Camino Inglés

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Ferrol (Curuxeiras Pier, Kilometer Zero) → Santiago de Compostela
• Length: 114.2 km — this makes Ferrol the only starting point on this route to exceed the 100-km mark for the Compostela
• Elevation gain: ↗ 2,854 m / ↘ 2,609 m — not a single climb over 400 meters, but it all adds up: The toughest stage is Betanzos–Hospital de Bruma, with 630 meters of elevation gain
• Duration: 5–6 days (5–6 stages)
• Waymarking: Yellow arrows and seashell markers all along the way—the trail is well marked, but you’ll need to pay attention at the road crossings along the new route established in 2017, not at the trail signs
• Second starting point: A Coruña (72.8 km) — historically the major pilgrimage port, now under the 100-km mark; since the chapter’s decision on December 21, 2016, the Compostela has nevertheless been available from A Coruña: for residents with ID, and for everyone else via the Celtic Camino (at least 25 km on a recognized pilgrimage route in Ireland or the United Kingdom + 75 km from A Coruña); both routes converge at Hospital de Bruma
• Access route: On foot along the Camino del Mar—it ends right in Ferrol; for 700 years, pilgrims traveled there by ship themselves
• Hostels: Xunta hostels in Ferrol (60 beds), Neda (26), and Hospital de Bruma (22) for €10 each, plus municipal and private options—there are no longer any public hostels between Bruma and Santiago; the Ferrol hostel was closed in August 2026 due to a bedbug infestation (as of August 2026)
• Pilgrims: over 30,200 in 2025 — the fourth most popular route to Santiago, accounting for about 6% of all pilgrims, seven times as many as in 2014
• Character: A short, undulating route through the Rías and hills, with a high proportion of paved surfaces and the most extensive documentation of any of the Way of St. James routes: the only Camino with medieval passenger lists

Overview

The Camino Inglés is the route that begins where the medieval pilgrims arrived. They came by ship—from Bristol and Plymouth, from Ireland, Iceland, Scandinavia, and Flanders—and because the majority on board were English, this route is still named today after the nationality of its passengers: no king, no saint, no river. It took the Eton priest William Wey four days in May 1456 to sail from Plymouth to A Coruña; then began the journey you're taking today: 114.2 kilometers from the Ría de Ferrol across the Andrade Bridge of Pontedeume, the Gothic churches of Betanzos and the lonely hilly countryside around Hospital de Bruma to Santiago. The first stage of this journey was the sea—yours begins at the pier where it ended.

Today, the Camino Inglés is the most reliable shortcut in the entire trail network: 5–6 stages, marked throughout, three public hostels for €10 each—and at 114.2 kilometers, Ferrol is past the 100-km mark that the cathedral requires for the Compostela. It was precisely this rule that turned history on its head: In the Middle Ages, A Coruña was the great pilgrimage port—licenses, hospitals, and, since 1448, even two scallop shells in the city seal—yet its branch measures only 72.8 kilometers. So today, more than nine out of ten pilgrims are setting out from Ferrol, the historically smaller port. More than 30,200 people walked this route in 2025, seven times as many as in 2014—ranking fourth behind the Francés and the two Portuguese routes. It is therefore no longer an insider’s tip, but it is something rarer: a short route with a long paper trail.

The first stage was the sea

This route is the only Way of St. James with passenger lists. Because English pilgrims traveled by ship and the Crown licensed the transport, we know their names, the ships they sailed on, and the number of people on board: 781 ship licenses between 1235 and 1500 were retrieved by the historian Constance M. Storrs from the crown registers — approximately 5,000 pilgrims transported in the 14th century, approximately 14,000 in the 15th. The oldest license, from 1235, was issued to Simon of Whitlesgray; in 1391 Thomas Norton was allowed to carry unlimited pilgrims on the “George”; in 1428 more than 4,000 Britons sailed in a single year. An anonymous 15th-century English poem sums up the crossing: “Men may leue alle gamys, that saylen to seynt Jamys!” — whoever sails to St. James can leave all games behind. And in 1417, Margery Kempe went on board — the mystic from King's Lynn whose book is considered the first autobiography written in English: seven days from Bristol to Galicia, five back. Then the Holy Year 1456: William Wey counted 84 ships in the port of A Coruña, a good thirty of them English — the Crown had issued 19 licenses that year. The records are not the truth; they are the bare minimum.

