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Walking boots on Camino Portuguese

T

tcz

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2014
Good morning to all who read my post. I will be walking the camino portugues in July. Somebody suggested that this camino, in contrary to the French camion, can be walked in running shoes. The person said that July in Portugal is a time of hot weather and running shoes (eg. Nike) and sandals will be sufficient. So, should I or should I not take my walking boots, in which I walked the French camino two years ago. Thank you for sharing your experience.
 
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Shoes versus boots always draw a difference of opinion.

My opinion is that the Camino Frances in the summer doesn't require more than good sturdy shoes at the worst, and proper hiking sandals do fine most of the time. I can't see why more would be required for the Camino Portugues.
 
I walked the Portugues in the fall, and wore low-rise, sturdy hiking shoes. The cobblestones and boardwalks would have been harder for me in running shoes, I think, but I'm no spring chicken and I have some knee/hip issues. When it rained and there were some slippery/rocky inclines, or muddy patches in the woods, I was glad to have the extra stabilization. But I saw plenty of pilgrims in sneakers or thick-soled sandals doing just fine!
 
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There is a lot of road walking on the Portuguese and much of it is on uneven cobblestones. Certainly heavy boots are not necessary but it is a bit hard on the feet. Whatever is most comfortable for you.
 
I prefer to walk in low cut boots, that protect the ankle. Put it down to age maybe, but with a pack on my back, I feel somehow more protected like that. If you feel like proper hiking sandals are fine for you, that's OK.
HOWEVER, as already mentioned here on this posting, the Camino Portugués has a load of road walking over cobble stones, that are not nicely rounded as seen elsewhere, but roughly cut and laid, they are very, very uncomfortable to walk on, especially as you can be walking on them continually for hours.
Personally, if I ever walked this Camino again, I would wear a boot with a good sole.
In fact, although I loved the route, I love Portugal, which I know fairly well, I would never walk this Camino again, due to the uncomfortable road walking it entails!
 
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Thank you for all your replies.
 
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annakappa said:
In fact, although I loved the route, I love Portugal, which I know fairly well, I would never walk this Camino again, due to the uncomfortable road walking it entails!
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Agree to all of the above. There were also many narrow roadways with little or no shoulder to walk on that made walking very uncomfortable. You were always looking over your shoulder if you heard a car so you could squeeze to the side of the road to avoid being hit. Not to sound overly dramatic but there were a number of very close calls. Just FYI.
 
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