Days: 41-44
Santiago de Compostela → Negreira → Olveiroa → Cee → Finisterre!
After having taken a picture of my Hokas arriving to Santiago yesterday, I ditched them this morning before heading on my way (I know everyone was wondering). I thought about bringing them with me to Finisterre and Muxia but it seemed ridiculous.
Leaving Santiago this morning, I thought I’d be one of few Camino hikers to continue on. I put my stinky hiking uniform back on, grabbed my hiking poles, and went back to the cathedral plaza to start part 2 of my Camino.
The plaza was basically empty. I took some pictures for a British couple that had just finished the Camino Portuges and they snapped a few more for me. The morning air felt so good. I took in the plaza one more time, then turned and walked out the back to continue the Camino.
I stopped at a cute spot for breakfast and got a bacon, egg, and cheese BAGEL (!!!) I was so excited for a bagel. The cafe had this cute dog wallpaper I had to take a picture of for my sister.
I found the yellow arrows and shells and continued on my way. It was a super quick walk out of the city and back into the woods compared to how sprawling and crowded it felt at the city center.
I walked by an elementary or preschool on the way out and saw all the parents leaving drop-off with their kids’ scooters or strider bikes in hand. I think it’s so cute that their parents walk them to school while they ride their little scooters or bikes. What a life.
I started my hike around 9am this morning and was surprised by how many people were hiking. It wasn’t as crowded as the last 2 days after merging with the French way, but definitely more crowded than the Norte ever felt. I was also impressed with the amount of older people hiking, there was a couple (I think they were German) that kept passing me–they’d stop, I’d pass them, then they’d immediately catch up with me–so speedy.
I saw this dog the other day in Aruza that had a Camino shell necklace on because she was also hiking, then I saw her outside the cathedral again yesterday, and to my surprise she was hiking again this morning! I saw her in the distance keeping up with her owner and his hiking companion. She kept stopping to pick up a stick and would run to catch up, then stop again–so cute. I caught up with her owner and realized she was French. She walked next to me for a bit <3 It felt like a celebrity sighting.
I bought some hydrocolloid bandages at the pharmacy yesterday for my big heel blister. It’s the only one I have, but it’s massive. I put one on this morning and it felt so good–I should’ve found these sooner. I’m hoping they’ll make the blister heal faster and it’s satisfying to watch the bandage fill and turn white. I only have 4 more days of hiking after today, but I’d really like for this blister to chill out.
Because there were so many people on the trail today, I met lots of different pods. 2 cousins from Florida who are just hiking from Santiago to Finisterre–honestly if someone only has like a week to do part of the Camino this might be a really good one to do. I’ve obviously only hiked one day of it so far, but it was super beautiful and a decent challenge of a hike. But, the Florida cousins were fun to talk to. Then, I caught up with this older woman who had passed me earlier in the morning–she walks super fast. Turns out she’s a retired nurse from Australia and hiked the French way 2 years ago. She was back hiking for 3 weeks and just finished the Portuguese Coastal route in 2 weeks and is spending the last one on the way to Finisterre.
Around mid-day I’d been able to outpace most people on the hills (today was surprisingly hilly actually), and I finally got some alone time. I do love meeting people and chatting while we hike, but I also like the silence and nature sounds (a huge reason why I chose to hike the Norte). Here’s a flower round-up.
The trail crosses this beautiful river with such a romantic bridge. I’ve picked that up from the German girls I was walking with, they’d always describe beautiful sites like this as “romantic” which I think captures the feeling well.
I made it to Negreira around 2pm and popped into a restaurant that said “pizzeria.” A pizza sounded great. When I walked in, they asked if I wanted the menu del día or just order off the carta–I said something like I prefer the carta maybe a burger or pizza (knowing I wanted a pizza). And he was like–we don’t have pizza. Oh? Do you know your restaurant has a big sign that says pizzeria? They were nice and the burger was good, it was just funny and I felt bad assuming they had pizza…
I’m ready to elevate my feet and air out my clothes. Tomorrow is my last long day of the Camino (34km). The final day I will hike from Finisterre to Muxia and that will be 29km (18 miles) which is also a lot, but tomorrow is a little over 21 miles and quite a bit of elevation. The place I’m staying has free breakfast starting at 7:30am, so I’m hoping to start around 8am and make it to Olveiroa around 4pm? We’ll see!
Negreira to Olveiroa
Today is going to be a long day. It’s also supposed to be hot. I decided to fill up my extra water bladder I’ve been lugging around–I haven’t really used it since the beginning of the Camino when I always carried an extra 2L with me. (There are so many places to get water while on the Camino, so I stopped). There probably were 3-4 days out of the 40+ so far that there wasn’t really a water opportunity for most of the way, but it was fine.
