A New Path for Covey

[Covey]

Having walked the Camino Frances for each of the past five years, it is time to do something different, so I am off to Lisbon in the first week of August with the general idea of arriving in Santiago "whenever" and then probably on to Finesterre.

Anyone who has had the misfortune to read any of my posts regarding the Camino Frances will know my dictum " forget carrying the guide books and just follow the yellow arrows!"

I have bought " Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Portugues: Lisboa, Porto, Santiago (Camino Guides) by John Brierley and might actually have to read it to find my way to Santiago. St Jean to Santiago is a little like being on autopilot, so this might be a bit more of an adventure.

Ah well, onward and upward!

[HuskyNerd]

I'll be very interested to hear your reflections on Camino Portuguese, Covey. I'm going to resist saying what I'm sure many are thinking about your new interest in Brierley guidebooks.

Seems like serial caminoists do Camino Frances first, then branch out sometimes until they've done them all. I suspect you and I will meet in a bar/cafe on an obscure camino sometime in the next decade or so, at which point we must tip a few in honor of John and Charles Wesley.

[Covey]

Those who walk the Camino Frances can rely on the yellow arrows which they will find painted on the road, sides of buildings or just a splash of yellow on a rock, but I don't rate my chances of pitching up at Lisbon Cathedral and finding signs saying "This way Covey".

This will of course give me the ideal excuse to find a table under a nice leafy tree with a bottle of something that has warmed the hearts of countless thousands of Pilgrims over the ages, whilst I read said Guide Book of Mr Brierley.

Take care Rock Star!

[jlsanches]

Not in the walls of Lisboa Cathedral, but I know the perfect spot to write "this way Covey".
It will be there waiting for you.

From a sunny Lisboa,
JoseLuis

[Covey]

Do I need to buy a pot of yellow paint?

[Gazza]

3 weeks to go Covey. Am seriously jealous.

look forward to your feedback on the Portugese Route & what advancements they are making from Lisbon to Porto. Re: Albergues & markings

Keep the guide book handy lol. Hate to see you get lost

[peregrina2000]

I am a new member to this forum, having been directed here by grayland and having met in the flesh your moderator HuskyNerd (now that's quite a screen name, :-) ). So hi to both of you and thanks. Of course, I need another camino forum like I need a hole in the head, but I am still in that transition back to reality stage -- so since I'm going to be dreaming about the camino anyway, I might as well do something productive that's camino-related.

I have walked the Camino Portugues from Lisbon, and have helped with some of the British Confraternity's on-line guides. I don't know if you've seen them, Covey, but they are avaiable at this link: Pilgrim Guides on-line They are a bit out of date, from 2009, but have more info on the Lisbon-Porto section than the Brierley guide. Someone is walking this route in August who has agreed to update and revise the guide, but it could still be of help now, especially with accommodations and general orientation.

The other two bits of info that I would add are that there is now a private albergue a km or two outside Mealhada, in Sernadelo, which is about 20+ kms from Coimbra. I think this is still the only albergue between Lisboa and Porto, so your choices before Porto tend to be either sleeping in the fire stations or in private accommodations. I've only done the latter, since I am what you might call "of a certain age." And the second thing is that the very active Lisbon friends of the Camino group operates a 24/7 SOS peregrino phone, which you can call from anywhere in Portugal if you're in a pinch. The number to call from within Portugal is 915-595-213 Their members speak English, French, German, and probably a few other languages as well.

I've met several of the members of this group and they are doing fantastic things. Their website describes a lot of their activities, www.vialusitana.org (in Portuguese but if you read Spanish you can understand). Since I walked in 2009, they have taken charge of painting and maintaining arrows, and I have learned that the places I describe in the on-line CSJ guide where I got lost have now been carefully waymarked.

My one request would be that if anyone uses these guides, we'd really appreciate updated information for future revisions, because things change so quickly. You'll see our emails at the beginning of the guides.

Bom caminho to Covey and anyone else embarking on this route.

[HuskyNerd]

Laurie! What a treat to "hear" your voice and to have you on this site. You have a huge wealth of experience in camino matters and your warm presence and advice are very welcome. I hope your transition back to "normal" life is going well. You are a treasure. Welcome aboard!

[peregrina2000]

Wow, thanks for that nice welcome, Sandy. I'll try to live up to your kind words. Doesn't it seem like years ago that we were sitting in the Posada Regia in Leon?

But, back to the Camino Portugues -- no sooner had I posted my first message than I received an email from a friend at the Via Lusitana (whose post you have made a "sticky" in the Camino Portugues section) that there is yet another private albergue recently opened between Lisbon and Porto. Here is the information on that one:

A new private albergue has opened in a town very near Quinta de Cardiga (which is an amazing, deserted, ruined, castle/palace/estate -- a great place for a picnic/rest/visit).

If my calculations are right, that's about 6 kms north of the town of Golega.

Here's the information
CASA S.CAETANO
Quinta Cardiga - 3kms to V.N.Barquinha
9 / beds with breakfast =15€ / Menu Peregrino=8€
Contacts:
Alexandre Hachmeister (+351) 917 063 823
alexandre.hachmeister@element.​pt

When I walked this route in 2009, I didn't meet one pilgrim till Porto, but it looks like there is change afoot. Buen camino a todos, Laurie

[Gazza]

Will be walking this track next year. Thanks for the update. 23 euro for the night, they aren't missing out on their share of the economy!!

[joe]

I've just finished my first camino (from st. jean), and I admit, I've caught the Camino bug. I'm already planning to do this route next year, maybe the beginning of 2013... but this time I'd like to do a bit of camping, just to save money. Does anyone know if the camping regulations are the same as in Spain or are you allowed to camp?