Thiunking of Starting in Lisbon In November

[chefrich]

So i am looking into Starting out of lisbon in mid November, and was wondering if any one had any advice, thoughts, or tips. I understand that this is not the optimum time for most, but this is when I have my time off. I am not to concerned with the solitude out of Lisbon. is it possible toto break up some of those longer days and pitch a tent without to much bother.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Paul53]

We are almost to Santiago after leaving Lisbon on 1 September. It was really hot but that won't be a problem in November. Honestly, if I had it over, I would skip the Lisbon to Porto leg entirely. We found it not particularly interesting and often uncomfortable competing with speeding traffic. It was often very dangerous as frequently there was no provision for pedestrians. My advice is to start in Porto and maybe walk all the way to Finisterre to extend the walk. Enjoy your Camino. The Portugese were lovely and always very willing to help. Really nice and it made our Camino a memorable experience.

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi chefrich
I'm just back from Santiago and I started in Lisbon. I guess you could camp if you really liked that fresh outdoor experience, but if it's for financial reasons you might be as well to consider staying with the bomberios voluntarios. They have stations in most of the small towns and generally charge €3 to sleep on the floor (and you also get a hot shower). I stayed in Azambuja and they were v friendly and helpful. I met other people who'd stayed in different ones and everyone's experiences were positive. However the tourist office in Santarem told me their one charges €10 and it's on the way out of town on the Fatima route, not the Santiago one.
Lisbon to Porto is a bit of a slog - with some wonderful exceptions between Tomar and Coimbra. It's not just the roads, but the reckless drivers on them. Also some horrible dogs (they scared me but I never actually got attacked) in the endless settlements you have to walk through in the last three days to Porto.
Paul is right though in that it's the Portuguese people who make it all bearable. I've not come across such openness, kindness and generosity and warmth on a camino before. Truly moved me at times.
PS if you see in a bar a big jar of murky yellow water with some possibly white blocks in it, it's the local cheese and despite appearances it's fantastic, go for it. It still features in my dreams....
cheers, tom

 

[renegadepilgrim]

Another thing to consider is some of the albergues on the Portuguese Route from Porto to SDC are closed or have limited hours in the winter. Be sure to check first to see who will be open.

Camping is definitely a possibility. Requires more planning though. Also, if you want some solitude, walk to real coastal route from Porto to Caminha before cutting inland to Valenca. It's phenomenal.

 

[hecate105]

We started at Sintra, near Lisbon, and took the coastal route - which is unsigned and rather vague, but we found many St. James connections along the way, and it was sooo beautiful. There are some huge hills to start with but then the route meanders along the coastal plains, with lagoons and forest and miles of white beach. We were cycling so it was easy to take a tent and cooking stuff, but the meals at midday were so cheap we kept eating out (5 euros seemed cheap for a two course meal - we did not expect the wine to be included! (2009)) I think it was a Queen - Margaret perhaps, who took this route many years ago.
We found only a few refugios - after Porto, but they were very good.
Bom Camino!

 

[chefrich]

Thanks for sharing you experiences, I will be leaving lisbon tomorrow
Morning,
Life is full of experiences, some better then others.
I believe this one will be a better one.

 

[chefrich]

Well I am sitting in a cafe in Vila Franca nursing some rather large heel blisters, and another ripped blister, the first day out was 31k, got a room and tended the feet, todY I walked up to here, and the feet needed tending to so I will take care of them for a day and head on, met a portugeuse couple at the end of the day that were doing a day hike and catching the train back to lisbon.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Chrefrich,

Take care of those feet, you need them for many kilometers to come. Hope you are enjoying the walk, Vila Franca is a cute little place for a rest. And the best part is that it will be a day of forced rest since there's nothing to walk to or to visit! Bom caminho, rest up! Laurie