Into Santiago on the Camino Ingles

June 5, 2024 – Cuiña to Santo Andrés de Teixido – 29 kms – Casa Rural San Andrés de Teixido

June 6, 2024 – Santo Andrés de Teixido to Valdoviño – 30 kms – Hotel Valdoviño

June 7, 2024 – Valdoviño to Ferrol – 24 kms – Hotel America

June 8, 2024 – Ferrol to Pontedeume – 26 kms – Casa Apilladeira

June 9, 2024 – Pontedeume to Betanzos – 23 kms – Apartment Casa Típica Betanzos

June 10, 2024 – Betanzos to Vilarno – 32 kms – A Casa do San Paul de Buscas

June 11, 2024 – Vilarno to Santiago – 32 kms – Hospedaje José Rey

June 12, 2024 – Santiago to Negreira – 24 kms – Pension Albergue de Legrosa

After finishing the Camino del Mar we decided to go into Ferrol for a night to start the Camino Ingles at kilometre zero. The Mar joins the Camino Ingles about 6 kms outside of Ferrol so it wasn’t much of a side trip. It turns out that if we had not made that decision they would not have issued us a credential in Santiago. Mileage of 4012 kms in a continuous line from Budapest is not apparently sufficient. Three different people poured over our two metre long credentials frowning and shaking their heads. What they were looking for was a completed route in addition to the 100 kms into Santiago. We did not complete the Chemin d’Arles, but rather cut over to Bayonne where we did part of the Vasco followed by part of both Olvidado routes. Then we joined the San Salvador one day after it started, did five nights on the Norte, completed the yet to be recognized Camino del Mar before starting the Camino Ingles. Relief swept over the manager’s face at the pilgrim office when she saw the stamp for Ferrol. Our credentials were stamped and our compostelas printed. Gord was hoping to get the certificate of distance, but that was a firm no. He will have to be happy with me adding the distance to both of our credentials myself. To hell with rules, we did the distance.

Our credentials were greeted with much more enthusiasm at Adelina’s cafeteria, located just before Bruma on the Camino Ingles. Hugs and photos were taken as Adelina looked at almost every stamp repeating the place or country out loud for the benefit of the local customers.

We were also proud to unveil them in the square in front of the Cathedral to a Korean chorus of “ahs”. A delightful young woman from Poland did a full photo shoot of us in front of the Cathedral this morning before we set off on another Camino. This time to Muxia and on to A Coruña before we head back to Madrid and home.

The numbers:

157 days

4,012 kms walked or cycled from Budapest

1925 kms from Arles this year

12 different Caminos, but only one official one completed.

8 Rest days

5 countries ( Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, France and Spain).

1 night with bed bugs

5 reunions with friends

1 hand delivered homemade tarta de Santiago

26 ticks found on or in us

1 case of Lyme disease