I’m threading the needle of time today. Free breakfast at my starting accomodation starts at 7:30am and the place I’m staying tonight wants me to arrive before 3pm. Google Maps says it’s about a 7 hour walk…
I started walking around 8am this morning. Leaving Negreira there was a cool stone wall that looked like it used to be the main entrance to the town or something. I’ve honestly been pleasantly surprised on this Camino de Fisterra, it’s been super beautiful and lots of cool stuff to look at.
I’d looked at the elevation map last night and saw that the majority of the first half of the day was uphill. I knew today would probably be one of the hardest days so far and it would be long. The sun was quick to come out today and started blasting us around 9am. The first hour was in the woods and the sun lit the ferns and other greenery so beautifully. The shade felt great.
Coming out of the woods and crossing onto the path next to the paved road, I could feel the full heat of the sun. I stopped in a small shady patch to put sunscreen on, then continued walking. 10:30am and I’ve already soaked through my shirt. That’s okay though, every now and then there’s a nice breeze, and I’m having fun.
I’m enjoying what I’m considering my last hard day on the Camino. It’s tough, I’m hot, I’m breathing heavy, but I really truly am enjoying myself. I powered through the heat of the morning in silence and with my thoughts. It’s weird there’s no Norte people around–at least none that I recognize or have talked to. Maybe they all had, had enough.
The sounds of this morning were birds chirping and roosters crowing. It’s funny to me when I walk by a house in the morning with a real rooster crowing. I’ve decided I like roses now, but only these cool ones Spain has. They’re all over people’s fences in beautiful colors and open, I think that’s what I like about them–that they’re open and the petals aren’t so tight together.
Butterfly visitor <3
The Finisterre Camino honestly looks a lot like the Norte. Passing through small towns, sections of woods, farms and back roads, cows (not many horses though). I do think these trails are nicer than the Norte’s, they’re way more maintained and the yellow blazes are much more prominent.
I made it to noon and took a break to put on more sunscreen. I chugged the rest of my water because I saw a spigot up ahead, and I ate my final pack of Dinosaurios. These graham crackers (but better) were such a staple for me at the beginning of the Camino, and I kind of crashed and burned with them about 2 weeks ago. I’d been lugging around the final few packs and finally finished them. They still tasted delicious.
That sun won’t quit.
Being absolutely blasted by the sun.
I got my headphones out and put on my most recent playlist of favorite songs at the moment. There was a nice breeze and I felt refreshed after a sit and snack. I went to the spigot and filled my water bottle up, chugged as much as I could, then filled it up again. I was back on my way. RKS’s “Hot Pink Ice Cube” and “Magnets” by Lorde were really vibing with me today.
Feeling good in a quick shady section <3
I walked in the scorching sun for another 2 hours still on a good pace and feeling good with my music. I was super sweaty and smelly but still having a blast. I felt my heel blister a bit more than normal and decided to stop. The hydrocolloid patch I’d put on the morning leaving Santiago was finally full and had come off, yay! The blister already looked better and I let it air out in the sun for a minute before putting on another. These patches honestly have been game changers for this giant blister. It kind of came out of nowhere and just kept getting bigger, but these patches are magic and stay on so well.
Reflecting, I think today was the 3rd hardest day, 2nd most fun, and the absolute hottest temperature-wise. It was tough because of the weather and all of the elevation gain. I was truly enjoying myself and it was satisfying to get to the top of the climbs. Towards the end after the final hill of the day there was a great view at the top overlooking the lake.
The of-note event of the day was when this older woman was standing at the edge of her driveway saying hi to hikers and trying to talk with them. When I walked up, she was excited I spoke Spanish and started talking really fast–I had no idea what she was saying other than that there was a problem with her car. I told her I probably couldn’t help her with a car issue, but she took my arm and led me to her garage. Her corgi-mix puppy was also running around us and licking the sweat off my legs.
In the garage was this tiny, red Smart-car looking car (it looked just like the emoji). She turned it on and the windshield wipers were going and the caution lights were on. I figured out she wanted me to turn them both off, so I did and showed her how. She was so grateful. She offered for me to come in and eat eggs with her. But, I just asked to fill my water, then was back to hiking after that little excursion. She was very cute and so was her dog.
I think I was having so much fun today for a few reasons. One, because it was a hard and sweaty and rewarding day. Two, I know I’m going to see the ocean tomorrow (!!!!) And three, I feel less pressure than I did on the Norte. Reflecting, I think I felt pressure to keep getting to the next stage and the next town and closer to Santiago every day. But, on this bonus Camino to Finisterre, I just feel like I’m doing it because I wanted to hike more. It doesn’t feel as much of a goal to complete and a place to arrive to.
