- Time of past OR future Camino
- Some in the past; more in the future!
For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
How amazing! I read this and then checked my e-mail and there was a newsletter from the Nomadic Vegan talking about her upcoming Camino with Nick!Wendy and I are in Tavira on the Algarve coast of Portugal and we’re excited to begin walking the Caminho Nascente tomorrow!
Our original plan for this spring was to walk the Mozárabe/VdlP just after Easter, but that wasn’t possible because of restrictions in Spain and the Portugal/Spain border closure. We came up with a few other plans for Spain for later in the spring but in the end, there was too much uncertainty so we decided to just walk in Portugal instead. As was the case with our CP last autumn, a primarily Portuguese camino makes sense for us again in these COVID times because we already live here, we don’t need to travel far to get to/from the camino, we’re familiar with the current virus situation and restrictions (which have been largely lifted), we have public and private health insurance etc. So another Portuguese camino it is!
The Caminho Nascente is a recently created camino from Tavira to Trancoso that is about 500km in length (and not to be confused with the camino of the same name that links Fátima with the Camino de Santiago). Our plan is to switch from the Nascente to the Caminho do Este at Guarda, two stages from the end, and walk another week or so to Chaves and the border with Spain. If the border is open by then, we can link up with the Sanabrés to reach Santiago. If not, we will return home to Lisbon and we will have walked the length of Portugal, if nothing else!
There’s very little information available on this camino (e.g. just one thread on this forum out of 55,000+ total threads!) but we have found a couple of helpful sources that have allowed us to map out a rough stage plan. I’m not sure if the entire Nascente is way-marked but at least some sections are and I have GPS tracks on my phone as a backup. For accommodation, we’ll look into options a few days in advance while we’re walking. It wasn’t hard to book places for the first few days (mostly budget hotels plus one hostel) but I assume it will be a bit more difficult once we move into more remote areas.
Our first stage tomorrow is about 26km due east from Tavira to Vila Real de Santo António, just across the Guadiana river from Spain. From there we turn northwards for the long journey to (hopefully) Santiago.
I’ll provide updates here and photos on Instagram. As part of Wendy’s Galego learning project, she is going to vlog about the camino on her new YouTube channel: Wendy Speaks Galego.
Depends on what you mean by official, the Cathedral and because of that the Pilgrims office recognize the route, which means you can get the Compostela after walking it. The Xunta have not yet declared it official from their point of view, but it seems they are edging that way with recent photos and quotes of the Camino Geira on their websites.not yet an official camino) - The Caminho da Geira e dos Arrieiros
Is this not the Via Lusitana?Wendy and I are in Tavira on the Algarve coast of Portugal and we’re excited to begin walking the Caminho Nascente tomorrow!
Our original plan for this spring was to walk the Mozárabe/VdlP just after Easter, but that wasn’t possible because of restrictions in Spain and the Portugal/Spain border closure. We came up with a few other plans for Spain for later in the spring but in the end, there was too much uncertainty so we decided to just walk in Portugal instead. As was the case with our CP last autumn, a primarily Portuguese camino makes sense for us again in these COVID times because we already live here, we don’t need to travel far to get to/from the camino, we’re familiar with the current virus situation and restrictions (which have been largely lifted), we have public and private health insurance etc. So another Portuguese camino it is!
The Caminho Nascente is a recently created camino from Tavira to Trancoso that is about 500km in length (and not to be confused with the camino of the same name that links Fátima with the Camino de Santiago). Our plan is to switch from the Nascente to the Caminho do Este at Guarda, two stages from the end, and walk another week or so to Chaves and the border with Spain. If the border is open by then, we can link up with the Sanabrés to reach Santiago. If not, we will return home to Lisbon and we will have walked the length of Portugal, if nothing else!
There’s very little information available on this camino (e.g. just one thread on this forum out of 55,000+ total threads!) but we have found a couple of helpful sources that have allowed us to map out a rough stage plan. I’m not sure if the entire Nascente is way-marked but at least some sections are and I have GPS tracks on my phone as a backup. For accommodation, we’ll look into options a few days in advance while we’re walking. It wasn’t hard to book places for the first few days (mostly budget hotels plus one hostel) but I assume it will be a bit more difficult once we move into more remote areas.
Our first stage tomorrow is about 26km due east from Tavira to Vila Real de Santo António, just across the Guadiana river from Spain. From there we turn northwards for the long journey to (hopefully) Santiago.
