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Recent content by mgshanks

  1. mgshanks

    Place to stay in Porto

    I stayed in the Albergue de Peregrinos in Porto in April and found it a lovely place to spend a night - rooms were comfortable and it has a really nice social space out the back with a little bar. https://albergueperegrinosporto.pt/
  2. mgshanks

    Rate my packing list!

    Definitely take the sleeping bag liner - the one I have weighs nothing and takes up a tiny amount of space, it also has a sewn in pillow bit so you don't need a pillow case. I'd also second the metal water bottle suggestion - it keeps water cool, allows you to fill up at fountains as you pass...
  3. mgshanks

    My experience on the Camino Francés from Sarria…

    This was my experience too, and I think now the Compostela is pre-filled it is all a lot faster than it used to be. Having said that, I think it's a bit of a shame the computer does all the work now and the signature isn't done by the people in the office but efficiency is definitely a positive...
  4. mgshanks

    6 full days to walk, what route?

    Tui to Santiago is definitely do-able in 6 days - I did it recently in four and still had plenty of time to stop and chat, visit local sights etc. It was a really good route too, interesting and very picturesque.
  5. mgshanks

    Securely Storing Valuables While Showering

    I took a little rucksack with me on my latest Camino which folds into a tiny little bag and goes back inside my main bag during the day. It allowed me to take stuff to the shower, valuables etc, and also then go out and about in whatever town I'm in without needing to take the full bag. It's a...
  6. mgshanks

    Starting From Porto in April

    I will also be starting in Porto on Monday 10th, although not really starting until Tuesday - flying in on Monday and taking the day to explore Porto a little!
  7. mgshanks

    How to get a Compostela without the crazy 100 k

    I came on to say something similar. I found from Saria onwards a different experience but not an unpleasant one. I completed in early August which is surely one of the busiest times of the year and didn't have any difficulty getting a bed and still had large stretches of the Camino to myself.
  8. mgshanks

    Not what I expected!

    Maybe taking this in a different direction, I was surprised how challenging I found finishing the Camino. As everyone else has said Camino life was easy to adjust to, I loved the new family I made along the way and my body adjusted to it's new routine incredibly well. But when I got to Santiago...
  9. mgshanks

    Share your backpack choice with your body info!

    Some might say I was overdoing it with this bag, but it carried all my necessities!
  10. mgshanks

    Walking the Camino Portugues from Santiago to Lisbon: Tips and Advice

    Walking from Santiago to Lisbon is one thing, but I think walking backwards the whole way is risky... 😜
  11. mgshanks

    Early risers extraordinaire!

    Yes - but beware, the result if you're wearing shorts is an important need to apply sunscreen to the backs of your legs at a very early hour!! Several days I wondered why I was getting red legs when I was applying sunscreen then realised it was about 7am in the morning early walking!!
  12. mgshanks

    5 Days on Camino: Choosing Between Portugues or Ingles Route

    I had set my mind on the Camino Ingles after all these posts, however the actual logistics of getting there from Scotland are proving more troublesome than Porto so that might sway me this time. I'll keep Googling until I find a plan!
  13. mgshanks

    5 Days on Camino: Choosing Between Portugues or Ingles Route

    What a wonderful experience! I can only imagine what it would have been like arriving in Santiago at that time of year. I can well remember the rainy days from a few years ago - in fact every day in Galicia rained for us! Thanks for the message.
  14. mgshanks

    Early risers extraordinaire!

    Depending on the stretch you are walking the other 'problem' if you're too early is you sometimes come up against the Spaniards on their way home from a good night out! More than once (especially at Pamplona the day after the Feast of San Fermín!!) we had to join in some singing and dancing in...
  15. mgshanks

    5 Days on Camino: Choosing Between Portugues or Ingles Route

    Thanks everyone! I think the Camino Ingles sounds like the best bet for this trip, and save Portugal for another time! Now to get travel sorted...
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