Hello!! Portuguese Route Sept 23

[AdamRed5]

Hi everyone,
I’m looking to walk the Portuguese route from Porto in mid/late September.
Any hints, tips, intros welcome.
This will be my first Camino.

Thanks all, I look forward to meeting you!

 

[DanielH]

Greetings My friend from Ireland, who I met on the Camino Frances several years back, will be walking Porto to Santiago in early September. Buy you a good guidebook so you can explore the various options available to you. Lots of great posts on this forum on various topics that will be helpful to you
Buen Camino (I guess I better learn the Portuguese words for Buen Camino)
Daniel

 

[ElCee]

Hello! I will be walking a Portuguese Camino starting Sept. 26 so I might see you. I'm planning a hybrid Sentra Litoral/Coastal/Central/Coastal/Espiritual route. Probably overthinking but it gives me something to do as winter drags on a bit here in Canada.
Bom Caminho!

 

[AdamRed5]

Greetings My friend from Ireland, who I met on the Camino Frances several years back, will be walking Porto to Santiago in early September. Buy you a good guidebook so you can explore the various options available to you. Lots of great posts on this forum on various topics that will be helpful to you
Buen Camino (I guess I better learn the Portuguese words for Buen Camino)
Daniel

Hey, a friend gave me this so I’m good for a guide.
Really looking forward to planning the walk. Been watching lots of YouTube vids on the route which is ace too.

 

[AdamRed5]

Hello! I will be walking a Portuguese Camino starting Sept. 26 so I might see you. I'm planning a hybrid Sentra Litoral/Coastal/Central/Coastal/Espiritual route. Probably overthinking but it gives me something to do as winter drags on a bit here in Canada.
Bom Caminho!

Oh sick, this is the start date I had in mind!! Still planning things out but fits in perfectly with work leave I have booked, maybe see you on the road!
Is this your first Camino?

 

[ElCee]

Oh sick, this is the start date I had in mind!! Still planning things out but fits in perfectly with work leave I have booked, maybe see you on the road!
Is this your first Camino?

Yes! I'm very excited and a little worried. Typical, I'm sure.

 

[dougfitz]

Any hints, tips, intros welcome.

Here is link to some thoughts I shared recently on another thread: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/advice-for-new-members.79265/#post-1115958

 

[K_Lynn]

@AdamRed5 @ElCee Bom Caminho! I'll be about a week behind you as I think I get to Porto around the 4th of October!

 

[AdamRed5]

Greetings My friend from Ireland, who I met on the Camino Frances several years back, will be walking Porto to Santiago in early September. Buy you a good guidebook so you can explore the various options available to you. Lots of great posts on this forum on various topics that will be helpful to you
Buen Camino (I guess I better learn the Portuguese words for Buen Camino)
Daniel

Yes! I'm very excited and a little worried. Typical, I'm sure.

Exactly my feelings, very excited, a little worried about my knees. I have a 100k walk in June over two days for charity so that will be a good test.
Are you going with friend, family, solo?

 

[ElCee]

Exactly my feelings, very excited, a little worried about my knees. I have a 100k walk in June over two days for charity so that will be a good test.
Are you going with friend, family, solo?

I’m going with a Canadian friend who lives in Madrid but Im already thinking about a follow up Camino by myself. I’d really like to completely surrender to the Camino and plan absolutely nothing ahead. When the two of us are together we over plan. It will still be fantastic though, I’m sure!

@AdamRed5 @ElCee Bom Caminho! I'll be about a week behind you as I think I get to Porto around the 4th of October!

Bom caminho! I got to say my first bom caminho last week at MEC. The salesperson in the shoe department is leaving on his caminho Portuguese in a month. We were instant friends, it was so much fun!

 

[AdamRed5]

I’m going with a Canadian friend who lives in Madrid but Im already thinking about a follow up Camino by myself. I’d really like to completely surrender to the Camino and plan absolutely nothing ahead. When the two of us are together we over plan. It will still be fantastic though, I’m sure!

Bom caminho! I got to say my first bom caminho last week at MEC. The salesperson in the shoe department is leaving on his caminho Portuguese in a month. We were instant friends, it was so much fun!

Ah amazing, going with a friend is ace, I travelled a lot with a good friend and it’s great to share the experience with people you know.
I’m doing it solo because I want the option of solitude, some solo reflection time is needed.

 

[Wandalina]

You will have a great time! My advice is dont plan too much. Be really strict with yourself in terms of what you bring and carry. The joy is realising that in fact you need so little. And whatever 'what if' you come up with in your head when packing... all these minor issues are easily overcome or dont materialise.

For me facing these little anxieties before leaving pushed me to relinquish control.
Finding yourself on an open road, no map, and a few belongings on your back is so liberating. You learn a lot about yourself.

If you need to plan something maybe just have a look at these posts here re accomodation just to make sure there is no rush. All routes are getting busier. You may need to book a night or two ahead. If you can avoid doing that i would it takes the fun out of it. You may find yourself getting to a small town early in the day and feel you can walk further etc. Some towns are limited with accommodation so once you know that you can plan those stops.

I would definitely recommend spending a night with the franciscan monks in Herbon outside Padrón. It was the most wonderful experience for me. Really profoundly affected me. Im not sure its still open but worth checking out.

You will meet great people on the road, the majority of walkers are kind, respectful, fun, and open. Walking and meeting people is a wonderful lesson in humanity.

