Ferrol and the start of El Camino Anglais

 Ferrol and the start of El Camino Anglais  

I took a taxi from Santiago de Compostela to Ferrol. It was an expensive option as there are both trains and buses, both of which are cheap but I would be carrying everything with several travsfers and the taxi was hotel door to hotel door.

Ferrol has a great harbour with few equals in Europe as it has depth, capacity and security as it has a narrow entrance commanded by two forts which could also be made secure by a boom to prevent entry by enemy ships. 

Ferrol has been a major shipbuilding centre for much of its history and hosts the Spanish navy's Maritime Department of the North since the time of the early BOurbons. In the 17th century, Ferrol held the largest arsenal in Europe. It is still a major shipbuilding centre today.

Ferrol was the birthplace of the dictator Francisco Franco in 1892

Overlooking part of teh military port.

A navy vessel moored in the docks with some cranes...

...and there are a lot of cranes.

One of the locals in the park ovelooking the docks, but no information board to advise anything about him.

The Ferrol sign down in teh docks at the start of El Camino Anglais...

...and opposite, the pilgrim and tourist information entre and the first concha sign.

Although it is very much an industrial city, there are pleasant plazas to be found.

Another local dressed like a Ku Klux Klan member but again, no information board to advise the inquisitive visitor but he might predate the KKK and represent the Spanish Inquisition. 

 

The town hall on one side of the Plaza Armas.