Starting Camino Portugues on May24th

[travellingedwards]

Hey peregrinos
My husband and I are Australian. Septuagenarians. We are starting our first Camino on May 24th from Porto. We plan to reach Santiago on June 7th. We will walk to Matosinhos then inland to Rates. We hope that we might have time to include the Variante Spirituale between Pontevedra and Padron. We think we are pretty prepared with packs weighing about 5.5kgs minus water and snacks.
We are just wondering if we can manage with just silk liners and merino wool thermal underwear to sleep in. Otherwise we will bring our down liners too. All advice welcome. We have been checking out posts from previous peregrinos and now very excited.
Shirley and Ken

 

[Albertinho]

I walked the route several times. We allways found blankets in albergues anyway in Portugal.
We have no experiences with having blankets in Spanish albergues, anyway not on the Portuguese caminho. In one of he albergues on the camino Ingles were no blankets so we slept with fleecevests on in our liners.But companion walkers will have more info for you about the blankets in Spain.
Thermo underwear is imho not necessairy if you walk

Do not forget to stay at Casa Fernanda between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima. The best place to stay on the Caminho Portuguese. But reserve on beforehand . There was a lot written on a different thread here how to reserve.

Bom caminho

 

[travellingedwards]

Thankyou Albertinho. I think we are a bit concerned about cleanliness of blankets bedbugs etc. I had heard about Casa da Fernanda. I am sure it is very popular. I guess we should try to book asap. Thankyou fir your speedy reply.

 

[Albertinho]

Thankyou Albertinho. I think we are a bit concerned about cleanliness of blankets bedbugs etc. I had heard about Casa da Fernanda. I am sure it is very popular. I guess we should try to book asap. Thankyou fir your speedy reply.

I agree with you but what is the alternative ? We have long silk sleeves and keep the blankets not as far as our chest..or to take your own sleepingbag with you.

If you have problems with booking Fernanda's, give me a personal message-click on my avatar and you'll see "start a conversation- I speak to Fernanda and her husband once to twice a week.

Bom caminho

 

[travellingedwards]

I agree with you but what is the alternative ? We have long silk sleeves and keep the blankets not as far as our chest..or to take your own sleepingbag with you.

If you have problems with booking Fernanda's, give me a personal message-click on my avatar and you'll see "start a conversation- I speak to Fernanda and her husband once to twice a week.

Bom caminho

Thanks again I think we will keep the down liners in the pack. I will work out which night we will reach Fernandas and try to book and let you know how I go. We are leaving Australia in just 2 weeks to board a bird watching cruise of mid atlantic from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde. After hiking there a few weeks we fly to Lisbon. We plan touring Portugal by car and day hike in various national parks before finishing with the camino. We will leave our surplus gear in Santiago before driving back to Porto to start the camino. We are super excited. Thanks for your support. shirley

 

[MrsGoGo]

............We will walk to Matosinhos then inland to Rates. We hope that we might have time to include the Variante Spirituale between Pontevedra and Padron...........

My husband and I have the same plan and the same timetable, but month earlier. First time. We take light summer sleeping bags (500 g). Old buildings may not have heating. We think about Casa Fernanda also. Bom caminho (I say this for the first time )

 

[travellingedwards]

Bom Caminho to you as well Mrs Gogo. I am so looking forward to it. Stay in touch. It will be good to learn how you got on as we follow in your steps. Shirley

 

[gittiharre]

Hey peregrinos
My husband and I are Australian. Septuagenarians. We are starting our first Camino on May 24th from Porto. We plan to reach Santiago on June 7th. We will walk to Matosinhos then inland to Rates. We hope that we might have time to include the Variante Spirituale between Pontevedra and Padron. We think we are pretty prepared with packs weighing about 5.5kgs minus water and snacks.
We are just wondering if we can manage with just silk liners and merino wool thermal underwear to sleep in. Otherwise we will bring our down liners too. All advice welcome. We have been checking out posts from previous peregrinos and now very excited.
Shirley and Ken

Silk liners were perfect for us! Much preferred the Portuguese stretch. The Spanish towns look a bit scruffy by comparison to Portugal and everything was more expensive. Also busy accommodation wise once in Spain and we were glad we had pre booked accommodation.

 

[travellingedwards]

When did you walk the Portuguese caminho? Did you stay in albergues or private places? Did you only book in Spain or in Portugal as well? Did you use just silk liner or did you add albeaddrsblankets?

I agree with you but what is the alternative ? We have long silk sleeves and keep the blankets not as far as our chest..or to take your own sleepingbag with you.

If you have problems with booking Fernanda's, give me a personal message-click on my avatar and you'll see "start a conversation- I speak to Fernanda and her husband once to twice a week.

Bom caminho

I emailed Fernanda but have not had a reply. Also could not find start a conversation link on your avatar. Anyway I would appreciate very much if you could ask Fernanda if she has room for us on MAY 28TH. Thanks

 

[gittiharre]

When did you walk the Portuguese caminho? Did you stay in albergues or private places? Did you only book in Spain or in Portugal as well? Did you use just silk liner or did you add albeaddrsblankets?

I emailed Fernanda but have not had a reply. Also could not find start a conversation link on your avatar. Anyway I would appreciate very much if you could ask Fernanda if she has room for us on MAY 28TH. Thanks

Stayed in a combo of albergues and private places and a couple of hotels, 1 campsite. I pre booked the lot as I can't be bothered trying to find somewhere to sleep once I am on the walk....less flexibility, but I know how far I like to walk, so it worked out well.

 

[travellingedwards]

Thanks Gittiharre. I think we shall prebook some places too.please ignore comment about Fernanda that was meant to be sent to Albertinho.
Bom Caminho wherever you travel

 

[gittiharre]

Thanks Gittiharre. I think we shall prebook some places too.please ignore comment about Fernanda that was meant to be sent to Albertinho.
Bom Caminho wherever you travel

Madrid and Salvador routes in June.

 

[travellingedwards]

I walked the route several times. We allways found blankets in albergues anyway in Portugal.
We have no experiences with having blankets in Spanish albergues, anyway not on the Portuguese caminho. In one of he albergues on the camino Ingles were no blankets so we slept with fleecevests on in our liners.But companion walkers will have more info for you about the blankets in Spain.
Thermo underwear is imho not necessairy if you walk

Do not forget to stay at Casa Fernanda between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima. The best place to stay on the Caminho Portuguese. But reserve on beforehand . There was a lot written on a different thread here how to reserve.

Bom caminho

Thanks albertinho. Clicking your avatar does not come up with a start a conversation link for me. I also tried from the web page but that did not work either so I will try this way. I have not had a reply from my email to Fernanda. We would really like to stay with her on night of May28th. I have booked many nights in advance rather than use the albergues unless there was nowhere else listed. I figured that would leave spaces for those who could not afford to pay higher prices for pensions etc. we are very happy to donate the equivalent of pension price to Fernanda too.
Bom Caminho. Ultreia. Shirley