Some Caminos are years in the planning but this one started in April when my whole family had finished walking the Camino Frances (me and my sister from Astorga and Mum and Dad from Triacastella) and I jokingly said to Dad that we should walk the Camino Ingles before school re-started. The only thing is that he took me seriously so today found us getting up at 5, changing into our walking clothes, bidding goodbye to Mum and our five month old kittens and heading out of the door on another Camino.
Before we have always caught a coach down to Stanstead airport but prices this time meant that Dad drove us there. The journey as a whole was quite smooth - there are a fair few buses to Ferrol from Santiago but planes being what they are we thought that we copuld be arriving in Ferrol anytime from half six to nine so had booked a hotel but we did manage to get the earliest bus and so had some time to explore the city of Ferrol.
We used the monobus company and the list of their buses on this route can be found at http://www.monbus.es/es/rutas-puntos-de-venta/155/viajar-santiago-de-compostela-ferrol/ . Once you arrive at the bus station there is no map anywhere so simply head out the main exit (which is up the stairs from the station) and then head left down the street to a wide road and head left again downwards onto a square on which you will find the Ferrol main tourist information which had maps and were very helpful.
Ferrol itself is still a major port for the Spanish Navy and was where the Spanish Armada set out in 1588. General Franco was born in the city whose name, from 1938 to 1982, was changed to El Ferro del Caudillo but no sign of this part of its history can now be seen.
The Way itself starts from the central port with the stone waymarker being opposite the small tourist booth (a sello is available here and in the main tourist information centre in the city).
We decided to start on the Camino that night to a point near to our hotel and then we could pick it up again in the morning meaning that we could do the part that wound through the city streets when it was light so (after an ice cream on the front!) we set out and immediently encountered a diversion - I had read on-line that this first part often has road works going on and we were easily able to find our way back to the Camino and even cheekily went into the Parador to ask for a sello!
After our short walk it was back to the hotel to eat our Boots meal deal from the airport.
Sellos for the day
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