John Brierley's Guide to the Camino Portugues 2011

[Covey]

Having just bought the John Brierley Guide to the Portuguese Camino I was very pleased to note that the 3rd Edition has only just been published in 2011 and contains what the author states are new photographs, maps and accommodation data as at 2011.

A Pilgrims Guide to the Camino Portugues, 3rd Edition ISBN: 978-1-84409-530-8

I bought my copy via Amazon who delivered on time as per usual at a cost of £11.50

I have even booked my ticket to Lisbon on 1st August which is my birthday, so a whole new world opens before me.

Brierley even reports lines of little yellow arrows marking the Way from Lisbon to Santiago. Could I have saved £11.50 on the guide book and spent it on Gin instead!!?

[jlsanches]

Covey, stop complaining, Brierley's guide worth the money.
And as we painted some of the little yellow arrows (Helena leading), we'll offer you a Gin or two in Peter's Cafe, best gin in Lisboa, right on the Caminho.
Waiting for you, and everybody else, in Lisboa.
JoseLuis

[Covey]

Apart from my advice to forget the guidebooks and just follow the arrows, my other favorite piece of advice is "forget about a plan" and just take each day as it comes.

I have likened a day on the Camino as a blank sheet of paper, and only you are going to fill it in, and only if you want to. Compared with our normal day to day life where everyone is pulling you in different directions and for different reasons, the Camino offers probably the nearest thing most people come to true freedom, if only for a few weeks. The only plan for tomorrow is to follow the yellow arrows and see where they go as every day is a new adventure.

The only problem I can see about drinking Gin in Peters Café is that at some stage the Camino will call me from the Café and lead me north. I always have great difficulty in persuading my feet that the time has come to leave Leon after a couple of days rest and head off towards Cebreiro!!

See you in August and thank you all for your efforts to care for those on the Way to Santiago.

[Gazza]

Covey

Interesting to read you are venturing to the Portugese route. We have plans to do this in 2012 then hop across to Ireland to catch up with my sister.
By my research so far it would appear that Albergues are fewer on the Portugese walk, particularly early on. I read from Helena that they are trying to develop this further. I will be very interested to hear how to find the trek itself, as it does sound beautiful. Particularly interested in the distances between Albergues as we are not getting any younger.
I ordered Brierleys book last week & hope it is as good as the "French Way".

You guys are so close & accesible to the walk, from Oz it takes planning & money

[Covey]

Living in London does have it's advantages if you want to hit the Camino trails as Bairritz is only 90 minutes flying time from London and if you book sufficiently far ahead the air fare works out at around €50, €2 for the bus to Bayonne and €7 for the train from Bayonne to St Jean.

I booked with British Airways from London to Lisbon for €60!

A very good friend of mine has just started her Camino Frances walk at Pamplona. She started in up state New York and had to fly to Detroit to catch a flight to Madrid. The weather in the USA has been appalling and the Icelandic volcano spewing ash over Europe did not help, so flights were canceled and she ended up in Frankfurt, then had to catch another flight to Madrid, overnight in Madrid and then train to Pamplona. Those flying long haul to Europe risk being knackered before they even pull on their boots!

I am now frantically trying to juggle assignments so that I am free for the 1st August and can catch my flight to Lisbon.

After five trips down the Camino Frances I thought it was time for a change otherwise someone will think I am just a Sad Old Bugger so we shall see what we shall see!

[Leslie]

It will be interesting to see if you come back from this one and tell us not to bother with guide book for the Camino Portugues because there are yellow arrows the whole way. I think once that happens to a route and there is enough hostels they will become more popular.

[Gazza]

60 Euro to get to the Camino. Don't be upset if I don't beak out the tissues for you Covey. That is just ridiculous.

Guess it keeps a lot of Gin & Tonic change for you.

Agree with Leslie though this track can only get busier. Had a look at Helena's website, would be nice if they could put an English option up so we can get a real idea of what they are doing.

[cedarhollow03]

Gazza, if you use google there is a "translate" option on the toolbar. It works pretty good. Have been reading everything I can on this forum since my husband mentioned the camino france last month. We are looking at next summer for "our camino". I am kinda scared but excited at the same time.

[Gazza]

Thanks Cedar will try that from my home computer.

Planning can be both exciting & scary you are right. This Forum was an absolute blessing for me in my planning. Everybody is just so helpful in answering Q's. This comradery extends onto the Camino in a way I thought was not possible. Plan well (in what your taking), do not plan your days as they will change with the people you meet along the way.

We plan to do the Potugese way in 2012.

[Gazza]

Covey

Its gr8 to know that we can fly directly from London to Lisbon (is this the same from Paris?) (one less change to make after 20+ hrs from Oz). Thereis a place abt 130km's from Lisbon called Golega. Do you by any chance know if there is a train from Lisbon to Golega as the full 600 odd km's won't fit into our timeframe. But we do want to see Lisbon.

Thinking of starting at Golega & saving 4/5 days.

Gazza

[Covey]

According to Portuguese Railways, the tracks do not appear to go to Golega but bypass the place. Brierly describes Golega as a town with 6000 inhabitants, so maybe the best bet is a coach. Will try and find a coach service for you.

[Gazza]

Thanks Covey, I have also dropped an Email to the Portugese Camino Society in Lisbon. They have been quite helpful so far.
I received the New Brierley Portugese book last week & by the activity that takes place in Golega I am surprised that the rail diverts around it. I am sure that something will come up........ after all that is the Camino Way.

Just reading/perusing Brierley's book makes me just pack it all up & jump on the plane. All those memories, feelings, friendships. Not sure camino will ever be out of the system. For that matter I wouldn't want it to leave me. Joyous times

[Covey]

Gazza...... I am having to juggle my Lisbon to Porto stage somewhat as I have to meet a Lady in Porto on the 9th and that does not leave me enough time to walk the whole of the Lisbon to Porto section.

I have the time to walk Lisbon to a town called Entroncamento which is just north of Golega and will then catch the train to Porto which is 2 hours.

If you are short of time then Lisbon to Entroncamento by train seems the smart move.

[Gazza]

Thanks again Covey. Will keep it in mind.

You must only be a week or two away from your start. Will look fwd to the end update on Portugese Route.

May the sun shine & miles feel short

Gary

[Covey]

I am off on Friday morning with British Airways to Lisbon. I shall spent Saturday making like a tourist and wandering off to get my Pilgrim Passport and will set off on Sunday morning for all points North of Lisbon.

Might even find the time for the odd G&T on the Way, although us Methodists are supposed to fore-swear strong drink!!

[Lipka149]

Buen Camino, Senor Covey !

[peregrina2000]

This information may be too late to be of help, but if you want to take a train either to or from Golega headed either north or south, there is a small train station, with only a train or two a day, in the much closer town of Riachos. It's an easy walk, about an hour from Golega.

I walked Lisbon-Porto in stages, and ended a stage in Golega. To return to Lisbon I walked to Riachos and hopped a slow train back to Lisbon. When I started up again, I took the train from Lisbon to Entroncamento (much faster and fewer stops) and got a cab back to Golega. It was about 10 euros, my notes say.

[Gazza]

The sharing of knowledge on this site continues to fascinate me. "If you look you shall find". Thanks Peregrina for that info.

Covey, fore-swear all you want. BTW don't forget the guidebook, would hate to hear that a rescue team was sent out to find a lost Covey

[sean]

Good luck on your Camino Covey. You deserve the break and enjoy the odd G&T.

Sean
Dublin