How to Rate the Rubiães to Tui Stage of Camino?

[MaxHelado]

I am a meticulous planner. Some would say obsessive. I planned out my next Camino several months ago and placed each stage carefully onto the master spreadsheet. Distances, places to stay, where to stop for lunch. What could go wrong?

To my astonishment it would seem that I have forgotten the walk between Rubiães and Tui. My spreadsheet simply jumps from one to the next. I finish one day in Rubiães and then the next morning, magically, I start walking from Tui.

I can think of 3 possible explanations:
1. Someone has gained access to my laptop and messed with my spreadsheet. Probably an act of revenge from a jealous peregrino who lacks my planning skills.
2. I deliberately omitted this stage because someone told me it's all on busy roads and simply not worth the effort.
3. I made a mistake. (The least likely scenario)

But it's not too late. I could jiggle the accommodation and I've not yet booked my flight but before I do that let me ask a serious question:

Marks out of 10 for Rubiães to Tui?

 

[trecile]

Skip it and miss walking through the fortress walls of Valença and then crossing the bridge into Spain?

 

[dbier]

I believe that Trecile is recommending that you adjust your plan to capture the beauty of that stretch, regardless of how the error occurred

 

[Vacajoe]

Trecile is highlighting the last kms of the route - I wouldn’t judge that stage by it’s final moments. For me, it was 20km of “meh”. However, I truly value the idea of walking from origin to destination, so I’ll always advise someone to not skip a stage.

 

[OzAnnie]

Skip it and miss walking through the fortress walls of Valença and then crossing the bridge into Spain?

1. Someone has gained access to my laptop and messed with my spreadsheet. Probably an act of revenge from a jealous peregrino who lacks my planning skills.

Definitely a gremlin got into your spreadsheet. I think the Portugues without walking across to Spain is an error, I’d include the stage in your plan.
Trecile brings up the main features on that stage. You’ll see in research that it’s an easy day of 19k (as per Gronze).

Buen camino.

 

[dougfitz]

I can think of 3 possible explanations:
1. Someone has gained access to my laptop and messed with my spreadsheet. Probably an act of revenge from a jealous peregrino who lacks my planning skills.
2. I deliberately omitted this stage because someone told me it's all on busy roads and simply not worth the effort.
3. I made a mistake. (The least likely scenario)

I love these, but if it were me, they would be:

1 - just fanciful
2 - I'm pretty sure I would remember that
3 - okay, I forgot. So we have to adjust the plan. Inserting a new row in a spreadsheet is a few moments work.

I recall this being a pleasant walk starting on an old Roman road and ending in a fair bit of urban walking in Valenca and Tui.

I do regret not spending more time exploring the castle at Valenca, and around the cathedral at Tui. I would consider taking a rest day there were I to walk the CP again.

 

[Grousedoctor]

Skip it and miss walking through the fortress walls of Valença and then crossing the bridge into Spain?

I agree wholeheartedly with @trecile. Walking through the fortress walls was magnificent. Really enjoy walking across the bridge into Tui. Had a wonderful night staying at Jacob’s Hostal Tui and enjoyed charcuterie and wine on the main plaza downtown. From there, and it proved to be a wise decision for us, we broke up the long stage to Redondela by spending a night in O Porriño.

 

[MaxHelado]

All - thank you for your responses and for sharing in the spirit in which I tried to pose the question.
Your points are well made and I take them on board.

In an attempt to salvage my fading reputation as planner extraordinaire I have revisited the question of how this omission might have come about and can now see that the idea of a cyber attack by the militant wing of PAPs (Peregrinos Against Planning) is as ridiculous as the idea of me having made a mistake.
Drilling down a little into the route on Wikilocs I can see that much of the route is following asphalt roads and I must have decided that these were busy roads and that passing traffic would ruin my march. This is the obvious reason why I omitted this part of the Camino. There is no other logical explanation.

Anyone know these "roads"? Are they traffic laden nightmares or gentle paths that meander through the beautiful countryside?

 

[dougfitz]

Anyone know these "roads"? Are they traffic laden nightmares or gentle paths that meander through the beautiful countryside?

Both, and neither. I checked my track for the day I walked into Tui. I covered about 22 km to get from albergue to albergue, with the one at Tui on the northern side of the town. The first 16 km had some walking on or alongside a larger road, perhaps a km or so in total up to the outskirts of Valenca. The remainder was a combination of walking path, some farm paths and quiet country roads. At that point I had reached the southern edge of the Valenca urban area. Even there a lot of the route is away from the major roads until the very end, a km or so from the castle, when one is walking in a busy city centre for a while. After crossing into Spain, the path avoids major roads as much as possible to get from the end or the bridge to the cathedral, and then out of town to the north.

