How much road walking is involved walking the coastal way?

[ourgirl]

What should we expect? I know it's Boardwalk for part of the way--but if one were to continue completely up the coast into Spain--Vigo, Baiona and beyond--meeting up in Redondela--will there be much road walking? Are we talking highway, with cars at great speed? Thank you!

 

[kellyz]

What should we expect? I know it's Boardwalk for part of the way--but if one were to continue completely up the coast in to Spain--Vigo, Baiona and beyond--meeting up in Redondela--will there be much road walking? Are we talking highway, with cars at great speed? Thank you!

I walked that route as far as Vigo in 2013. I don't remember enough to give percentages, but I would say, yes. There is quite a bit of road on the coastal, though not a lot of busy highway. And there might have been off-road options I frequently missed... My feet hurt much more on this route than others. However, no regrets!

 

[edumad]

I can speak of the speak of the section I know. If you exit Porto along the river, there is plenty of trafic but you are safe from it. The rest up to Vila Praia de Âncora will have plenty of road walking, mostly on quiet roads and cobbled streets. There is a section of a 300-400m along the busy N13 entering Viana do Castelo where you are more exposed to vehicles wizzing by, but even then there is some room at the side of the road (but no sidewalk).

 

[gaulsdog]

I can speak of the speak of the section I know. If you exit Porto along the river, there is plenty of trafic but you are safe from it. The rest up to Vila Praia de Âncora will have plenty of road walking, mostly on quiet roads and cobbled streets. There is a section of a 300-400m along the busy N13 entering Viana do Castelo where you are more exposed to vehicles wizzing by, but even then there is some room at the side of the road (but no sidewalk).

When I walked from Esposende to Viana do Castelo I practially walked the beach the whole way except for one small section where I moved away but I soon changed and went back to the beach again and the run into Viana is a wonderful beach of solid sand several kilometers long, Didn't see a car all day long,

http://www.mapmyhike.com/routes/fullscreen/446650164/

 

[ourgirl]

When I walked from Esposende to Viana do Castelo I practially walked the beach the whole way except for one small section where I moved away but I soon changed and went back to the beach again and the run into Viana is a wonderful beach of solid sand several kilometers long, Didn't see a car all day long,

http://www.mapmyhike.com/routes/fullscreen/446650164/

So useful. Sent u a friend request. Thank you!

 

[Camembert]

Lots of road walking From A Guarda to Vigo allmost 95% as you choose the coastal path. Frim Baiona to Vigo is a waymarked route through the hills. We did not walk that today

 

[woodswoman]

When I walked from Esposende to Viana do Castelo I practially walked the beach the whole way except for one small section where I moved away but I soon changed and went back to the beach again and the run into Viana is a wonderful beach of solid sand several kilometers long, Didn't see a car all day long,

http://www.mapmyhike.com/routes/fullscreen/446650164/

I have been walking the real coastal Way, which isn’t even in Brierleys books until the 2018 edition. Most of it was boardwalks and pavers and some cobblestone but it was very nice. I walked along the beach almost the entire way. There were times when the path moved more into the roadways but not very often in my experience. One day I walked for five hours only on the beach boardwalk with no bars or cafés. I had plenty of water and some snacks and it was from the Viale Do Castelo to Via Praia de Âncora (not just Âncora). I ended up staying in Praia de Âncora an extra day because I got a little apartment called Apartamenes Turisticos and decided I just didn’t want to leave. When I was ready after two nights, all I had to do was walk out my door And go half a block to the beach and I was on the path again.