October 16 2018 Caldas de Reis
Day 35. Padron – Pontecesures – Valga – Caldas de Reis. 19 kms. As we took the Variente Espiritual north from Pontevedra, we are following the Via Romana XIX south back to Pontevedra along the Caminho Centra to complete the leg. Then we’re heading west to Vigo to pick up the Caminho Portugue Costa which we’ll follow back in to Portugal and down the coast to Porto. About 250 kms all up so 10 fairly easy days. p.s. Sunrise was @ 0847 this morning. Different world.
October 17, 2018 Pontevedra
Day 36. Caldas de Reis – Pontevedra. 23 kms. Another lovely day wandering along the Via Romana XIX. Only on a Camino would you find a railway crossing with lights, bells and boomgates for walkers. We got in to our digs @ 1400 just as the rain came in.
October 18, 2018 Vigo
Day 37. Pontevedra – Vigo. We caught the bus. Best 2 Euros ever spent. A very relaxing day spent exploring the old port. Vigo is the biggest city in Galacia with a metropolitan population of approximately 800K.
October 19, 2018 Ramallosa
Day 38. Vigo – Canido – Saians – Ramallosa. 23 kms. A lovely ramble down the coast via the Senda Litoral (Coastal Path). Beautiful weather.
October 20, 2018 Villadesuso, Galicia, Spain
Day 39. A Ramallosa – Baiona – Mougas – Viladesuso. 20 kms. We left @ daylight (i.e. 0900) and walked probably one of the easiest 20 kms ever. A beautiful rambling stroll along the Senda Litoral to our digs on the waterfront @ 1400. Oh, and we’ve reached the Atlantic Ocean. A big tick on our adventure.
October 22, 2018 Caminha, Portugal
Day 40. Viladesuso – Oia – Portecelo – A Guarda – Caminha. 26 kms. Another lovely stroll down the coast including a 340 m climb to view the Celtic ruins on Monte Tecla. Then a short ferry ride back across el Rio Minho to Portugal. Watches back an hour, add 10 degrees and look at all the tile work again.
October 23, 2018 Viana do Castelo
Day 41. Caminha – Vila Praia de Ancora – Viana do Castello. 30 kms. A sea side stroll along promenades, boardwalks, beaches, paths and the GR1. The GRs (Grande Routes) are a series of long distance walks throughout Europe. Another lovely day and the sun now rises @ 0755
October 24, 2018 Espozende, Braga, Portugal
Day 42. Viana do Castelo – Noval – Belinho – Marinhas – Esposende. 28 kms. We started by crossing one of Gustav Eiffel’s steel road/rail bridges across el Rio Cavado then followed the Caminho Portugue Costa route along lanes, bush tracks, across Roman bridges (ho, hum) and along ocean side boardwalks to Esposende. A beautiful day with a light ocean breeze to cool us.
October 25, 2018 Vila do Conde
Day 43. Esposende – Agucadoura – A Ver O Mar – Vila do Conde. 25 kms. We followed the Senda Litoral along beaches, boardwalks and prominades passing a lot of surfers.
October 26, 2018 Matozinhos, Porto, Portugal ·
Day 44. Vila do Conde – Mindelo – Lavra – Matosinhos. 25 kms. The final stretch of beaches and boardwalks before heading up el rio Douro to Porto tomorrow.
October 26, 2018 Porto, Portugal
Day 45. Matosinhos – Porto. 16 kms. A lovely morning’s walk though the sky was overcast, smoky and misty. It was fascinating walking in to Porto again. We got our credentials stamped at the cathedral, organised our train for tomorrow and found our digs.
October 27, 2018 Santarem
Day 46. Porto – Santarem.
So, there’s this 67 km stretch of El Caminho Portugue Norte that I missed by doing the Caminho de Tejo to Fatima so I’m back in Santarem and a lovely revisit to the old town. I love European railways! I hate, “We apologise, due to rights restrictions, iView is not currently available outside Australia.” What am I paying my 8 cents a day for?
October 29, 2018 Golega
Day 47. Santarem – Vale de Figueira – Azinhaga – Golega. 35 kms. I’m back to rambling through vineyards along country lanes. It’s cold in the mornings now and there was a cold wind all day. I saw hunters and stoats/weasels but one thing I haven’t seen all day is another pilgrim! Golega is the equestrian capital of Portugal.
October 30, 2018 Tomar, Portugal
Day 48. Golega – Vila Nova Barquina – Asseiceira – Tomar. 32 kms. Definitely back in Templar territory. I had a nice stroll along country lanes and through eucalypt forests. The abandoned town of Quinta Cardiga was amazing to walk through. Cardiga was the village that served the farm (Quinta) of Cardiga. The large building shown houses a 12th century Knights Templar watch tower. Other parts of the building date between the 16th and 19th centuries. Owned by the Templar and Christ orders until the 19th century Cardiga was privately owned after the Order was abolished by the Queen of Portugal. As a large farm the village around it once housed hundreds of people. After the 1974 Portuguese revolution the farm was broken up and the house and village went in to decline leading to the eventual abandonment of all of its buildings. The entire town is for sale at an asking price of €10 Million Euros.
Lighten The Trip Fantastic 