We had a few days before our return flights so the decision was easy; we will go and explore the much acclaimed Finisterre. The Finisterre route is a Camino in its own right and would take 4 to 6 days (one way) on foot from Santiago to Finisterre and Muxia, a total of 121 km. I was interested to see the so-called ‘end of the road’ or ‘end of the world’ but was not about to walk there; my feet were in no state thanks to blisters. Leni intended walking part of the route so she left half of her belongings in the care of Estrella, the old landlady where we stayed in Santiago. Estrella undertook to hang out Leni’s wet washing and keep everything until we returned to stay another night before returning home.
The morning after we arrived in Santiago we caught the bus to Finisterre . Finding accommodation was no problem. The same modus operandi as in Santiago: albergue/hostel owners wait for the bus and find you. In no time we were settled and ready to explore this beautiful, laid-back coastal village on the Atlantic Ocean.
In the afternoon we walked up to the light-house and back, a round-trip of 6 km. It was such a pleasure to walk without a backpack!
The lighthouse and surrounds is very similar to our Cape Point with as many stories of danger, storms and shipwrecks. In Roman times it was believed to be the ‘end of the known world’. Many modern day pilgrims go there and burn their clothes and shoes. For me that actually spoils the scene. The place looks dirty (blackened), with charred remnants of clothing and shoes lying around and the offending smell of burnt rubber in the air. In places the shrubbery also shows signs of having caught alight. It is such a pity, because it is ‘advertised’ as the ultimate destination for pilgrims. I did not enjoy it at all.
I guess we are spoilt with being used to truly natural scenery in SA…
Leni stayed there for a long time but I soon decided that this was not for me and walked back to town. There I found it much more relaxing to watch the boats in the harbour and the passing parade…
Leni was going to walk to Muxia the next day while I stayed on a while. I would later take the bus and join her. She has now decided against walking so the decision was to stay in Finisterre for another day. We just took it easy, explored the town and walked to the neighbouring village.
And of course a long walk on the beach goes without saying!
