Brierly Guide for the CP

[Waka]

I've not studied this guide nor have it, but is it really as bad as some people indicate? I did find the one for the CF not bad at all, although I did note that quite a few pilgrims used the CSJ version.

 

[jburr3708]

I walked in September of this year and found the Brierly guide was very good. Did not have any problems. Was use it again if we decide walk again

 

[Marc S.]

Well I think a lot depends on what you actually seek in a guide book.

I used the Brierly guide for walking the CP (from Porto). It was okay for me and I never got lost. However, he uses a lot of words and describes many expensive accomodation options that I do not really need. I also do not really need his reflections. I do like to have a lot of background information (history, culture) on the villages and towns that I am passing, and the Brierly guide has lot of this. I think there is also a a short version of the Brierley guide, containing just maps and brief walking descriptions. I did not use this version, but I suppose it will get you to Santiago as well.

You will probably get some different outspoken opinions by others (this always seem to happen when discussing guidebooks, particularly Brierly).

PS I saw Brierly a couple of times during my camino portuguese, he was apparently there to update his guide. I never saw him walking though, but he could regularly be seen enjoying a glass of wine, or having lunch, or dinner.

 

[peregrina2000]

I have never seen the Brierley guide and have walked from Lisbon without it, so I can't give you a review of the book. But I can tell you that the online forum guides are adequate to get you where you are going, especially if you annotate with updates from the forum. It just depends on whether your comfort level is telling you you should have a "real" book rather than a patched together informal guide. I am assuming that the information he gives is accurate and up to date, and if he veers off into discussions you find irritating, it's easy to turn the page! Laurie

 

[amorfati1]

it's not about being 'as bad as' - you asked for advise/experience ... and my comment was based on my experience. (may 2014) and i had a few un-amusing ones which left me rather exasperated and once furious (being led down a path described as an 'innocent' river side walk which was anything but. was the most scary and unpleasant kilometer of the entire camino (in spain, not portugal)
on other occassions the kilometers indicated between places was plain wrong.
on other occassions phone numbers provided were wrong - leaving me stranded, and then 'saved' by other kind hosts.
on other occassions the B-guide only mentions certain so called stages, appearing as if there were no other accommodations between. when in fact there were/was. making a 30km day a more sensible (for me) two 15 km days. (as an example)

i actually did like his musings and writings, but as a guide - i preferred CSJ, this forum guide compiled by peregrina2000 and also info by the via lusitana -
bom caminho -

 

[Waka]

Thanks for the comments, I was thinking of using the CSJ one plus the updates from the forum, but I have to say I do like the sketch maps in the B book, So I might get the thin map one to accompany the others.

 

[Sheena]

Well I think a lot depends on what you actually seek in a guide book.

I used the Brierly guide for walking the CP (from Porto). It was okay for me and I never got lost. However, he uses a lot of words and describes many expensive accomodation options that I do not really need. I also do not really need his reflections. I do like to have a lot of background information (history, culture) on the villages and towns that I am passing, and the Brierly guide has lot of this. I think there is also a a short version of the Brierley guide, containing just maps and brief walking descriptions. I did not use this version, but I suppose it will get you to Santiago as well.

You will probably get some different outspoken opinions by others (this always seem to happen when discussing guidebooks, particularly Brierly).

PS I saw Brierly a couple of times during my camino portuguese, he was apparently there to update his guide. I never saw him walking though, but he could regularly be seen enjoying a glass of wine, or having lunch, or dinner.

I wonder if that's the edition I have on order - it should be with me in February! I also ordered an updated set of maps in a separate book. Roll on my Prtoguese Camino!

 

[SabsP]

The maps are ok-ish but next time I will take a German guidebook with me. Like the one from Rother's. My walking buddy had one and this book has better maps . Overall general information is better too.

 

[Sheena]

There is now an updated editionof Brierley's guide book and a separate book of maps by him, which are better than before.
However, I was kindly directed to -
http://www.caminador.es/?page_id=117
Luis's maps and information (even though in Portuguese) are simply wonderful!!
Buen Camino!

 

[lunna]

I walked from Lisboa to Muxia in 2014, and the Brierley book was quite unhelpful up to and including Porto. After that, it was okay, but that part of the camino was so well marked that a guidebook would not have been necessary anyway. Most obnoxious, to me, were the stage descriptions, such as "another pleasant walk..." when the first 7 days or so entailed 30+ km walks - not very much appreciated, as one walker, rightly or wrongly, also must have felt, since he or she wrote on a tree trunk somewhere between Lisboa and Porto: "John Brierley definitely did not walk here." Yeah, another 30km plus hump on cobblestones. Great, but by no means a 'pleasant walk' as in a nice stroll, as the book seems to imply. I'm a strong walker and still found this kind of macho stuff rather off putting. One tip - most all the guidebooks advise taking a tram or other public transportation to the outskirts of Porto - my advice is to leave early in the day and walk the 9km along the river to the coast - it is absolutely beautiful, very pleasant, nontouristic (a relief after the tourist area in Porto), very authentic - fishermen, joggers, and left a very nice impression on me of Porto.

 

[marbuck]

One tip - most all the guidebooks advise taking a tram or other public transportation to the outskirts of Porto - my advice is to leave early in the day and walk the 9km along the river to the coast - it is absolutely beautiful, very pleasant, nontouristic (a relief after the tourist area in Porto), very authentic - fishermen, joggers, and left a very nice impression on me of Porto.

Thanks for that, sounds a lot better than taking the bus. We like the Brierley guide as we like our own room and w/c and he tells us where we can find them. We are walking the PC in 2016.

 

[frida1]

In September 2015 I used the 2014 Brierley guide leaving from Tomar (about 4-5 days north of Lisbon). I noticed some details were incorrect, but I still found the guide valuable, and commentary doesn't bother me. I actually did find the walking pleasurable. But I met a woman with the 2015 guide and there were changes, because the route is rapidly evolving.

By the way, for me the secret to enjoying walking on tarmac and cobbles is Hoka shoes; they're really cushy.

 

[Esauro57]

By the way, for me the secret to enjoying walking on tarmac and cobbles is Hoka shoes; they're really cushy.

;-)
I will try the Hoka One One as my cammino shoes on the Central cammino hope all goes well... God willing

 

[High Endeavours]

Everyone has opinions about B's guide books. I started out using his guide from Coinbra, but I found it so unappealing and the maps kind of childish that I eventually tossed it and walked without a guide book. That said, I met others who loved it and, like myself, others who also tossed it. The route is well marked after Porto and if you just took a list of the accommodations with you then I think you'd be just fine.

I agree with lunna, the walk along the river and then the coast out of Porto is one of the best parts of this Camino. Probably amoung my favourite parts of the walk. There was a beautiful fog as I walked along the river and a brilliant sun burned it off as I approached the Atlantic. Have fun!