The end did not come from the sea, but from a bedroom. In 1533 Archbishop Cranmer annulled Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine of Aragon — the same Catherine who in 1501 had herself made the pilgrimage to Santiago via A Coruña. In 1534 Parliament declared the king the supreme head of the Church of England, and with the break from Rome this route broke too: The Xunta officially states that the conflict brought an end to English pilgrimages and sent the route “into exile for centuries.” In 1589, Francis Drake came with 120 ships and 17,000 soldiers and destroyed the San Andrés Hospital in A Coruña, which had 150 to 180 beds for pilgrims. First England took the pilgrims from the route, then England took the bed from the route. The rest involved removal rather than destruction—as best illustrated by the bridge at Pontedeume: built 1380–1386 by Fernán Pérez de Andrade, known as "o Boo" (the Good), with 78 arches, it carried, between arches 20 and 21, a chapel and the Hospital do Espírito Santo—a pilgrim’s bed right above the water. The hospital disappeared between 1791 and 1820, the towers and chapel in 1843, and the bridge itself in 1863. Today you'll walk across 15 arches; the pilgrim of 1400 walked across 78—and was able to check in at Arch 20.

The return is recent and can be dated precisely—and it consists of three dates that are constantly confused with one another and are actually three different things. On September 4, 2014, the Xunta used Decreto 110/2014 to officially designate the route and enter it in the cultural heritage registry as a “territorio histórico.” On December 21, 2016, the cathedral chapter decided on the Compostela from A Coruña—the Celtic Camino rule (see below). And in 2017 the realignment took effect, shifting about half of the itinerary—amid loud protests because it directed pilgrims to walk along the shoulders of country roads and cross the N-651 and AC-542. How much of the past was lost in the process was worked out in 2026 by the engineer Carlos Nárdiz: between A Coruña and Santiago, three routes lie on top of one another—the medieval route through Ardemil, Poulo, and Buscas; the 18th-century carriage road; and today’s Camino, which largely follows the carriage road. His conclusion: “No se está protegiendo el trazo original” — the original route is not being protected. This clearly doesn't bother the pilgrims much: From about 4,000 in 2014 to over 30,200 in 2025 — a factor of 7 in eleven years, while the overall market has only doubled.

Other Names

In Galician, the trail is called Camiño Inglés, in Spanish Camino Inglés, in English English Way — and in Irish pilgrim circles often Irish Way, because the proportion of Irish people on board was always disproportionately high. The name refers to the majority, not an exclusive group: The official pilgrim guide for the city of A Coruña lists pilgrims from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Germany, France, Scandinavia, Poland, the Netherlands, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland, in addition to the English. It simply bears the name of the majority on board—the only major Camino de Santiago route named after the nationality of its travelers. For the feeder network from Ireland and Great Britain, the term Celtic Camino has become established; in England, since 2019, the Finchale Camino Inglés (Finchale Priory – Durham – Bishop Auckland – Escomb) has been promoted as a lead-in section, extended to Hull since 2025. The official name of the route in Galicia has been, since Decreto 110/2014, Camino de Santiago Inglés and is listed as a “territorio histórico” in the cultural heritage catalog.

Who It's Ideal For—and Who It's Not So Ideal For

This path is right for you if you have a week and want a real Compostela: 114.2 kilometers, five to six stages, no climb over 400 meters, continuous trail markings—and at the end, the cathedral, without the crowds of Sarria. Also ideal if the Rías appeal to you more than the Meseta: The first two days are all about the water; only then does the trail turn into hilly country. And it’s perfect if you like history you can touch—a bridge, a tomb, and churches built by a single 14th-century patron are located here across three different stages, and you’ll see them all in the same week.

To be honest, though, this route isn’t for you if you hate asphalt: A large portion of the route is paved—mostly local roads with little traffic and land-consolidation trails, but asphalt is still asphalt. It’s also not for you if you rely solely on public hostels: There are no longer any Xunta hostels between Hospital de Bruma and Santiago; in Sigüeiro, you’ll have to rely on private accommodations; and the 60 beds in Ferrol were closed in August 2026 due to a bedbug infestation (as of August 2026). You plan around such gaps in advance, not while you’re on the road. And if you want to start in A Coruña because 73 kilometers are enough for you: that’s possible—but only if you’re a resident or have proof of having completed the Celtic Camino; more on that below.