I’ll provide updates here and photos on Instagram. As part of Wendy’s Galego learning project, she is going to vlog about the camino on her new YouTube channel: Wendy Speaks Galego.
That site (which is very helpful) comes from the local authorities in the Alentejo and Ribatejo and unfortunately they’re only interested in the stages in those areas. This map from the same site shows that it starts in Tavira but they use dotted lines until the point that the Camino crosses from the Algarve to the Alentejo.I found a site that shows the Caminho Nascente starting in Alcoutim
I was also a bit confused a while back until Rodrigo clarified it here.Oh, I had misunderstood! You must have mentioned the Nascente somewhere, and I was puzzled to think you would be going for a few days around Fátima!
Wishing you a wonderful caminho! Hoping the weather cooperates and that it doesn’t get too hot. Some of this terrain can be kind of punishing in the wrong weather.
Thank you for this. The camino office opposite the church of Santiago is currently closed because of the pandemic although they are accepting email queries. We have the guidebook they have produced (for the Alentejo stages) and already had our credenciales from Ivar so we’re all set!Hello Nick
In March of 2017 I spent 3 weeks in Tavira. One day, I noticed a Camino sign in a window in the town centre, and was connected with a fellow who had worked on the project. We met up at the hostel there, and ended up walking a day on his route with him. Very knowledgeable guy about local plants, history etc, a bit of a character. He said they were working towards the route being officially sanctioned, and hoping local economies might benefit. When I mentioned this forum as a way to get the word out he reacted very negatively, not sure why. I will dig through my old email, and if I find his contact will send you a pm. Otherwise, the window was close to the old cathedral, where we started our walk that day.
will watch your posts with interest, as I’m headed back to Tavira hopefully next spring
I appreciate the suggestions! Do you have any more information about the variant?+ tell me to get lost if I start making suggestions to often but my 1st one is don't forget about the Caminho da Raia variant from Mertorola, now you definitely would be the 1st contemporary pilgrims I have read of who have gone this way.
I think we must have been walking on the same lane! There is something about Tavira, something specialHello Nick
In March of 2017 I spent 3 weeks in Tavira. One day, I noticed a Camino sign in a window in the town centre
I appreciate the suggestions! Do you have any more information about the variant?
I visited Elvas along time ago. It is a must if you are a connoisseur of artillery forts as it is a fine example of the Trace Italienne, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The town was attractive but quiet as I recall.I appreciate the suggestions! Do you have any more information about the variant?
+ tell me to get lost if I start making suggestions to often but my 1st one is don't forget about the Caminho da Raia variant from Mertorola, now you definitely would be the 1st contemporary pilgrims I have read of who have gone this way.
I visited Elvas along time ago. It is a must if you are a connoisseur of artillery forts as it is a fine example of the Trace Italienne, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The town was attractive but quiet as I recall.
I just realised I never replied to this. Yes, the Nomadic Vegan is my wife @Wendy Werneth. You’re probably the only person who saw both messages - small world indeed!How amazing! I read this and then checked my e-mail and there was a newsletter from the Nomadic Vegan talking about her upcoming Camino with Nick!
It’s a small nomadic world!
Hi jungleboy. My wife and I live in Tavira (although we're in the States at the moment) and will be following your adventures with great interest. We have done a tiny part of this Camino from Tavira to Cacela Velha, which is quite lovely as you mentioned. I'll be particularly interested to learn what kind of lodgings you discover along the way. Boa sorte!Wendy and I are in Tavira on the Algarve coast of Portugal and we’re excited to begin walking the Caminho Nascente tomorrow!
Thanks for following along! Booking lodgings has been fairly straightforward so far. All have been budget hotel or B&B-type places, although tomorrow we’ll be in some kind of hostel/albergue in Mesquita. Once we get past Mértola in a couple of days’ time, I think it will become more difficult, e.g. for one village, the official guide says, ‘the local parish council will guide us to the available local accommodation’.Hi jungleboy. My wife and I live in Tavira (although we're in the States at the moment) and will be following your adventures with great interest. We have done a tiny part of this Camino from Tavira to Cacela Velha, which is quite lovely as you mentioned. I'll be particularly interested to learn what kind of lodgings you discover along the way. Boa sorte!
Sounds lovely. I just looked it up and it’s on the Caminho Raia.Anyway, Juromenha is kind of like Quinta da Cardiga but on a much grander scale.