 

[MaxHelado]

Both, and neither. I checked my track for the day I walked into Tui. I covered about 22 km to get from albergue to albergue, with the one at Tui on the northern side of the town. The first 16 km had some walking on or alongside a larger road, perhaps a km or so in total up to the outskirts of Valenca. The remainder was a combination of walking path, some farm paths and quiet country roads. At that point I had reached the southern edge of the Valenca urban area. Even there a lot of the route is away from the major roads until the very end, a km or so from the castle, when one is walking in a busy city centre for a while. After crossing into Spain, the path avoids major roads as much as possible to get from the end or the bridge to the cathedral, and then out of town to the north.

 

[Martin 888]

Hello from Newfoundland. I walked Rubiaes to Tui in late November. This is not a stage to missed.....even though for me it was supremely wet underfoot and sometimes overhead, I thought it was an outstanding walk. Winding lanes, beautiful scenery, not that much tarmac and good cafe/bar stops along the way. One recommendation, if I may, when you reach Tui. Don't miss 'Ideas Peregrinas', the albergue/cafe/bar/shop in central Tui, I just love this place https://ideas-peregrinas.com/en/contact

This is what you will be missing if you skip the stage....

Buen Camino !!

 

[MaxHelado]

Hello from Newfoundland. I walked Rubiaes to Tui in late November. This is not a stage to missed.....even though for me it was supremely wet underfoot and sometimes overhead, I thought it was an outstanding walk. Winding lanes, beautiful scenery, not that much tarmac and good cafe/bar stops along the way. One recommendation, if I may, when you reach Tui. Don't miss 'Ideas Peregrinas', the albergue/cafe/bar/shop in central Tui, I just love this place https://ideas-peregrinas.com/en/contact

This is what you will be missing if you skip the stage....

Buen Camino !!

Excellent. Your enthusiasm has made the journey across the Atlantic and you have convinced me.
I will insert an extra row into my spreadsheet and an extra cereal bar in my backpack.
Just what I needed to hear.

 

[C clearly]

I will insert an extra row into my spreadsheet

Phew! I'm relieved to hear that . I was imagining you in Rubiães that morning, poised to set your foot forward, and WHOA!!!! standing in suspended animation, aghast at the discontinuity in your existence!

 

[MaxHelado]

Phew! I'm relieved to hear that . I was imagining you in Rubiães that morning, poised to set your foot forward, and WHOA!!!! standing in suspended animation, aghast at the discontinuity in your existence!.

That made me laugh out loud (on a grey day in the south of the UK). Thank you!
But you have made me nervous about adding or deleting rows in my spreadsheet.
Who knows the consequences of a delete key or even worse Alt+Control+Delete.
(There's a film script in here somewhere. Keanu Reeves?)

 

[C clearly]

But you have made me nervous about adding or deleting rows in my spreadsheet.
Who knows the consequences

Could be truly transformational!

 

[Martin 888]

Excellent. Your enthusiasm has made the journey across the Atlantic and you have convinced me.
I will insert an extra row into my spreadsheet and an extra cereal bar in my backpack.
Just what I needed to hear.

Like you, I am a total spreadsheet pilgrim. Going back to walk from Porto to Santiago in mid-March….can’t wait!

 

[pelerine]

What time of the year will you be walking? If during a heat wave don't miss the wet wall in Valenca!

 

[trecile]

I also make a spread sheet, but my columns say proposed distance and proposed stop. Then I have two more columns for actual distance and actual stop.

 

[MaxHelado]

What time of the year will you be walking? If during a heat wave don't miss the wet wall in Valenca!

Walking in June so please tell me about the wet wall!

 

[pelerine]

I walked with children and grandchildren in August 2018 when it was extremely hot, had been for days. We had come on the litoral up to Caminha and then along the river Minho and came into the Valença ramparts that way, which is not the way I had come into Valença on a previous occasion from the interior. And there, walking into the town, we came across this very long wall which was wet. It had water running down over it all along - so really it was a kind of fountain. Everybody stood against it, front, back, forehead only (me) and got sopping wet. What relief!

I have tried to find out on google the name of the street it runs along, houses one side and wet wall the other, but cannot be sure. It looks like it is the Rua Apolinário Fonseca near the praça which has a monument of Saõ Teotónio.
I will contact the tourist office and find out the address and let you know.

Some time ago I posted photos here, but cannot remember which thread and do not know how to find my post….

