Coastal vs Inland from Porto

[CykaUJ]

Due to a 'mixup', I have been booked into accommodation in Vila do Conde, rather than Fajozes for Thursday night. The people who made the mixup have advised me to walk to Vilarinho and take a taxi to VdC, which is about 4km, and then back to the main route in the morning. It's my first camino, and my first day walking, so I'm a little disappointed to take a taxi, but my options are either:
a) take the coastal route from Matosinhos
b) add an additional 4km to the 26km to Vilarinho (which is already 4 more than the planned 22km)
c) take the taxi

I'm not sure I want to try sand and wind in February, and I have read the other thread about it. I've also read in the guidebook that the coastal route is not marked (although pics in the coastal thread seem to show otherwise), and it is poorly marked from VdC back to the main inland route.

Has anyone done the coastal route this time of year?

 

[Camembert]

Due to a 'mixup', I have been booked into accommodation in Vila do Conde, rather than Fajozes for Thursday night. The people who made the mixup have advised me to walk to Vilarinho and take a taxi to VdC, which is about 4km, and then back to the main route in the morning. It's my first camino, and my first day walking, so I'm a little disappointed to take a taxi, but my options are either:
a) take the coastal route from Matosinhos
b) add an additional 4km to the 26km to Vilarinho (which is already 4 more than the planned 22km)
c) take the taxi

I'm not sure I want to try sand and wind in February, and I have read the other thread about it. I've also read in the guidebook that the coastal route is not marked (although pics in the coastal thread seem to show otherwise), and it is poorly marked from VdC back to the main inland route.

Has anyone done the coastal route this time of year?

You will not like the walk from Porto to Vilarinho. It leads to the very busy infrastructure at the outskirts north of Porto and lots of cobblestoned lanes. Besides you walk partly on the hardshoulder of a very busy motorway with heavy traffic.
Alternative is take the metro to station Fórum Maia and walk from there into a more rural area. ! The first albergue then you will encounter is Monasteiro do Vairão in an old monastery . Very nice !
The coastal is well waymarked. And so is the stage Vila do Conde to São Pedro de Rates. I do not know in which book is written that it isn't so ?
From Vairão it is 2 kms to Vilarinho and another 12 or so to the next albergue in São Pedro de Rates and you are on the central route.
I should cancel the accomodation in Vila do Conde if I were you .

The weather in the north of Portugal is unpredictable.
We were there from last Xmas till the 7th of January past and it rained ,rained and rained. We had two nice days on 26 th of december at the coast in Vila Praia de Âncora and on january 2nd, playing golf in Ponte de Lima .
The landscape is very green because of so much rain !

Bom caminho

 

[CykaUJ]

You will not like the walk from Porto to Vilarinho. It leads to the very busy infrastructure at the outskirts north of Porto and lots of cobblestoned lanes. Besides you walk partly on the hardshoulder of a very busy motorway with heavy traffic.
Alternative is take the metro to station Fórum Maia and walk from there into a more rural area. ! The first albergue then you will encounter is Monasteiro do Vairão in an old monastery . Very nice !
The coastal is well waymarked. And so is the stage Vila do Conde to São Pedro de Rates. I do not know in which book is written that it isn't so ?
From Vairão it is 2 kms to Vilarinho and another 12 or so to the next albergue in São Pedro de Rates and you are on the central route.
I should cancel the accomodation in Vila do Conde if I were you .

The weather in the north of Portugal is unpredictable.
We were there from last Xmas till the 7th of January past and it rained ,rained and rained. We had two nice days on 26 th of december at the coast in Vila Praia de Âncora and on january 2nd, playing golf in Ponte de Lima .
The landscape is very green because of so much rain !

Bom caminho

Unfortunately cancelling the accommodation is not an option because it's all been booked through an agency.

I don't actually know what book this is, because my pilgrim pack did not arrive by the time it was supposed to, all I have are loose sheets of paper that the agency sent to my hotel in Porto of pages 106-198 of whatever book it is.

What you mention about all the infrastructure doesn't sound very good. If I should do the coastal, how much beach do I have to walk? The thought of getting sand everywhere on the first day doesn't really appeal either.

As far as rain, well, I just have to hope that a bit of luck shines down on me, and if it doesn't, then that my waterproofs and my akubra hat will see me through.

 

[Walli Walker]

Take the metro from Porto to Matosinhos and walk to Vila do Conde. No beach walking, no sand, just boardwalks. Then walk to Rates, the signposting is fine. Buen Camino. Jacki.

 

[Camembert]

Unfortunately cancelling the accommodation is not an option because it's all been booked through an agency.

I don't actually know what book this is, because my pilgrim pack did not arrive by the time it was supposed to, all I have are loose sheets of paper that the agency sent to my hotel in Porto of pages 106-198 of whatever book it is.

What you mention about all the infrastructure doesn't sound very good. If I should do the coastal, how much beach do I have to walk? The thought of getting sand everywhere on the first day doesn't really appeal either.

As far as rain, well, I just have to hope that a bit of luck shines down on me, and if it doesn't, then that my waterproofs and my akubra hat will see me through.