I hope the tourism agencies are prepared to sink the kind of money it will take to get THREE caminhos really up and running through their region. Especially if this effort is being undertaken from the top down without a few stalwart diehard local peregrinos like Ender was for the Salvador or the Via Lusitana was for the route from Lisbon. Can you sense whether this effort has any organic, bottom-up momentum, @jungleboy?there are three southern caminos being promoted by the Alentejo/Ribatejo governments and Portuguese tourism: the ‘Central’, starting from Faro and eventually joining the main CP in Santarém, the ‘Nascente’, starting at Tavira and heading north through Évora and ending at Trancoso, where it joins with the Torres, and the ‘Raia’ (previously known as the Este, e.g. on the Wise Pilgrim map) also starting in Tavira and following the same route as the Nascente until Mértola, and then heading further east through places like Elvas and going all the way to Chaves where it joins the Portuguese Interior.
I somehow missed this earlier, but a Portuguese guy from Trancoso mentioned it in the Portuguese language FB camino group and that’s our new plan, yes. The current debate is whether to take a bus backwards from Lamego (or sideways from Trancoso) to Viseu to be able to walk the ‘full’ CPI.Is the route to Trancoso the one that's indicated on the IGN map? If so, then it looks like, you could go as far as Trancoso to join the Camino Torres, toward Viseu / Lamego. And from there up to Chaves… ?
Great question. The Algarve has so much tourism already, and is so far from Santiago, that it’s a bit hard to see either bottom-up or top-down momentum for the camino. The Alentejo is at the core of this project so that’s where the initiative probably needs to come from. In Mesquita, definitely. We spoke for a long time today with César, whose parents are from the village and who is the driving force behind its rejuvenation. But when I asked if there were similar projects elsewhere in the Alentejo, he said no. I’d guess that any bottom-up momentum, at least in this early stage, will be to promote individual towns/villages rather than the camino as a whole (although that has flow-on benefits for the entire camino). In any case, hopefully we’ll see more positive signs in the next few weeks in the Alentejo.Can you sense whether this effort has any organic, bottom-up momentum, @jungleboy?
Wonderful photography! Thanks so much.Caminho Nascente, Day 4: Alcoutim to Mesquita (~16km).
Today was a spectacular day, one of the most beautiful nature days I’ve experienced on any camino.
I often say that the camino is not a hike, and it’s not - but today was definitely a hike! The entire walk was on trails, mostly single-file and often quite overgrown, with no villages or settlements of any kind the whole way (just a few random individual houses). We didn’t see another person for the first 3+ hours.
For most of the day we had beautiful views of the Guadiana River below. The scenery was hilly and rugged, with wild flowers and wild olive trees everywhere. It’s hard to capture just how gorgeous it was in photos but here are a couple:
View attachment 99233
View attachment 99234
Way-marking has been very good and was again today, although on one occasion we couldn’t find the right path for about 20 minutes until we retraced our steps. It wasn’t a lack of signage but just that the path was so overgrown to be barely discernible. We hacked our way through it and eventually got back on track. Still, it took us over five hours to walk the 16 kilometres because there were a lot of ups and downs and it the hiking trails weren’t conducive to a usual camino pace and rhythm.
We are now in an albergue (yes, really) in a tiny village called Mesquita. In the last two years, the villagers have done a remarkable job transforming the village into a camino destination. Apart from the four-bed albergue, there’s also a restaurant and the camino is being heavily promoted with pamphlets and sign boards provided by the Alentejo government (the same thing as you can see in digital form here). The village had a population of 16 when this project began and it was dying; now it is being revitalised, new people are moving to the village, and I think it’s an outstanding initiative and shows what the camino can do for an otherwise isolated village. Even though this camino is virtually unknown, the GR15 hiking trail also passes through Mesquita so weekend hikers can also make use of the albergue and restaurant. As you can see, I’m really impressed!
We were in Flor de Rosa, north of Alter de Chao (itself north of Evora) for a weekend a couple of autumns ago. The town was very small and very quiet and I'm an early riser, so I wandered around a bit. I saw a variety of waymarks for the Caminho, including ceramic ones. And I think the whole Ribatejo tourism complex is helping to fund infrastructure for this caminhos.I look forward to following you. Various groups waymaked the route from Evora a couple of years ago, so you may have fairly descent ( or not) signage from there.
