October 1 Mosteiro De Moreira Da Maia
…and so the second third of the adventure begins. Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain via el Caminho Portugue Centra (The Central Portuguese Way). 250 kms.
October 2 Mosteiro de Vairao
Day 20. Porto – Araujo – Mosteiro – Mosteiro de Vairao. 27 kms. It’s nice to be walking again especially now that nearly everyone is with us. A lovely stroll through village lanes to our monastery digs for the night. We fare-welled Fred & Debbie who are taking el Costa but we should reunite somewhere along the way when the two caminhos meet again. Our party is Leo Farrelly (Australia), Jane Finicure (Eire), Charlie Goh (USA), Savannah McGuirk (Australia) and myself and we were joined at the monastery by Victoria Fairfield (USA)
October 3 Barcelos
Day 21. Mosteiro de Vairao – Vilarinho – Sao Pedro de Rates – Barcelos. 32 kms. A lovely, if hot, stroll up & down hills, through forests and along country lanes. Now, apparently, all the abandoned houses are because it is a great shame to the family if you sell your family home so you never do. Centuries old thing.
October 4 Casa Fernanda, Vitorino Dos Piaes
Day 22. Barcelos – San Benito – Casa Fernanda. 20 kms. A very cool start to a very hot day. We had a lovely wander around the beautiful town of Barcelos then strolled through vineyards up and down hills through forests and eventually to our Casa. Casa Fernanda’s hospitality is legendary so we had booked. And it was great terrific meal and hospitality. I definitely believe Donativos are the best and I pay more than the municipal and private alergues because they are worth it.
October 4, 2018 Ponte de Lima
Day 23. Casa Fernanda – Ponte de Lima. 15 kms.
A lovely morning’s walk through cork, chestnut, grape and olive groves to the Rio Lima and on to the mediaeval town. Its 35 degrees today and tomorrow will be the same with the longest and highest climb of the trip past the Cruz dos Franceses and over the Alto Portela Grande. The cross is monument to the Peninsula War.
October 5, 2018 Rubiaes, Viana Do Castelo
Day 24. Ponte de Lima – Revolta – Alto Portela Grande – Rubiaes. 20 kms. We set off @ 0630 to beat the heat on the long climb up the Labruja Valley over the pass and in to the Coura Valley. It was a lovely walk along the ancient Via Romana XIX which used to connect Braga, Portugal with Astorga, Spain. We passed the Cruz dos Franceses which commemorates an 1809 battle between the Portuguese and the French during the Peninsula War. Cervejas @ 1330 😀
October 6, 2018 Tui, Galicia, Spain!
Day 25. Rubiaes – Pacos – Valenca – Tui. 20 kms. A very cool day walking along the Via Romana XIX and through oak and cork forests in to Spain. As soon as we crossed the border the clouds rolled in and it started spitting. Welcome to Galicia.
October 7, 2018 Mos, Galicia, Spain ·
Day 26. Tui – Porrino – Veigadana – Mos. 24 kms. Galacia really is Celtic Spain. Raised grain storehouses, Celtic crosses, witches, mossy woods, faeries and “Se Vende” (For Sale) signs everywhere. Another lovely stroll along the Via Romana XIX through forests and starting the climb up Monte Cornedo.
October 8, 2018 Pontevedra
Day 27. Mos- O Corisco – Redondela – Arcade – Pontevedra. 32 kms. A long stroll along the Via Romana then through some lovely towns to the sea. A longish day at 32km but lots of woodland and quiet roads. We had three climbs of about 150m each – roughly the height of a 10-12 story building – so it gets the heartbeat up a bit. After the first climb we dropped down to Redondela which is a seaside town. We watched the fire-fighting flying boats swoop down onto the estuary, scoop up a load of water, and head out to the fire front. We crossed the Rio Verdugo on the beautiful Ponte Sampaio before climbing again through forest once again on the XIX Roman road. We’ve taken a 3 bed room in a hotel in the middle of town.
October 9, 2018 Monasterio de Armenteira, Meis
Day 28. Pontevedra – Combarro – Armenteira. 23 kms. We are now walking the Variante Espiritual (The Spiritual Variant). The longest and highest climb of the trip. From sea level we climbed 455 metres to the Alto via Miradoro Loureiro through forests then down to the monastery @ Armenteira. Another great day in paradise. 😀 (…and we’re back up to 80 kms to Santiago. Caminho kilometres, what can you say. 😭)
October 10, 2018 Vilanova de Arousa
Day 29. Armenteira – Barrentes – Pontearnelas – Vilanova de Arousa. 24 kms. By far the prettiest day on the Caminho Portugue Centra. We followed river paths past at least a dozen millhouses, through vineyards, cornfields and eucalypt & oak forests to the Atlantic where mussel farms provided us with lunch @ Par de Cuba. 😀
October 11, 2018 Milladoiro
Day 30. Vilanova de Arousa – Padron – Teo – Milladoiro. 19 kms. We took the ferry from Vilanova to Padron up el Rio Ulla then a surprising stroll along country lanes. We got our first real rain overnight. We’re only 6 kms from the Compostela. Breakfast in Santiago de Compostela tomorrow.
October 12, 2018 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
Day 31. Milladoiro – Santiago de Compostela. 8 kms. A very wet finish for a happy band of pilgrims. Great digs at the seminary transformed in to an albergue. Single cells. Luxury.
Last evening in Santiago, off to Padron in the morning. Adios Santiago de Compostela. Hasta la vista.
October 13. Santiago de Compostela. We had a celebratory dinner for the six of us plus Fred & Debbie. A fitting end.
October 14 Santiago de Compostela
Days 32 & 33. Santiago de Compostela. A lovely couple of days wandering around the old town. Hurricane Lesley rolled through last night demoted to a tropical storm. The fellowship has split up with us all going our different ways. 🙁
Lighten The Trip Fantastic 