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  1. Swillbos

    Caminha to Valença old path

    We did this route in Jan 2020. Hadn't intended to, but the ferry to a Guarda wasn't running due to fog, so it was a spontaneous decision. I have the impression that very few pilgrims take this particular route, but I don't remember there being any particular problems, and it was very pretty...
  2. Swillbos

    Diabetes with insulin pump on the Camino?

    Currently on Via de la Plata, type 1 diabetic but not on a pump. I have self-funded a Libre sensor for the Camino (UK NHS doesn’t fund this for me) as I found finger pricking in the cold on the Camino Portugais a few years ago stressful and problematic. I find that I probably only need half the...
  3. Swillbos

    Daily Camino Vlog

    Beautiful photography, music and chance meetings. Muchas gracias y buen camino!!!
  4. Swillbos

    Baby on Primitivo

    Sorry, but I have to question WHY?!!! the physiology of an eight month old baby does not lend itself to a sit up "stroller" for hours on end. Depending on your yet-to-be born baby's skin-tone, all-day exposure to sun whether in a pram/pushchair/backpack could also be problematic.
  5. Swillbos

    Winter Portugues Camino

    We walked from Porto, setting out on 7th January this year along the Coastal route. The first day's route out of Porto sounds the more enjoyable, walking along the Douro rather than walking through residential and industrial areas pretty much back to the airport. There is a fair amount of...
  6. Swillbos

    Ponte de Sebastião (After Esposende)

    I am not sure what the issues are with signage on the Littoral, our fellow traveller found an alternative river crossing, but got lost on the beach nonetheless. We came unstuck on the Coastal Route - in the event we used the Trail Smart app to circumvent the bridge by backtracking to the N13...
  7. Swillbos

    Ponte de Sebastião (After Esposende)

    Having been there around a week ago (i) I can confirm that the bridge is still well and truly ruptured with no chance of crossing on foot at the moment and no sign of imminent repair (ii) not only was no obvious diversionary signage in place, that same afternoon we met a fellow pilgrim who got...
  8. Swillbos

    Just back from Caminho Portugues: Bridge at Rio Neiva

    That is indeed the one - many thanks Jill! I kept looking and looking and I simply couldn't find it again - I will reply to the original poster
  9. Swillbos

    Just back from Caminho Portugues: Bridge at Rio Neiva

    I should clarify that we came unstuck approaching from the Camino da Costa, whereas our friend came unstuck for different reasons approaching from the Senda Littoral
  10. Swillbos

    Just back from Caminho Portugues: Bridge at Rio Neiva

    Am hoping someone can make a link to a post I recently read querying the river crossing between Marinhas and Viana do Castelo at rio Nieva. The enquirer was given assurance that local diversions were well signposted.....Having been there around a week ago (i) I can confirm that the bridge is...
  11. Swillbos

    women if your hair tangles easily...

    Used soap/shampoo and anything else opportunistically available for hand washing. Laundry standards were not of this highest ilk, but being warm, dry and clean enough felt like pure luxury after a long day on the camino!
  12. Swillbos

    women if your hair tangles easily...

    Just back from 16 days away, including 12 days walking on the Camino Portuguese from Porto and here is my tuppence ha'penny's worth on this vital topic! I took two individual sachets of conditioner and shared a Lush shampoo bar with husband. On a previous holiday I had trialled Lush solid...
  13. Swillbos

    Weight/equipment, winter caminos and medical issues

    Great suggestion, thank you David. I have some fluorescent running tabards which may help somewhat, but otherwise our clothing is overwhelmingly black, with the occasional splay of grey and brown :)
  14. Swillbos

    Weight/equipment, winter caminos and medical issues

    You have just burst my ever so slightly smug post training bubble - ouch😧 Maybe the luxury foot cream needs to go.....on the positive side, the lack of fellow pilgrims means I may be able to economise on ear plugs:)
  15. Swillbos

    Weight/equipment, winter caminos and medical issues

    Great suggestions, many thanks! We went for a ten mile training walk carrying 8kg today, along a very blustery canal towpath - may not look too much like a camino, but felt like a reasonable proxy for a rain-lashed coastal route at times!. I felt fine with the weight. Appreciate it will be...
  16. Swillbos

    Weight/equipment, winter caminos and medical issues

    Now the quilt/bag/liner/blanket options suggested raise intriguing new possibilities! If the albergues (grrrh auto-spell keeps suggesting allergies for that word - sooner or later it is going to slip through:)) are for the most part reasonably warm, I could re-instate my down gillet (a mere...
  17. Swillbos

    Weight/equipment, winter caminos and medical issues

    Thank you so much for your very detailed reply surya8 - it is great to hear your personal experience, and very encouraging on the heating/drying front - already so not missing that hairdryer:). Reports on the self-catering front are also positive. I would normally take some of my own equipment...
  18. Swillbos

    Weight/equipment, winter caminos and medical issues

    I'm with you on the water carrying front Dave, a couple of light-weight reusable plastic bottles. Your trip with your son sounds wonderful despite the weather (or maybe even because of it!) you'll both have memories for a lifetime!
  19. Swillbos

    Weight/equipment, winter caminos and medical issues

    I'm definitely tongue in cheek, I love winter walking. The choice of route and timing fit in with other things going on in life. I think it's more that because it's our first camino, we haven't got a frame of reference, and it's becoming more and more clear just how different every camino is...
  20. Swillbos

    Weight/equipment, winter caminos and medical issues

    So many great ideas vs the "immutable laws of physics"🤓 Latest thinking, the hairdryer goes nowhere, but the Kindle stays. I have done a bit of reading on my iPhone, and indeed it is absolutely fine for a bit of reading, but roving_rufus's descriptions of long dark nights in deserted...

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