Camino north or Portuguese?

[angeliki louk]

after my camino Frances I feel that I wanna go back......I want to walk by the sea,any suggestions which way to choose?
I know that both ways are less crowded but I don't want to be totally alone,it's nice to feel that someone is walking infront you or behind you,it's nice to creat a camino family, sharing ( when you need) all your feelings through the way....
Before I started my camino I was scared to do that alone,with my first step I forgot everything and enjoyed the way...I feel the same now that I am thinking of my second camino.
Buen camino to everyone!!!!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, angeliki,
I haven't walked the Portugues sea-side route, just the "traditional" inland route from Lisbon to Santiago, but I know many people who say the coastal route north of Porto is lovely. There are many different ways to weave out to the sea and back inland, or to just stay on the sea up to Vigo in Spain. There's a good map of all the options http://www.caminador.es/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/RELIEVE-PORTO-REDONDELA-IMPr.pdf

You can find lots of discussions of how different people have walked in many threads in the Portugues section of this forum.
The Caminho in Portugal goes through lots of lovely rural scenery and small towns, and the people are great, but the sea options are limited to north of Porto.

The norte of course has a lot of coastline, and you can add to the coastline walking by always opting for the E-9 alternatives when you see turn-offs. The E-9 is a European coastal walk, and I found that by taking it wherever I saw a sign, I was on a lot of beautiful coastal paths. Even with those alternatives, I found that the Norte has a lot of asphalt roadside walking (for instance, from Santander almost to Comillas is entirely on a road, and that gets hard on my feet). But it was beautiful and I would walk it again.

The other main difference is the number of pilgrims. On the Norte, you're likely to find a steady stream. I walked in May many years ago and there were no totally empty days, but no filled albergues. Now there are more people, of course, but I assume you won't find a bed crunch. The Portugues has very few pilgrims between Lisbon and Porto, a much bigger number from Porto to the Spanish border, and a huge number from Tui to Santiago.

I personally thought the Portugues had more of a "camino" feeling and the Norte more of a "tourism" feeling, but there are more pilgrim albergues on the Norte now so that is undoubtedly changing. The fact that the norte goes through so many beautiful coastal villages means that the area is very popular with tourists as well, so pilgrims aren't the main attraction for many residents, they are looking to provide services to the tourists.

So much variation of opinion, you should do a lot of research and pick the one your gut tells you -- no bad choices IMO. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Pelgrimpaul]

Camino del Norte, about 800km, Camino Portugues about 600km (from Lissabon, 225 from Porto)
As peregrina2000 says Portugues is crowded starting from Porto.
Regarding 'touristic influence' from low to high: Portugues Lissabon to Porto, DelNorte/Primitivo variant, Del Norte, Portugues Porto to Santiago.
(and probably related are the number of Pilgrims!) I don't agree about the tourism influence on the Del Norte compared to the Portugues.
Portugues in mainly flat, Del Norte keeps going up and down, all the way! Del Norte is a more demanding camino! (Portugues the pleasure one ;-)
Del Norte is also called Ruta de la Costa, but often you see the sea, but cannot reach it as you're walking somewhat inland along cliffs, etc.
However, sometimes the Del Norte let's you walk with shoes in your hands and feet in the water!
Along first part of Del Norte are a few touristic cities, enjoy them or leave them.
The Primitivo variante from the Del Norte goes inland, no sea, nice nature.
Number of pilgrims depends on season, as usual more in the summer.
Brierley guide for Portugues! Not for Del Norte!
Portugues is mainly South-North through Portugal, Del Norte East-West through Spain (like CF).
Every Camino is different for each person, and even the same camino twice is different for the same person.
What a world to explore and experience!

 

[mikevasey]

There is more albergues on the Norte than the Portugues even with the distances taken into consideration, it allows you to have more flexible days and the people who you meet can keep changing along the length of it. Both have a lot of asphalt and big cities that you have to walk through or start from. There is a good cicerone guide for the Norte, but you can get free maps and up to date info of the Eroski Camino pages. If you walk the Norte in August be ready for large numbers of pilgrims that walk at that time, it can be quite testing I have been told by various people.
I am biased for the Norte, it was my 1st Camino. However my favourite Albergue on the Camino's I have walked is on the Portuguese at Casa Fernanda 12 km before Ponte de Lima.

Good Luck and Buen Camino

 

[angeliki louk]

There is more albergues on the Norte than the Portugues even with the distances taken into consideration, it allows you to have more flexible days and the people who you meet can keep changing along the length of it. Both have a lot of asphalt and big cities that you have to walk through or start from. There is a good cicerone guide for the Norte, but you can get free maps and up to date info of the Eroski Camino pages. If you walk the Norte in August be ready for large numbers of pilgrims that walk at that time, it can be quite testing I have been told by various people.
I am biased for the Norte, it was my 1st Camino. However my favourite Albergue on the Camino's I have walked is on the Portuguese at Casa Fernanda 12 km before Ponte de Lima.

Good Luck and Buen Camino

Thank you very much for the information ))

 

[mazgirl]

I walk the Norte in May & June this year, some days we walk alone other days with other pilgrims but would never have said it was busy, love walking the coastline but certainly there were a lot of ups & down so it was quite challenging at times
we never had a problem finding a bed for the night and the towns we visited were amazing,
On one of our days walking we passed a guy in a car handing out pamphlet for accommodation, he said if we get to town and give him a call he would pick us up, well we arrived in town hot & tired , one of the locals rang him for us and sure enough he arrived and took us to his apartments, which were really nice and cheap, he then drove us back into town took us site seeing then dropped us off at restaurant, we had dinner then rang him and he came and collected us, what a nice guy, he was one of many that we met

Have not walk the Portugues but it is one my list, look forward to hearing & reading about which one you take