It Finally Feels Like the End
Got a later start than I wanted, because over coffee I realized that my GPS tracks didn’t continue past Finisterre. I haven’t used the GPS routes much at all, since the route really is well marked almost everywhere. However, traveling alone, and with some early starts in the dark, it was nice to have on occasion. Also, some ladies at the breakfast table were telling Fem about a ‘coastal’ path option to Muxia, and she was getting interested but not wanting to go alone. I consider myself pretty coast-wise, and I was pretty sure the coast route would be a heck of a lot further than the standard route.
I set off on the regular route, but kept the idea of the coast route in my brain. I figured if I could pick up just a piece of it, but rejoin the standard route, it wouldn’t add much distance.
Not far into the day, the route takes you past a beach. This is where I chose to make my attempt, because I could see that I’d rejoin the regular route in Lires. As I was walking along the beach, I ran into Fem, who had made the exact same plan!
We wandered up the hillside along the beach, trying to figure out how to join this ‘green route’ that follows the coast line. Bushwhacking was tough, because the ‘bushes’ were all thorns.
I was still in shorts. We found an old stone wall and balance-walked on that toward the cliff-line. We did eventually find the path with the green arrows!
Success!
It was much more difficult walking, narrow with low-lying thorns everywhere. So beautiful though! It was a riot, the whole thing. The green arrows are not nearly as well laid out as the Standard Camino markers, but we managed to not get lost. It was well worth the blood, sweat, and laughs when we finally made it to Lires. I felt really strong the whole time, and had no pain in my legs.
After a coffee (obviously) in Lires I set off at a fast pace to finish this walk to Muxia on the regular route. Through forest paths, up and over a massssssive hill. The hill was cool, it climbed up through the windmills and you could hear them spinning.
I arrived in Muxia at 5pm, after who knows how many kilometers with the added coastal variation. I booked a private room for two nights, checked in and immediately put everything I own into laundry. The only things I had left were my dress, puffy, and raincoat, which I what I ate dinner in. They made sugar-dough balls and soup for everyone here (it is also an Albergue).
I decided that even though none of my clothes were dry yet, that I’d head down to the church for sunset, and just try to hold my dress down in the wind so as to not flash my butt at everyone.
It was worth it. The rocks down at the church and lighthouse are beautiful. Waves crashing and exploding over them. Wind and salty spray. Warm though! It was a glorious sunset. I’m done walking now.
