Viana do Castelo to Caminha - which variante did you like?

[MiaBu]

I already miss the coast, now that the way to Viana was kinda away from the ocean. Camino Ninja and Wise pilgrim both show a way that a is directly at the ocean for the way to caminha. But I can’t find any information about the route. Is it marked? Is it well tended to, are there shops or water fountains on the way. In case you recently walked that part, let me know. Bom
Caminho

 

[jungleboy]

I don’t remember the practicalities (re: shops or water fountains) that much, but there are at least a couple of towns. Here are my musings from taking the Litoral option that day, if they help:

Walking through an empty Viana do Castelo at dawn, with an orange tinge in the eastern sky and not a cloud in sight, the decision point comes early today. The official ‘coastal’ route is once again mostly inland, and there’s an obvious Senda Litoral alternative immediately after Viana that hugs the ocean. Despite my enjoyment of the interior route yesterday, today’s stage doesn’t sound exceptional, so I opt for the Litoral and I’m glad I did.

Early on, the coast is wild and rough, and, while it’s not exactly beautiful, I like it. Gronze describes today’s Litoral alternative as ‘sin flechas pero con playas’, but that’s only half right for the first 10 kilometres: there are no arrows, but there aren’t any beaches either. Instead, the coast is rocky and locals clamming outnumber sunbathers — and pilgrims — for the first couple of hours. The winding dirt path passes four mills (one recently restored, three not) and a couple of forts, and this is my favourite part of the day.

Later, the beaches appear and I take my shoes off and dip my toes into the (freezing) sea for the first time on this camino. Vila Praia de Âncora is the unappealing beach town of the day, where the coastal and Litoral paths meet back up, and I pass through quickly.

At Moledo, near the end of the stage, arrows take pilgrims onto the highway but I follow a recommended Gronze alternative and find myself in a sandy pine forest that resembles the Camino de Madrid except for the sound of the ocean to my left. When the forest ends, the body of water in front of me is no longer the Atlantic Ocean but the Minho River, and the land I can see on the other side is Galicia.

 

[MiaBu]

I don’t remember the practicalities (re: shops or water fountains) that much, but there are at least a couple of towns. Here are my musings from taking the Litoral option that day, if they help:

Walking through an empty Viana do Castelo at dawn, with an orange tinge in the eastern sky and not a cloud in sight, the decision point comes early today. The official ‘coastal’ route is once again mostly inland, and there’s an obvious Senda Litoral alternative immediately after Viana that hugs the ocean. Despite my enjoyment of the interior route yesterday, today’s stage doesn’t sound exceptional, so I opt for the Litoral and I’m glad I did.

Early on, the coast is wild and rough, and, while it’s not exactly beautiful, I like it. Gronze describes today’s Litoral alternative as ‘sin flechas pero con playas’, but that’s only half right for the first 10 kilometres: there are no arrows, but there aren’t any beaches either. Instead, the coast is rocky and locals clamming outnumber sunbathers — and pilgrims — for the first couple of hours. The winding dirt path passes four mills (one recently restored, three not) and a couple of forts, and this is my favourite part of the day.

Later, the beaches appear and I take my shoes off and dip my toes into the (freezing) sea for the first time on this camino. Vila Praia de Âncora is the unappealing beach town of the day, where the coastal and Litoral paths meet back up, and I pass through quickly.

At Moledo, near the end of the stage, arrows take pilgrims onto the highway but I follow a recommended Gronze alternative and find myself in a sandy pine forest that resembles the Camino de Madrid except for the sound of the ocean to my left. When the forest ends, the body of water in front of me is no longer the Atlantic Ocean but the Minho River, and the land I can see on the other side is Galicia.

Thank you sooooooo much!!! Wonderful!! That’s what I wanted to know! Very beautifully written. You have a public blog where you kept your journal?

 

[Albertinho]

Both routes , one following the coast , the other one about 500 meters from the coast through hills where you can see the ocean almost all the time are waymarked
When it rains I prefer the one directly along the ocean due to at times muddy , slippery and rocky paths in the hills .
Both end together in Vila Praia de Âncora where are lots of facilities to sleep , eat and drink
From there you partly follow the waymarked coast untill a moment that you go through a small tunnel en you enter in the Moledo hamlet and follow into Caminha itself.
Also there are all facilities for the pilgrim
In Caminha you can decide to cross the river Minho by watertaxi or fishermansboat ( although I heard the other day that this service was changed into another watertaxi too) and keep on the ocean side or you keep on walking along the river to Vila Nova de Cerveira and Valença do Minho where you hit the central route to Santiago. I did both routes and liked both.
The only thing is that following the river to Valença is that you have two more days to stay in Portugal what I prefer above Spain but that is my personal opinion.
There are two paths from Caminha to Valença, one the so called Ecopista following the river as near as possible and one , about one km away leading through some hamlets and villages. They both come together in Vila Nova de Cerveira where you find all needs for pilgrims.
If you regret following the river and miss the ocean anyhow you can walk over the international bridge in Vila Nova de Cerveira and walk back to A Guarda ( 15 kms ) to continue following the coast again to Santa Maria de Oia , Baiona and Vigo to Redondela where you are on the central route.
Many choices though

 

[jungleboy]

Thank you sooooooo much!!! Wonderful!! That’s what I wanted to know! Very beautifully written. You have a public blog where you kept your journal?

Thank you!

I haven’t got around to putting those musings on my website yet but I posted them in this thread on the forum.

 

[Betterisgood]

Hi there,
I have walked both ways
Along the coast in 7/2018 and 'in land' 9/2022.
I prefer the inland. In 2018 we needed to walk in the sand for quite a bit...I didn't enjoy this in shoes, I guess I could have taken them off....however it is possible that the need to walk in the sand has changed. The inland was quite beautiful I remember a nice café tucked in the forest...here are some pics.
Either way you will have a great day on the Camino!!
Buen camino!!
MaryEllen

 

[MiaBu]

Thanks for all your tips! I am sure there is more people that will benefit from the answers. I chose the coast and loved it!