Starting from Porto late September.

[fiona99]

A friend said to me "I need to go for a long walk"...... "How long a walk exactly ??
I initially thought about going back on the Frances for the Autumn colour but then realised it would be nice for both of us to be somewhere new. We have around two weeks and are very definitely not making too many plans regarding distances or our final destination.
Has anyone walked late Sept/early October, any tips re weather, or must see places.
First couple of days following Coastal then moving onto the Central.
Thanks in Anticipation.

 

[mickey.m]

I walked from Porto in early September 2015, I have also walked the Frances. The way from Porto is a perfect 2 week walk and there is a lot to experience, following the Via Romana XIX, a road laid out by the Romans, that is still visible in many places is quite an adventure although busy roads often also follow parts of the old route. Here is the bad bit, it is also a perfect length for tour groups and I found that they did not mix with us self guided mob that well, to my disappointment. If I walk another Camino and only had two weeks I would start in Leon or more precisely La Virgen Del Camino.

 

[timr]

@fiona99 I walked last year starting 13 November. Perfect two week walk as @mickey.m says. In fact I did it in 11 days I think. The November weather was terrific, although I think it was somewhat exceptional. They were calling it a "St Martin's Summer" - St Martin's feast day is 11th November. I did two days on 'seaside route' and then moved into the coastal route (which is actually inland). I presume you would be guaranteed(!) better weather a few weeks earlier. (I think the seaside route would not be very enjoyable in very bad weather.) Interestingly the tour groups mentioned above had certainly completely disappeared by November. I met only about half a dozen other walkers. In fact I may actually have met more walkers on the road 'backwards' from Santiago to Porto or to Fatim (it is the same route at that stage, and the route to Fatima is marked with blue arrows.)
Note there is a new Kindle guide from Johnnie Walker on CSJ literallly hot off the press! See it here.
I would go again at the drop of a hat! I would also happily walk from Leon as @mickey.m suggests, but I rather like walking with less people!

 

[mickey.m]

I actually walked from Porto to Finisterre in 14 Days, I agree that the tour groups would likely have finished by mid September. I also met a few of the reverse Fatima pilgrims at the Albergs,

 

[Deleted member 56069]

I just completed this route with my wife in April. I agree with your plan to do the coastal for the first couple of days. I followed the central route out of Porto and particularly on day one, it was a lot of walking on the shoulders of busy roads. Also a lot of walking on cobble stones which we affectionately started to refer to as 'hobble stones' after a couple of days. We both fell in love with Portugal and will return at some point.