After last year’s walk along some of the Caminho Português da Costa where we covered stretches of the coastal path from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, (I mentioned it here), we were excited to return to Portugal for the more traditional central route. David and I were keen to complete the 250km journey but intended to take it slowly by setting aside three weeks. It just so happened that we were also invited to celebrate a friend’s sixtieth birthday in Lisbon, so that decided the date of travel.
On 16 September we set off from Porto and this coincided with the spread of wild fires that sent a thick layer of smoke over the city and beyond. This resulted in atmospheric photographs including this one taken on the way to San Pedro de Rates.
Following a few days of dry weather, the rain started. We donned our raincoats and made the best of things, stopping for a photo beside this medieval bridge.
We stayed one night in the delightful town of Ponte de Lima where the alburgue (hostel) accommodated sixty people in 3 dormitories. This is the view of the the town from where we stayed.
I’ve always wanted to visit Braga, the third largest city in Portugal. We took a couple of days off and caught a bus there where we found the centre was full of charming facades and flowers.
Rain accompanied us over the border into Spain and for many of the following days.
When we veered off the Caminho Português Central to follow the Varient Espiritual we were unprepared for the torrential rain which turned the medieval paths into waterfalls. These weren’t easy to negotiate while wearing a backpack. We came to realise that a pilgrimage has to have an element of endurance. Each evening we’d check the weather forecast for the following day and the distance we needed to cover. I preferred to get up at dawn and walk for two hours in light rain before the heavier deluge arrived. It made me realise who goal-driven I am, determined to reach our destination. And although walking in the rain is a challenge, I continued to enjoy the freedom of the mind that the journey provided.
The Varient Espiritual begins in Pontevedra and follows a path around the coast where the pretty seaside village of Combarro is situated. We stayed there for a couple of nights and enjoyed a delicious seafood dinner.
At Vilanova de Arousa we caught a boat along the River Ulla to Padrón which is traditionally believed to be the last leg of the journey that brought the remains of the apostle Saint James from Jerusalem to Spain. Obviously we enjoyed a plate of pimientos de Padrón while we were there … and dried our clothes on a radiator in a cosy flat with central heating.
Although the walk from Padrón to Santiago is only 25km we eked this out over two days. During the final stretch, we waded streams with no hope of keeping our boots dry and finally picked up a couple of ponchos. Evidence of our flattering attire can be seen in this photo which was taken upon reaching the cathedral in Santiago.
In spite of the challenges of our journey, we talked about undertaking another camino. We may well try a leg starting from the north of Lisbon with the aim of reaching Porto. Going all the way to Santiago again is less appealing due to the number of other people on the final stages. At Tui, two paths converge and some people start their pilgrimage upon reaching the south of Galicia. Although it was lovely to have company while walking, there were times when the route just felt too busy.
Have you ever thought about walking the camino or have you undertaken one? Do let me know in the comments.
the writer is a lonely hunter 