Bom Caminho
From my stumbling reading of some of the Portuguese-language news websites over the last year or so, I get the impression there's a lot of regional funding available for towns who want to get involved with this initiative. They feel they're left out of the big international tourism boom (pre-pandemic) to Portugal, which so far has focussed on the Algarve, Lisboa, and the Porto area.Great question. The Algarve has so much tourism already, and is so far from Santiago, that it’s a bit hard to see either bottom-up or top-down momentum for the camino. The Alentejo is at the core of this project so that’s where the initiative probably needs to come from. In Mesquita, definitely. We spoke for a long time today with César, whose parents are from the village and who is the driving force behind its rejuvenation. But when I asked if there were similar projects elsewhere in the Alentejo, he said no. I’d guess that any bottom-up momentum, at least in this early stage, will be to promote individual towns/villages rather than the camino as a whole (although that has flow-on benefits for the entire camino). In any case, hopefully we’ll see more positive signs in the next few weeks in the Alentejo.
Yep, this is the main resource we’ve been using. At the moment their guide includes the Central and Nascente with the Raia ‘coming soon’. We’ll be interested to see if the Raia guide adjusts the stages to make them shorter than the current suggestions (which include some 40km days) and how far north they take it. The Raia is the rebranded Caminho do Este, which was launched in 2010 and went to Chaves on the northern border with Spain. Once the Nascente was launched, the two shared some stages. The official map that I have posted several times in this thread now shows the Raia joining back up with the Nascente at Alpalhão, still in the Alentejo, and they don’t continue the map in detail beyond the Alentejo. Since the Alentejo government/tourism office is the big driver of these caminos, maybe they’ll be content with the Raia being a shortened version of the Este and no one else will be interested in developing the northern stages further. In any case, I’m all in on these southern Portuguese caminos all of a sudden and would love to walk all three!See their website (possibly already posted elsewhere)
Caminhos Santiago – Turismo do Alentejo
Turismo do Alentejowww.caminhosdesantiagoalentejoribatejo.pt
I am doing some testing with Wise Pilgrim per his recent thread about crowd sourced guides, so I have a test app with GPS tracks. But that’s really just to check the accuracy of the tracks; the arrows are as prominent as on major caminos so wayfinding was not difficult. There are also pretty good information signs for historic sites (e.g. churches in Tavira, the Roman-Visigothic site, Alcoutim castle etc). Places like Castro Marim, Alcoutim and Tavira (obviously) are also in tourist guide books.Did you have a map, download or other info on the sections from Tavira to Alcoutim? Thanks
Thank you! I haven’t had any blisters so far and while Wendy had the beginnings of two a couple of days ago, they didn’t really develop and are basically gone now. Unfortunately she rolled/twisted her ankle on a very uneven cobblestone-like surface near the end of the stage today and it has swollen up a bit and was quite painful for her at the time. She managed the last 3km OK so we’ll see how it is tomorrow morning.I am enjoying your walk. With those temperatures I'd have to tape my feet against blisters.
Be careful after the Cabeço de Vide (sulfur baths) and after Alpalhão (before Nisa) with the cows and oxen that graze. After Alpalhão we were attacked by the bulls.
I also inform you that after Alter Pedroso, I advise you not to follow the path on which you are marked (follow the road). There is a closed and high gate, which is very difficult to get through.
What fun, and what an adventure! Your descriptions and photos of the lovely remote villages of the Alentejo make me homesick for rural Portugal. The people are so kind and so hospitable, and the countryside is so beautiful. Thanks!
My wife and I are avid Camino walkers. We recently drove through Evoramonte, Castelo Branco, Castelo Novo and Fundão where we saw many Camino markers and yellow arrows. You should have an easy time through a lot of cities on the route. This is the first we have heard of this newish Camino and enjoy your daily postings. Happy tails.Wendy and I are in Tavira on the Algarve coast of Portugal and we’re excited to begin walking the Caminho Nascente tomorrow!
Our original plan for this spring was to walk the Mozárabe/VdlP just after Easter, but that wasn’t possible because of restrictions in Spain and the Portugal/Spain border closure. We came up with a few other plans for Spain for later in the spring but in the end, there was too much uncertainty so we decided to just walk in Portugal instead. As was the case with our CP last autumn, a primarily Portuguese camino makes sense for us again in these COVID times because we already live here, we don’t need to travel far to get to/from the camino, we’re familiar with the current virus situation and restrictions (which have been largely lifted), we have public and private health insurance etc. So another Portuguese camino it is!
