The Camino Inglés at a Glance
- Starting point: Ferrol (alternate A Coruna 75kms without Compostela)
- Distance: 116 km
- Typical duration: 5 days
- Finish: Santiago de Compostela
- Compostela: Yes starting from Ferrol
- Terrain: Hilly, with significant tarmac walking
- Accommodation: Albergues and private accommodation
- Best for: Walkers looking for a shorter Camino with enough distance to qualify for the Compostela credential.
What Is The Camino Inglés?
The “English Way” or Camino Inglés is the medieval Camino route followed by Irish and English pilgrims arriving at the port of Ferrol for the walk across Galicia to the tomb of St. James in Santiago. Established in the 12th century, pilgrims crossed to Spain by boat before making their way to Santiago de Compostela to see the tomb and relics of St. James.
The Camino Inglés – The Teenager of Modern Pilgrimages?
We started our journey on the Camino Inglés in September during a period of unusually warm and dry fall conditions. On arrival in Ferrol, we found a small, industrial port town with limited places to stay and eat – particularly outside of traditional Spanish food service hours.
As we made our way to the main tourist office to get our first stamp – only to find it closed – we saw group after group of walkers in the same boat. This was our first glimpse of the growing pains present on this Camino route. Generally, we found the Camino Inglés carries a feeling of being present for the walking community, but not always an available host.
As of September 2026, the Pilgrim Office in Santiago reported just over 27,000 people had walked the route. In 2016, approximately 9,700 people were recorded as walking this route – reflecting a steady growth of walkers over the last decade. As we walked, we saw many more people on the trail than we expected, perhaps even higher than what the official statistics reflected.
This is not unusual on any route, as not everyone collects a Compostela and is counted by Santiago’s Pilgrim Office. However, throughout our walk, we definitely felt the growing popularity of the Camino Inglés.
The Vibe on the Camino Inglés
Overall, we enjoyed our walk on the Camino Inglés, but it does have drawbacks and is definitely experiencing growing pains. It is a classic case of reality versus what you read online. As we set out from Ferrol for the lovely riverside town of Pontedeume and then onward to the medieval town of Betanzos and beyond, we took note of a few realities about this route.
First, the start is difficult. Ferrol is not an attractive town and, once you escape it and start walking through the hills to the lovely riverside town of Pontedeume, there are few services. As we continued through the stages of the route we noted scarcity of services was the norm rather than the exception on the Camino Ingles.
Given the few and far-between cafés, it was easy to see the strain on the communities under the pressure of the growing number of walkers. Simply put, the development of this route is lagging behind its growth. While on other routes you cannot miss a “buen camino” or a friendly wave as you walk, we found residents in the communities on the Ingles often ignored walkers.
Since the Camino Inglés has limited services, and the distances between stops are longer than on the more travelled routes like the Frances and the Portuguese, there are concerns. It is not just about waiting longer for a coffee stop. The truth is that it creates a burden on the community for less obvious issues, such as a lack of toilet facilities. The less-than-pleasant results are visible anytime you dip off the trail to relieve your own needs.
In addition, although there are water points along the route, in the heat of summer those may be a bit far apart. Be aware not only to carry water but also to fill up when you can.
We also noticed a certain level of frustration among café owners along the way. They were clearly exhausted from a season serving the walking community. Several cafés we intended to stop at were closed for proprietor holidays.
Overall, we found those running the cafés to be stressed. One morning, after a particularly long stretch of walking, we sat with our much-appreciated café con leches and torta de Santiago and watched the owner and staff grow increasingly frustrated with the large crowd descending on their establishment.
This was the first stopping point in that stage, and so the crowd should have been expected, but the owner was clearly overwhelmed and annoyed. He and his staff were not helped by the bar set-up, which was poorly situated in a corner and not well suited to crowds of coffee-starved, hungry pilgrims.
Making matters worse, they kept the stamp behind the bar – apparently because they were safeguarding it from disappearing or being used by pilgrims who were not actually buying anything.
Needless to say, the chaos among the patrons and the exasperation from the proprietor were less than pleasant to witness. We saw similar, albeit less dramatic, scenes in several of the cafés along the way.
The Camino Inglés – Other Than That, How Was the Play, Mrs. Lincoln?
The English Way is often billed as an easy and less crowded alternative to the Compostela-eligible last 100 km routes from Tui (Camino Portugués) and Sarria (Camino Francés). As a result, pilgrims seeking a shorter route are flocking to the Camino Inglés.
We found the terrain on the Camino Inglés generally to be wearing. The route is about 70% tarmac walking, one of the highest percentages among Camino routes. Tarmac walking is rough, particularly on the warm days we faced. There are sporadic sections with cool, forested paths, and those are oasis points in otherwise tarmacked road or path walking.
Stage 1
The first stage of the route is an unpleasant slog out of the industrial zones of Ferrol until finally arriving at the more pleasant suburban areas looking across to the water from the hills leading to Pontedeume.
