Pilgrim Guides to Spain #2: Santiago to Finisterre and Muxia, 2004 ed. - July 2008 update

I (Micahel Gaches) continued to Fisterra; a return visit after 7 years.  The town itself seems much more commercialised – increased accommodation, restaurants, supermarkets etc, and also the path has been upgraded in many places, with gravel tracks replacing some, but by no means all, of the boggy/ rutted sections.  The route is little changed – no motorway or AVE works here. 

The numbers walking to Fisterra have rocketed – each albergue was full and the early risers from the Camino Francés also like to secure their bed early on this camino!  I arrived at Negreira mid-afternoon to be told that the albergue was full by 2.00 p.m.  Interestingly, they also have tents for extra pilgrims but quite a few of us found ourselves at the Hostal Mezquita or elsewhere back in town e.g. Hotel Tamara, I believe one is called.

There is a new 12 bed private albergue in Santa Mariña, the owner running the Bar Antelo next door; 10€ apparently. 

At Olveiroa, the attractive refuge complex was full by late afternoon – I was lucky to be given a bed in the minusválidos accommodation.  However, later arrivals had a problem: there is a small pensión, but some had to resort to a taxi ride...  Puri, the hospitalera, told me that new Xunta de Galicia regulations forbid the use of colchones and that the stated number of pilgrims for a refugio cannot be exceeded.  This, once checked out, needs to be brought to the general attention of pilgrims – perhaps a comment in the Bulletin?  Times are changing...  

To balance that, the new albergue at Corcubión is a gem.   It’s on the camino, but a good kilometre uphill after the town, at the Encrucijada de San Roque.  It’s not a Xunta albergue but run by the Asociación Galega de Amigos do Camiño de Santiago and it is a special place, imbued with the spirit of the camino.  The hospitalero is the affable Emilio and, when I was there,  2 charming Brazilian pilgrims were also helping out.  Although the albergue does not open until 4.00 p.m., at 3.30 those of us who had already arrived were given sangría and nuts.  After a shower, we could help ourselves to afternoon tea, biscuits and jam.  Later, Emilio, in best Asturian tradition (he is from Grado on the Primitivo), poured shoulder-high cider.  At 8.00 p.m. all 20 of us were served a meal and at 8.00 the following morning we were treated to breakfast!  Even then, the hospitality/generosity did not end for, as we left, each of us received a fruit and a shell.  There is no charge but they rely on donations.  Outstanding.  What is more, it means a leisurely day of some 22km and stacks of time the following day to continue to Fisterra and the end of the world...       

Refugios apart, my only other comments are:

p.10  l.20  a T-junction, turn L to a cruceiro in the centre of Santa Mariña. 
l.23  At cruceiro turn R along a lane...
l.25  No chance of even a simple meal when I was there, just a bocadilllo. 

p.11  l.25  No longer is supper made for pilgrims but the good news is that there is not only the kitchen and the nearby bar but an excellent restaurant that does meals and also breakfast at 7.00 a.m.  (The restaurant also has plans to build a private albergue, such are the numbers of pilgrims who arrive in Olveiroa).

p.12  l.2 Yes, a smart new bridge – and a much improved path generally, e.g. p.14 l.25  the grassy lane is now a gravel path.

p.15 Somewhere I read that the Fisterrana is available from the Concello.  It is not!  Only from the albergue.

p.17 This time I did not continue to Muxía but there is a 32 place albergue (I remember the polideportivo!).  Apparently there is still a problem after Lires; after the two wet months of April and May this year, the water was far too high and flowing too fast to cross by the stepping stones, so the detour was essential.

Thanks to Michael Gaches for this information.