The Caminho Nascente is a recently created camino from Tavira to Trancoso that is about 500km in length (and not to be confused with the camino of the same name that links Fátima with the Camino de Santiago). Our plan is to switch from the Nascente to the Caminho do Este at Guarda, two stages from the end, and walk another week or so to Chaves and the border with Spain. If the border is open by then, we can link up with the Sanabrés to reach Santiago. If not, we will return home to Lisbon and we will have walked the length of Portugal, if nothing else!
There’s very little information available on this camino (e.g. just one thread on this forum out of 55,000+ total threads!) but we have found a couple of helpful sources that have allowed us to map out a rough stage plan. I’m not sure if the entire Nascente is way-marked but at least some sections are and I have GPS tracks on my phone as a backup. For accommodation, we’ll look into options a few days in advance while we’re walking. It wasn’t hard to book places for the first few days (mostly budget hotels plus one hostel) but I assume it will be a bit more difficult once we move into more remote areas.
Our first stage tomorrow is about 26km due east from Tavira to Vila Real de Santo António, just across the Guadiana river from Spain. From there we turn northwards for the long journey to (hopefully) Santiago.
I’ll provide updates here and photos on Instagram. As part of Wendy’s Galego learning project, she is going to vlog about the camino on her new YouTube channel: Wendy Speaks Galego.
My wife and I are avid Camino walkers. We recently drove through Evoramonte, Castelo Branco, Castelo Novo and Fundão where we saw many Camino markers and yellow arrows. You should have an easy time through a lot of cities on the route. This is the first we have heard of this newish Camino and enjoy your daily postings. Happy tails.
Thanks for this. We are already past Mértola and opted not to take the Raia. Our original plan was to continue on the Este from Guarda as these stages suggest, but our new plan is the Torres and then the Portuguese Interior from Trancoso (the end of the Nascente) to Chaves and Verín.This variant takes the Caminho da Raia at Mertola to Serpa, Moura, Mourao, Monsaraz, Alandroal and at Vila Vicosa - back to the Caminho Nascente from Reguengos de Monsaraz - at Estremoz. It crosses into Spain at Chaves to Verin joining the Mozarabe for 179 km in Spain to Santiago.
Obrigado por isso. Já passamos de Mértola e optamos por não ir na Raia. O nosso plano inicial era continuar no Este da Guarda como sugerem estas etapas, mas o nosso novo plano é as Torres e depois o Interior Português de Trancoso (o fim da Nascente) a Chaves e Verín.
In the beginning of June I will complete the camino from Guarda to Lamego.Thanks for this. We are already past Mértola and opted not to take the Raia. Our original plan was to continue on the Este from Guarda as these stages suggest, but our new plan is the Torres and then the Portuguese Interior from Trancoso (the end of the Nascente) to Chaves and Verín.
Thank you for the wishes, and you are not asleep at all! Not everyone can be on camino right now, but we are fortunate to live in Portugal which opens up the possibility.I seem to be asleep, while pilgrims like yourselves are quietly making progress along the Camino, whichever route! Wishing you well, I know you are well capable of achieving your goal.
I always think Beja is a much-underrated city, compared to Evora. Harder to get to from Lisboa, for sure. But wonderful things to see! Great that you both are getting a rest day. Back into the empty hinterlands tomorrow, I suppose. Bom caminho!Caminho Nascente Day 9: Cabeça Gorda to Beja (~12km).
A short day today which gave us the opportunity to spend some time in Beja, a ‘poor man’s Évora’ and one of the main towns of the Alentejo. Apart from an encounter with some very shaggy sheep and a lot of red poppies, there wasn’t much noteworthy about the walk this morning. There was a lot more agricultural production (mostly olive groves) than the last two days, when there was almost none. The walk was even shorter than we thought because it seems the official guide’s distances are always a couple of kilometres more than the actual ones.
View attachment 99582
We’ve been to Beja before, but just for a few hours six years ago and our memories are a bit hazy. This afternoon I walked around town and enjoyed visiting the castle and several churches while Wendy rested her bruised ankle at the hotel. I wanted to visit the Visigothic Museum too but it’s inside a church and was closed - I will have to make a special trip from Lisbon another time to see it.