Pontedeume, like Betanzos that follows it, is a lively old town and welcoming stop, but timing can be problematic if you arrive hungry for lunch. The reality is that the towns along the Inglés all follow traditional Spanish business hours, with a siesta period from 2–4/5 pm and no proper food served until 8 or 8:30 pm.
Again, it is best to be prepared with snacks or a second breakfast at a café stop along the way.
Stage 2
The stage leading to Betanzos is a challenging and long day of up-and-down walking, with the first coffee stop coming 11 km into a 25 km walk.
The stage includes several 14th century bridges, including the famous Ponte do Porco, which proved to be rather disappointing as the legend of the star-crossed lovers is somewhat muted by the modern road bridge on the site of the original structure. However, persistence pays as a short distance along the route you cross a 14th Century bridge, well preserved and part of the patronage of Fernan Perez de Andrade (The Good) who constructed it to ease transit between Pontedeume and Betanzos.
Stage 3
The stage from Betanzos to Hospital de Bruma/Mesón do Vento was the first day we felt seemed more like other Camino routes. The path meanders through agricultural land, with some hills and rural villages. Following a steep climb out of Betanzos, the route continues to rise gradually towards Hospital de Bruma via a welcome stopping point by a lake and eco-camp at Encorro de Beche. There are some nice forested sections – although some with paved paths. The worst stretch of this stage is directly alongside a busy road that features some dangerous curves. The local authorities are working to build an off-road path, but the work is going slowly.
The endpoint is isolated and accommodation options are limited. We ended up in Mesón do Vento, but others we spoke to walked through to Ordes to find accommodation. Although there are at least two albergues in Hospital de Bruma, this stage is the one that most dictates pre-planning due to limited accommodation options.
Stage 4
Stage 4 leads to the suburban town of Sigüeiro. The walk through the countryside is lovely until about 7 km outside the town, where you find yourself walking on an open path next to a busy, loud highway.
As you approach town, 2 km are spent walking around a large industrial complex without any shade, on tarmac.
The town of Sigüeiro itself is a commuter community, made up of apartment buildings and a small commercial centre with shops and cafés. We stayed in a rented apartment here, and it was clearly the right choice, as other accommodation options are limited.
Stage 5
The final stage leads into Santiago and the Cathedral Square.
We did not expect much from this stage of the Camino Inglés but were pleasantly surprised. Despite some unpleasant road walking in the early sections, a nice stretch along a forested path passes one of the better café stops along the route.
The approach to town was better marked than expected and we passed through some pleasant sections of Santiago on approach to the Cathedral.
The Camino Inglés – Pros and Cons
Overall, we enjoyed our walk on the English Way. It is as advertised – a short, Compostela-eligible Camino.
If you are thinking about walking this route, here are a few pros and cons to consider.
On the Pro Side
- The route is short. It is 116 km from Ferrol.
- The Inglés offers a Camino experience in 5 days of walking. If you are short on time and determined to walk, this one is definitely worth considering.
- The route is well and clearly marked. Markers were updated in 2017. Even in towns, the markers are clear – although be careful walking out of Pontedeume. As you reach the top of the hill and the viewpoint, it is easy to take a wrong turn, so watch for the markers.
- Torta de Santiago is commonly found along the way, and the tortilla at Betanzos lives up to its reputation as one of the best in Spain.
- You have company, not crowds. Unlike some of the other shorter, Compostela-eligible options, this route does not have the crowded conditions you would find, for example, walking the Francés from Sarria.
On the Con Side
- The route has about 70% tarmac surface walking. This includes paved pathways and road walking. This is a high percentage among Camino routes.
- The route is more challenging than described in many guides and online resources. There are significant ups and downs and some long, steep climbs – particularly between Pontedeume and Betanzos. Generally this is a hilly route throughout, so include hill training in your Camino preparation, particularly if you plan to carry your pack.
- The route is not as well serviced with cafés, rest points and water points as other, more travelled Camino routes. Fill up your water bottles when you see an opportunity – particularly in the heat of summer.
- The route has limited accommodation. It has albergues and private accommodation, including hotels, apartments and private rooms. If you plan to stay in private accommodation, book well in advance, a minimum of 6–8 weeks.
- We did not find pilgrim meals offered along the route. Dinner is generally not available until 8 pm, in line with Spanish dining culture.
Bottom Line
The Camino Inglés is growing in popularity and experiencing some growing pains. However, as a shorter route, it is an obvious option for those with limited time to walk a longer Camino de Santiago route.
As a starting point, Ferrol is a less interesting and beautiful place than other Camino starting points, but the towns of Pontedeume and Betanzos make up for the shortfall.
As Camino walking numbers grow year on year, we expect the Inglés will find its place among the more developed routes.
Buen Camino!
About The Authors
Dana Stinson and Tony Welch have been walking Camino routes since 2012 when Tony walked the full length of the Camino Frances and Dana joined him for 175kms after Pamplona. The Camino Ingles in September 2026 was their last walk together as Tony has determined it is time to focus on walks closer to home in the U.K.
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