Warning - Incorrect Camino arrows

[yellowshoes55]

We have just finished walking the Portuguese Camino on 5th October. We were a group of 4 mature Australians doing our first Camino.
Our second day we started from Arcos with great expectations and anticipation of getting this wonderful 'technical' stamp from Sao Pedro. We had several methods of navigation, but failed to use two of them resulting in walking way off track just prior to Sao Pedro.
We approached the railway crossing which we stopped at and debated whether we should go right through the town (which was not marked with yellow arrows) or swing left following the yellow arrows. I do not have a photo as we did not realise our error at this point.
We should have checked our instructions, instead we went left which took us north west past corn field after corn field and through wooded areas, instead of north east. We were still following yellow arrows and the shell on the blue background. We had walked approx 10kms before the arrows ran out & we decided that our route was not the intended one. We caught a cab back to the correct route, but sadly missed Sao Pedro to Pedra Furada.
This error was almost duplicated by four much younger experienced girls from Perth in Western Australia.
We had no more problems after this and thoroughly enjoyed our the rest of our Camino consulting our maps instructions & yellow arrows as we went.

 

[michryan]

We have just finished walking the Portuguese Camino on 5th October. We were a group of 4 mature Australians doing our first Camino.
Our second day we started from Arcos with great expectations and anticipation of getting this wonderful 'technical' stamp from Sao Pedro. We had several methods of navigation, but failed to use two of them resulting in walking way off track just prior to Sao Pedro.
We approached the railway crossing which we stopped at and debated whether we should go right through the town (which was not marked with yellow arrows) or swing left following the yellow arrows. I do not have a photo as we did not realise our error at this point.
We should have checked our instructions, instead we went left which took us north west past corn field after corn field and through wooded areas, instead of north east. We were still following yellow arrows and the shell on the blue background. We had walked approx 10kms before the arrows ran out & we decided that our route was not the intended one. We caught a cab back to the correct route, but sadly missed Sao Pedro to Pedra Furada.
This error was almost duplicated by four much younger experienced girls from Perth in Western Australia.
We had no more problems after this and thoroughly enjoyed our the rest of our Camino consulting our maps instructions & yellow arrows as we went.

What a shame. I have just completed the Portuguese way and went through there had no problem.

 

[naplesdon]

I did the Portuguese in 2013 and there are several place where the construction of the new high speed train line has trumped the traditional arrows, go slow, ask the locals and you will not get lost.

 

[williamlittig]

We walked the Littoral Portugues Camino which was beautiful and totally unmarked. Keep the ocean on your left and sometimes you will see posts with red and white bars indicating the coastal path. The boats weren't working so we went East to Valenca and crossed into Spain. A beautiful adventure and yes we too got off course usually sending us uphill........ Willy & Pam, Utah

 

[mikevasey]

You followed the coastal link up, it starts just before Sao Pedro and goes along a path which used to be old rail lines. When I was there in 2011 there was board up at this point telling the pilgrims which way was which.

 

[yellowshoes55]

You followed the coastal link up, it starts just before Sao Pedro and goes along a path which used to be old rail lines. When I was there in 2011 there was board up at this point telling the pilgrims which way was which.

Unfortunately we did not notice the board that you mention. The four of us looked at the signage and all decided that the left route was the one we should be following.

I do remember a sign to the Alburgue and something about Santiago, but perhaps because it was only our 2nd day, we were novice at reading the signs and the yellow arrows swayed our decision. I do not recall yellow arrows or a shell indicating that we should go right through the town. We found our way back and finished our Camino eventually. What an adventure was had by all.

 

[mikevasey]

I have got lost plenty of times, even if I couldn't laugh at the time I usually do over a glass of wine that evening.Its good that you enjoyed it all.

Buen Camino.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

Strange how wine seems to fix so many things.

 

[mikevasey]

Strange how wine seems to fix so many things.

It would be nice if it fixed snoring, a couple of glasses just before bed and the dorm would be able to sleep easily, but ........

 

[BCRockies]

Sometimes when you take a wrong turn you discover something brilliant. After seeing only beautiful sandy beaches, I found this beach with perfectly smooth stones. It was on the day that I promised myself a swim but it was not to be. The stones tumbled down towards the water every time a wave hit and it was too painful and unsteady to walk on these stones.