be said for considering a stop in Linares.

 

[mspath]

Like Al I have walked both SdC to Finisterre and SdC to Muxia but always in cold December weather. After Dumbria the arrows towards Muxia were few and far between within forest which was crossed 'on faith'. However the views down to the sea at Muxia were splendid. As mentioned going 'backwards' on any route is dicey since you need to guess where an arrow MIGHT/SHOULD be located and then look for it! Nevertheless challenge is always part of any camino.

 

[whariwharangi]

A good map will obviate any requirement to rely on route markings.

 

[mspath]

A good map will obviate any requirement to rely on route markings.

How right you are but I have yet to see THAT good a map for Dumbria to Muxia!! Dense forest can be quite a hurdle even where there is a logging road.

MM