This is Beja’s cathedral (of Santiago!) seen from the keep of the castle:
View attachment 99583
Thank you! Yes, I enjoyed my afternoon in Beja quite a lot. As for tomorrow, I have no idea what’s coming - as usual on this camino! But I feel that it won’t be quite as isolated as the last few days were because there are at least some decent-sized places coming up (e.g. Cuba, Viana de Alentejo) before we reach Évora.I always think Beja is a much-underrated city, compared to Evora. Harder to get to from Lisboa, for sure. But wonderful things to see! Great that you both are getting a rest day. Back into the empty hinterlands tomorrow, I suppose. Bom caminho!
We had also never heard of it we’re also not wine connoisseurs either. Not syrupy or sweet, and it didn’t taste very strong. It’s hard to describe but I can tell you that it’s also known as petroleiro because of its petrol color! Hopefully this photo is a bit more charming than that image!I’ve never had vinho de talha ( in fact I’ve never heard of it!). I am not a wine connoisseur as you know but Alentejo wine usually strikes me as syrupy, if that’s an adjective. What was this like?
This snippet made me smile / my first thought when reading the description was that it would ‘fuel’ your tank and give you power!it’s also known as petroleiro because of its petrol color!
Thank you! Literally the second she sprained her ankle she was thinking how well the PF had been going that day. The ankle is manageable in and of itself but seems to be making the PF worse, so we’ve been taking it slowly the last few days.Hi jungleboy and Wendy
I’m really enjoying ‘virtually’ walking with you both on this one. It feels more like the earlier caminos when we weren’t sure what to expect and were so with what felt like happy trailblazing! Encouragement for Wendy with her double handicap of ankle problem and PF.
I assume you mean coping with the pandemic? It’s hard to say and also to generalise throughout the region.if it’s possible without being too inquisitive; can you give us an update during this walk if you form an impression of how the locals in these further out regions are coping and keeping food to the table ?) It must be surprising for them to see pilgrims there.
Yes, I think so. It’s always a bit hard to tell what the English levels are of the people we’re speaking to in Portuguese, but off the top of my head, we’ve only spoken extensively in English to one Portuguese person on the whole camino and the rest of our interactions have been in Portuguese. Certainly the people we’ve dealt with in the tiny villages wouldn’t speak any English.Without speaking Portugues, I imagine this journey could be tricky.
They are Roman stones belonging to olive mills for the production of olive oil.Caminho Nascente Day 12: Alvito to Viana do Alentejo (~12km).
After our rejuvenating castle stay and late breakfast (by pilgrim standards anyway - 8am), we set out from Alvito and it started raining almost immediately. It poured heavily for about five minutes, soaking our shoes, but it was then reduced to very light rain and stopped soon enough. There was even some sunshine for the second half of our short walk, which was quite enjoyable. The only place we passed was a strange village called Água de Peixe, consisting of an old palace and lots of millstones lying around in a weirdly atmospheric way.
View attachment 99822
Just as we were entering Viana do Alentejo, thinking the rain was behind us, the weather suddenly turned and we were hit with a brief hailstorm!
But this too passed and we spent a nice afternoon exploring the castle (with two churches inside) and historic centre of Viana do Alentejo. The castle receptionist was the one responsible for way-marking the Nascente in this zone, and he even had an official camino stamp for us!
View attachment 99823
After four consecutive short stages, the party’s over and we have a long one tomorrow. Boa sorte!
Not that we’ve been able to ascertain. The albergue at Mesquita had a guestbook and of those who had written in it since it opened in Nov 2019, Wendy thought there were only two entries that looked like they had been written by pilgrims (there is also a shorter hiking trail that goes through there that attracts weekend hikers). I previously read that about 75 walkers per year did the similar Caminho do Este (now rebranded as the Raia and possibly shortened). Obviously the pandemic has reduced the numbers even more but I think they are very low no matter what.Do any of the places you’ve stayed or been stamped keep track of pilgrim numbers? It would be interesting to know how many have come before you and Wendy. Bom caminho, Laurie
Thank you for the support! Despite today’s challenging day it’s been a really rewarding camino so far and the unknown nature of it makes it feel like quite the adventure!Just noticed your thread this morning! We wish you both a very Bom Caminho. Your posts and photos are wonderful. We are very envious! Hope you both keep safe and well and enjoy every step. We really enjoyed following you both last year.