I arrived to the albergue, finally, closer to 4pm than 3pm, but it was fine. There’s a restaurant nextdoor and–get this–the kitchen is open all day!!! I was so excited I didn’t even shower before eating. I got a big bowl of pesto pasta with chicken and cherry tomatoes in it and finished off with their homemade strawberry ice cream and whipped cream.
Tomorrow I’ll be back with the ocean!!!! The next 2 days are intentionally a bit shorter to rest a bit (it’s so funny that a 10 & 12 mile day is considered short and restful at this point). The final walk from Finisterre to Muxia will be closer to 20 miles, so I want to save my feet a little bit for that.
Olveiroa to Cee
This morning was the complete opposite of yesterday. It was kind of chilly, foggy, and looked like it may rain. It was misting as I left Olveiroa and I decided to pop into a cafe before starting the real hike for the day. I got an americano and brioche? He asked if I wanted a tostada with tomato or brioche, so I picked brioche. It was a huge slice of moist, sweet bread with sugar sprinkled on top. Pretty good.
I’d read last night that the trail today was mostly up-hill, but I don’t always trust the app’s assessment. It was a quick 12 miles (compared to yesterday’s 21). There was a fair amount of climbing, but it was more gradual inclines which I didn’t mind. We passed a river and walked by it for a long time. I could catch glimpses here and there of the rushing water way down below, but it was pretty foggy.
The overcast lasted until around noon. No rain ever came, but it misted for about an hour. When the sun came out, it was as harsh as yesterday, but there were more trees on the trail today. The trail splits today at “the Great Divide.” You pick whether you want to go to Muxia or Finisterre. I’m headed to Finisterre first, my original end-goal for my Camino.
We passed through a town called Hospital, but there was no hospital. Historically, there was one for pilgrims that continued on from Santiago. I would’ve liked to see that.
I chose the path for Finisterre and came upon this monster mural. It said something about entering the territory of a mythical monster–fun! The information building was closed today, but this was an interesting discovery.
I happened upon the monster statue not too much later. I love things like this. (And, I love a horror movie).
I came upon this sign with colorful painted shells. It was written by 2 kids selling shells to pilgrims to pay for the dog they found that has one eye. I haven’t gotten a pilgrim shell yet, after coming all this way, so I put some coins in their lockbox and picked out my pilgrim shell. People put these on their packs to signify they’re walking the Camino. I’d kind of thought about getting one along the way but never did, so here I am with my pilgrim shell with just 2.5 hiking days left. Crazy.
I came out of the woods and there it was, the ocean!!!! I missed seeing the ocean for the last almost 2 weeks. I’m happy to be reunited for my last 2 days of hiking.
Can you see the ocean out there???
I arrived in Cee around 2pm and got a pizza <3 I hit up the grocery store and got some lenguas (I haven’t found these since the end of April!!), an ice cream, and some snacks for tomorrow. My hotel room has a view of the small beach in Cee and the ocean!!! I’m excited to put my feet up and watch the sunset.
Tomorrow I will hike to Finisterre!! It’s a short 10-ish miles, then I’ll have the rest of the day to explore. I plan to sit at the beach and the lighthouse, and take in what I just did. I’m still hiking one more day to Muxia after, but that’s the double bonus. Finisterre was my end goal and tomorrow, I’ll see it <3
Cee to Finisterre
Mt. Joy released a new album this week, so I downloaded it to listen to on my hike today. I love all of their albums and have been able to see them quite a few times in concert. Their music is very nostalgic of my most recent relationship, but this new album, Hope We Have Fun will be just my memory, now the Camino, associated with it. A lot of my favorite bands are coming out with new music this summer, just in time for me being post-break-up and needing new music I guess.
I slept in this morning because it was supposed to be a short day to Finisterre. Just 10 miles. This was originally going to be my last hiking day (until I arrived in Santiago and decided to also walk to Muxia), so this kind of feels like my closing day on the Camino I intended to hike.
I borrowed some silverware from the restaurant I got takeout pasta from last night and promised I’d return it this morning, so that was my first stop. I hit up the Carefour for a coffee and napolitana and walked to the ocean to have my staple breakfast. I sat on a bench in the shade with my backpack and poles on the ground next to me and enjoyed the ocean.
It’s a Saturday morning so it seemed like there were extra people out and about for walks this morning. I got several buen Caminos and even a buenos días, buen provecho and buen Camino from all from one guy, just a slew of greetings and well wishes.
Once I got out of Cee, I was in the woods with stone walls covered in moss, ferns and wildflowers lining the trail, and lots of trees. I was taking in everything today, pretending it was my final day. I could see the ocean several times throughout the day and could also hear the waves crashing (my favorite). I saw the Faro de Finisterre far in the distance and knew that’s where I was ending my hike today.
Such a fun narrow path.
This house had water, first aid, and a stamp outside.
Trying to point at the lighthouse in Finisterre I’m walking to today.
