The Camino Ingles and Ruta do Mar

To Santiago de Compostela and Finisterre from Ferrol, A Coruna or Ribadeo

By Dave Whitson, Laura Perazzoli

ISBN

9781786310064

Availability

Published

6 Jun 2019

Edition

Third

Pages

152

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.00cm

Weight

170g

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Guidebook to walking the Camino Inglés and Ruta do Mar pilgrim routes in northwest Spain. Describes the 116km Camino Inglés from Ferrol or A Coruña to Santiago de Compostela and the of the 190km Ruta do Mar linking Ribadeo with the Inglés at Ferrol. Includes the 120km Camino Finisterre from Santiago to Finisterre or Muxia.

Seasons

Summer is the best time to fully enjoy the coastal towns, with all services in operation and optimal weather for beaches. Spring and autumn offer good weather without the holiday-makers

Centres

Ribadeo, Viveiro, Cedeira, Ferrol, A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela

Difficulty

The Camino Inglés is highly accessible, even for novice walkers. The Ruta do Mar is more challenging because of limited waymarks, so a gps is advisable here. There are a few stages when accommodation is more limited, so walkers may need to pursue longer stages (at or around 30km). The terrain, however, is manageable for all walkers.

Must See

Camino Inglés: Three dynamic cities (Ferrol, Coruña, Santiago) combined with idyllic Galician countryside. Ruta do Mar: Beaches (including the famous Praia das Catedrais), cliffs, and wild coastline. Fishing villages and fresh seafood. Local pilgrimage shrines (San Martiño de Mondoñedo and San Andrés de Teixido)

ISBN

9781786310064

Availability

Published

6 Jun 2019

Edition

Third

Pages

152

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.00cm

Weight

170g

Overview

Guidebook to the Camino Inglés and Ruta do Mar camino routes through north-west Spain to Santiago de Compostela. The 116km Camino Inglés begins in Ferrol in Galicia and takes around a week to complete. It offers reliable waymarking, pilgrim facilities, and the opportunity to earn the Compostela certificate on completion. An alternative start in A Coruña gives a walk of 73km. The Ruta do Mar from Ribadeo provides a 190km coastal link between the Camino del Norte and the Camino Inglés. A newly recovered camino, its pilgrim infrastructure and waymarking is less well developed, but for those seeking solitude it offers striking scenery along a wild coastline. The book also includes an overview of a continuation route from Santiago to 'the end of the world' at Finisterre on the Atlantic coast.

The guidebook presents the route in stages of a day's walking. In addition to the route description, there is full information on facilities, food and lodging, 1:100,000 scale maps of the route and town maps for key locations. With notes on preparation and planning, travel and equipment, a list of useful sources of information, and a glossary, the book is an indispensable companion for any one walking these caminos.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Overview map

Spanish caminos map

Map key

Route summary tables

Introduction

The story of Saint James

The Camino Inglés and Ruta do Mar: yesterday and today

Galician history and culture

Choosing your camino

When to go

Preparation and planning

Being a pilgrim

Getting there and back

Equipment

Accommodation

Food

Postal services

Telephones

Other local facilities

Waymarking, route-planning, and maps

Using this guide

The Camino Inglés

Stage 1 Ferrol to Pontedeume

Stage 2 Pontedeume to Betanzos

Stage 3 Betanzos to Hospital de Bruma

Stage 4 Hospital de Bruma to Sigüeiro

Stage 5 Sigüeiro to Santiago de Compostela

Alternative start A Coruña to Hospital de Bruma

The Ruta do Mar

Stage 1 Ribadeo to Praia das Catedrais

Stage 2 Praia das Catedrais to Foz

Stage 3 Foz to San Cibrao

Stage 4 San Cibrao to Viveiro

Stage 5 Viveiro to Cuiña

Stage 6 Cuiña to Teixido

Stage 7 Teixido to Xubia

The Camino Finisterre

Stage 1 Santiago de Compostela to Negreira

Stage 2 Negreira to Olveiroa

Stage 3 Olveiroa to Finisterre

Appendix A Useful sources of information

Appendix B English–Spanish–Gallego glossary

Appendix C Suggestions for further reading

Maps

Waymarking, route-planning, and maps

With occasional exceptions, the waymarking on the Camino Inglés is reliable. Trusty yellow arrows (flechas amarillas) painted on trees, signs, rocks, and other physical landmarks guide you through the countryside and most towns. Throughout Galicia, concrete markers complement the arrows, appearing regularly. With this reassurance, you should not have to clutch this book tightly each step of the way, nor should you count on it for turn-by-turn directions in all places. (The lone major exception is leaving A Coruña, where waymarks are supremely limited.)