 

[trecile]

Some time ago I posted photos here, but cannot remember which thread and do not know how to find my post…

I found it here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-portugues-valenca.73463/

 

[pelerine]

Thank you, trecile!

 

[MaxHelado]

I walked with children and grandchildren in August 2018 when it was extremely hot, had been for days. We had come on the litoral up to Caminha and then along the river Minho and came into the Valença ramparts that way, which is not the way I had come into Valença on a previous occasion from the interior. And there, walking into the town, we came across this very long wall which was wet. It had water running down over it all along - so really it was a kind of fountain. Everybody stood against it, front, back, forehead only (me) and got sopping wet. What relief!

I have tried to find out on google the name of the street it runs along, houses one side and wet wall the other, but cannot be sure. It looks like it is the Rua Apolinário Fonseca near the praça which has a monument of Saõ Teotónio.
I will contact the tourist office and find out the address and let you know.

Some time ago I posted photos here, but cannot remember which thread and do not know how to find my post….

We have to find this place! Does this look familiar? This is the Rua Apolinário da Fonseca.

 

[pelerine]

We have to find this place! Does this look familiar? This is the Rua Apolinário da Fonseca.

This is it! The link Trecile posted shows my family’s happiness having come to this wall. I specialy like the photo of my ten year old grandson, the smallest of our group. On the Google streetview the wall seemed to be part of the ramparts - confirmed by the photos.

 

[MaxHelado]

This is it! The link Trecile posted shows my family’s happiness having come to this wall. I specialy like the photo of my ten year old grandson, the smallest of our group. On the Google streetview the wall seemed to be part of the ramparts - confirmed by the photos.

It’s now on my map. I will be there.

 

[pelerine]

Post a photo when you are there.
Buen camino!

 

[David Tallan]

All - thank you for your responses and for sharing in the spirit in which I tried to pose the question.
Your points are well made and I take them on board.

In an attempt to salvage my fading reputation as planner extraordinaire I have revisited the question of how this omission might have come about and can now see that the idea of a cyber attack by the militant wing of PAPs (Peregrinos Against Planning) is as ridiculous as the idea of me having made a mistake.
Drilling down a little into the route on Wikilocs I can see that much of the route is following asphalt roads and I must have decided that these were busy roads and that passing traffic would ruin my march. This is the obvious reason why I omitted this part of the Camino. There is no other logical explanation.

Anyone know these "roads"? Are they traffic laden nightmares or gentle paths that meander through the beautiful countryside?

My memory of the day is dominated by the dog that accompanied me for the first ten km or so, despite all attempts at discouragement. There was a nice cafe after about ten km where the owners said the dog has a habit of doing this and not to worry. So I suspect it wasn't a traffic laden nightmare. After leaving the dog behind, there aren't really any memories (or photos) until the arrival at Valenca.

 

[Jmhilde]

I walked with children and grandchildren in August 2018 when it was extremely hot, had been for days. We had come on the litoral up to Caminha and then along the river Minho and came into the Valença ramparts that way, which is not the way I had come into Valença on a previous occasion from the interior. And there, walking into the town, we came across this very long wall which was wet. It had water running down over it all along - so really it was a kind of fountain. Everybody stood against it, front, back, forehead only (me) and got sopping wet. What relief!

I have tried to find out on google the name of the street it runs along, houses one side and wet wall the other, but cannot be sure. It looks like it is the Rua Apolinário Fonseca near the praça which has a monument of Saõ Teotónio.
I will contact the tourist office and find out the address and let you know.

Some time ago I posted photos here, but cannot remember which thread and do not know how to find my post….

Ola Pelerine! Eight of us are planning to take this same route, with the Caminha to Valenca connector, in early July. What did you think of the route? We're seeing lots of photos of the Minho River ecovia trail that seem to show endless stretches of red paving with not much to see along the way (other than the river, of course.) We're concerned it will be monotonous. What did you and your family think of it?

 

[pelerine]

Hola, Jmhilde! There isn’t anything to see particularly between Caminha and Valeça. Being a large family group who had not seen each other for some time we had of course a lot to talk about, so did not worry about the surroundings being monotonous. It was extremely hot, so finally we stopped at one of the numerous river “beaches” and several members of our group had a swim.

When it is very hot I find walking next to water is refreshing even though you cannot hear the water flowing in such a large river. I personally would chose this way again.

And do make your reservations for accommodation! Especially since you are quite a large group! July means summer holiday season. We walked in August, did not find anywhere near the Camino and ended up in a large house in the middle of nowhere.