When I got to the outskirts of Finisterre I saw a woman in front of me with a felt Charlie Chaplin pinned to her backpack. I asked her about it and she said her daughter made it for her since she couldn’t hike the Camino with her. We walked and chatted together for a while, she and her crew were from Granada. She told me to visit before I leave Spain and call her up. She also told me to take the sunset boat tonight, only 20 euros a person for the (almost) final sunset of my Camino.
Charlie + her pink bag for collecting shells <3
So fun.
Beach in Finisterre <3
I thought I was super close to the end when I arrived in Finisterre proper, but it was still about 2 miles to the lighthouse at the end of the world!! This part of the hike seemed to go on forever. I was walking alongside the ocean and trying to soak in what is the approach to my original end goal.
I’d said from the beginning I wanted to hike past Santiago to Finisterre, but about 2 weeks ago I felt over it and was thinking of just taking the bus out here to see the end of the world. These past 4 days of hiking have honestly been some of my favorites and (this might be a hot take) but if someone only has a week to hike the Camino I would recommend this hike.
The walk to the end of the world brought me to the 0km pillar. Woah. I’d been seeing multiple hundred kilometers this whole time and slowly down and down, now at the 0km!!! I walked out to the lighthouse and sat down on some rocks overlooking the ocean. I chugged my water bottle and ate a napolitana. Great ending.
I took lots of pictures and met lots of people who were excited to be finishing their bonus Camino too. This felt like a much more “arrival” moment for me ending my Camino. Starting and ending with the ocean and everything in between has been part of what made my Camino so special.
After an appropriate amount of time, sitting, taking pictures, soaking in the moment, I started my 2 mile hike back to Finisterre. It was kind of nice walking back the way I came, it’s one of the only times on the Camino I got to see the trail forward and backward. I felt like along the Norte I often would turn around after a big climb and that would be the best view. It was cool to see this hike both ways.
I ran into a group of women finishing their hike to Finisterre and one of them asked me if I’m without problems now. I wasn’t sure what she was asking and she clarified by asking if I threw my problems into the sea and let them go. It’s part of finishing your Camino and arriving to the end of the world. So, I laughed and said sure, yes, I am (free of problems) and she said you can always come back if you have more (problems) <3
I went to the municipal albergue to show them my completed Finisterre pilgrim credencial and receive that certificate. This one was hand written and has sea motifs.
I’ve arrived to Finisterre! My nebulous goal when I started this last-minute Camino was Finisterre–people would ask if I was going all the way to Santiago and I’d say yes, and I think Finisterre after. And now, I’m here!
I went into the only restaurant that was open at this hour and ordered spaghetti. I’m a recovering picky eater, so my go-to as a kid was spaghetti with butter. I slowly worked up to eating it with sauce (separate), then some mixed in, and now all mixed together is fine with me. But, when they brought out this masterpiece I couldn’t help but be excited for the picky kid still in me. I have no idea why they served it like this, but I thoroughly enjoyed.
I’m about to get on a boat to watch the sunset. I’ve been walking with, looking at, and listening to the ocean this whole Camino, and now I’ll be floating in the ocean to watch the sunset in Finisterre.
The boat cruise was phenomenal. 10/10. It left at 8:30pm and got back to the dock at 11pm–the sun doesn’t set here until 10pm right now. We bopped around the bay (I think that’s the appropriate body of water) getting a closer look at the cliffs across the water from the beach and town, then out into the open water past the lighthouse to face west and see the sunset.
The Finisterre lighthouse up in the top right.
I have one more bonus to my bonus days tomorrow, about a 30km hike to Muxia. The other end of the world (I don’t know if they actually call it that, but I feel like Finisterre and Muxia are always paired together). I’m thinking, hoping? that this final 30km day will wear me out and help me be ready to finish my Camino, but I fear this is just the start of doing adventures like this.
Keep Moving by: Maggie Smith
“Reflect on what you’ve lived through–and look, you’re still here. Look back at the road you’ve traveled to get to this place, and know you’ve built the strength to travel the next stretch–and the next one, and the next. Keep moving”
This speaks to me as I enter my final day on the Camino. What I’d lived through to get to Spain and the start of the Camino del Norte–huge personal accomplishments mixed with heartache and a complete upheaval of what I thought my life was going to look like–and comparing to where I am now, wild. I’ve physically traveled to get to the end of the Camino, but I found more and more of myself along the way. Putting my pieces back together.
Looking back on where I’ve been to get here, to just begin in Irun, then arriving at all the etapas along the way, Santiago, and to get to Finisterre–I’ve grown, and I’m sure in more ways than I can even see right now. I’ve never doubted my strength, but to see the limit of it continue to expand and solidify has been fulfilling and promising.
I’ve got one more day to walk and one more post to share with final reflections. Thank you for following along and being a part of my Camino <3
xo
