To the End of the Earth – Finisterre

The final destination for many pilgrims on the Camino, even after the Cathedral in Santiago, is Finisterre, the place that the ancients believed was the end of the earth. Judi and I made the trip in the comfort of a bus rather than on foot. It was the perfect way to spend our last full day in Spain.

An array of windmills, specially built to be smaller and quieter than ones we had seen on Alto de Perdon

Our first stop was a Galician village that has been preserved to show a glimpse of medieval life.

This bridge was originally constructed in the 14th century and rebuilt in the 18th.
The granary
This water-powered mill ground grain.

Our second stop was at the site of one of only seven waterfalls in Europe that flow directly into the ocean.

The waterfall at Ezaro

Muros, an old harbor town and the site of a large estuary where mussels are farmed, had a tall ship at dock. The Wyld Swan was originally built in Germany in 1920 as a steamship, but has sailed under the Dutch flag as a training vessel since 2010. We watched as a crew of young sailors rigged one of the sails.

At Cape Finisterre –

Kilometer 0,000

Our last stop, Muxia, was the most dramatic, with waves crashing onto the rocks. Muxia is on the Costa da Morte, the Coast of Death, so named because of the many shipwrecks here. The Prestige, an enormous oil tanker,  split apart on the rocks and spilled thousands of tons of petrol. Oil can still be seen on the rocks.

Faro de Muxia
The Church of Nosa Senora da Barca

Legend has it that the Virgin Mary appeared here, sailing a stone boat. The Celtic stones here are said to be the remains of that boat.

Interior of the Church of Nosa Senora de Barca – the floor slants upward toward the altar to allow the sea water to flow out during storms

“And so to bed,” as Samuel Pepys wrote. And tomorrow  – home!

7 thoughts on “To the End of the Earth – Finisterre”

  1. Congratulations! Talk about a job well done. Thanks for sharing your photos and wonderful memories.

    Safe travels home and enjoy this fantastic accomplishment.

    All the best from London,
    David

  2. Congratulations, Ladies! What an amazing adventure. Judi, I’m so looking forward to a evening this summer to have you share ALL your pictures with me.💜😁
    Love, Gee Gee

  3. Hi Judi and Barb,
    I came last night to Kelley Library to hear you speak about your experience. Thank you so much – I am even more excited to go!! You were busy at the end, but I was wondering if I could contact you with some specific questions I have? I will put my email in this message and hopefully it gets to you.

    Thanks again!

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