My mojo was still in evidence this morning as I set off from Finisterre at just after 07:00. I hadn’t remembered the walk as being that great – it was the finale of my first camino (Frances) in 2013 when I walked with my daughter Ella, but we had walked to Muxía first and the final stage was to Finisterre. So this morning I was walking in the opposite direction.
My original plan for this year had been to walk along the coast from Finisterre to Muxía over two days. There is a route called the Csmiño dos Faros, and stretches from Malpica to Finisterre. But recently I had heard that the stages between Muxía and Finisterre were really quite difficult and there had been several instances where people had to be air-lifted to safety. So common sense kicked in and I decided to take the inland route instead.
It was beautiful and I enjoyed every step to the half-way point at Lires. There had been a little rain early on, but nothing significant and I was soon enough stripping off the rain gear. The route was mainly through woodland with enough elevation to remind me that I wasn’t super-human. I came across a good selection of animals, very large (and very up-close) and small.
I met friendly cats, indifferent sleepy cats, a greedy donkey, a grumpy dog, a herd of cows on their way to/from milking that almost ran me off the road, a pony who just wanted to stand in the shade and smell the flowers, and a pretty blue butterfly that stayed put long enough for me to capture an image.
There is a lot of two way traffic on this stage of the camino and many ‘buen caminos’ were wished back and forth. I saw two extremes of unusual camino clothing today, that might be termed ‘the sublime and the ridiculous’ – I shall leave it up to you to decide which style deserves which accolade. My first thought was that the hareem pants would be extremely uncomfortable if one received a thorough soaking (and might feel like walking in a heavily soiled nappy), whereas the very short shorts might cause significant other discomforts. Both were worn by young women, most likely on their first camino.
There were a couple of pilgrim watering holes along the way, where refreshments were available either for a donation or from a vending machine.
I stopped in the small village of Lires at 13.7 km and enjoyed an orange juice and a bacon sandwich. Up to this point I had absolutely enjoyed every step of the way. The paths were good, there was not much road walking, there were pretty (and some very colourful) villages to pass through, wild honeysuckle and roses to enjoy and generally observe small village life.
After Lires there was more road walking and more elevation, and I grew a little tired, but it remained a very enjoyable walk.
The cloud cleared in the late morning and the sun emerged into a blue sky and all was well with the world. There were a couple of water sources where I could wet my buff to cool my neck, but although it was lovely and warm, the temperature didn’t rise too much.
There was a brief glimpse of the coast at Lires and then nothing until the approach to Muxía where there is a magnificent white beach. The town itself has a variety of restaurants, a pretty marina and port area and a mixture of traditional stone and modern properties.
I walked directly to the albergue BelaMuxía where I had stayed on my only other visit four years ago. It is very comfortable with bunks in cubicles with power points, well thought out showers, large laundry and good kitchen/dining area, 12 euros.
My first job on arrival was to take off my boots for the last time (they will not be coming home with me – the soles are paper thin and I already have four worn-out pairs of boots at home). The second job was to go towards the marina and find a restaurant for a celebratory glass or two of wine and something to eat. And then in the evening I met with French Valerie and Dave for one final goodbye supper.
Distance 28.5 km
Accumulated uphill elevation 412 m
Accumulated downhill elevation 423 m
Total distance 982.6 km
Average per day 27.3 km
Trepidatious traveller - camino blog 
Looking great in those shorts Maggie xx
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Oh, how I wish!
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Congratulations on completing another Camino Maggie – I will miss your daily posts and wonderful photographs xx
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Well done Maggie! I will miss your blogs. I think both attires were ridiculous. Much love xxx
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Lovely photos as usual. I was so good to see an horreo being used for what they were always originally used for, I just love them. When I think of Galicia of course the first thoughts are family there and then horreos.
Buen camino for your final stages.
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And now just that huge expansive Atlantic emptiness with no where left to tread and the mind can wander freely where it will!! Well done Maggie, another annual vicarious Camino completo for your readers, travel safely home,
Much metta,
Brian
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Hello Maggie,as always I have enjoyed you words and pictures. It was also great fun with you retracing our steps from Madrid just 5 weeks earlier. It stirred up our memory. Like a lot of your fan base we are eager to hear your plans in the future. Congratulations on your completing your walk and most importantly staying healthy. Not too many of the two young ladies featured in your pics could walk for so many days without a break. I tip my hat to you As the pro cyclists say “Chapeau” .x
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Hello Maggie,
No hat on my head so “chapeau” doesn’t work. The word that comes to my mind is “reapect”. Respect for the way you stayed in the flow of walking, making pictures and writing all those weeks. Thank you so much for sharing all this!
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Well done brilliant super woman and congratulations. Many thanks for letting us share your journey. Much love xx
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What can I say? amazing!!! , 982 km in 36 days. Such stamina!!
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Congrats on another great Camino! As always, buen camino de la vida.
