Overview
The Camino Inglés or The English Way was traditionally the preferred route for pilgrims coming from the British Isles and Ireland on their way to Santiago de Compostela, hence its name. Pilgrims used to arrive by boat at the ports of Ferrol or A Coruña, and they would then continue their journey to Santiago on foot. They would follow a trail along the rugged coastline, passing historic towns such as Pontedeume and Betanzos, before continuing inland across the green countryside and woodlands of rural Galicia on their way to Santiago de Compostela and its famous cathedral.
The Camino Inglés is a fantastic alternative walk into Santiago. If you want to gain your Compostela certificate away from the crowds on the Camino Frances, then this beautiful trip through rural Galicia is one of the best options. And the first couple of days are rewarded with stunning coastal scenery before continuing inland into the heart of the Galician countryside.
- The coastal city of Ferrol
- Small historic towns like Pontedeume and Betanzos
- Following the rugged coastline and then crossing the green countryside and woodlands of rural Galicia
- Santiago de Compostela cathedral
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Ferrol
Arrive in the city of Ferrol, explore its historic centre and taste the great seafood. To reach Ferrol, you can fly into Santiago de Compostela or La Coruna. From either, there are several buses a day to get you up to Ferrol.
- Accommodation: Hotel El Suizo or similar in Ferrol
Day 2: Ferrol to Pontedeume | 28km
Today you will walk out of Ferrol to Neda. At the banks of the Eume estuary, you will join the Camino Real or the Royal Way. There is a lovely beach at A Magdalena, which is a great spot to rest and relax. It is a long walking day, but you can request a ‘split’ day and add an extra night in Neda. Explore the pretty cobbled streets of Pontedeume, your stop for the night.
- Walking for the day: 28km, 6-7h
- Accommodation: Hotel Camino de Eume or similar in Pontedeume
Day 3: Pontedeume to Betanzos | 21km
From Pontedeume, the trail climbs up to give spectacular views over Betanzos, Ares and Ferrol. The trail continues to Miño by way of a medieval stone bridge over the Baxoi river and joins the Camino Real once again. You will then travel along the coast to the wide estuary of the Lambre river on a path that holds beautiful views of the Rias de Betanzos and the surrounding marshlands. The town of Betanzos has some of the most interesting and artistic historical buildings in Galicia.
- Walking for the day: 21km, 5h
- Accommodation: Hotel Garelos or similar in Betanzos
Day 4: Betanzos to Meson do Vento/Hospital de Bruma | 28km
Today you will cross the Mendo River using the ancient bridge of As Cascas. From here, the trail passes the villages of Matino and Boucello. You will pass the hermitage of San Paio, which is abandoned and travel through agricultural lands to the village of Bruma, which is the site of a medieval hospital.
- Walking for the day: 28km, 6-7h
- Accommodation: Hotel Canaima or similar in Meson do Vento
Day 5: Bruma-Meson do Vento to Sigüeiro | 24km
The Camino leaves Bruma at the chapel and heads into the lovely green area of Ordes. You will then pass the church of San Xiao and the village of Casanova on your way to Sigüeiro.
- Walking for the day: 24km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Pension Vilanova or similar in Sigüeiro
Day 6: Sigüeiro to Santiago de Compostela | 17km
Your final stage! With only 17km to walk today, you should be in Santiago in time for the pilgrim mass (12 pm). After visiting Santiago Cathedral and recovering from your walk, take time to explore this gem of a city, small and vibrant. Its old town will enchant you. In Santiago de Compostela, you will find not only pilgrims but also locals and students enjoying a few bites and socialising over a glass of wine in the many bars, restaurants, and cosy cafes.
- Walking for the day: 17km
- Accommodation: Alameda Rooms, Hotel Lux Santiago or similar in Santiago de Compostela
Day 7: Departure
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before heading back to the airport. We highly recommend booking additional nights in Santiago de Compostela to explore this fantastic city.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodations on this tour include a mix of welcoming country inns and simple tourist hotels located close to the Camino route. You will always have a private room and an en-suite bathroom. The accommodation places have been carefully selected for their location, atmosphere and/or unique services. Extra nights can be booked at any of the accommodations along the way.
Important: We aim to book you into each town listed on the itinerary. However, in case of low availability, we may book you two nights in the same town with provided transfers. Also, on some occasions, your accommodation can be located a few kilometres away from the trail, so we organise transportation to/from your accommodation.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel El Suizo (Ferrol)
- Hotel Camino de Eume (Pontedeume)
- Hotel Garelos (Betanzos)
- Hotel Canaima (Bruma)
- Pension Vilanova (Sigüeiro)
- Alameda rooms, Hotel Lux Santiago (Santiago de Compostela)
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included (usually buffet breakfast/coffee and toast/bread/croissant) on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Where no dinner is included, most places serve hearty pilgrim menus – you can get a 3-course dinner including wine and water for ~ GBP 10.
Difficulty and terrain
This itinerary includes walks of 5-6h per day on average (the longest one is 29km, but can be split) (read more about difficulty grades). The terrain is flat or hilly without steep ascents or descents. You will follow a mixture of dirt roads, woodland paths, minor roads and some busier roads close to the bigger towns and cities. The routes are well-marked with yellow painted arrows and a yellow shell on a blue background, and the itinerary is very easy to follow. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available year-round, but the best months to visit are April – June and September – October, as in summer months, it may become too hot (and crowded). The flexibility of self-guided walking holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Santiago de Compostela (SCQ). The alternative airport is A Coruña (LCG).
By train or bus
Arrival in Ferrol
From Santiago Airport, you take the airport bus to Santiago Bus Station (approx. 20 mins). You can travel from La Coruña with Arriva buses and from Santiago with Monbus or by train with RENFE or check the Omio planner above.
Departure from Santiago de Compostela
There is a shuttle bus to Santiago Airport from the centre of Santiago with different stops in the city (check www.empresafreire.com), or you can book a private transfer with us.
From Santiago, you can take a train to A Coruña (30min approximately) and then take a bus from Alfonso Molina (line 4051) to the airport (every 30min, takes 20min approximately). Monbus has services from Santiago to A Coruña Airport (every 3h); see monbus.es/en for details.
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights in private en-suite rooms
- 6 breakfasts
- Maps
- Pilgrim pass
- Guided city tour in old Santiago
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days (1 pc up to 20kg per person; each additional piece should be paid)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Additional luggage
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on the spot)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- Supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room / single use of a double room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights
- Split of day 2 with overnight in Neda
Compostela/Pilgrim’s Passport
You can obtain one at the start of your walk in the pilgrim’s office or the local church in town. You need to get the passport stamped in churches, restaurants or hotels along the way. At the end of the walk in Santiago de Compostela, you can obtain your Compostela Certificate (only if you have walked the last 100km, finishing in Santiago).
Important: Due to the large influx of pilgrims during summer, and to avoid long waiting times, the Pilgrim Office in Santiago has installed a numbered ticket system for issuing pilgrim certificates (the Compostela). This new system allows pilgrims to collect their ticket and, using a QR Code, to check the status of the queue and estimated waiting time to obtain the Compostela. However, the number of tickets per day is limited, so on days with high numbers of pilgrims arriving, there is a possibility that not all pilgrims will be able to collect their certificate on the day of arrival and will have to return for it on the following morning.
Therefore, if obtaining a pilgrim certificate is important to you, and if you plan to undertake the Camino between April 15th and October 15th, we recommend that you arrange the return travel in such a way that you will be in Santiago de Compostela during the morning after your arrival. Better still, we encourage you to book a second night in Santiago so that you can collect the certificate without rush and enjoy the charms of the city!
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