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Olá Akemi. Welcome on the forum.Hello, I'm new to this (any kind) forum and not familiar with posting manners (Sorry if I did something wrong).
I'm a Japanese middle-aged woman who have decided walking solo on the Central Route in this mid-Otober (before the winter is comming).
This pilgrimage is planned rather hastily and I have to say, I should have found this helpful site a lot sooner, because information about Camino Portguese in Japanese is quite few.
On plannning, naturally I intedded to start from the Cathedral, but now I understand that I should avoid the heavy traffic around the big city Porto. So instead I plan to start walking from the Metro station 'Forum Maia' after the small research here.
Here is the problem: I have no sense of direction. Really awful one. Everywhere I go for the first time, I always get lost easily and end up sweating and cursing to myself. I also have lower-back pain problem and wondering about the direction in a totally unknown town with my backpack is the last thing I wanna do.
In short, is starting from the 'Forum Maia' right choice for me? I mean, no possibility of getting lost for the first day? Or is there any better way for this rather hopeless woman who limits each day walking to less than 15 km yet to complete in 16 days?
I'm departing from Tokyo tomorrow morning so that I might not be able to reply to your responses timely (if any), but I'm always grateful for your comments.
Hello, I'm new to this (any kind) forum and not familiar with posting manners (Sorry if I did something wrong).
I'm a Japanese middle-aged woman who have decided walking solo on the Central Route in this mid-Otober (before the winter is comming).
This pilgrimage is planned rather hastily and I have to say, I should have found this helpful site a lot sooner, because information about Camino Portguese in Japanese is quite few.
On plannning, naturally I intedded to start from the Cathedral, but now I understand that I should avoid the heavy traffic around the big city Porto. So instead I plan to start walking from the Metro station 'Forum Maia' after the small research here.
Here is the problem: I have no sense of direction. Really awful one. Everywhere I go for the first time, I always get lost easily and end up sweating and cursing to myself. I also have lower-back pain problem and wondering about the direction in a totally unknown town with my backpack is the last thing I wanna do.
In short, is starting from the 'Forum Maia' right choice for me? I mean, no possibility of getting lost for the first day? Or is there any better way for this rather hopeless woman who limits each day walking to less than 15 km yet to complete in 16 days?
I'm departing from Tokyo tomorrow morning so that I might not be able to reply to your responses timely (if any), but I'm always grateful for your comments.
I agree with everybody choosing the coastal alternative rather than the traditional way to Vilarinho but due to the chance of bad weather along the coast , the traditional route is more preferable in autumn and wintertime.
I walked both stages and as the advice is to take the metro to Fórum Maia or Vilar do Pinheiro, I enjoyed both.
That is a different variation to get in Rates, published in the 2015 and 2016 th issue of John Brierley from nearby Vila do Conde.Olá Albertinho I agree with you taking the metro to Vilar do Pinheiro. I did it twice. Once I took the metro to Santa Clara and went 100m back to the big roundabout. Then I turned left into Av. Bernardino Machado. There the way is marked. Orientation was a big warehouse in the distance. It´s the way via Tuoguinho > Arcos > Rates. From Santa Clara to Rates it´s roundabout 13 kms. That was the way I prefered once.
Wish you bom caminho and enjoy this fantastic walk !Thanks @Albertinho and @Rainerbernd ! I will be walking the Central route ... will probably come back in 2017 to do the coastal route!
Thanks @Albertinho and @Rainerbernd ! I will be walking the Central route ... will probably come back in 2017 to do the coastal route!
Hello Akemi and welcome.
Let me propose something else if you are planing to walk the central route, the one detailed above by Albertinho and that can have you walk from tne cathedral.
You can walk from the cathedral, cross the metal bridge where the tram runs, walk past the port wine cellars along the river coast, cross it later with a small shuttle boat and then keep followong the river to Matoshinos, a borrough of Porto. From there (metro Mercado) you cross another metal bridge over a canal and you will start seeing arrows about 100 meters past the bridge, when you get to a street intersection and turn left. This will take you to the beach. Once you get to the beach to keep it to your left and walk onwards. You are on route! Just ask people to point you to the beach (praia).
You can also opt not to cross the metal bridge to the porto cellars and simply walk along the river shadowing the old touristy tram that goes from Porto to Matoshinos but you will miss the beautiful view of Porto from the cellar side of the river.
This is a long walk in 1 day so you can split it in 2, A) by walking with your backpack to Matoshinos and spending the night there after having walked some 10km or B) walking without pack to Matoshinos on day 1, taking the bus or metro back to your albergue/pension/hotel in Porto, spending the night there, and talking bus or metro back to Matoshinos in the morning and start day 2 from there, giving you about 20km of beach walking to Vila do Conde where you can spend the night at albergue Santa Clara. Your next day to Rates would be a short one, some 12 km.
Yes, there are 2 Mercado stations, you want the one on the Senora de la hora line that ends in Mastoshinos.
This is a beautiful quiet way to start your Camino. Along the beach you are walking on a boardwalk, so it is easy on the feet. There are restaurants every 5 km or so, so you get a chance to visit the little girls' room and eat along the way. You will pass a lovely fishing village where you actually walk 1 block from the beach to get back to the beach.
Ok, there is another option, also along the beach... Walk from Porto via Matoshinos, walk on the board walk to Labruge, which is about 11 km from Matoshinos and stay at the Santiago albergue (you will see the signs). It's a new albergue and people have written here that it was a good olace to stay. This means a 20km day or so from Porto, and the next day another 20km or so to Rates. The albergue has 8 beds, is a donativo and is located in the old school.
A word to the wise, if you have the Brierley guide, DO NOT follow the aquaduct route from Vila do Conde to Rates that goes through Pavoa de Barzim, take the route that starts just when you cross the bridge in Vila do Conde, at the entrance of town by the Santa Clara Monastery. If you want to see the aquaduct by all means go in further into town by the Santa Clara albergue and the church behind it, but come back to take the route along the river/canal by the convent. It's the route towards Arcos.
Hoping I have not confused you further.
Bom Caminho!
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