For the story so far, see Walking The Camino Inglés

We got up early to leave Santiago de Compostela. Unlike our first trip there were were not going home. This time we were about to start a new chapter of our second Camino adventure. We were starting the Camino Finisterre.

The Finisterre route is often done as an extension to one of the longer Caminos that end in Santiago. For many pilgrims the Camino is all about the journey rather than the destination. Santiago is a wonderful place with the cathedral as the natural end point. The end can often feel like it's come too quickly or can be an anticlimax. The solution to the problem of not wanting to finish is to continue. The Finisterre provides this solution taking you from the city to the coast at the "end of the world".

Our first day on the Finisterre was damp and cloudy. We followed the route west out of the city often looking back to see the cathedral spires staying on the horizon for any miles. Day 2 and 3, through Negreira to Oliviera via Santa Marina kept similar weather. It was a nice contrast to the baking heat of the Ingles week and added another point of difference to this trip.

Shortly after Oliviera on Day 4 the Camino Finisterre splits. Continuing south-west you'll take the direct route to Finisterre. Taking the north-west option, as we did, takes you to Muxia. From Muxia you can continue along the coast to Finisterre. We were in no rush to complete the journey and wanted to experience both destinations.

We weren't disappointed. The approach to Muxia follows a coastal path descending from the cliffs and along the beach. We spent a lovely, now sunny, afternoon exploring the town. From the seafood to the hill-top monument to the church at the end of he peninsular, we loved this town.

From Muxia, Finisterre is another 33km over 2 days to the south. Unlike most of the Camino trails, you'll meet pilgrims coming from the opposite direction. These are the ones that continued to Finisterre from Oliviera and have chosen Muxia as their final destination. There's fewer cafes and accommodation in this stretch so Lires is the obvious place to rest for the final stretch.

The final approach to the next of the world goes through Fistera town. We were staying the over night so we dropped off our bags to lighten the load for the last stretch. From Fistera, the route climbs up the eastern side of the hills to the iconic Faro de Finisterre. The 0km pillar is next to the lighthouse and beyond it the steep rocky cliffs to sit for an hour and contemplate the journey that's now ended.

On the beautiful clear day that we had it was hard to feel anything but satisfaction and wonder. Our first Camino, the Portuguese, was a deeper more spiritual journey for us. Despite not being religious, the cathedral in Santiago was a fitting end to that trip. The two weeks of our Inglés and Finisterre walk was different. We had fewer life decisions to make, fewer thoughts to process and the stress of the start of the journey had disappeared quickly. Instead we took in more of the changing landscape, enjoyed the towns and had fun together. For some, this wouldn't have been an "authentic" Camino. For us it was a different chapter in a Camino story that we'll come back to many times.

That next chapter would have to wait a while. In the winter that followed our return to the UK a pandemic would emerge that would change the world and put the brakes on many pilgrim journeys for a long time to come. We didn't stop walking though but stayed local and explored more near where we lived. We'll be back on the Camino one day though for the next chapter to be be written.

DAY 1: Santiago de Compostela To Negreira

Date: Saturday September 21st 2019
Start: Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Praza do Obradoiro, s/n, 15704 Santiago de Compostela
Finish (Albergue): Albergue El Carmen (Private Rooms also available), Rúa Carmen, 2, 15830 Negreira
Rest stops: Os Arcos, CP-7802, 15896 Santiago de Compostela / O km 79, Aldea Augapesada, 8, 15229 Ames / Restaurante Pontemaceira, Lugar Pontemaceira, 3 15870 Ames
Distance: 21.2 km / 13.3 miles
Elevation Change: +467m / -556m / Net -89m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Walking Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
Other Routes Touched: N/A

DAY 2: Negreira To Santa Marina

Date: Sunday September 22nd 2019
Start: Albergue El Carmen, Rúa Carmen, 2, 15830 Negreira
Finish (Albergue): Casa Pepa (Private Rooms also available), Lugar Santa Mariña, 4, 15256 Santa Marina
Rest stops: Albergue Cafetería Alto da Pena, Piaxe, 5 15838 Negreira / Albergue O Rueiro, Vilaserio, 28 15838 Vilaserío
Distance: 21.1 km / 13.2 miles
Elevation Change: +483m / -327m / Net +156m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Walking Time: 4 hours 36 minutes
Other Routes Touched: N/A

DAY 3: Santa Marina To Olveiroa

Date: Monday September 23rd 2019
Start: Casa Pepa, Lugar Santa Mariña, 4, 15256 Santa Marina
Finish (Albergue): Casa Loncho (Private Rooms also available), Lugar Olveiroa
Rest stops: Casa Xalleiro Tienda-Cafetería, Lago 13 15256 Mazaricos / Albergue Ponte Olveira, Ponte Olveira 3 15256 Mazaricos
Distance: 13.1 km / 8.2 miles
Elevation Change: +231m / -291m / Net -60m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Walking Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Other Routes Touched: N/A

DAY 4: Olveiroa To Dumbria

Date: Tuesday September 24th 2019
Start: Casa Loncho (Private Rooms also available), Lugar Olveiroa
Finish (Hotel): Mesón O Argentino, Calle Dumbria, s/n, 15151 Dumbría
Finish (Albergue): Albergue de Peregrinos de Dumbría, 15151 Dumbría
Rest stops: Albergue Bar O Logoso, 15151 O Logoso / O Casteliño, Calle Hospital, 0 S/N 15151 Dumbría
Distance: 10.6 km / 6.6 miles
Elevation Change: +188m / -266m / Net -78m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Walking Time: 2 hours 28 minutes
Other Routes Touched: N/A

DAY 5: Dumbria To Muxia

Date: Wednesday September 25th 2019
Start: Mesón O Argentino, Calle Dumbria, s/n, 15151 Dumbría
Finish (Albergue): Albergue Delfín, Av. López Abente, 22, 15124 Muxía
Rest stops: Casa da Coxa, Rua Senande, 91, 15124 Senande / Bar Pataca, 15125 Os Muíños
Distance: 24.3 km / 15.2 miles
Elevation Change: +490m / -650m / Net -160m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Walking Time: 6 hours 13 minutes
Other Routes Touched: Camiño dos Faros

DAY 6: Muxia To Lires

Date: Thursday September 26th 2019
Start: Albergue Delfín, Av. López Abente, 22, 15124 Muxía
Finish (Hotel): Casa Raúl, 15138, Lires
Finish (Albergue): As Eiras Lires, Lugar de Lires, 82, 15138 Santo Estevo de Lires
Rest stops: O Muino, Guisamonde
Distance: 15.5 km / 9.7 miles
Elevation Change: +325m / -352m / Net -27m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Walking Time: 4 hours 07 minutes
Other Routes Touched: Camiño dos Faros

DAY 7: Lires To Finisterre

Date: Friday September 27th 2019
Start: Casa Raúl, 15138, Lires
Finish: Cape Finisterre Lighthouse, Cabo Fisterra, s/n, 15155 Fisterra
Rest stops: Bar La Razon, Candelas, A Lugar San Salvador Duio, 7 15154 Fisterra
Distance: 16.9 km / 10.6 miles
Elevation Change: +378m / -284m / Net +94m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Walking Time: 4 hours 28 minutes
Other Routes Touched: Camiño dos Faros