Route & Landscape

The trail begins at the Muelle de Curuxeiras in Ferrol Vello, at the monolith marking Kilometer Zero, less than 600 meters from the Xunta hostel—Ferrol itself is a city of the Enlightenment, built around the royal arsenal that Ferdinand VI ordered to be constructed in 1749. The first two days are spent by the water: the Ría de Ferrol inland toward Neda, where the albergue stands on the site of the old pilgrim hospital Sancti Spiritus, across the Xubia and via Cabanas to Pontedeume, where the Eume flows into the Ría and the route’s most famous bridge awaits—today with 15 arches, but 78 in the Middle Ages. Continuing on through Miño with its long beach and Paderne to Betanzos, the Gothic town on the Mandeo: three churches from the 14th and 15th centuries within a few hundred meters of each other.

From Betanzos, the route turns away from the sea and heads inland: The stage to Hospital de Bruma, with 630 meters of ascent, is the longest climb on the route—hardly any villages, hardly any bars, but plenty of eucalyptus trees and corn. In Bruma, at 470 meters in the municipality of Mesía, pilgrims from Ferrol meet those from A Coruña; the town is named after its function: a pilgrims’ hospital first documented in 1175, which remained in operation until the 18th century; in 1520, Charles V spent the night here. From there, the route winds through the gently rolling hills of Ordes to Sigüeiro, over the Tambre Bridge with its five Romanesque arches and the Andrade family’s Gothic pointed arch—and through the industrial area along the Tambre and Meixonfrío, up into the Old Town of Santiago de Compostela. A total of 30 towns, 2,854 meters of elevation gain, 2,609 meters of elevation loss.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

Six stages make for a relaxed itinerary, five work too — the difference lies almost entirely in the first day and in whether you split up the tough Bruma stage in Presedo. Technically, nothing is difficult; the terrain is mostly asphalt on quiet local roads, interspersed with forest and dirt paths. The only challenging part is the fourth stage—and the question of where to stay at the end: There are only private hostels in Sigüeiro, so in summer book there in advance. The distance figures are marked “approx.” because the sources vary by up to three kilometers; the track measurements from our route database are the definitive source: 114.2 km.

1. Ferrol → Neda — approx. 15 km — Flat along the Ría, starting at the monolith at the Muelle de Curuxeiras in Ferrol Vello, crossing the Xubia River. Xunta-Albergue Neda (26 beds, €10) — on the site of the old pilgrims' hospital Sancti Spiritus.
2. Neda → Pontedeume — approx. 13 km — Short, but the most beautiful arrival point on the route: the Andrade Bridge, the Torreón, and the old town on the Eume River. Municipal hostel (20 beds).
3. Pontedeume → Betanzos — approx. 20 km — The first truly undulating stage, stopover Miño (beach, albergue); use caution at the two N-651 crossings near Cabanas — a remnant of the 2017 realignment.
4. Betanzos → Hospital de Bruma — approx. 24 km — The toughest and loneliest stage: ↗ 630 m / ↘ 273 m, few services, and the AC-542 at the end, which is prone to fog. Can be split at Presedo (municipal albergue). Destination: Xunta-Albergue Hospital de Bruma (22 beds, €10) — the last public hostel before Santiago.
5. Hospital de Bruma → Sigüeiro — approx. 24 km — From here on, you'll walk together with the pilgrims from A Coruña; peaceful, rolling countryside through Ordes, a lot of farm-road asphalt. In Sigüeiro private beds only — book ahead.
6. Sigüeiro → Santiago de Compostela — approx. 16 km — Via the Tambre Bridge (five Romanesque arches + one Gothic pointed arch by Andrade), through the industrial area and Meixonfrío into the Old Town.

If you only have five days, combine the two short opening stages: Ferrol → Pontedeume (about 28 km) on the first day, then as described above—that’s the usual Gronze split. If you prefer a more relaxed pace, split the Bruma stage instead at Presedo: Then the six stages become seven, and no day is longer than 20 kilometers. Both options work with the same chain of lodging; the only important thing is that you book your private lodging in Sigüeiro in advance.

