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Come and join us on the Caminho Nascente! You still get everything that’s great about Portugal and there are no cobblestones (except in towns) and hardly any road walking.I must say I came to hate the many long stretches of cobblestones. They really took their toll on the feet... I didn't get blisters, but as the days went by (from Porto), it became painful to walk on them:
As much as I loved Portugal I was pretty happy to cross that bridge into Spain and leave the cobblestones behind!I believe I saw the term used here before walking the CP... I thought of/refer to them as hobblestones. A name well earned.
One of the things that makes this route sound very attractive. I loved everything about Portugal except the cobblestones.Come and join us on the Caminho Nascente! You still get everything that’s great about Portugal and there are no cobblestones (except in towns) and hardly any road walking.
Good to hear, I’m planning the Portuguese late 2021/early 2022.....I’m a winter walker and wear Hokas (now Bondi 7) already 3 years.I walked both the Portuguese Central and Interior routes, and found that footwear made a huge difference on the cobblestones. Hoka One Ones highly recommended for those routes!
I guess living in Mexico makes the cobblestones in Portugal seem like walking on ice. They are a pain but not as bad as I expected.I must say I came to hate the many long stretches of cobblestones. They really took their toll on the feet... I didn't get blisters, but as the days went by (from Porto), it became painful to walk on them:
Yes, indeed, they are granite setts. This has been clarified many times on this very forum by experts. Old habits die hard. There are a few places in Portugal and Spain where I have encountered true cobblestone on the Camino, but it is rare. The granite setts are more difficult than paths, for sure. The beauty of crossing into Spain was leaving the granite setts behind and the travesty was also leaving the pastel de nata behind!Thanks for clarifying what you mean by cobblestones. To me, these are granite setts. For me, cobblestones are rounded river boulders and are far far worse to walk on. Almost guaranteed to turn your ankle over the course of an afternoon....
I read a lot here about the cobblestones on the CP before I went, and worried a bit about that, as my feet tend to get sore on long distances, regardless of the surface. I ended up walking from Porto to Santiago in my Chaco sandals and didn't notice any problems with the cobblestones.I must say I came to hate the many long stretches of cobblestones. They really took their toll on the feet... I didn't get blisters, but as the days went by (from Porto), it became painful to walk on them:
I wore Keen sandals and had no issues with the cobblestones. Very glad they have not been covered with asphalt! The stretches on roads were what I found scaryOne of the things that makes this route sound very attractive. I loved everything about Portugal except the cobblestones.
The best thing that can be said for those cobblestones is that it's hard for a car to sneak up behind you on those sections that are walled in or have hedgerows on both sides of the road.I must say I came to hate the many long stretches of cobblestones. They really took their toll on the feet... I didn't get blisters, but as the days went by (from Porto), it became painful to walk on them:
No, they are more like squared (See the link to a picture in my starting post of this thread).Does the cobblestones in the attached picture compares to the ones in Portugal.
Thanks,
Iván
Thanks, alexwalker for the information.No, they are more like squared (See the link to a picture in my starting post of this thread).
What I can say, @Ivan_Prada , is that I am used to offroad walking in different terrain, and even the stoney way down from Cruz de Ferro to El Acebo on the CF was taken well, but after a week or more on the CP, I started to hate it when I saw another stretch of cobblestones in front of me. It became really hard on the base of my feet...Thanks, alexwalker for the information.
They don’t look as shiny, maybe different type of rock. Guess we’ll see if it the same experience walking on them as the ones we know. Iván
And you walked from Porto Alex! ... try walking all the way from Lisbon.I must say I came to hate the many long stretches of cobblestones. They really took their toll on the feet... I didn't get blisters, but as the days went by (from Porto), it became painful to walk on them:
But I did start in Lisbon! After 4 days on asphalt, heavily truck trafficed roads and bad markings, I took a train to Porto and restarted from there. A relief. The walk from Lisbon is not, IMHO, suited for walking.And you walked from Porto Alex! ... try walking all the way from Lisbon.
Not typically granite in Portugal, except perhaps in the northeast. As I thought I'd remembered, they're limestone and basalt--those without designs, typically limestone.Thanks for clarifying what you mean by cobblestones. To me, these are granite setts. For me, cobblestones are rounded river boulders and are far far worse to walk on. Almost guaranteed to turn your ankle over the course of an afternoon....
