October 1, 2018
- Route: Olveiroa to Fisterra
- Distance: 31.6 kilometers (19.64 miles)
When I woke up this morning, I had butterflies in my stomach. I knew today would be my last day on the Camino. I’d finally see the blue Atlantic Ocean. Just 26 days ago, I was making my way over the Pyrenees Mountains from France into the Basque region. And now, I’ve done it. I walked across the entire country of Spain!
During this journey, I hiked over countless mountains and walked beside vineyards full of ripe grapes. I’ve spent time in major cities, like Pamplona, Burgos, and Leon, and enjoyed discovering tiny little hamlets that aren’t on most maps. I drank from the infamous wine fountain, walked across the hot meseta, and toured more beautiful cathedrals that I would have ever imagined. All in all, it has been a truly remarkable adventure. I am eagerly anticipating getting to the ocean and looking west to see there is nowhere left to walk.
Choices
Leaving the town of Olveiroa this morning, I had the Great Divide still ahead of me. This is where the Camino Finisterre diverges. One fork in the road goes to the southwest toward Faro de Finisterre – the iconic lighthouse on the tip of Cape Finisterre. The other fork goes to northwest to the lovely coastal village of Muxía. Both locations are considered end points for Camino, and some pilgrims prefer one over the other.
I’ve opted to end at the lighthouse. It seems to be a fitting symbol for my journey. I’ve been walking toward something this entire way. It wasn’t the cathedral in Santiago. But perhaps it was something more symbolic, like trying to find my way forward. This is the first solo adventure I’ve taken since dramatically changing my life back in June.
Choosing to leaving my job and friends behind, and embracing nomadic life was a frightening proposition. Change is always scary, but this shift monumental. I’d completely upended my entire life this summer, and a lot of lingering fears came with that decision came . What if this new lifestyle doesn’t make me happy? What if we didn’t save enough money? What if I discover I miss my job? What if this ends up being too stressful and irreparably screws up my kid or relationship?
I could list out about a hundred rational and irrational anxieties that have been niggling in the back of my brain. But, this Camino taught me to embrace the unknown. I needed to discover that it’s ok to wake up and not know where I’d be laying my head each night. In the end, I’d learn I could still enjoy the adventure, and revel in the total and complete freedom of making my own choices.
First glimpses
After coming to the Great Divide, and picking the path toward Fisterra, my heart was a flutter. In less than 30 kilometers (or 18 miles) I’d really be there. Lucky for me, the scenery only got better the closer I got to the ocean. First, there were farm fields, then I moved to tree-lined paths. And for some reason, the colors seemed so sharp and vibrant and I just wanted to savor every moment
Then the end got real. As I approached the 18 kilometer mark, I crested a hill there it was. I could finally see the blue ocean off in the distance. In reality, I was only a mile or two from the coast, not nearly as far as the signpost showed. That’s because the final miles of the Camino Finisterre would parallel the coastline, providing me with nothing but perfect views on this sunny, clear, cloudless day.
Making my way down the hill toward the seaside village of Cee, I could finally see the ocean up close. In fact, I could literally go down and touch the seawater if I wanted. With the sun shining down on me, this trek felt so very perfect. My heart was just so filled with joy!
One of the secluded coves I encountered was just too good to pass up. I had to go out and feel the water. Despite it being near perfect weather this first day of October, I was the sole person out there on the beach. After feeling the ocean water, I decided to just sit down on the beach and just spent a few minutes reflecting on this journey. Was it really coming to an end?
Fisterra
While I could definitely just relax on that beach staring out at the ocean all day, I still felt the pull to get to Fisterra. I wanted to see the lighthouse out on Cape Finisterre more than anything. So, I picked myself up and pushed onward. And wouldn’t you know it, but the views continued to get better and better as I walked toward the end.
As I approached the town, I noticed a small beach front stand renting ocean gear (snorkels and fins). Right beside it was a small shack selling cold drinks. Suddenly I felt parched and needed to stop. At this rate, I was never going to get to the lighthouse. But who could begrudge me for wanting to stretch these last few moments out and savor them? It wasn’t a race. So, I spent 15 minutes enjoying a cool beer and looking out onto the beach for a little longer.
Faro de Finisterre
After my break, I made the final push to the the Cape of Finisterre. Walking through the town of Fisterra seemed to take forever. Time felt like it was slowing down and I suddenly felt exhausted. I only had five final kilometers to go. Unfortunately, getting there would require climbing a long hill. With each step, my pack felt heavier. I was sweating. The wind was kicking up and the sun was right in my eyes. The end of this journey was harder than I’d imagined. I felt like I was walking uphill forever and ever.
As I rounded the final bend, the white square lighthouse finally came into view. And there on the left side of the path was the last stone pillar proudly proclaiming I’d reached Kilometer 0 on the Camino.
There were tourists taking photos at the monument, so I decided to momentarily walk beyond it to take a closer look at the lighthouse. As I walked toward the white building, I suddenly saw a face I recognized! It was Marco!! The Italian guy I’d met my first day on the Camino, who I hadn’t seen since somewhere near Pamplona. He, too, was just finishing his Camino!!
What were the chances I’d get here after 890 kilometers and cross paths with someone else who started the Camino on the very same day as me?? We were both so ecstatic to see each other that we immediately hugged and congratulated each other on finishing. What a perfect way to celebrate the end of this journey. No one walks the Camino alone – we are a community.
After bidding Marco farewell and good luck, the crowd has dissipated and I finally was able to take my photo with the monument to commemorate the end of my Camino. I also wanted to walk around the lighthouse to see the rocks and ocean beyond it. This was the official place where I’d reached Finisterre or the ‘end of the world.’
On the backside of the lighthouse, I came across the bronze hiking boot that stands as a monument to the many pilgrims who end their journey here. And that’s when I knew it was finally time to take off my pack and rest. My Camino was complete. 26 days. 550 miles. An entire European country from east to west. I’d made all the way to the end of my journey.
A quiet celebration
Of course, I couldn’t just set up camp on the rocks and stay there forever. I needed to walk the 5 kilometers back down to the town of Fisterra for the evening. I’d booked myself in a nice hotel room with sublime ocean views to celebrate my accomplishment.
On the way to my hotel, I had two stops to make. The first was to purchase a ticket for the morning bus back to Santiago. You can purchase tickets from the bus driver on the day you plan to travel. However, advance tickets are generally recommended, especially if you want to take the morning bus to Santiago, which fills up most days. With that errand complete, it was time for my second stop – one of the local stores to buy a good bottle of Tempranillo for my quiet celebration this evening.