I walked my first camino the Portuguese alone a few months after a serious illness. It was the best decision i ever made and i haven't stopped walking since

 

[AdamRed5]

You will have a great time! My advice is dont plan too much. Be really strict with yourself in terms of what you bring and carry. The joy is realising that in fact you need so little. And whatever 'what if' you come up with in your head when packing... all these minor issues are easily overcome or dont materialise.

For me facing these little anxieties before leaving pushed me to relinquish control.
Finding yourself on an open road, no map, and a few belongings on your back is so liberating. You learn a lot about yourself.

If you need to plan something maybe just have a look at these posts here re accomodation just to make sure there is no rush. All routes are getting busier. You may need to book a night or two ahead. If you can avoid doing that i would it takes the fun out of it. You may find yourself getting to a small town early in the day and feel you can walk further etc. Some towns are limited with accommodation so once you know that you can plan those stops.

I would definitely recommend spending a night with the franciscan monks in Herbon outside Padrón. It was the most wonderful experience for me. Really profoundly affected me. Im not sure its still open but worth checking out.

You will meet great people on the road, the majority of walkers are kind, respectful, fun, and open. Walking and meeting people is a wonderful lesson in humanity.

I walked my first camino the Portuguese alone a few months after a serious illness. It was the best decision i ever made and i haven't stopped walking since

Amazing advice, thank you so much.
I don’t plan on doing an awful lot of planning (I rarely do when I travel), as you say takes the fun out of it sometimes.
As for packing, I learnt my lessons in the army and u defat and the need to take less than you think you need. I’m grateful you raised that though, as I was wondering what I will need and what can be left behind so will check out some of the posts on this.
I will look into the franciscan monks in Herbon as I LOVE doing things I usually wouldn’t do, so thanks again.
What’s evident is that from all my Camino interactions so far, everyone seems to welcoming and genuine, I’m so excited to hit the road and make hear connections!!

Happy to hear you’re still walking lots, I’ve found walking, especially in nature to be so healing for me.

 

[Wandalina]

Amazing advice, thank you so much.
I don’t plan on doing an awful lot of planning (I rarely do when I travel), as you say takes the fun out of it sometimes.
As for packing, I learnt my lessons in the army and u defat and the need to take less than you think you need. I’m grateful you raised that though, as I was wondering what I will need and what can be left behind so will check out some of the posts on this.
I will look into the franciscan monks in Herbon as I LOVE doing things I usually wouldn’t do, so thanks again.
What’s evident is that from all my Camino interactions so far, everyone seems to welcoming and genuine, I’m so excited to hit the road and make hear connections!!

Happy to hear you’re still walking lots, I’ve found walking, especially in nature to be so healing for me.

Sounds like you are very well prepared already some people agonise as to what to bring. Once youve got the right shoes, backpack and a smile on your face that's all you need.

Im planning on walking from Porto again on 22nd April it will be my fourth solo camino. I always get a little bit nervous before i head away but its always so rewarding once you take the leap.

Having had a very difficult few years i was so overwhelmed by the welcome of the monks. They took me in, fed me, blessed me, gave me a bed for the night. The pilgrims mass was just beautiful. Im not religious but that welcome... with no questions asked... Was incredible

I hope to meet Fr José again in a few weeks and thank him

 

[AdamRed5]

Sounds like you are very well prepared already some people agonise as to what to bring. Once youve got the right shoes, backpack and a smile on your face that's all you need.

Im planning on walking from Porto again on 22nd April it will be my fourth solo camino. I always get a little bit nervous before i head away but its always so rewarding once you take the leap.

Having had a very difficult few years i was so overwhelmed by the welcome of the monks. They took me in, fed me, blessed me, gave me a bed for the night. The pilgrims mass was just beautiful. Im not religious but that welcome... with no questions asked... Was incredible

I hope to meet Fr José again in a few weeks and thank him

This is amazing, I hope to have such experiences on my Camino. I’m not strictly religious, I do see myself as more spiritual and lean towards animism/pagan spirituality that’s based in nature but totally respect the faith of others and love to experience it.

 

[Samos]

How exciting! your first Camino. Walked last year from Lisbon, but walked up the coast from Porto and then took the Espiritual Variant...with the boat. We have had so many interesting experiences just stopping in chapels, churches, museums, small town tourist offices, etc. you never know who you might meet and what you will learn

 

[TrvlDad1]

View attachment 143099
Hey, a friend gave me this so I’m good for a guide.
Really looking forward to planning the walk. Been watching lots of YouTube vids on the route which is ace too.

I’m using Briarley’s CP guide 2022/23 version (Lisbon to Tomar so far) and must say it’s not current. Some rerouting has been done (follow the waymarks on the ground patiently; some are confusing and widely spaced), and several accommodations and cafes are closed permanently. I sense COVID hit the CP infrastructure harder than the CF, which I did with Briarley’s CF guide last Spring.

 

[dougfitz]

I’m using Briarley’s CP guide 2022/23 version (Lisbon to Tomar so far) and must say it’s not current. Some rerouting has been done (follow the waymarks on the ground patiently; some are confusing and widely spaced), and several accommodations and cafes are closed permanently. I sense COVID hit the CP infrastructure harder than the CF, which I did with Briarley’s CF guide last Spring.

I suspect this is a perennial problem for guidebook authors, particularly those who publish hard copy books where they have to be at the publishers months before they actually get into the hands of pilgrims. Even with Gronze last year on the CP, there were a couple of issues. If you have the time, let John Brierley know about these things. Contact details are on the publication page of his guides. Likewise with any other guide that you might use.