Highlights Along the Way

• Muelle de Curuxeiras, Ferrol — Kilometer Zero at the monolith, in the heart of the old fishing district of Ferrol Vello; the city itself was founded during the Enlightenment around the Royal Arsenal in 1749.
• Neda — The Xunta-Albergue is located on the site of the old pilgrims' hospital Sancti Spiritus, right behind the Xubia River: You'll sleep where pilgrims have slept for centuries—only the building dates from 2002.
• Pontedeume Bridge — 15 arches today, 1380–1386 by Fernán Pérez de Andrade „o Boo" with 78 arches; between arches 20 and 21 stood a chapel and Hospital do Espírito Santo, and the Andrade family's bear and boar were emblazoned on the towers.
• Betanzos — three Gothic churches in a very small area: Santa María do Azougue (14th–15th centuries, a national monument since 1944), the Igrexa de Santiago with the figure of St. James on horseback in the tympanum — and San Francisco featuring the Andrade tomb from 1387, which rests on a bear and a boar: a composition without parallel on the Iberian Peninsula.
• Hospital de Bruma — The town is named after its function: a pilgrims' hospital first mentioned in 1175, which remained in operation until the 18th century; in 1520 Charles V stayed here. Today it is where the two branches meet and the last public hostel before Santiago.
• Tambre Bridge near Sigüeiro — five Romanesque arches and one Gothic pointed arch, the latter commissioned by Andrade; the Battle of Sigüeiro raged here in 1846.
• Tower of Hercules, A Coruña (A Coruña branch) — a 2nd-century Roman lighthouse, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009; in 1448, the city placed it between two scallop shells in its city seal—the coat of arms of a pilgrimage port.
• Santiago de Compostela — Cathedral, Praza do Obradoiro, Pilgrims' Office. If you'd like, you can continue on to the Cape.

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

On foot, there is exactly one natural access route: the Camino del Mar, which runs for 272.4 kilometers over twelve stages from Castropol through Ribadeo along the northern coast of Galicia—passing the sanctuary of the dead at San Andrés de Teixido—and ends exactly in Ferrol. It is itself the coastal branch of the Camino del Norte; so anyone coming from Irún or Oviedo who doesn’t want to leave the coast will arrive right at our Kilometer Zero. The 114.2 kilometers from Ferrol alone fulfill the cathedral’s 100-kilometer requirement.

The second feeder line is a 21st-century invention and is called Celtic Camino. Because the A-Coruña leg, at 72.8 kilometers, falls short of the 100-kilometer mark, the cathedral chapter adopted a special rule on December 21, 2016: anyone who walks at least 25 kilometers on a recognized pilgrimage route in Ireland or Great Britain and proves it with the Celtic Camino Compostela issued by the Camino Society Ireland may add the 75 kilometers from A Coruña. Ten Irish routes are recognized, totaling 443 kilometers—including the Kerry Camino on the Dingle Way from Tralee to Dingle: 57 kilometers—more than twice the required distance. This makes it the only Camino de Santiago route where a hike in Kerry officially counts toward your Spanish kilometer total. (Residents of A Coruña only need their ID—the city has reclaimed its historic right to serve as a starting point.)

A route in Texas works on the same model: walk the whole El Camino de San Antonio Missions and collect all five stamps, and according to the organisers 30 kilometres count towards the A Coruña branch – 22.4 kilometres past four UNESCO-listed missions in San Antonio.

And after that? Continuing the pilgrimage from Santiago

Strictly speaking, this route ends where they all end: at the cathedral. But if, after five or six stages, you still feel like something’s missing—which happens more often on short routes than on long ones—the journey continues beyond Santiago on the Camino a Fisterra, about 90 kilometers to the end of the world. Historically, this brings things full circle: The English sea pilgrims came by sea and returned by sea—those who follow in their footsteps can once again make their way to the sea on foot.

