Coastal to Central in 11 days?

[maryann carr]

Hi Everyone! We've been a bit overwhelmed by so much info - we are leaving Porto on Sept. 17th and have 11 days to get to Santiago - we'd like to do the first day to Vila do Conde then head inland. Can anyone share the route from Vila do Conde going to central and how to possibly include Casa de Fernanda as well, and still be able to finish in 11 days? I've seen so many different threads, and can't pull it all together - if there is a thread, please point us in the right direction...so many thanks, we are super excited to start!!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I still have my Excel spreadsheet!

I walked from Matoshinos, having walked there the day before whole getting over jet lag. It's 10km from Porto.

Matosinhos to V. do Conde - 20
Rates - 13
Barcelos - 16
Casa Fernanda - 20
Ponte de Lima - 14
Rubiaes - 18
Tui - 19
Porrino- 17
Albergue la Jerezana, just after Redondela- 18
Pontevedra- 16

From there I took the Variante Espiritual for 2 nights, arriving in Padron to walk further on on the 3rd day, and then one more day into Santiago.

As you cam see I did short days, but the rate determining step is getting to Casa Fernanda, and what you could do to save a day is instead kf staying in Rates and walking to Barcelos is pass by Rates but stay at the Pedra Furada pension and then walk directly to Casa Fernanda. That's 13 to Barcelo and 19 km to Barcelos. A long day but doable.

As for going from V do Conde to Rates, just follow the arrows you see as you come into V do Conde from the beach, just over the bridge and on your right, by the convent. Do not attempt the unmarked old way following the aquaduct.

If you are missing days, you could start from V do Conde by taking the metro there directly from Porto.

 

[maryann carr]

thanks so much Anemone del Camino!

 

[jsalt]

Hi Everyone! We've been a bit overwhelmed by so much info - we are leaving Porto on Sept. 17th and have 11 days to get to Santiago - we'd like to do the first day to Vila do Conde then head inland. Can anyone share the route from Vila do Conde going to central and how to possibly include Casa de Fernanda as well, and still be able to finish in 11 days? I've seen so many different threads, and can't pull it all together - if there is a thread, please point us in the right direction...so many thanks, we are super excited to start!!

Hi,

Porto to Vila do Conde, 22.1
To Barcelos, 29.6
To Lugar do Corgo (Casa da Fernanda), 19.1
To Ponte de Lima, 14.5
To Rubiaes, 18.1
To Tui, 19.3
To Redondela, 31.1
To Pontevedra, 18.2
To Caldas de Reis, 23.1
To Padron, 18.1
To Santiago, 24.9

Jill

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hi,

Porto to Vila do Conde, 22.1
To Barcelos, 29.6
To Lugar do Corgo (Casa da Fernanda), 19.1
Jill

Really? How?

Porto to VdoC by the coast, Brierley in hand, is 33.9km

 

[jsalt]

Porto to VdoC by the coast, Brierley in hand, is 33.9km

Hi, quite correct .
22.1kms would be from Matoshinos.
The OP said she’d like to do the first day to Vila do Conde:

we'd like to do the first day to Vila do Conde then head inland

Jill

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hi, quite correct .
22.1kms would be from Matoshinos.
The OP said she’d like to do the first day to Vila do Conde:
Jill

Yes, that's also the route I suggested, but it was much longer on the first day from Porto.

 

[andycohn]

It's 33 k to Vila do Conde if you walk all the way along the coast from central Porto. But you can cut the distance down to about 22 k if you take the metro from central Porto to Senor de Matosinhos (A line, last stop). From there it's 22 k along the coast to Vila do Condo. Brierley also lists an inland route to Vila do Condo from central Porto, which is about 26 k.

 

[Aurigny]

I walked this route seven months ago, and wrote about it in detail here:-

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/live-from-the-portugues.45243/

It took me seven days from start to finish. That was just a little bit faster than I'd have liked. I'd say that eleven days would be ample for the reasonably fit peregrino/a. It's a well-marked route in general, and presents few physical challenges.

 

[maryann carr]

Hi,

Porto to Vila do Conde, 22.1
To Barcelos, 29.6
To Lugar do Corgo (Casa da Fernanda), 19.1
To Ponte de Lima, 14.5
To Rubiaes, 18.1
To Tui, 19.3
To Redondela, 31.1
To Pontevedra, 18.2
To Caldas de Reis, 23.1
To Padron, 18.1
To Santiago, 24.9

Jill

 

[maryann carr]

Hi Jill - did you find the 29.6 to Barcelos challenging on day 2? Or was it manageable? We are planning on staying in little hotels mostly and it seems there aren't many around Rates where we were thinking maybe we'd stop...I like your route plan!

 

[jsalt]

Hi Jill - did you find the 29.6 to Barcelos challenging on day 2? Or was it manageable? We are planning on staying in little hotels mostly and it seems there aren't many around Rates where we were thinking maybe we'd stop...I like your route plan!

Hi Maryann
It’s fairly level walking, so quite easy.
If you get too tired you could stop off in the really nice restaurant at Pedra Furada, and ask if they could call a taxi to Barcelos for you. They used to offer a bedroom (maximum 4 persons) to pilgrims. I don’t know if they still do, but you could ask them; Antonio speaks good English:

http://www.pedrafurada.com/
Restaurante Pedra Furada
Rua de Santa Leocádia, 1415
4755-392 PEDRA FURADA
BARCELOS - PORTUGAL
Tel: + 351 252 951 144
GPS: 8º38'0,11" - 41º28'23,8"
E-Mail: info@pedrafurada.com

Jill