Camino waymarking (photo: Joe Williams)

Shell waymarking on the Camino Inglés

By contrast, waymarking is highly inconsistent on the Ruta do Mar. The Camino Cantábrico sections are excellent and clear, while many portions of the local pilgrimage route to San Andrés de Teixido are quite good. The yellow arrows on the Mar specifically, however, are hit-or-miss. We encourage having access to gps tracks (available for download on the Cicerone site) while walking here, but if not some book-clutching is indeed appropriate.

Bear in mind that route changes are commonplace; indeed, significant portions of the Camino Inglés were re-routed in 2016–17. You may encounter waymarks that lead you in an unexpected direction. Study them carefully, evaluate your options, and make an informed choice. It is always wise to seek updated information from the hospitaleros.

The most useful single overview map of Galicia is the Michelin ‘Spain: Northwest, Galicia’ roadmap, which scales the region to 1:400,000. That’s helpful for seeing the big picture, but not as useful for turn-by-turn navigation. The Spanish Mapas Militares (Serie L) are the best bet for more detailed route-finding assistance, designed on a 1:50,000 scale. The downside is that this is a much more expensive option, requiring you to purchase many individual map sheets to fully cover your route. The Mapas Militares are available from The Map Shop in the UK and can be ordered online.

Ferrol in the morning (Inglés, Stage 1)

GPX

GPX tracks for the routes in this guidebook are available to download free at www.cicerone.co.uk/1006/GPX. A GPS device is an excellent aid to navigation and recommended, but you should also carry a map and compass and know how to use them. GPX files are provided in good faith, but neither the author nor the publisher accept responsibility for their accuracy.

Updates

January 2020

Updates

Updates are also being listed on northerncaminos.com.

January 2020

Ruta do Mar Updates

Reader Fergal warns of the accommodation pinch that can occur in the area surrounding Viveiro during “Resurrection Fest” (a heavy metal music festival, not a Christian affair!) in early July, and also in the area around Ortigueira’s Celtic Music Festival later in the month. Check the calendar for these and consider modifying your plans accordingly–or prepare to camp
New hostel in Viveiro (thanks to Caminka for this!) – Oli Vita Hostel(book here)

January 2020

Camino Inglés Updates

Stage 1 – Ferrol to Pontedeume

A significant shortcut is possible from the 12th-century San Martín de Xubia, turning right immediately after the old monastery and crossing the pedestrian bridge over the Ría de Ferrol. Just before the Neda station, turn left and then right immediately after, passing under the A-8. Cross the N-642, turn right, and then left immediately after, rejoining the official route here. This trims 6.4km off the day’s walk

Stage 2 – Pontedeume to Betanzos

We suggest considering an unmarked coastal approach between Pontedeume and Miño
The Albergue de Peregrinos in Betanzos has (temporarily, hopefully) been down-sized to just six beds. Fortunately, a new option has emerged in town: Albergue Santa María del Azogue (8€, 16 beds, breakfast available, kitchen, W/D, @, 683 193 256). Meanwhile, Pensión Cheiño is out of business

Stage 4 – Hospital de Bruma to Sigüeiro

There’s a new albergue in O Outeiro / Poulo, very close to Casa Rural Antón Veiras. It’s Albergue de Peregrinos Rectoral de Poulo (6€, 42 beds, kitchen)
In Sigüeiro, Albergue O Fogar da Chisca has closed, but Albergue Ultreia et Suseia is apparently opening in its place (info here)

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Downloads

The Camino Ingles and Ruta do Mar - GPX File

Dave Whitson

Dave Whitson is a high school History teacher in Portland, Oregon and a graduate of the University of Washington. He made his first pilgrimage in 2002 on the Camino Francés and was inspired to return with a group of his high school students, which he did in 2004. He has made long-distance treks in Norway on the Pilgrim Road to Nidaros, in England on the North Downs Way to Canterbury, and in Turkey on the Lycian Way, all told walking roughly 10,000 kilometers on pilgrim roads in Europe.

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Laura Perazzoli

Laura Perazzoli graduated from John Hopkins University with a degree in Writing Seminars and currently lives in Seattle, Washington. She completed her first pilgrimage in 2004 on the Camino Francés as one of the students on Dave Whitson's initial student pilgrimage. After this trip, she was excited to provide others with a similar experience and has since led student pilgrimage trips on the Camino Francés, the Camino del Norte and the Via Francigena. Laura first walked the Camino del Norte and Primitivo with a student group in 2009 and returned in 2011 to re-walk the route and to complete the Camino Inglés to ensure up-to-date route information for this guidebook.

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