Portuguese Coastal and Espiritual walking tomorrow 20/09/21

[woody66]

Hi All! Well here we go at last; start walking in the morning happy days!! I have had a wonderful weekend in Porto the Portuguese are so friendly and go out of their way to help! My first stop is in Parafita.I hope the way is a bit more easy than some of the places I have encountered in Porto come close several times to it ending before it's begun! So tomorrow will be"one small step for mankind and a giant leap for me". All the best Woody.

 

[jungleboy]

Bom caminho Woody! I know you've been looking forward to this for so long, so I hope the experience is everything you thought it would be. Let us know how it goes!

 

[Camembert]

Hi All! Well here we go at last; start walking in the morning happy days!! I have had a wonderful weekend in Porto the Portuguese are so friendly and go out of their way to help! My first stop is in Parafita.I hope the way is a bit more easy than some of the places I have encountered in Porto come close several times to it ending before it's begun! So tomorrow will be"one small step for mankind and a giant leap for me". All the best Woody.

I think you will go to Perafita just north of Matosinhos
Parafita as you spell it is far faraway from Porto in a different part of Portugal.

 

[HaveringRob]

Bom Caminho! Let us know how it is going!

 

[BobY333]

Woody - my wife and I start walking on Friday and plan to take the same route. You'll likely stay ahead of us, though perhaps our paths will cross! Bom Caminho! Bob

 

[woody66]

Hi BobYy333! Route out of Porto along the coast was as expected no probs there but after matosinos a lot of the boardwalks are out of service so had to make detours which added a bit to the miles today.Plus my walking sat nav went a bit gargle took me under the bridge out of matasinos instead of over it without me realizing walked about an extra mile and a bit but when I ended up with it telling me to walk along the side of the motorway instead of across the bridge over a river so I'll bloody hell turned around and even though I managed to see the bridge which I hadn't seen at when I went under it cross that and everything was fine 16 and a half miles on my first day feet know they have wolves a distance but no blisters thank goodness!! So so happy I got here under my own Steam and even with the extra miles I was only 35 minutes past 3:00 which was the time I told them I'd get there. As long as my feet hold up after coping with getting lost etc Santiago seems possible. I didn't see I single arrow I was relying on my sat nav just hope it don't break down or send me on any wild goose chases! Enjoy your walk Bob and yeah catch me if you can haha! Will be nice to me another forum member. All the best woody.

 

[woody66]

Hi! I talk to my tsb and not until playback do realise the gaffs it's made ! To late by then but I hope you get most of it. Woody

 

[Sue127]

Hi All! Well here we go at last; start walking in the morning happy days!! I have had a wonderful weekend in Porto the Portuguese are so friendly and go out of their way to help! My first stop is in Parafita.I hope the way is a bit more easy than some of the places I have encountered in Porto come close several times to it ending before it's begun! So tomorrow will be"one small step for mankind and a giant leap for me". All the best Woody.

Please add snippets of info as you go. I will be following in your footsteps soon. Buen Camino

 

[BobY333]

Hi! I talk to my tsb and not until playback do realise the gaffs it's made ! To late by then but I hope you get most of it. Woody

Haha! No problem. Thanks for the heads up about the boardwalks, etc!

 

[Elle Bieling]

What a shame the boardwalks are closed! They are sooo nice to walk on!

 

[woody66]

Hi everyone! Sorry for not posting had a few hiccups. Everything going well until I left Fao for Viana do Costelo set out at 8am walked till 6pm phone lost voice and bloody tablet would not unlock afer I turned of! Ended up walking 39 km walked down the side of main drag into the bridge at Viana! JWell got amega blister took my socks off couldn't fell soft blister turns out it's quite deep .Asked doctor to drain it and leave the roof well he didn't and now I'm bugg**Ed for afew days!

 

[woody66]

Phone had fit so was saying got a taxi to Caminha and will get bus tomorrow to Oia and figure out from there. I won't walk again until I I'm confident I can finish a stage no point starting if I'm going to start limping . I want to walk the variant espiritul but if I can start before then iwill wherever that is! Bathroom my foot amazingly I've had no aches or pains even after the 39 km. Unless you include two accidents one where I win headlong over the bench cut my leg big bruise on my thigh and the second where I cut my arm open on a plant and bleed like a pig that was quite scary . You'll be amazed at the number of almost catastrophes avoided pod skin of my teeth that my luck is holding out and the camino is great even with this bloody blister. Met some great people so far and hope to meet more. And everybody is being great in helping me if I need it if I make it to Santiago I don't think it will be my last I know I'm only halfway and perhaps that's a bit overconfident . At the moment I'm a bit angry at myself I'm stupidly I carried on and ended up with a blister even after all the advice you lots a get a hotspot stop I just thought I had a sore foot because I walk so bloody far turns out I was wrong it will be my foot two stops me if anything does but I'm prepared to pay the price for being a numpty.After Oia I have three days in Baiona which might give my foot enough time to heal I I am there until the 30th if any of you guys are about out.and want to be bored to tears I'll find a way to fall asleep easily I can do that for you haha. All the best Woody.

 

[woody66]

Hi All!
Sorry for not posting useful info for you guys; but had continual issues with tech very stressful!
Back in UK now i finished last Saturday ;walked into the square at 6pm with Gina a Puerto Rican lady.
It was also nice to be welcomed by Greengirl a forum member who i had met in Villanova de Arousa.
Greengirl told me she had queued for 4 hours for her Compostela; so went on Sunday morning for mine.

Quite a queue,but as i joined it a volunteer spotted my long cane and ask if i was solo;from then on it took 10 mins and Compostela was mine.


I can say that doing the Camino was for me the hardest thing i have done in 30 years!
But five major falls,getting lost everyday and dehydration were not enough to make me stop; i had so much help and goodwill from so many people and had encounters i won't forget and loved it!
The walk was for me the Compostela for my kids i hope i made them proud.
Been back a week and wondering about the French Way already and whether it's a possible?
If i do i defo won't book my sleeps as i wan't to be able to decide the timescale i walk instead of where i have booked!
My pack weight on day one was 4.76 kilos without water; by the time i reached Santiago it weighed a lot less ha!ha! (donated,long sleeve t shirt,2 pairs boxers,walking sandals,trowel plus gifted sheep's wool,plasters,gel toe caps, sharpie, gaffa tape etc)
I wouldn't however have given away my leukotape used that all the time.

Oh and finally thankyou Hoka i wore the Stinson Atr 6 shoes i had rejected;super comfy only downside was a bit slippy in the wet.
Thanks for all your help and advice guys.
All the best Woody.

 

[BobY333]

Woody - we were wondering about you! Glad to hear you made it and got what you needed from your Camino.

I used the Hoka Stinson atr 4 for the Frances/Muxia/Finisterre Camino in 2018, the atr 5 for this Portuguese, and just ordered the atr 6 today for my next one - who knows which?!?

I would say the Frances is a lot more difficult (longer, obviously, but also more challenging elevation changes), but truly incredible. If you have the time and the desire, I say go for it!

Take good care and heal up. Enjoy the post Camino high!!!

Bob