Portuguese Route

[Bella61]

Hello,
I am researching the Camino and am leaning towards the Portuguese route as it would be less crowded and I could do the whole walk in the time I have, month of July. Any information out there in regards to your experience especially if you've done other Caminoes besides this one would be greatly appreaciated. Also, if you have dealt with Fresco or One Foot Abroad to organize a walk any thoughts on these or others would be great. Thank you.

[Artemis]

Hi, I did Camino Portuguese Oct 2009 from Porto. I also did Camino Frances fall of 2006. I would be happy to answer any questions you have about either route. I can tell you that Camino Portuguese was not crowded at all when I did it.

[Bella61]

Thank you very much for your reply. Since it is a holy year I imagine all routes will probably be busy this summer. Did you prefer one over the other? Are the routes well marked? Some people from different sites I've been on felt the first part of the Portuguese route was disapointing because of some hwy. walking and it being in busy areas, is this accurate? I will most likely use a company to organize the trip, did you plan on your own? Any feedback on different organizations? I am from Ontario, Canada and will doing the Camino on my own.

[Artemis]

Actually I can't really say that I "planned" my trip. I was in Saint Jean Pied de Port volunteering at an albergue there. I knew I was going to do a Camino but couldn't decide which one. After I finished volunteering I did a little of Camino Frances again ( I had done it in 2006) but then decided to do a different Camino and chose Camino Portuguese.
After a few days on the Camino I found John Brierley's guide book for sale at a bar and bought it. It might be a good idea to order the book and read over it before you decide to go with a company. The book has all the information that you will need. Also you will most likely meet other pilgrims and will be able to walk with them. It is different on the Camino and people form bonds very quickly. Nationality, sex, religion, age, status in life.....none of it matters except the fact that you are on the Camino together. The albergues were very nice and about 3 euro a night. The path was marked well but you do have to pay attention. If you get off the path there is always someone to point you in the right direction.
Walking out of Porto is almost all on busy roads and I believe John Brierley suggests taking a bus but since I didn't have the guidebook at the beginning of my Camino I wasn't sure of the details.
It is hard to compare Camino Frances and Camino Portuguese. I walked Camino Frances with my sister so it was nice having someone I knew at the very beginning but it was also my first Camino so I had a lot of anxiety about it before hand. On Camino Portuguese I didn't have a guidebook at first so I wasn't sure of anything and just had to try to follow the arrows and trust everything would work out. I didn't see another pilgrim until the afternoon of my second day and we ended up walking into Santiago together. You are in for an amazing adventure. I can dig out my journal and answer any more specific questions that you have. There is a family who opens their home to pilgrims and I would highly recommend that you stay there on your way. I will have to dig out my journal to tell you where it is exactly.

[sean]

Hi Artemis,

I plan to walk the route in September of this year and would be glad to hear of the highs and lows of the walk. I would be interested in hearing what the weather was like in October and also hear detail of the family house you recomend on the route.

Many Thanks,

Sean
Dublin

[Artemis]

Hi Sean,
I started Oct. 3rd in Porto and finished Oct 17th. The weather was everything from hot, cold, sunshine and rain. I had a Altus rain gear and that helped a lot.
The home I was talking about is in stage 16 if you have Brierley's book. It is about halfway between Barcelos (in Barcelos you can stay at the fire department) and Ponte De Lima and called Casa de Fernanda. This stage was about 21 miles and since it was pouring all day we decided to break it up and stop early. It was one of the highlights of my trip. We arrived at the home soaked to the skin and found a sign on the door that said it opened at 5:00, if I remember correctly. We stood there a second trying to decide whether to wait or to walk on. A man walked around the corner of the house and introduced himself as the owner and told us to come right in. After leaving our shoes and ponchos outside he showed us our rooms and the bathrooms. He took us back into the kitchen to show us where the wine, beer, fruit, glasses etc were and then he left to go back to work. We stood in the kitchen a little stunned that someone would just take us into their home like this. Later his wife came home to find us sitting at her kitchen table playing cards. She greeted us with a friendly smile, put a plate of prosciutto on the table along with a bowl of olives, some homebaked bread and an open bottle of wine made from their own grapes. She started preparing dinner and when we asked if we could help she said that we were her guests and we were probably tired and to just rest. She made an amazing stew with chestnuts, brussell sprouts, very tender pork and served it with aromatic rice, a salad and more wine. By this time the husband and their 9 year old daughter was home and we all sat together at the family table ate and talked until about 10:30. In the morning there was a breakfast laid out on the table for us and while they were both trying to get ready for work and their daughter for school they still had time to spend with us.
The lows? I would say the hardest day for me was stage 17 in Brierley's book. It is only 11.6 miles between Ponte de Lima and Rubiaes but it is a very steep incline with big stones. At one point I just sat down and wasn't sure I would make it but of course I did. There were 3 other pilgrims (ages 26, 28, 59 and I am 57) walking that day but we were walking at different paces so I was alone. We all agreed that it was a very rough day.
Another highlight was Padron and going to Monte Santiaguino. It was very moving standing atop the stone where Saint James first preached the gospel.

[walkmag]

Hi Artemis

I really enjoyed you contribution from 23/3 , very helpful...and interesting reading

Thankyou
cheers from Walkmag .( planning to walk Porto to Santiago ..sept 2010)

[Julianne L]

Artemis
Thank you for your contribution, I feel that I will struggle along the way, but your words have been encouraging. I am walking from Porto at the beginning of July.
Cheers
Julianne

[sean]

Hi,

Does anyone have experience of taking a route by the beach out of Porto?
I am walking in mid September and do not fancy walking along busy roads or motorways.
Any help is appreciated.

Regards,
Sean
Dublin.

[Bella61]

Hello Sean,
Have you picked up the book Camino Portugués by John Brierley, he gives alot of options of where to start to avoid the heavy traffic, pg 95, take Metro to Maia then pick up the waymarked route from Igreja de Maia to Sao Pedro de Rates. The beach is not waymarked and you can get lost, if it's windy you have the blowing sand to contend with. His book has been very helpful to plan my Camino, worth it to buy.
Paulette

[Freedom]

Im also doing the Camino de Portuguese in september, thanks for the info, I feel at ease now, i'll get John's book. One silly question to anyone where do you get your camino passport from Porto??? would be great to hear back on this.. cheers