Day 65 - 03/06/07

It rained solidly for the first half of the day which seemed an appropriate way to end the pilgrimage for us - there was also a thick fog which made the hills and light woodlands come alive in my mind, like we were walking through another world entirely.

The feeling of climbing the final hill and seeing the spit of Finisterre disappearing into the ocean was incredibly satisfying and brought a sense of completion that was lacking in Santiago. The streets were full of pilgrims we recognised and sharing the joy of finishing with our little community added to the experience. There was one french lady we hadn’t seen since Le Puy en Velay and there was a feeling of coming full circle when we met her again. We watched the sunset on the beach with a group of french pilgrims we had met along the way and shared some wine and memories.

The next day we went to the lighthouse at the end of the point and sat on the rocks looking into the ocean reflecting on our journey. There were pilgrims scattered around us, some writing, some talking, most silent. We had walked 1600ish kilometers in 65 days and it took a while for it to sink in that it was actually over, I guess it will keep sinking in for some time.

I found the second day in Finisterre slightly unsettling - on the camino everything was so simple. The goal was so clear and attainable, every step brought you closer to it and each day’s progress was very clear. All of a sudden the goal is realised and there are a myriad of directions to head in, the goals are not so clear and it’s like walking in lots of directions at once.

There was also a great sense of relief in not having to get up in the morning, put on boots and a pack and walk to the next town.

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Everyone walks the camino for their own reasons and the great thing is that the way is big enough for all of them. I wasn’t looking for a beautiful walk, interesting companions or a bag full of memories though I found them all. I came seeking lasting change inside myself and only time will tell how successful that was - some things are a lot harder to measure than kilometers.

So that was our camino, I hope you have enjoyed the fragments I was able to send back and if you are considering walking the way to the end of the world then I highly recommend the experience.