Walking South on Portuguese Coastal?

Here We Go Again · Apr 22, 2022

My daughter and I walked the French route in 2013. This June I’ll accompany a youth group on just the last stretch from Sarria, then meet my daughter in Madrid after the teens head home. We’re thinking we would fly back to Santiago, take a bus/train down toward the border and then walk from there to Porto along the coast. Then maybe a few days in Lisbon. Any suggestions or concerns? We don’t have a lot of time and having just spent a week “herding” teens, I’m looking for a gentle Camino. Thank you for advice.

jsalt · Apr 22, 2022

Here We Go Again said:
Any suggestions

Hi, I’ve walked south from:
Vilagarcia de Arousa (short train trip from Padrón) to:
Vilanova de Arousa 10kms
Armenteira 13kms
Redondela 10kms
Took the bus to Vigo (had a knee problem)
Nigrán 17kms
Mougás 20kms
A Guarda 20kms
Vila Praia de Ancora 16kms
Viana do Castelo 22kms
Esposende 23kms
Vila do Conde 24kms
Matosinhos 22kms
And from there to the airport.

However, I HAD walked the other way, a few times, so I had a pretty good idea which way to go.

It is not easy walking “in reverse”.

But it was high season, and if in doubt, at a major intersection, I took a rest, and waited until pilgrims came along from the other way, then I knew which path to take.

Very occasionally (not often) you may see a blue arrow pointing you in the right direction, but the signs to Fatima really only start in Porto.

Bom caminho!

Here We Go Again · Apr 22, 2022

jsalt said:
Hi, I’ve walked south from:
Vilagarcia de Arousa (short train trip from Padrón) to:
Vilanova de Arousa 10kms
Armenteira 13kms
Redondela 10kms
Took the bus to Vigo (had a knee problem)
Nigrán 17kms
Mougás 20kms
A Guarda 20kms
Vila Praia de Ancora 16kms
Viana do Castelo 22kms
Esposende 23kms
Vila do Conde 24kms
Matosinhos 22kms
And from there to the airport.

However, I HAD walked the other way, a few times, so I had a pretty good idea which way to go.

It is not easy walking “in reverse”.

But it was high season, and if in doubt, at a major intersection, I took a rest, and waited until pilgrims came along from the other way, then I knew which path to take.

Very occasionally (not often) you may see a blue arrow pointing you in the right direction, but the signs to Fatima really only start in Porto.

Bom caminho!

Thank you. Excellent point about walking backwards and missing arrows. We missed them walking forward when we got into deep conversation so this could be tricky for us. Will def consider possibility of making my gentle Camino more stressful!

jungleboy · Apr 22, 2022

This idea sounds pretty disjointed to me. If you want Portugal and coast, flying straight to Lisbon, spending a few days there and then walking some of the Rota Vicentina seems to make more sense.

crackmrmac · Apr 22, 2022

mapy.cz available free will help you from north to south.

Download map (Galicia and ?) in advance for off line use.

Buen Camino.

Camembert · Apr 23, 2022

jsalt said:
Hi, I’ve walked south from:
Vilagarcia de Arousa (short train trip from Padrón) to:
Vilanova de Arousa 10kms
Armenteira 13kms
Redondela 10kms
Took the bus to Vigo (had a knee problem)
Nigrán 17kms
Mougás 20kms
A Guarda 20kms
Vila Praia de Ancora 16kms
Viana do Castelo 22kms
Esposende 23kms
Vila do Conde 24kms
Matosinhos 22kms
And from there to the airport.

However, I HAD walked the other way, a few times, so I had a pretty good idea which way to go.

It is not easy walking “in reverse”.

But it was high season, and if in doubt, at a major intersection, I took a rest, and waited until pilgrims came along from the other way, then I knew which path to take.

Very occasionally (not often) you may see a blue arrow pointing you in the right direction, but the signs to Fatima really only start in Porto.

Bom caminho!

Walking back from the Variante Espiritual is quite a thing but following the coast from Vigo back to Porto is easy because the Atlantic Ocean is always at your right
Only crossing the Minho river at A Guarda could be something if the ferry is not sailing.

Here We Go Again · Apr 23, 2022

Albertinho said:
Walking back from the Variante Espiritual is quite a thing but following the coast from Vigo back to Porto is easy because the Atlantic Ocean is always at your right
Only crossing the Minho river at A Guarda could be something if the ferry is not sailing.

Thank you. We’ve also thought we couldn’t drift *too* far with a whole ocean on one side of us but appreciate all the cautions and encouragement!

JTCamino · Apr 23, 2022

Here We Go Again said:
My daughter and I walked the French route in 2013. This June I’ll accompany a youth group on just the last stretch from Sarria, then meet my daughter in Madrid after the teens head home. We’re thinking we would fly back to Santiago, take a bus/train down toward the border and then walk from there to Porto along the coast. Then maybe a few days in Lisbon. Any suggestions or concerns? We don’t have a lot of time and having just spent a week “herding” teens, I’m looking for a gentle Camino. Thank you for advice.

If you want a 'gentle Camino' with a time restriction, have you considered heading NORTH out of Santiago (vs. south) and walking the shorter and less crowded Ingles from Ferrol? Upon completion at Santiago you could still fly to Lisbon and spend a couple sightseeing days before returning home.

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