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Yet again more fabulous photos. You know which photo Bill would prefer! Me neither, I’ too old for the shorts and too young for the harem!! You’re looking great in the photo with Dave and Valerie. It will be good to have you back albeit briefly. xx
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A very fitting blog to close the book with all that makes your postings so appealing: keen observations, sharing your affinity with flora and fauna, honest but rarely judgemental, and masses of intelligent humour. The men probably deserved a bit of a treat in compensation for the re-visit to the revolting multi-tasker — and a chance to get their own back; the harem clad posterior is pretty revolting too. Last I saw of you in pilates gear tells me that hot pants really wouldn’t be a bad look on you at all, at a decorous length that is. Hope the journey home went smoothly and the onslaught from Sheba, Roly and David (probably in that order) leaves you undamaged and with time to rest up in peace. I think we should build a boot graveyard and blog about it to shame manufacturers back to quality products.
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Thank you! Is this really the end? You are in such great shape! I was tired after walking Muxia to Finisterre in two days 3 years ago.
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Hello Maggie! What a wonderful job you’ve done. Kept me inspired the whole trip, just waiting eagerly for the next stage. Sorry it’s ended. Great pictures and writing. Loved them.
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Well done! Have enjoyed following along on your adventure and loved all of your photos. Congratulations!
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Congratulations and thank you for sharing
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Great info Maggie.
Well done too!
I really love your pics of animals and flowers .
I’m surprised that the young one in the shorts didn’t have a band of champions taking turns to carry her pack !
I remember Bella Muxia well from my 2013 camino. I bought one of their shirts (black with a blue cat !).
To finish I have to add that you are coming up looking like a rose yourself in the final dinner with your 2 friends. The camino fitness is good for the complexion!
3 cheers for your trusty boots !
They served you well.
Annie
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Well done Maggie!! I am sure your boots are also relieved to hear about their ‘retirement’! You have inspired us, you have wowed us., you have entertained us and you have allowed us to travel with you on your Camino. I thank you, and will miss my daily ‘Maggie Camino broadcasts”!
Looking forward to hear about Camino 2018! All the best , regards Amanda (South Africa)
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I’ve said it before but I shall miss your blogs. Where to next?
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We will miss your blogs Maggie. Your wonderful pictures and your gentle treatment of one and all were inspiring. Your endurance is motivating. Thank you for sharing your adventures
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Just Wonderful! Enjoyed from start to finish Thank you……….
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Hell magwood
I have, at last been able to log into your blog, password problems though I have been reading them for 2 years.
Your poetic descriptions of persons, scenes, hostels and the towns you walk through are a delight to read, the photo displays add colour and life to your blog.
Thank you, I hope to meet up with you and David in the Autumn ’17.
Tony Pulle
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Hi Tony. Thanks for getting in touch. Would love to get together in the Autumn.
Best wishes, Maggie
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Maggie, I love reading your blogs as I am in the early stages of planning my first camino, at age 66. You are a great inspiration. In your camino Portugue Blog, where you traveled for awhile with Elly, you mentioned several times that the two of you shared a “single” room. I know the two of you didn’t share a single bed, which is what I assumed a single room contained. Can you explain the difference in a “single” room and a “double” room.
Thanks!!
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Hi Sally, thanks for your comment and I hope you are enjoying the excitement of planning your first (probably of many) camino. I probably meant to write ‘twin’ room. It is rare to find a actual single room, most are twins and it is likely to cost perhaps 20-25 euros for single occupancy, and 25-30 euros for two people. So it is good if you can share with another pilgrim. There was one very surreal occasion when Eli and I did actually share a double bed, but we each were teetering on the very edge all night to avoid any accidental contact!
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Thanks for your reply, Maggie, but I’m still trying to figure out the guide books. The sleeping options are usually listed in parentheses. First is the number of beds in the albergues, then the price for a basic accommodation bed, second is the price for a private room with two TWIN/SINGLE beds? And the third price for a room with a double bed? ???? I’m trying to get a good idea of our lodging costs and options. We are starting out with 3 family members, then adding a 4th later on. And we plan to vary our nights between the cheapest option and private rooms, occasionally.
Thanks again.
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OK, that all makes sense to me. The first will be for, most likely, a single bunk bed in a mixed dormitory. From experience, if two people arrive together they will be allocated an upper and lower bunk. It is possible to play the ‘age/bad back/wobbly knee’ card and plea for two bottom bunks, but allocation is at the discretion of the hospitalero.
The second option, a private room with two beds, will be just that, a room with two single beds, and the third option a double bed in a private room. It is possible/likely that even if paying for a private room in an albergue, you will be using the same bathroom facilities as everyone else.
In your situation where there are three or four of you, your party might want to mix things up a bit. A couple might want a bit of privacy and a double room, whilst others might prefer mucking in with other pilgrims in the dorm.
You could also look at some of the internet camino websites. I like Gronze which gives good information on accommodation on each town the camino passes through. It’s in Spanish, but very intuitive and user-friendly.
Don’t hesitate if I can help with anything else.
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Thank you so much Maggie. This totally answered my questions. Now all I need is 6 months of training and Sept. to get here.
Sally D.
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