As Walli Walker said. No beachwalking allthough we did a couple of hundreds meters around Vila Châ where is an kind of obelisk on a dune . You can avoid this part by staying on the boardwalk

 

[CykaUJ]

Thank you very much both @Albertinho and @Walli Walker !

I have two pairs of shoes with me, since it's all boardwalk, would you recommend my trainers or hiking shoes for this?

 

[Camembert]

Thank you very much both @Albertinho and @Walli Walker !

I have two pairs of shoes with me, since it's all boardwalk, would you recommend my trainers or hiking shoes for this?

We only used one pair of hikers during all our 3 caminhos.and so we will do during our next caminho in May coming
The Portugues has a lot of roadwalking

 

[Anemone del Camino]

My guess if the agency has given you copies of Brierly. Were they supposed to give you a book or are they cheating copy rights?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I vote for Lbertinhos suggestion: skip your reservation and enjoy the monastery which is a donativo and in your route. It is well thought of us and may be a memory you will cherish. If you have to take taxis you will encur a cost, so might as well have that money go towards a unique experience, and feeling good about not taking a taxi on top of it.

 

[Walli Walker]

CukaUJ, I walked from Porto to V de C in Teva sandals, trainers will be fine.

 

[anniethenurse]

CukaUJ, I walked from Porto to V de C in Teva sandals, trainers will be fine.

That's great but if I were walking in February I would walk in midweight boots.

 

[Camembert]

CukaUJ, I walked from Porto to V de C in Teva sandals, trainers will be fine.

You felt comfortable during climbing the Alto da Portela mountain between Ponte de Lima and Rubiães on your trainers /sandals ?

 

[CykaUJ]

My guess if the agency has given you copies of Brierly. Were they supposed to give you a book or are they cheating copy rights?

They were to give me a book, which didn't arrive on time, so they decided to email it to my hotel and send another pack to Tui (why they didn't just use fedex, i don't know...). I can't see anywhere on the sheets what book it's from. It seems to be outdated though, because it says that the coastal route is not marked at all and there's a lot of sand and wind. Everyone I've talked to who's done it says differently.

Regarding the hotel reservation for tonight, I have already spent money on the whole package of hotels, so if I cancel, I lose that money too. I'm already down 50 Euro just in running around with taxis, buying the credencial, buying a book and downloading apps with maps on it.

Anyway, I'm going to take the suggestion above and take the train to Mercado and walk to VdC from there.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Sorry to hear about how all this is going for you and all the runnuing around you are ending up having to do, and in a crunch, in unfamiliar territory. I am curious to find out, when you finish your walk, what your assessment of using one of these tour companies is. Good luck in the rest of your journey.

 

[CykaUJ]

Sorry to hear about how all this is going for you and all the runnuing around you are ending up having to do, and in a crunch, in unfamiliar territory. I am curious to find out, when you finish your walk, what your assessment of using one of these tour companies is. Good luck in the rest of your journey.

I won't ever use this agency again. If I'd had more time to sit down and do all the research, I'd have planned it myself. Next time I'll book all the hotels myself and just pack the minimum to get by with in my backpack. A big part of this was that I needed to carry a lot of things in my suitcase.

 

[olsonpr]

Due to a 'mixup', I have been booked into accommodation in Vila do Conde, rather than Fajozes for Thursday night. The people who made the mixup have advised me to walk to Vilarinho and take a taxi to VdC, which is about 4km, and then back to the main route in the morning. It's my first camino, and my first day walking, so I'm a little disappointed to take a taxi, but my options are either:
a) take the coastal route from Matosinhos
b) add an additional 4km to the 26km to Vilarinho (which is already 4 more than the planned 22km)
c) take the taxi

I'm not sure I want to try sand and wind in February, and I have read the other thread about it. I've also read in the guidebook that the coastal route is not marked (although pics in the coastal thread seem to show otherwise), and it is poorly marked from VdC back to the main inland route.

Has anyone done the coastal route this time of year?

We did this route 2 yrs ago in September. Most of the way to Vila do Conde is on a Broadway. Lovely ocean views. We spent the night in Vila do Conde then caught up with the inland route. Didn't have any problems finding our way that day. On the coastal route there was a section that wasn't marked too well but as we keep the ocean in our view and walked on the sand we had no problems.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I won't ever use this agency again. If I'd had more time to sit down and do all the research, I'd have planned it myself. Next time I'll book all the hotels myself and just pack the minimum to get by with in my backpack. A big part of this was that I needed to carry a lot of things in my suitcase.

Good for you! Mind you, I remember my nerves before my first Camino. For some reason I felt I was heading into remote areas, not walking from village to village. This being said, I now plan etapas, roughly, which would never had occured to me on C1: I just has a guide andwent along with it, with the added help of the 2 pager from the SJPP Pilgrim Office. But again, I am since developped plantar fasciitis and walk less frequented Caminos, so I need to know I will not have to walk 30km day in and day out.

Enjoy your walk and keep posting about it: I will be in your footsteps in a few months!

