06-07-2018 i.08. Santiago dC – Negreira
After a very short night, no rest again, got up around 7 am and scraped everything together quietly. Now that you are in Santiago, people will not get up early anymore, only those who have to go further will of course be excluded. After breakfast we prepare and start our 2nd part: the journey to Finistere, or Muxia? After one last look at the cathedral, we pick up the yellow arrows again.
On the outskirts of the city is another signpost, but now with the names and respective distances to Finistere and Muxia. Just outside the city, first off the beak, another climb begins. Our way goes through the woods and past small villages. Very glowing and sometimes it takes before you reach civilization again with a cafeteria. After the first big climb a descent follows and there is another ridge in front of us to 280 meters. We start the climb, but there is no end to it. It looks like we’re going straight up … .. After an hour we’re up …. and then we still have a km or 8 to our overnight place.
And actually we already see the yellow day advertisements for alberges in Negreira, so you would think that it is not far, but unfortunately. Yet we arrive after a journey of 22 km through the burning sun. Write us in an alberge, rest a bit, plan the 4 stages to Finistere and then set off for dinner. In this bustling city, the last fairly large city for Finistere, it is quiet ,, too quiet. We do not immediately find a place to eat. And if we find something we also have to wait another 45 minutes for it to open. If we can eat then we share the table with a father and daughter from Frankfurt and we exchange stories. And we decide to walk to Muxia. Ooh yes, did I mention there will be a fiesta in the village this evening? With this we already know that the night will be short.
07-07-2018 i.09. Negreira – Vilaserio
So there is a fiesta in the city. We noticed that again in our alberge. Fortunately we were a bit further away, but we got along quite a bit. But not until 7 o’clock in the morning. And yes, the Houtzagersclub was also present in the dormitory. We are the last to leave the alberge. We do not have to go that far today, about 13 km or so.
The sun is already shining, it stays that way all day. After a few meters we notice that we have forgotten something, our sticks, they are still inside, but unfortunately we cannot return. The door falls into the lock and nobody is inside. After breakfast we go on the road, and of course we go uphill again. All in all a little less than 9 kilometers uphill, but luckily very gradually, a little drop now and then and a single steep piece in its time … ..
Around half past eleven we take an early lunch and then another 4 km to the alberge. In a small hamlet are 2 private Albergen and 1 public. The latter is in an old building and you sleep on a mattress on the floor: no thank you. Then in a private alberge. Tomorrow the weather will be warmer than today and we also have to travel 21 km. So don’t leave too late.
08-07-2018 i.10. Vilaserio – Olveira
Today is the day of sleep, right? After all, it is Sunday and in this alberge it must be quiet from 11 pm to 6.30 am. Maricon wakes me up a quarter to seven. The fixed morning ritual can begin. After breakfast we go on the road. Bregje down and up hill, hamlet in hamlet out. Today I see more cows than in the past 6 weeks Camino walk together. There is still 1 big climb ahead of us today, we do not have to walk up to 531 meters, but are turning downhill again at over 400 meters.
Now it should be more or less declining. The alberge is at the front of the village. Tomorrow another 1 climb awaits us, to another Hospital and then it would only be downhill for the remaining kilometers. I believe that just as hard as the weather forecast for today: sunny all day … Only after 2.00 pm did it really show up well.
09-07-2018 i.11. Olveiroa – Quintás
Today is another walking day, if you were wondering what we would do. And yes, sleeping went better than really bad for both of us, in a dormitory of 14 beds. After the morning ritual just a breakfast score, it can take quite a long time before we can go somewhere again, and then “Ab mit die Post”. It is already sunny and will only get sunnier. It also starts with a climb why not.
We now see more pilgrims walking again. And the climb continues for quite a long time, an occasional descent. And indeed, the possibilities to consume something are much less, the distances between them much longer. Along the way we also see a procession. Finally we also come to know what the hard blows we hear a lot the last days. Big fireworks are set off during the procession. You can hear those bangs for miles. It seems that they want to draw attention to: “Where is the party, here is the party”.
Our last climb brings us to a small bare plain and I don’t mean my head with this … Then we descend to Quintás where we will spend the night in the alberge. The temperature this afternoon is 29 °, the hottest day of all my walking days. In the alberge / pension we get a room for the normal pilgrim overnight price. We are also the only pilgrims I expect, most of them usually walk on to Muxia, 32 km …… not us, 21 km for today is sufficient.
10-07-2018 i.12. Quintás – Muxia
The last real hiking day is about to start, another 12 km and we are in Muxia. After a reasonably good night’s sleep, we leave on our journey around a quarter to eight. First downhill and then of course uphill again. And again and again … .. The road winds from one to the sneaker rock. Fortunately through small villages and forest. Steep and less steep. And what you want doesn’t happen, the view at the end. But then you finally see the ocean and a land point, but that later turns out not to be Muxia. So back and forth ……
We turn around one more rock and then finally…. We decide to walk to the end with a backpack, but where is the end? So stop by the Information for the right direction. And also immediately have our Muxia certificate made. On to the end. We arrive, take pictures at the 0 km, I put my stone down. View to the church and then to the guesthouse. Showering and then looking for a washing machine, unfortunately, not in this village. Then tomorrow. In the evening we go to mass, then eat something and then watch the sunset … .. Which is not visible due to clouds. Perhaps more luck tomorrow at the sunrise?
11-07-2018 i.13. Muxia – Fisterra
Today we get up at 6 am and get ready for the outing to Fisterra, also called Finistere. We go by bus, a 50-minute ride. If you covered this on foot, you walk 32 km. About 7 to 8 hours for the trained walker. After arrival we immediately walk to the 0 km pole, another 3 km uphill. You walk fairly short on the ledge and with the wind and backpack around you have to be careful.
After an hour we are there, take some pictures to enjoy the view and go back. Stop at a church, eat something in a cafeteria, talk to a German student and then get on the other bus for a trip of nearly 3 hours to Santiago. It is less than 90 km but the bus goes via the shortest detour. The driving style is also not pleasant, my stomach is going well. After arriving in Santiago looking for a place to sleep, wash clothes, eat, attend evening mass, this time no censer, buy some memories and go back to bed. Tomorrow with the 12-hour bus to Porto …