Confessions After Walking The Finisterre Camino To Muxia

As I grow old, I wonder if walking is the right speed to explore this world more often.

Long gone are my twenties, when I used to take planes with the same frequency as someone else would take trains or buses. They were fast, convenient, and would take me everywhere in the old continent for just a few bucks, more than once a month. And so I went over 20 times to all the countries that surround mine, ten or more to their neighboring ones, etc. Covering this way the whole of Europe, in a weird quest to be everywhere as many times as it was needed.

No one – or just a few silenced voices that did not reach me – would talk about the carbon footprint attached to them back then. How blind I was.

Luckily, I woke up from this nonsense a good few years back. Ever since I realized how wrong that was (talk about flygskam or flight shame) I’ve been trying to slow down, picking my trips carefully, trying to avoid planes at all costs if possible while replacing them for trains, buses, car-sharing, biking, or walking, and looking for fun options to keep traveling and exploring without hurting our planet as much as I used to.

Embracing walking

It’s never too late to change the way we travel and start caring for our home.

And a good way to get your foot on the door of the responsible travel wave is to embrace walking. Cheaper than anything else, it keeps you in shape and allows you to connect with people and places on a whole new level. And our beloved Camino de Santiago is a great way of getting started.

Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, a match made in heaven

Since the Middle Ages, what in the beginning was withheld for a religious bunch, it has evolved into one of the most recognized pilgrimage paths on earth.

In fact, there are many different routes that offer everyone willing to step out of their comfort zone and travel differently, a new way of enjoying stunning destinations, heartwarming locals, delish meals, and a sense of camaraderie with your fellow pilgrims that no faster trips can.

Once you try it, chances are you’ll love it

Giving it a go is a risky business because, as many former Camino de Santiago pilgrims would tell you, walking the way to Santiago creates addiction.

Thus, living in Galicia (where Santiago de Compostela – the end of the pilgrimage routes – is), it is easy to meet people who are walking it for the second, third, fourth, or fifth time. Beginning each one from a different point, following ancient routes such as the Northern way, the primitive one, the one of the English way, the French, the Portuguese, and others.

I myself walked some of them. Like the last 100km of the northern route when I was only 13 years old alongside my 10-year-old brother and dad, different parts of the French and Portuguese routes when I was older in larger groups, and recently the stretch from Fisterra (or Finisterre) to Muxia, two seaside towns on the wonderful Death Coast, with Jose last spring.

I know. I still have to walk the road alone. I’ve been wanting to do it for a long time, and one day I’ll simply start walking. Few people have it as easy as me, living so close to the end of it.

Walking the Finisterre Camino to Muxia with CaminoWays

Meanwhile, let me tell you how good the last one was.

Brief (they were only two days walking the stages Fisterra – Lires and Lires – Muxia), with good spring weather (neither too cold nor too hot), the perfect company (Jose, the best adventure companion I could dream of) and the invaluable support of a leading company such as CaminoWays, which helped us with the planning of the Finisterre Camino stages, the hotels, the transfers and the general infrastructure of this micro-adventure to make it a success; the truth is we had so much fun we cannot wait to start planning our next walking getaway.

First stage of the Finisterre Camino: Fisterra – Lires

After a delicious seafood dinner at A Palaxa restaurant, a comforting night at the Mar de Ardora nature hotel, and a breakfast spread with freshly squeezed orange juice, cured meats, cheese, and homemade sweets, we left (later than we should have, it takes time to build a routine) to Lires walking across the streets of Fisterra before reaching the Langosteira inlet.

Fisterra Cape, located in the westernmost point in Spain, has long been known as the final goal of the pilgrims who, after arriving in Santiago de Compostela, approached the Atlantic Ocean before returning to their land. However famous in the past, it continues to be a key destination within the Camino. For this reason, and the ocean views that awaited us, we chose this route.

We had not even started to descend towards Langosteira beach when we already appreciated the influx of tired but exultant pilgrims who arrived from the previous stage (presumably 25km away, the coastal town of Cee). Without any doubt, after walking for days, weeks, or maybe months; they had picked up the right rhythm, getting up early. So far, we had walked only two kilometers. Yay us!

We decided to start walking a little faster, without stopping to take as many photos as we are used to. It was that or skipping lunch, so we had no choice.