 

[CykaUJ]

Good for you! Mind you, I remember my nerves before my first Camino. For some reason I felt I was heading into remote areas, not walking from village to village. This being said, I now plan etapas, roughly, which would never had occured to me on C1: I just has a guide andwent along with it, with the added help of the 2 pager from the SJPP Pilgrim Office. But again, I am since developped plantar fasciitis and walk less frequented Caminos, so I need to know I will not have to walk 30km day in and day out.

Enjoy your walk and keep posting about it: I will be in your footsteps in a few months!

It's that this particular agency has just made cockup after cockup and they just keep on saying 'everything's fine', when clearly it's not. If someone is about to do it for the first time I'd advocate using an agency, just not the one that I used.

My footsteps are waiting for you!

 

[Camembert]

It's that this particular agency has just made cockup after cockup and they just keep on saying 'everything's fine', when clearly it's not. If someone is about to do it for the first time I'd advocate using an agency, just not the one that I used.

My footsteps are waiting for you!

On the caminho Portuguese there is no need to book ahead any lodging. Not on the central route, not on the coastal as long as you do not walk during the holiday season.(july,august can be packed at the coast)
You allways find a place to sleep. We walked the caminho three times-next Portuguese is ahead in May coming but never booked in advance .just let it happen !

 

[CykaUJ]

On the caminho Portuguese there is no need to book ahead any lodging. Not on the central route, not on the coastal as long as you do not walk during the holiday season.(july,august can be packed at the coast)
You allways find a place to sleep. We walked the caminho three times-next Portuguese is ahead in May coming but never booked in advance .just let it happen !

Very good to know, thank you! There were specific reasons for going through an agency this time, but I plan to do this again and will do the 'just go' approach. Bom Caminho for your May journey!

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

Due to a 'mixup', I have been booked into accommodation in Vila do Conde, rather than Fajozes for Thursday night. The people who made the mixup have advised me to walk to Vilarinho and take a taxi to VdC, which is about 4km, and then back to the main route in the morning. It's my first camino, and my first day walking, so I'm a little disappointed to take a taxi, but my options are either:
a) take the coastal route from Matosinhos
b) add an additional 4km to the 26km to Vilarinho (which is already 4 more than the planned 22km)
c) take the taxi

I'm not sure I want to try sand and wind in February, and I have read the other thread about it. I've also read in the guidebook that the coastal route is not marked (although pics in the coastal thread seem to show otherwise), and it is poorly marked from VdC back to the main inland route.

Has anyone done the coastal route this time of year?

Yes I recommend you walk the Coastal Route which is more beautiful if you keep to the beachside wooden walkways/cycleways than the inland route. You can download Luis Freixo's PDF maps for each stage which also lists places to stay, to eat etc See his Blog :
http://www.caminador.es/?page_id=117 Bon Caminho!

 

[Walli Walker]

No, Albertinho, I only walked from Porto to Vila do Conde (the stretch that CukaUJ was asking about) in my Tevas. I wore Salomon boots for the rest of the Camino.

 

[Urban Trekker]

Due to a 'mixup', I have been booked into accommodation in Vila do Conde, rather than Fajozes for Thursday night. The people who made the mixup have advised me to walk to Vilarinho and take a taxi to VdC, which is about 4km, and then back to the main route in the morning. It's my first camino, and my first day walking, so I'm a little disappointed to take a taxi, but my options are either:
a) take the coastal route from Matosinhos
b) add an additional 4km to the 26km to Vilarinho (which is already 4 more than the planned 22km)
c) take the taxi

I'm not sure I want to try sand and wind in February, and I have read the other thread about it. I've also read in the guidebook that the coastal route is not marked (although pics in the coastal thread seem to show otherwise), and it is poorly marked from VdC back to the main inland route.

Has anyone done the coastal route this time of year?[/QUOTE
If you have time, take an extra day in old Porto. Day 1: Check into room in old Porto and leave pack. Walk to the Eiffel Bridge, take the cog-way down to the river, and follow it to the bridge crossing in Matosinhos. Use the tram (a modern one) to return to Old Porto and spend the night. Day 2: Take the same tram back to Matosinhos, get off and cross the bridge and follow the yellow arrows to Vila do Conde, cross the river and spend the night there and the next morning follow the yellow arrows up the river towards Rates and the inland route. If you don't have extra time start at the bridge in Matosinhos. Bom Caminho

Happy Trails

 

[Camembert]

No, Albertinho, I only walked from Porto to Vila do Conde (the stretch that CukaUJ was asking about) in my Tevas. I wore Salomon boots for the rest of the Camino.

Okay. I was curious about it. Yesterday I tried out new shoes for the next caminho.
Meindl supplies a new product , a very soft shoe with a thin sole but the outdoorshop did not advise them for rural paths .so I went for the traditional Meindl leather shoes with Goretex inner part.

 

[Kay803]

I started out the same way. Took a taxi to Matosinhos from Porto. Beautiful walk into Vilo do Conde, I was at the Hotel Brazao which I did not care for (service was indifferent at best), but walked the next day into Esposende (so much sea history and legend) and then the day after to Viano de Castelo, staying on the coast. Easy walking, breathtaking views, the fisherman giving me bread and scallops for my journey. It was September -- weather was spectacular. Bom Caminho!