Camino Inglés | Círculo Chileno

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From Ferrol to Santiago de Compostela. 5 stages. About 112 km. Variant from A Coruña: 3 stages, about 73 km.

The Camino Inglés, also called the Camino de los Ingleses, connects the Galician cities of Ferrol and A Coruña with Santiago de Compostela. This medieval route was used by English, Irish and other European pilgrims who arrived by ship at these two Galician ports.

There are two routes: one starting from A Coruña, of 72 kilometres, and another from Ferrol, of 122 kilometres, which is the more widely walked today. It is well waymarked, of medium difficulty with no great climbs, and has an acceptable range of accommodation, although it can become scarce at times of high demand such as Easter or the middle months of summer.

It is the first maritime route in the history of the Camino. Between the 11th century and the early 15th century, a growing number of European pilgrims, above all British, Scottish and Irish, sailed on merchant ships to the Galician ports. They were joined by Scandinavian, Flemish, Baltic and northern French pilgrims.

Two starting points: Ferrol and A Coruña. The route from Ferrol is over 120 kilometres long and passes through Narón, Neda, Pontedeume and Abegondo before reaching Mesía. At Hospital de Bruma, the pilgrims coming from A Coruña join in to continue together through Ordes, Mesón do Vento and Oroso to Santiago.

Since the Camino Inglés from A Coruña does not reach the minimum distance on foot required to obtain the Compostela, those who walk only this section can prove their pilgrimage by visiting the Jacobean sites of the city; if that condition is not met, the pilgrim still receives a document certifying their passage along the Camino and their visit to the tomb of the Apostle.

Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church in the 16th century marked the beginning of the decline of this route, which today is experiencing a real revival thanks to its scenic, historical and artistic attractions.

Good waymarking and a network of albergues. It combines the sea and the Galician countryside, passing through towns as beautiful as Pontedeume and Betanzos. Years ago there were only three public albergues along the whole route; today there are nearly twenty, public and private, as well as hotels, hostels, guesthouses and rural houses. In difficulty it is at an intermediate level: not as demanding as the Primitivo nor as easy as the Portugués. The hardest sections are on the way out of Pontedeume and between Betanzos and Hospital de Bruma.

The Camino Inglés by sailboat. This route is also the continuation on foot of the Camino by sail. Pilgrims who arrive by sea land at the port of A Coruña and continue on foot from there. This option, «Navega el Camino», requires completing one hundred nautical miles of sailing and walking the final section, between Monte do Gozo and the Obradoiro, to obtain the Compostela. Those who sail can collect their credential at 17 ports on the coast of the Camino del Norte and Galicia.

Stages

Getting to the starting point

Ferrol: one daily train arrives from Madrid and another from Oviedo; you can also go to A Coruña and change. The station is on Av. Compostela, near the Plaza de Armas. There are Alsa buses from various points in Spain, and in Galicia Monbús and Arriva operate. The AP-9 motorway arrives. It has no airport: the nearest is Alvedro, in A Coruña, about 50 km away.

A Coruña: the train station has connections with Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao-Irún, and medium-distance trains to Santiago, Vigo, Ferrol and Monforte de Lemos. Alsa arrives from various points on the peninsula. Alvedro airport is 8 km away, with direct flights to Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, London, Lisbon and Amsterdam, and there is a bus and taxis to the center.

Bus, train and airport links are on the Spanish page. With the 25 km of the Vía de los Andes validated, Chilean pilgrims need 75 km on foot in Spain to reach the minimum 100 km for the Compostela.