Preparation & Practical Information

Logistically speaking, the Camino Inglés is the most user-friendly short route in Galicia—with two caveats. The first is the weather: the Atlantic means rain, all year round; realistically, expect one or two showers a week, even in August. A waterproof jacket, a backpack cover, and a second pair of socks aren’t just precautions—they’re essential gear. The second catch is the beds: The Xunta albergues in Ferrol (60 beds), Neda (26), and Hospital de Bruma (22) cost €10 each, don't take reservations, require the Credencial, and let you stay one night; check-out is by 8 a.m. There are no more public hostels between Bruma and Santiago — in Sigüeiro you book privately, and in summer in advance. To be honest: The albergue in Ferrol was closed because of a bedbug infestation, with no reopening date specified, and Neda is consequently full early in the morning (as of August 2026) — check this shortly before departure and have a backup plan ready for Ferrol.

The trail is well marked: yellow arrows and shell-shaped stones, all the way through. You need to pay attention to the roads, not the signs—the 2017 rerouting changed about half of the itinerary, adding sections along country road shoulders and across the N-651, EP-0105, AC-542, and N-550. The AC-542 before Bruma carries over 10,000 vehicles a day, is two kilometers long and dead straight, and is prone to fog: pack a reflective vest, and put your cell phone away when you’re in these areas.

The paperwork is regulated particularly clearly on this route: For the Compostela you need 100 kilometers walked on foot and two stamps per day — from Ferrol the 114.2 kilometers take care of that; from A Coruña you'll need your resident ID card or your Celtic Camino certificate. The Credencial is available in Ferrol at the pilgrim office under the arcades on the Paseo da Mariña and at the Co-Cathedral; it’s best to order it online in advance so you’ll have it in time for your start. And plan your daily stages in advance, because the lodging chain (Sigüeiro!) determines the stages—the easiest way to do this is directly in the Camino Ninja app, where you can put together your stages and plan suitable accommodations at the same time.

What the journey will cost you

Expect 35 to 45 € per day if you're traveling on a budget, and 65 to 90 € with a double room and a restaurant (as of August 2026). The Xunta hostels all cost 10 € including disposable bed linens; the municipal albergue in Pontedeume costs around 5 to 6 €, private hostel beds range from 14 to 22 €, and a pensión or a double room costs between 35 and 65 €. The “Menú del peregrino”—a starter, main course, dessert, bread, and wine—costs between 11 and 14 €, while breakfast at the bar costs between 3 and 5 €. Since the route takes only five to six days, the total budget remains pleasantly low: roughly 200 to 270 € economical, 390 to 540 € comfortable—plus travel to and from the starting point. If you have your backpack transported, it costs 6 to 12 € per stage; this is hardly necessary here, since no day’s walk is longer than 24 kilometers. According to Cabildo regulations, the Credencial costs no more than 2 € and is free at many stops; the Compostela in Santiago is free.

Getting Here

Ferrol, with a population of about 71,000, is the third-largest city in the province of A Coruña and is easily accessible—the starting point at the Muelle de Curuxeiras is just a few minutes from the train station and bus station. By train, you can travel directly from A Coruña or take the Alvia from Madrid in about five and a half hours; from Santiago, Vigo, and Ourense, you’ll need to transfer once. By bus, Arriva runs frequent service from A Coruña; Monbus runs several times a day from Santiago and Vigo; and ALSA runs daily service from Madrid (city and airport) as well as international routes. The nearest airport is A Coruña–Alvedro (52 km, about an hour to Ferrol); for the return trip, Santiago–Lavacolla is the practical choice, because you end up there anyway.

And then there's the best way to get there: none at all — at least not by motor vehicle. Anyone coming on foot will take the Camino del Mar, which ends right at Kilometer Zero; historically, the most authentic route remains the sea, since for 700 years this journey began with a four- to seven-day boat trip. Today you arrive by train instead of by cog ship—but you start at the same pier.

• Getting to the starting line: Train to Ferrol (direct from A Coruña; Alvia from Madrid, approx. 5.5 hours); buses operated by Arriva (A Coruña), Monbus (Santiago, Vigo), and ALSA (Madrid, international); A Coruña–Alvedro Airport (52 km).
• Return trip from Santiago: Santiago–Lavacolla Airport (bus to downtown every 30 minutes, approx. €3), plus train and bus connections in all directions.
• A Coruña branch: Those who take the Celtic Camino route travel to A Coruña—Alvedro Airport, the train station, and long-distance buses are all located right in the city; from there, it’s 75 km to Santiago via Hospital de Bruma.