Bom caminho!

 

[Jmhilde]

Thank you! Was there any shade along the river walk? We're from the Pacific NW in the US and we don't do well with unfiltered sunshine, LoL!

 

[pelerine]

No shade worth mentioning!!! Umbrellas or hats. I use a hands-free umbrella. There is a discussion going on about those on this forum. I do not know how to giive you the link.

 

[pelerine]

PS When I say no shade - there was one spot, but no shade worth writing home about (as they might put it in UK English).

 

[mspath]

No shade worth mentioning!!! Umbrellas or hats. I use a hands-free umbrella. There is a discussion going on about those on this forum. I do not know how to giive you the link.

Here is the link for sun umbrellas
Enjoy the shade and Buen camino!

 

[pelerine]

PS Don’t miss the wet wall in Valença! I still have not learned to put in a link, but here I am copying I post I contributed some time ago: Oh, it has become a link!
Thread 'Camino Portugues - Valenca'

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-portugues-valenca.73463/

 

[MaxHelado]

Rua Apolinário da Fonseca.

 

[MarthaC1]

I am a meticulous planner. Some would say obsessive. I planned out my next Camino several months ago and placed each stage carefully onto the master spreadsheet. Distances, places to stay, where to stop for lunch. What could go wrong?

To my astonishment it would seem that I have forgotten the walk between Rubiães and Tui. My spreadsheet simply jumps from one to the next. I finish one day in Rubiães and then the next morning, magically, I start walking from Tui.

I can think of 3 possible explanations:
1. Someone has gained access to my laptop and messed with my spreadsheet. Probably an act of revenge from a jealous peregrino who lacks my planning skills.
2. I deliberately omitted this stage because someone told me it's all on busy roads and simply not worth the effort.
3. I made a mistake. (The least likely scenario)

But it's not too late. I could jiggle the accommodation and I've not yet booked my flight but before I do that let me ask a serious question:

Marks out of 10 for Rubiães to Tui?

4) Teleportation

 

[Frankybaby66]

I am a meticulous planner. Some would say obsessive. I planned out my next Camino several months ago and placed each stage carefully onto the master spreadsheet. Distances, places to stay, where to stop for lunch. What could go wrong?

To my astonishment it would seem that I have forgotten the walk between Rubiães and Tui. My spreadsheet simply jumps from one to the next. I finish one day in Rubiães and then the next morning, magically, I start walking from Tui.

I can think of 3 possible explanations:
1. Someone has gained access to my laptop and messed with my spreadsheet. Probably an act of revenge from a jealous peregrino who lacks my planning skills.
2. I deliberately omitted this stage because someone told me it's all on busy roads and simply not worth the effort.
3. I made a mistake. (The least likely scenario)

But it's not too late. I could jiggle the accommodation and I've not yet booked my flight but before I do that let me ask a serious question:

Marks out of 10 for Rubiães to Tui?

Hi, I enjoyed the whole route from Porto on the Central Route last year and wouldn't miss any of the days out of choice
Top Tip . . . Lose the spreadsheet . It's a lot more fun if there's an element of 'wonder where I'll be sleeping tonight?' involved . . . ((IMO)
Buen Camino

 

[David Tallan]

Hi, I enjoyed the whole route from Porto on the Central Route last year and wouldn't miss any of the days out of choice
Top Tip . . . Lose the spreadsheet . It's a lot more fun if there's an element of 'wonder where I'll be sleeping tonight?' involved . . . ((IMO)
Buen Camino

Where as my top tip would be ... Keep the spreadsheet. Enjoy the planning (if that's the kind of thing that floats your boat). Enjoy the anticipation. Having an idea of what's there may prevent your missing out on something that you might want to see that's a little off the main track (like a nice waterfall at one point, for example). But don't commit to your spreadsheet or plans. You won't know until the day what the weather is like, who you may be walking with and what their plans or preferences might be and how that might affect your own priorities, how you will be feeling, etc. Make the final decisions in the moment.

 

[MaxHelado]

Where as my top tip would be ... Keep the spreadsheet. Enjoy the planning (if that's the kind of thing that floats your boat). Enjoy the anticipation. Having an idea of what's there may prevent your missing out on something that you might want to see that's a little off the main track (like a nice waterfall at one point, for example). But don't commit to your spreadsheet or plans. You won't know until the day what the weather is like, who you may be walking with and what their plans or preferences might be and how that might affect your own priorities, how you will be feeling, etc. Make the final decisions in the moment.

Agree. To me it’s just like setting a budget. Critical to success but never the same as the reality.