Anne & Pat
I’d say about 60/40 in favour of cash. If we can book places on Booking.com snd pay with card, we do, but in the villages and smaller towns that isn’t possible so we’ve been calling to make reservations and we’re paying cash at those places.I'm curious if the accommodations where you've been staying are taking credit cards or if they are cash accommodations like much of the CF.
Good to know, thank you!They are Roman stones belonging to olive mills for the production of olive oil.
I will approach tomorrow’s report with a very open mind. I have been to Évora 4 or 5 times and have never been able to muster any enthusiasm for it, though on my first trip we did have some great meals there, and I once stayed in the pousada which was nice but not too special. I know I sound like a spoiled brat. I keep hoping someone will show me the magic, because I must be missing something. No pressure.It was a tough day but we’re happy to have made it and we’ll have a rest day here tomorrow. We’ve been to Évora a couple of times before but as the capital of the Alentejo and the biggest town on this camino (I think), it has plenty to offer, even for two tired pilgrims!
I know the "powers that be" wouldn't like it, but I wonder if there would be a pleasanter route going northwest on the N257 from Viana de Alentejo and then northeast through Pomarinho on the N380 and on to Evora? That would give walkers an alternative of visiting the Cromlech, which is the (admittedly smaller, but still impressive) Portuguese equivalent of Stonehenge? The neolithic sites in this area are pretty amazing!Caminho Nascente Day 13: Viana do Alentejo to Évora (~36km).
With no real accommodation options between Viana do Alentejo and Évora, we didn’t have much choice other than to do this in one day despite Wendy’s foot problems. We left VdA just after 7am and the first 10km to Aguilar were mostly on overgrown country paths past olive groves and with occasional encounters with cows.
After Aguiar, though, we had to walk the next 15km on the main road leading south from Évora. The way marker we spoke to yesterday said his colleague in charge of this section tried to divert the camino from the road, but needed permission from five property owners to do so and while four gave permission, one did not and that meant the alternative path couldn’t be created.
The road was quite busy and we were basically forced to walk on the outside white lane markers, as that’s where the asphalt ends and beyond that were weeds, wild flowers and wild wheat stalks typically 1-2 feet in height and sometimes taller. This was probably the worst stretch we’ve walked on for an extended period on any camino given the traffic danger and long stretches of asphalt, which is terrible for Wendy’s PF.
That sounds like a great alternative! I really think that this stage needs to be ‘fixed’, and if a more direct off-road option continues to be impossible due to it involving trespassing, then maybe a less direct option needs to be looked at.I know the "powers that be" wouldn't like it, but I wonder if there would be a pleasanter route going northwest on the N257 from Viana de Alentejo and then northeast through Pomarinho on the N380 and on to Evora? That would give walkers an alternative of visiting the Cromlech, which is the (admittedly smaller, but still impressive) Portuguese equivalent of Stonehenge?
The N380 is marked as a ‘lesser’ road than ours (N254) on Google Maps so I’d say you’re right there. But a lot depends on what the shoulder is like for both safety and surface issues.The highway (N380) was busy going into Evora, but doesn't sound nearly as bad as the one you ended up being trapped on.
I will approach tomorrow’s report with a very open mind. I have been to Évora 4 or 5 times and have never been able to muster any enthusiasm for it, though on my first trip we did have some great meals there, and I once stayed in the pousada which was nice but not too special. I know I sound like a spoiled brat. I keep hoping someone will show me the magic, because I must be missing something. No pressure.
We called the junta de freguesia and they gave us the number of someone who offers accommodation. We called her to arrange it and she’s expecting us so we’re all set.Where are you going to sleep in São Miguel de Machede?
I wandered down to the aqueduct area yesterday and also thought it was really cool to see the buildings built into/around it. Yes, we missed the Stonehenge place but since Évora is easy to return to from Lisbon, maybe we’ll do a cycle trip there one day like @Friend from Barquinha!Some years ago I was in Évora as a tourist, not a pilgrim. I must say that I also enjoyed it a lot, even though our stop was only for a few hours. I remember the temple (thanks for the memory), the bone church, the aqueduct with buildings such as you describe built right between the arches! Yes, the "Stonehenge" standing stones of Almendres was also an attraction which I couldn't miss! I see you didn't make it there.If I recall it was quite a distance from town. Still enjoying your walk! Wish I could be there too.
