Just a little advice needed on the Coastal Option (Litoral / Coastal)

[James X]

Thanks to everybody for their amazing input here - It's helped me make up my mind this evening and book my flights to do a second Caminho !! (Respect to that h)

I only have about 6 to 7 days and my plan would be to walk a section from somewhere North of Porto to Vigo or just north of it** (then take a train connection to my flight in SDC)

I would like to do a mix of both the:
"Senda Litoral" (Literally the Coastal Path) and the "Caminho Coastal" (Coast and Close to Coast )^^
As I believe the paths crossover and intersect especially at stopover towns / villages I presume this should be relatively easy to plan and thus experience a little of each and if so does any body have any recommendations ?

Another question I have is that I've heard that the routes above are not that busy...I look forward to a bit of solitude but I would not like to miss out on the camaraderie and great people I met on the brilliant Caminho Central Português I did last year - I plan to walk roughly between the 22nd and 29th September - does anybody know how busy this will be ?

I plan to use my Brierly Guide 2017## along with the simpicity of Gronze.com (google translate is adequate) with in an emergency The Wise Pilgrim GPS App in case I get lost (which saved me once or twice last year)

Thanks In Advance
J x

** Not carrying on to SDC because of time constraints (got my Compostela after 160KM last year so I'm happy with that.
^^ Colour Coded as per the way markings ?
## Eight Edition - Published 2017 - Presume there are no major changes ?
Apologies - posted this within a thread yesterday - creating one today

 

[stratophile]

Hi James. The Senda Litoral and the Coastal routes criss-cross repeatedly and even follow identical paths over some stretches. They are never very far apart.

Personally, I quite like the Senda Litoral since it almost entirely follows directly on the shoreline. However, that can also be a disadvantage since it is very exposed. When necessary, though, simply move slightly further inland onto the Coastal.

You are correct that the Coastal / Senda Litoral options are less crowded than the Central route. However, you'll still typically run into plenty of fellow pilgrims. It is unlikely that you will be totally alone (at least not in the albergues). That said, I have not walked the Coastal in late September myself so I am going entirely on what I've been told by users of my app.

Good luck with your planning.

 

[jsalt]

I only have about 6 to 7 days and my plan would be to walk a section from somewhere North of Porto

Hi, you’ve got Brierley as a guide, with both routes marked, so you could just start walking from Porto along the river, and keep going until your time runs out and you need to get a bus or train.

No need to plan, just know where your accommodation options are, so if you want to walk further each day you can, or if you want to stop and overnight with new-found friends, you can do that too.

It’s all fairly level and easy walking (unless you get hit by very bad weather).

There will be other pilgrims, but not lots, so don’t worry about not getting a bed.

I’ll be walking from Porto to Santiago, 12 to 28 Sep, along the Senda Litoral, which joins up with the Coastal in several places (for example, between Esposende and Viana do Castelo, where there is no continuous path by the sea), so might see you.

Bom caminho!
Jill

 

[Harlan Sager]

Hi James. The Senda Litoral and the Coastal routes criss-cross repeatedly and even follow identical paths over some stretches. They are never very far apart.

Personally, I quite like the Senda Litoral since it almost entirely follows directly on the shoreline. However, that can also be a disadvantage since it is very exposed. When necessary, though, simply move slightly further inland onto the Coastal.

You are correct that the Coastal / Senda Litoral options are less crowded than the Central route. However, you'll still typically run into plenty of fellow pilgrims. It is unlikely that you will be totally alone (at least not in the albergues). That said, I have not walked the Coastal in late September myself so I am going entirely on what I've been told by users of my app.

Good luck with your planning.

We walked coastal route in 2016 late Aug early September. While not crowded say plenty of folks since it passes along many beaches filled with

 

[woodswoman]

Hi, you’ve got Brierley as a guide, with both routes marked, so you could just start walking from Porto along the river, and keep going until your time runs out and you need to get a bus or train.

No need to plan, just know where your accommodation options are, so if you want to walk further each day you can, or if you want to stop and overnight with new-found friends, you can do that too.

It’s all fairly level and easy walking (unless you get hit by very bad weather).

There will be other pilgrims, but not lots, so don’t worry about not getting a bed.

I’ll be walking from Porto to Santiago, 12 to 28 Sep, along the Senda Litoral, which joins up with the Coastal in several places (for example, between Esposende and Viana do Castelo, where there is no continuous path by the sea), so might see you.

Bom caminho!
Jill

I too will be walking the senda Litoral from September 15 to September 28 or 29th. From Porto to Santiago de Compostela with my German friend Ria. Maybe we will cross paths. When we get to Santiago we will stay at the monastery San Martin Pinario until Oct 3, when we fly to Barcelona for fun.

Ria has walked this path in the past but not always on the coast line. I have Brierley’s latest book and will use it when I need it. Maybe we will see one another. Bom Caminho!

 

[James X]

Thanks Everybody
I have mapped out my stages as below based on daily distances and

I've seen lots of people get very in depth about whether to go the Coastal or Litoral routes and I have come to the conclusion that as they both appear to frequently converge at key stopover Towns / Villages dependent on my mood and conditions on the day I'll either follow the Litoral Green Arrows if I feel like a Sea Views and Breezes or the Yellow Coastal Arrows if I feel like the countryside and a rural-scapes.

Marinhas - Viana do Castelo
Viana do Castelo - Caminha
Caminha - Villadesuso / O Serrallo
Villadesuso / O Serrallo - A Ramallosa
A Ramallosa - Vigo
Vigo - Redondela
Redondela - Train to SDC

Hope I'm not missing within that itinerary but seems like the best for distances and path crossover points

P.S. Also found this local Camina Site that gives timetables for the ferry - just click the scrolling
Horário de funcionamento do FerryBoat at the top of the page