Danny and I had several options for getting from A Coruna to Ferrol, where the Camino Ingles starts. Taxi, bus or train. We decided the taxi would be too expensive, although it would get us there at the right time. The trains were too early or late, so the bus was our best option. It did get us there for 10:30am but then we needed to catch a taxi to the starting point.

The starting point of the Camino is right at the docks. This Camino follows the route that pilgrims from England, Sweden etc would take when coming by boat. It is possible to start this Camino route in A Coruna but it doesn’t allow for 100km of walking, which is the minimum required to get a certificate at the end in Santiago de Compostella.

Although people talk about ‘the Camino’ it is actually a spider’s web of routes that all end in the one city. You can start from almost anywhere in Europe but the most famous and popular route is the one that begins on the border of France and travels east to west across the top of Spain. We are not doing that route, which I am thankful about as I’ve joined some Facebook groups and seen massive crowds leaving right around now.

When we arrived in the Camino office at the beginning of the Camino ingles there were only about 15 people who had already left today ahead of us. Looks like being a quiet walk!

The only thing I really want to write about our time in A Coruna is our breakfast. Danny was really excited for me to try his favourite Spanish breakfast, crushed tomatoes on crusty white bread with olive oil and salt. It’s both basic and delicious, especially when paired with fresh orange juice and a coffee.

We caught a taxi to the bus station, a bus to Ferrol and then a taxi to the start of the Camino Ingles!

The lady at the information place gave us our first stamp, we took a photo of the marker and off we went, walking through the mostly historical and attractive streets of Ferrol.

Walking behind another group of pilgrims meant not having to look at the map, which was nice as through town but the path went close to the coast and mostly through parks.

We saw people swimming.

We took a toilet break behind a defunct petrol station before crossing the bridge towards Neda.

We detoured alongside a beach.

And saw a magnificent chicken.

Lunch was a stop at cafe where we had our first Camino-based conversation with two brothers from Belfast who tried to sell us on the delights of an island retreat in Donegal that involved not eating for a day and staying up for an overnight vigil in bare feet. Obviously we signed up immediately.

Lunch was in a roadside cafe where it seemed like the only dish on offer was tortilla, a potato and egg mix they was slightly warm. Also coke in a very fancy gin glass.

We walked from Ferrol to Neda and then down to Pontedueme, so the first part was fairly flat but then climbed up quite high and over a ridge. As we went up I got a very familiar feeling.

I did not come half way around the world to stand in a eucalyptus forest!

And yet here I am. Well, at least Danny got to experience the sensation of being in the park at the bottom of my my street without having to fly all the way from Northern Ireland.

There were lots of other lovely sights.

We walked further than I expected and it ended up being a bit over 26km. Well done us!

We walked into Ponte Dueme at around 7:30pm.

Our accommodation is a really nice apartment right in the centre of the old town. The balcony has a great view.

We had Turkish food for dinner and some glasses of wine in the bus station cafe.

The cafe was next to a vending machine store that had everything from chips to fishing tackle.

The sunset was beautiful over the water. We’re looking forward to tomorrow!