I too am enjoying your pilgrimage. I hope Wendy's foot problem is not getting worse. No point in my offering suggestions, seems you are both well up to applying your own remedies. Thanks for sharing your walk.I wandered down to the aqueduct area yesterday and also thought it was really cool to see the buildings built into/around it. Yes, we missed the Stonehenge place but since Évora is easy to return to from Lisbon, maybe we’ll do a cycle trip there one day like @Friend from Barquinha!
This is a few years back so my memory is a bit sketchy, but we rode our bikes along the shoulder all the way, and it wasn't bad. I believe the Evora landfill was somewhere down this way, and I remember as we came just into Evora itself there were a lot of really big trucks like garbage trucks that we had to be careful of. None came uncomfortably close; just we had to beware of them.The N380 is marked as a ‘lesser’ road than ours (N254) on Google Maps so I’d say you’re right there. But a lot depends on what the shoulder is like for both safety and surface issues.
There is also a very interesting walk north, following the aqueduct out of the city. You actually walk for several kilometres alongside and sometimes right on the aqueduct itself. We found out about this accidentally and, after interacting with one of the least helpful Tourist Office staff I've ever met (got him on a bad day, I guess), got a map and walked this route. [Update: I've been trying to find a copy of this map through the Evora municipal website, but so far, no go!]I wandered down to the aqueduct area yesterday and also thought it was really cool to see the buildings built into/around it. Yes, we missed the Stonehenge place but since Évora is easy to return to from Lisbon, maybe we’ll do a cycle trip there one day like @Friend from Barquinha!
Thank you for your kind messages of support! Without any other pilgrims to talk to because we are yet to see any, it’s nice to share the journey here.I too am enjoying your pilgrimage. I hope Wendy's foot problem is not getting worse. No point in my offering suggestions, seems you are both well up to applying your own remedies. Thanks for sharing your walk.
Thank you also for your kind messages! The Iberian light never ceases to amaze me, especially in the south. The whitewashed buildings deepen the blue of the sky even more and I am fairly obsessed with blue sky photos so I do whatever I need to do to get them! (Getting up early, going out in the late afternoon even after a long stage, waiting for clouds to move etc!)Your pictures continue to delight, thank you. Can't get over the colour of the sky on clear sunny days. We are going into winter here in the south west of Victoria in Australia and your photos are making us yearn for sunny summer Portuguese and Spanish days! Please keep safe and well and we again wish you both a Bom Caminho.
I had hoped the camino might take us along the aqueduct but, alas, it didn’t. The camino out of Évora goes east while the aqueduct goes northwest. But it’s definitely something to consider for a return visit. IIRC, @Elle Bieling did an aqueduct walk out of Tomar which is another thing I’d like to do.I'm not sure how this route interacts with the signposted route for the caminho, but it's a wonderful walk!
People are so amazingly generous! Bom caminho, as always.Caminho Nascente Day 15: Évora to São Miguel de Machede (~23km).
We had arranged accommodation in São Miguel through the local council but had no idea what it would entail. Then we read an account from two years ago that said pilgrims were housed in the retirement home, which didn’t sound very promising in pandemic times. But fortunately that’s no longer the case.
Instead, a local woman who has walked three caminos herself has set up what can only be described as a remarkable pilgrim annex in her backyard as a donativo. The room has a double bed and two bunk beds with an attached bathroom, and we believe that we are the first pilgrims to stay in it! Joana housed nine pilgrims last year but in a different part of her modest house before she had the annex built. I am pretty flabbergasted that she has gone to this much effort for such a minute number of pilgrims but this is how you build a camino! Additionally, she put out food for us and negotiated with the junta de freguesia and a property owner to have a gate opened for us early on the path tomorrow that is usually locked. So we are very appreciative and are enjoying being here with her two playful dogs and many chickens!
Dona Joana can be reached through the junta de freguesia or directly at +351 961 687 306. Best to call in advance to confirm.Hey jungelboy, what about writing here her address etc.? That would be fine
I literally gasped at your photo. What a sight.every first glimpse of Mértola
Thank you for this and your other nice comments, that’s very kind of you to say!Really enjoying your posts, Nick!
Unfortunately she has been dealing with it since day one of our first camino despite having done a lot of previous multi-day mountain hiking, two half-marathons etc with no issues. So it just came out of nowhere but despite the pain she still loves the camino and she is very determined, which serves her well in life and on camino.Sorry to read of Wendy's PF; that sucks. May there be ice at every stopping place, and relief soon. But I'm glad the ankle has healed.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?