Day 48 CORCUBION TO FINISTERRE

Friday 5th of November (15ks - 2hrs and thirty minutes)
Arrived at the lighthouse at 10:00am, having left at 7:30am. A nice comfortable walk, and my shin became better as the morning progressed. I had no problem doing the kilometers, but would have been concerned if the recent pain had come earlier in the camino. Not a hard walk - some backtracks plus some asphalt. I arrived at Finisterre at 9:30am and then took the climb up to the last point and the lighthouse. There was only one pilgrim there - David from Madrid, who had been walking the northern routes - some 1,500ks along different caminos. He took a few photos for me, which was kind of him. Then a woman further down in front of the lighthouse insisted on a couple more when she heard I'd walked from Seville and was Australian - full of good will and congratulations! Finisterre is a nice little fishing village, with just enough bars and restaurants without being too touristy. I had a very nice lunch down at a restaurant on the beach that I'd passed on the way in. A nice "menu especial" without being overly expensive. I ran into Stefan again (the German, full of enthusiasm and "alegria" upon having finished the camino. A bit too enthusiastic for me. I am booked into a simple little pension at the end of the waterfront. Too expensive for a room without bano, but a lovely view of the small bay. Beautiful weather today, and a lovely, quiet, relaxing finish to the camino. However, it would have been nice to arrive here with the other blokes. I will take the late morning bus back to Santiago tomorrow. Adios Camino!


By 7:20am I am underway along the beachfront back to the camino. I was advised to take the main road out of town, but yesterday I had discovered the ancient camino that left the town - I had to leave by that way, of course.


The street lights assist the passage as daylight breaks. A fairly intense climb out of town for a while, and a little confusion regarding yellow arrows, but I trust my instinct and finally relocate them just beyond this point. I could take the road, but I am happy that I have found the camino out of town.


Amarela, about 7:50am. My shin is beginning to feel better as I move along, the soreness going. I am delighted to know that this last day will be pain free!


Just before 8:00am entering Estorde - a house that took my eye.


Leaving Estorde - one last small headland to round, and what looks like the remnants of the final crop of whatever the vegetable is that makes the ingredient for "Galician Soup" in the foreground.


"Fisterra" as it seems to be spelt in Galican, or Finisterre as commonly read in books - I am officially in the shire, I guess, with about 7ks to go.


Walking through Sardineiro, the last village before my final destination. Not a lot going on at about 8:15am


I leave Sardineiro behind me, with about an hour and a half of walking left.


Around 8:30am, a warm golden sun rises above the hills and promises a lovely finish to the camino.


Typical of the last part of this morning's walk. Not a difficult walk, through countryside similar to the rough and rugged beauty of land that sweeps down to the sea.

At 8:38am, my final destination comes definitively into view. I know I am almost there, and continue to enjoy these final moments of a beautiful morning before my arrival.


At about 8:50am I reached sea level with Finisterre at the other end of the beach. Some local walkers were kind enough to offer to take my photo. On the left side of the hill on the horizon, one can make out the road up to the lighthouse, the final ascent of the camino.


The camino threatened to become an ordinary, boring local morning walking track for a few hundred meters, however, one had to remember that this was the end of the trail after all.


The walk from where the camino reached shore level to the actual town of Finisterre was a bit deceptive in terms of distance - as it is with beaches, the distance seems less at sea level. But here at this moment, I could have been walking into a village in Wales or Scotland - certainly the land of the Celts here!

After a long enough trek along the shore front, this cross marks more or less the entrance into the actual town of Finisterre.


At 9:30am I have walked through the town of Finisterre with the intention of continuing to the end before other pilgrims decide to begin ascending to the lighthouse where the camino finishes. An ancient chapel before one leaves the town precinct.


I commit myself to the final ascent towards the finish of the camino.


With about 10 minutes of the camino left, the image of a pilgrim battling the elements reminds me of how blessed I am to be finishing on a day so beautiful.


At 10:01am - the last few steps to the end....


I finally stand at the pilgrims' cross of Finisterre.


David from Madrid who had walked some 1,500ks along the northern routes, and who kindly took my photograph. He and I were the only two pilgrims here at this time, and so we congratulated one another.


The last and final arrow of the camino - no matter from which direction one has walked via Santiago de Compostela - Finisterre "the end of the earth".


A few people down upon the rocks from the lighthouse offered to take my photograph when they learned I'd arrived from Seville. How many people over how many centuries have stood here as I stand, and contemplated "the end of the earth"?


One final, relaxed view at the sea - hard to believe it has all finished.

One last look at the cross before I head back down to the village.


The hostel where I ended up staying after investigating a few albergues where there seemed just too many young, enthusiastic pilgrims for my liking. This was quiet and modest, but had a great view.


I had passed this restaurant on the way into the village, and was determined to treat myself to a nice fish meal at the "end of the world". I met a family also on their way towards the restaurant, and for one reason or another they began to converse with me. After learning that I was a priest and had just finished walking from Seville, they asked for my blessing. After I saw the prices for a meal in the restaurant I wished they'd given me a tip! However, there was a reasonable "menu of the day". A beautiful meal, but one I'd loved to have shared with the boys.


Three locals sitting outside the hostel where I stayed. I imagine they have observed many pilgrims come and go.


The view from outside the hostel I stayed at in Finesterre - nice, but overpriced!
However, I felt I could spoil myself on the last official night of the camino. Farewell camino, I'll return to Santiago tomorrow by bus.

When I arrived back to Santiago, the Pope was beginning his Mass in the Plaza, so all streets near by were closed off. I could no longer leave from the area directly in front of my hostel. So I decided to sit, read, and sip a beer, accompanied by the only other people in the street - a group of boys playing soccer, and we were only two block from all the action with the Pope.


Later on that evening, one of the many Spanish Folk Groups who had come to add to the celebrations with the Pope. This group were quite good, so I shouted them a round of drinks to encourage them. They played some more...


Time for him to go home, and time for me to bring my camino to an end.