Regarding safety in the Portuguese Road starting September 4

[pas]

This will be my first time walking long distance. I've been working out and getting ready for some time now. Is it safe to be on my own? What about walking in Portugal by myself?

I know I will never be actually alone, but I'm near fifty and this will be the first time in my own in rather uncertain conditions....

I'm so happy about it.... For myself and for all of us who feel the call and dare to do it, for whatever the reasons....
(Not that I think of myself as a female version of Indiana Jones either!)
I would really appreciate any suggestions, there's comparatively less said about this camino.

Patricia

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Patricia,

I've only walked from Valenca do Minho (right on the Spanish-Portuguese border), which is a 5 day walk to Santiago. On that part there is some road walking, but usually pretty safe and uncongested. There's one particularly ugly industrial stretch going into Porrino, but I never felt unsafe. Where are you starting the Portugues? Others who have walked from further south have commented about a lot of road walking outside Lisbon and outside Porto.

If by safety you mean personal safety as a woman walking alone, I think this Camino is just as safe as the others. I have been flashed a number of times, always on the Camino frances, but I would never hesitate to walk any camino by myself because real aggression is almost unheard of.

The five days I experienced on this Camino were very nice. The abergues are in beautifully restored ancient buildings (except for Pontevedra, which is a warehouse-looking modern building near the train station and about 2 km outside of the town center), and the scenery is beautiful. Valenca do Minho, Tui, Pontevedra, and Padron all have nice historic centers and are definitely worth a stroll. I think you'll enjoy it a lot. Laurie

 

[jeff001]

I walked from Porto to Santiago in May. It took 10 days and for 5 of those days I saw no other walkers, mostly from Porto to Valenca. I was not particularly concerned about this but it did occur to me that little help would be available if I were to have any problems.

 

[Bridget and Peter]

Patricia

This blog has plenty of photos of the camino portugues and makes me want to do it!


http://cyclecaminoportugues.blogspot.com

 

[pas]

I walked from Porto to Santiago in May. It took 10 days and for 5 of those days I saw no other walkers, mostly from Porto to Valenca. I was not particularly concerned about this but it did occur to me that little help would be available if I were to have any problems.

Thank you, Jeff !

yours is the kind of useful information I'm looking for!

Patricia

 

[pas]

Patricia

This blog has plenty of photos of the camino portugues and makes me want to do it!


http://cyclecaminoportugues.blogspot.com

Thank you! I wish I were already there ! Patricia

 

[beachamorgan]

Hi Patricia,
I read a great story about a Father and Son from Ireland who walked the Portuguese route. It really sounded nice. Here is a link to the story, http://www.independent.ie/travel/pilgrim-father-and-son-1431856.html

Nicole

 

[ksam]

Hey Patricia, if I were to win the lottery (guess I'd have to play to win! :roll: ) I'd be happy to join you! But on a more serious note...we did it in May...from Valenca/Tui to Santiago...spent a day in Porto...and felt totally safe...wandered the city a bit on my own...and I don't speak Portuguese at all! People were wonderful and couldn't have been more helpful...We met a goodlly number of women doing it alone..and they would sometimes walk together..sometimes alone and all felt safe and secure and had a marvelous time....

Go for it!
Buen Camino, Karin

 

[Javier Martin]

Hi, Patricia,

I walked from Barcelos to Santiago in six days on winter, 2004. Absolutely safe in my opinion, ready to be enjoyed.

Buen Camino Portugues,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.