A few scattered showers that we manage to avoid cum laude (for sure bars in the middle of nowhere are sent by God himself), an animal cast worthy of Noah’s ark (we saw cows, goats, sheep, donkeys, horses, chickens, rabbits, dogs, cats, and other smaller species), lots of lush flora (among which were chestnuts, oaks, pines, eucalyptus, ferns, gorse bush, and a myriad of different flowers), and an honesty bar – that finally turned out to be the best pit stop of the day after – later, we finally arrived at Lires, well past lunchtime.

Oh well, we still had dinner. And it was a sweet one at the Lires hotel where we were staying that night, As Eiras.

Second stage of the Finisterre Camino: Lires – Muxia

Having learned our lesson the day before, we set the alarm at 8 o’clock in the morning. We left the backpacks at reception to be picked up and we had breakfast at the same restaurant where we had dined the night before.

All in all, we did not leave Lires before 10 am. But today it was different, today we were on a mission and determined to make it to Muxia for lunch.

Confident, we walked the road without haste but without pause, taking the time to meet some people. A mother and her daughter, two brothers who walked all the way from France, an Austrian man who had left at 6 o’clock in the morning from Fisterra and walked in one day what we walked in two, a joyful group that came from the Basque Country by bike, etc.

To everyone, to those who were going in the opposite direction and to those who were ahead of us (as we rarely advance anyone), we greeted and said goodbye with a ‘¡Buen Camino!’ – may you have a good path!

The second stage of the Finisterre Camino was marked by long straights on both asphalt and dirt roads and by wonderful turquoise ocean views. Especially towards the end, since the last two kilometers before arriving at Muxía are quite a sight to behold.

Although not as early as we had anticipated, we got to eat at one of the restaurants of Muxia marina, As Baleas. Afterward, we rested a bit in the superb Bela Muxia accommodation (which is supposed to be a hostel, but it really looked like a luxury hotel with its immaculate and minimal decor and rooftop private terrace overlooking the town) and we headed, like everyone else, to see the sunset from the sanctuary of Nosa Señora da Barca, 900m away from the town’s center. A magical place from which the Cape Vilán is appreciated and an ideal one to get lost in ocean views.

That night we dined at the Marina restaurant, where some sea-flavored dishes were tasted.

All that remained was to return to the beginning. A taxi picked us up at 10 the next morning, after breakfast, and dropped us off at Fisterra, where we had left our vehicle and from where we would make our way home. Beautiful beaches and fishing villages awaited us, but that’s a tale for another day.

About Camino Ways

Having extensive experience in this industry, we have experienced first-hand how committed this company is to make each package and experience something unforgettable. Camino Ways managed to excel at this from the very first day with a few unique touches:

Extensive information offered on their website, that allows you to get ready in due time, without any added stress, to make the most of the experience avoiding the unnecessary hassle, pains, and discomforts.
Highly customized packages. From self-guided solo travelers to small groups, and guided groups; the company is ready to satisfy all needs tailoring to their individual requirements and making every holiday unique.
Great selection of accommodations, luggage transport companies, and restaurants. They have all been tried and tested, resulting in a safe choice, and have the perfect combination of comfort and luxury you would expect from a holiday while keeping it authentic and raw.
Welcome pack sent by email with lots of info and via postal service to your base before getting started with your luggage tags and the pilgrim’s credential to be stamped as you go – a staple of any pilgrim!
Fast and attentive 24/7 customer service.
Hyper detailed written itinerary and route map, with exact coordinates and directions. It is virtually impossible to get lost!

That said, it is easy to understand how their customer satisfaction level is skyrocketing, with over 900 raving reviews and an Excellence Certificate by TripAdvisor achieved in 2018.

Authentic Galician Experiences

Want a chance to see the real Galicia while embarking on a soft adventure?

Then look no further as it does not get more authentic or memorable as slowly walking from village to village, enjoying the Galician countryside, mountains, and beaches; and engaging in deep conversations with locals after the day’s walk over a glass of wine in the town’s bar.

Hidden wonders that you won’t be able to have on a packed day trip from one of Galicia’s main cities for sure. Trust us, we were born and raised here!

Disclaimer: We partnered up with CaminoWays to bring you this post. They kindly offered us a tailor-made Finisterre Camino to Muxia package last Spring and are currently offering you a sweet discount of 20€ off when quoting the CaminoWays promo code AWORLDTOTRAVEL at checkout. Enjoy!

Keep reading:

There is 1 comment

Add yours

agremon on 4 July, 2019 at 18:41
Good philosophy! (and a good travel experience too!)

Comments are closed.