caminho coastal

[michaelk]

Hi. I want to walk from Porto (Matosinhos) to Vigo next April following the caostal route through Vila do Conde, Esposende etc. Is this route waymarked? Is there a book? Cheers, Michael

 

[stevov]

Hi Micheal,
I did this route ...the senda da orla Litoral...from Porto via Viana and Caminha and Vigo ...in June. I used the John Brierley Portuguese Camino Guide book which is available via the UK CSJ Confraternity website....This includes all the Portuguese routes and majors on the inland route so I found it a little sketchy when it came to the coastline route.

However the CSJ site has just listed a new dedicated Guide from Johnie Walker at the link below...

www.csj.org.uk/product/camino-de-santiago-pilgrim-guides-camino-portugues-part-2-porto-to-santiago-coastal-route/

Other posts on this site also refer to Luis Freixos detailed maps. These can be found at...

http://www.caminador.es

I found some of the route not as well marked as expected but generally didn't mind going with the flow and enjoyed my Camino. But I would say if you want to do this route accurately throughout then you need to refer to good guides /maps from time to time.

Just to add that the ferry from Caminha to Spain does not run on Mondays.

Bom Caminho!

 

[Doogman]

My experience last summer (2016) was that the Caminho da Costa is well marked with yellow arrows, but the Senda Litoral was not so well marked. The Caminho da Costa weaves back and forth between the coast and inland sections, but always brings you back to the coast at all of the major towns. The Senda Litoral runs along the coastline. My friend and I basically stuck to the coastline as much as possible, but followed the yellow arrows where there did not seem to be viable options. We did not have the Brierley book, and the CSJ guide was not published at that time, so they may help you clarify where you want to be. But a little bit of flexibility on your part would likely help, and as @stevov says above, go with the flow. As long as the ocean is on your left, you cannot be too far wrong.

In addition to not running on Mondays, the ferry is also dependent on the tides. Upon arriving at the dock, we were told that we would have a 5 hour wait until the next ferry could go. But we were told to walk up to the beach near the mouth of the river and ask for Mario. We did that and Mario took us across in his little boat.

 

[Telelama]

. As long as the ocean is on your left, you cannot be too far wrong.

We walked this route in May '16 and this is solid advice. Not too much worries on getting lost as long as the ocean is on your left.

 

[DLJ]

Hi Micheal,
I did this route ...the senda da orla Litoral...from Porto via Viana and Caminha and Vigo ...in June. I used the John Brierley Portuguese Camino Guide book which is available via the UK CSJ Confraternity website....This includes all the Portuguese routes and majors on the inland route so I found it a little sketchy when it came to the coastline route.

However the CSJ site has just listed a new dedicated Guide from Johnie Walker at the link below...

www.csj.org.uk/product/camino-de-santiago-pilgrim-guides-camino-portugues-part-2-porto-to-santiago-coastal-route/

Other posts on this site also refer to Luis Freixos detailed maps. These can be found at...

http://www.caminador.es

I found some of the route not as well marked as expected but generally didn't mind going with the flow and enjoyed my Camino. But I would say if you want to do this route accurately throughout then you need to refer to good guides /maps from time to time.

Just to add that the ferry from Caminha to Spain does not run on Mondays.

Bom Caminho!

My wife and I did the coastal route last year. We asked about a guide at the Cathedral (Porto) when we got our first stamp. The young man was very apologetic stating he had no guides or info on the Camino or to Fatima. We found Brierly's guide in a small off-street school bookstore, but the only reference to the coastal route was a hand drawn map. I ask about a guide at a tourist office, and was told no guide necessary, "just keep the water on your left." It all worked fine, route markings were not an issue.