winter walking the portugese route, advice, tips, challenges

[tony downey]

It seems that with the growing popularity of the pilgrimage, a lot of people are choosing out of season to find the peace and quiet. I am planning the french route for next year but have seriously itchy feet at the moment and as I am in Spain, I am aiming to head to Porto in late January week to do the portugese route. As this is last minute, I am noticing it is not as high profile as the French way and not much, if any info, on walking this in winter months. Obviously South and Portugal is better weather than the top end, I would love to hear some experiences of this route in the winter months and any suggestions.


Is it well marked, not much said about this

There is a fantastic list of accommodations here

All I can find is google maps that people have uploaded and each one seems different and most stories are from summer pilgrimages. Please any advise from pilgrims who have done this route in winter.

 

[amorfati1]

It seems that with the growing popularity of the pilgrimage, a lot of people are choosing out of season to find the peace and quiet. I am planning the french route for next year but have seriously itchy feet at the moment and as I am in Spain, I am aiming to head to Porto in late January week to do the portugese route. As this is last minute, I am noticing it is not as high profile as the French way and not much, if any info, on walking this in winter months. Obviously South and Portugal is better weather than the top end, I would love to hear some experiences of this route in the winter months and any suggestions.


Is it well marked, not much said about this

There is a fantastic list of accommodations here

All I can find is google maps that people have uploaded and each one seems different and most stories are from summer pilgrimages. Please any advise from pilgrims who have done this route in winter.

Bom dia Tony -
yes - you will encounter fine solitude alright, .... and with rain, mucho flooding and mud. and then some areas might not be passable. and there might be snow the further north you get w/ higher altitudes (but it still won't be like crossing the alps / pyrenees)
a blog about three people (couple and nephew) walking the CP in January gives some good descriptions and insights into their experiences (written by the husband. the wife might have written an entirely differrent blog
http://blueponykorea.blogspot.com/

http://www.vialusitana.org/en/albergues_eng/
http://www.rainhasantaisabel.org/
http://www.mapacaminosantiago.es/caminosantiagoportugues/03-azambuja-santarem.htm
http://www.caminador.es/?page_id=117

very best wishes - Bom Caminho!

 

[pilgrim b]

Inspiring video thanks for posting it amorfati1

 

[rayvarey]

It seems that with the growing popularity of the pilgrimage, a lot of people are choosing out of season to find the peace and quiet. I am planning the french route for next year but have seriously itchy feet at the moment and as I am in Spain, I am aiming to head to Porto in late January week to do the portugese route. As this is last minute, I am noticing it is not as high profile as the French way and not much, if any info, on walking this in winter months. Obviously South and Portugal is better weather than the top end, I would love to hear some experiences of this route in the winter months and any suggestions.


Is it well marked, not much said about this

There is a fantastic list of accommodations here

All I can find is google maps that people have uploaded and each one seems different and most stories are from summer pilgrimages. Please any advise from pilgrims who have done this route in winter.

Tony...My wife and I hiked from Porto to Santiago in February two years ago. We had fine spring weather and very few pilgrims. We chose to take the Atlantic route as far as we could..my wife likes to be near the ocean. Took the tram out to the end of the line in Porto and headed north along the Atlantic coast. Good weather with the exception of one wet day. Ray

 

[edumad]

From what I know of the coastal and central routes north of Porto, I'd say that the central is more likely to have lots of mud. On the coastal you will be many times more exposed to the rain and wind.

 

[Camembert]

It seems that with the growing popularity of the pilgrimage, a lot of people are choosing out of season to find the peace and quiet. I am planning the french route for next year but have seriously itchy feet at the moment and as I am in Spain, I am aiming to head to Porto in late January week to do the portugese route. As this is last minute, I am noticing it is not as high profile as the French way and not much, if any info, on walking this in winter months. Obviously South and Portugal is better weather than the top end, I would love to hear some experiences of this route in the winter months and any suggestions.


Is it well marked, not much said about this

There is a fantastic list of accommodations here

All I can find is google maps that people have uploaded and each one seems different and most stories are from summer pilgrimages. Please any advise from pilgrims who have done this route in winter.