The second historic gateway to the Camino Inglés: from the old pilgrim port of A Coruña to Hospital de Bruma, where this branch joins the main route from Ferrol and continues together to Santiago.
For centuries A Coruña was one of the two great arrival ports for the sea pilgrims who crossed to Galicia from England, Ireland and northern Europe – the other being Ferrol. Both ports gave the Camino Inglés its name.
While today's main route of the Camino Inglés begins in Ferrol, the branch from A Coruña is the second historic gateway. It runs from the port city inland to Hospital de Bruma, where it meets the Ferrol branch. From there both routes run united over Sigüeiro to Santiago de Compostela.
The section listed here (about 30 km) is exactly that standalone starting branch from A Coruña to the junction. It is short but climbs noticeably – an atmospheric, direct entry that brings you quickly into the Galician hinterland.
The name Camino Inglés comes from the mostly English and Irish pilgrims who came ashore in A Coruña and Ferrol.
Ideal if you want to connect the Camino Inglés with the historic sea-pilgrim port of A Coruña and are looking for an easily reached, short stretch – for example as an extended opening or as a small pilgrimage of a few days.
Less suitable if the Compostela certificate matters to you: A Coruña lies under 100 km on foot from Santiago, and this branch alone does not meet the minimum distance (see below). If you want the Compostela, it's better to start in Ferrol.
From the port of A Coruña the route leaves the city and runs inland through the surrounding countryside toward Cambre and the Galician hill country.
Climbing steadily, it reaches Hospital de Bruma, an old pilgrim hub with the remains of a medieval pilgrim hospital. Here the standalone branch ends and meets the main route from Ferrol.
From Bruma both branches continue together through the hinterland over Sigüeiro and across the Tambre river into the outskirts of Santiago.
The starting branch is short at around 30 km, but the climb makes it demanding: nearly 800 meters of ascent up to about 457 m, against only some 350 m of descent. The section can be walked in one long day or comfortably split over two. The longest and most challenging stretch of the A Coruña branch is the climb up to Hospital de Bruma – plan for enough water and breaks.
A Coruña was a central landing point for sea pilgrims: as early as the Middle Ages, travelers from England, Ireland and northern Europe came ashore here to walk on to Santiago. The English pilgrim William Wey, a co-founder of Eton College, described the city in 1456 as a meeting place for ships from England, Wales, Ireland, Normandy, France and Brittany. It was exactly this maritime influx that gave the route its name.
Important for the Compostela: for the Compostela certificate the Pilgrim's Office requires at least 100 kilometers on foot to Santiago. A Coruña, however, lies below this threshold (around 74 km to Santiago). The A Coruña branch alone is therefore not enough for the Compostela.
One recognized way to still reach the 100 km: pilgrims combine the section from A Coruña with kilometers walked beforehand on the Camino Celta in Ireland, so that both stretches together make up the minimum distance. If you don't plan this and want the Compostela, you should begin the Camino Inglés in Ferrol.
This branch is not a destination of its own but the opening of the Camino Inglés. At Hospital de Bruma it joins the main route that begins in Ferrol. From there both run together over Sigüeiro and across the Tambre river to Santiago de Compostela. So you don't walk "into another route" – you step onto the Camino Inglés and follow it to the finish.
The best time is spring to autumn. As the branch is short, you'll need little more than one full walking day to Bruma; many connect it directly with the further stages to Santiago. A pilgrim credential is useful for stamps and pilgrim lodgings – and required if you intend to claim the Compostela at the end. If the Compostela matters to you, settle the 100-km question in advance (see above).
In Spain the costs are moderate. Budget roughly €30–50 per day for simple lodging and food; pilgrim hostels are inexpensive, while guesthouses and restaurants cost more.
The starting point is A Coruña, well reached by train and bus.
AC Hotel A Coruña by Marriott
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Alda Alborán Rooms
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Alpalop
Open season unknownEverything you need for the Camino Inglés from A Coruña, shipped to your door.
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