Looks like the typical street in any medieval town in Germany.We spent a few days in Lisbon before walking the Rota Vicentina, arriving in Lisbon on a rainy day and oh my gosh! The granite setts in the city are very smooth and when wet they are slick as black ice, making it quite difficult to stay in an upright position! A typical sample in Lisbon.
View attachment 100593View attachment 100594
Oh yes, it is quite a loud rumble and I only experienced it during the day as I tried to keep out of the way.The other annoyance with cobblestone streets are at night, on a busy vehicle way, with bedroom window open. Just try to sleep through the clatter.
I agree. My feet have never completely recovered. I was so happy to cross that bridge into Tui.I must say I came to hate the many long stretches of cobblestones. They really took their toll on the feet... I didn't get blisters, but as the days went by (from Porto), it became painful to walk on them:
But I did start in Lisbon! After 4 days on asphalt, heavily truck trafficed roads and bad markings, I took a train to Porto and restarted from there. A relief. The walk from Lisbon is not, IMHO, suited for walking.
I have thought the very same thing when in Portugal.I’m more intrigued by the amount of labor required to lay all of those tiles/setts/cobbles.
it’s kind of extraordinary when you consider the sheer volume of them.
Right?? Lol it plagues me whenever I’m in Lisbon.I have thought the very same thing when in Portugal.
You should try driving over them! Obviously not, as we are all pilgrims who walk, but the first time I drove over these things I kept jumping out to check I didn't have a flat tyre. When I actually did get a flat tyre, I drove about 10 kilometres until I noticed it. Still have saudades for the place though.Oh yes, it is quite a loud rumble and I only experienced it during the day as I tried to keep out of the way.
It's actually kind of a clever technology. When they have to break into a sidewalk or cobbled road to work on the sewers, or water line, or install a gas line, they just dig them up and stack them to the side of the hole, do the work, then put down a bed of coarse sand and lay them again, and then brush more sand around them!I’m more intrigued by the amount of labor required to lay all of those tiles/setts/cobbles.
it’s kind of extraordinary when you consider the sheer volume of them.
Oh, it's not that bad. A good pair of craftsman (yes, in Germany you have to have a vocational training to do the paving) can lay 3-5m per day of 5m wide street. I've seen it several times now.I’m more intrigued by the amount of labor required to lay all of those tiles/setts/cobbles.
it’s kind of extraordinary when you consider the sheer volume of them.
I know! I've watched the Portuguese guys do it. Because the calçadas are limestone, which is not that hard a rock, skilled craftsman can chip them to fit very very quickly. And then they have someone less skilled who comes along and does the backfill of coarse sand.Oh, it's not that bad. A good pair of craftsman (yes, in Germany you have to have a vocational training to do the paving) can lay 3-5m per day of 5m wide street. I've seen it several times now.
BC
Rolandç
I totally understand but I loved those cobblestones, what I hated was hitting asphaltI must say I came to hate the many long stretches of cobblestones. They really took their toll on the feet... I didn't get blisters, but as the days went by (from Porto), it became painful to walk on them:
Try the Coastal route from Porto I don't remember any coblestones on that route. I do remember them from the central route.I must say I came to hate the many long stretches of cobblestones. They really took their toll on the feet... I didn't get blisters, but as the days went by (from Porto), it became painful to walk on them:
Agree. Love my Keens boots - I didn't notice cobblestones or even the hobble stones at all!I walked both the Portuguese Central and Interior routes, and found that footwear made a huge difference on the cobblestones. Hoka One Ones highly recommended for those routes!
oh I agree but then I guess the rest makes up for it!!I must say I came to hate the many long stretches of cobblestones. They really took their toll on the feet... I didn't get blisters, but as the days went by (from Porto), it became painful to walk on them:
Hello,I must say I came to hate the many long stretches of cobblestones. They really took their toll on the feet... I didn't get blisters, but as the days went by (from Porto), it became painful to walk on them:
Hello,Try the Coastal route from Porto I don't remember any coblestones on that route. I do remember them from the central route.
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