Camino Portugue or CAMINO Norte?

[GuyA]

Thought after walking a number of Camino routes in 2013/2014 that I would have a "done that been there" feeling. Well apparently not as so many others have experienced so am now thinking about my next Camino walk.

Three walks are of interest...Via de Plata, Camino Portugues and Camino Norte. The Via de Plata route will have to wait due to it's length however am considering the other two Camino's. I know the Camino Norte is about 250 kms longer and more physically challenging than the Camino Portuguese. I think the Camino Norte is more scenic than the Camino Portugues. If I am lucky enough to walk in 2015 the Camino Portugues may be a better choice due to time availability.

I then read a blog outlining someone's walk on Camino Portugues...impression is that the walk for the first week or so out of Lisbon was well dreadful ...easy to get lost due to poor way marking. It seems like few pilgrims walk prior to Porto for these reasons. If I walk the Camino Portuguese it would be the full distance from Lisbon.

Would appreciate any comments on whether it is worth walking the Camino Portugues and if you have walked both the Camino Portugues and Norte which one did you prefer and why?

As always many thanks for your help.

Guy

 

[amorfati1]

Thought after walking a number of Camino routes in 2013/2014 that I would have a "done that been there" feeling. Well apparently not as so many others have experienced so am now thinking about my next Camino walk.

Three walks are of interest...Via de Plata, Camino Portugues and Camino Norte. The Via de Plata route will have to wait due to it's length however am considering the other two Camino's. I know the Camino Norte is about 250 kms longer and more physically challenging than the Camino Portuguese. I think the Camino Norte is more scenic than the Camino Portugues. If I am lucky enough to walk in 2015 the Camino Portugues may be a better choice due to time availability.

I then read a blog outlining someone's walk on Camino Portugues...impression is that the walk for the first week or so out of Lisbon was well dreadful ...easy to get lost due to poor way marking. It seems like few pilgrims walk prior to Porto for these reasons. If I walk the Camino Portuguese it would be the full distance from Lisbon.

Would appreciate any comments on whether it is worth walking the Camino Portugues and if you have walked both the Camino Portugues and Norte which one did you prefer and why?

As always many thanks for your help.

Guy

hi Guy - I do not know whose blog you've been reading - but here is my experience: this May - from Lisbon to Castanheira di Ribatejo (spelling?) I took the train - and walked from there and I had no issues with finding arrows. (that started after Santarem for an afternoon, and after Ataleia, before Tomar). And even that I would not call dreadful.
And: It is always "worth" walking the Caminho Portuguese.
what is or could be a challenge (at least to me) was asphalt walking at times in long stretches, and those 'charming' cobblestones. I managed still well by not exceeding my daily kilometers (my max were 27km, but I averaged 22km per day) , resting lots (60min walking, then 10+ min resting) etc. And of course a backpack that can be carried with ease. And being really savvy with 'self-care'.
The 'dreadful arrow' situation might have been simply experienced because some pilgrims start before dawn, i.e. before clear daylight. Goes without saying that this is greater challenge for finding the arrows, but it does not mean that they are not there!
I love Portugal and naturally I will recommend it. And I certainly found it very scenic (minus the first bit out of Lisboa) - I can't comment on the Norte route because I haven't been there, but having traveled a lot in europe, I do not recall a single landscape that could not be called 'scenic'. -- One can find accommodation also for shorter stages and does not need to schlogg along each day for 30+kms - and it appears that more accommodations are being added now again. (Diogo's recent post)
good luck in being led to the camino that suits you most .... Bom Caminho!

 

[AJ]

Would appreciate any comments on whether it is worth walking the Camino Portugues and if you have walked both the Camino Portugues and Norte which one did you prefer and why?
Guy

I have walked both and I much prefer the Norte. The scenery is better. I found the scenery on the Portugues between Lisbon and Porto to be quite dull. Having said that, some of the towns , such as Santarem, Tomar and Coimbra are well worth visiting. The food and wine are good and the beer cheap. Yes it is worth walking but I preferred the Norte.

 

[Ceci]

Thought after walking a number of Camino routes in 2013/2014 that I would have a "done that been there" feeling. Well apparently not as so many others have experienced so am now thinking about my next Camino walk.

Three walks are of interest...Via de Plata, Camino Portugues and Camino Norte. The Via de Plata route will have to wait due to it's length however am considering the other two Camino's. I know the Camino Norte is about 250 kms longer and more physically challenging than the Camino Portuguese. I think the Camino Norte is more scenic than the Camino Portugues. If I am lucky enough to walk in 2015 the Camino Portugues may be a better choice due to time availability.

I then read a blog outlining someone's walk on Camino Portugues...impression is that the walk for the first week or so out of Lisbon was well dreadful ...easy to get lost due to poor way marking. It seems like few pilgrims walk prior to Porto for these reasons. If I walk the Camino Portuguese it would be the full distance from Lisbon.

Would appreciate any comments on whether it is worth walking the Camino Portugues and if you have walked both the Camino Portugues and Norte which one did you prefer and why?

As always many thanks for your help.

Guy

I walked the Portugues, but only from the border of Portugal at Valenca/Tuy. It was our first Camino. My husband, a Gallego, had very serious cancer surgery just a year before, when I had prayed all night to St. James to save him after he lost 7 out of his 10 pints of blood after the surgery. The next day he looked so good, about 10 years younger, that no one, even the doctors and nurses, could believe it. None of them thought he was going to make it and confessed to me that they were afraid to have him on the ward because they didn't think they would be able to give him enough attention during the night due to staff levels. They didn't take into account that he was Gallego. My husband lost his battle with cancer 2 years later, but he lead the way all the way to Santiago.

The scenery and the welcome were wonderful. We enjoyed the proximity of the beautiful rias. The only part I didn't like was an industrial part around Porrino, but I understand there may be a work-around for that now. The Camino itself, at least the part we walked, was not particularly difficult. I would recommend it to anyone, particularly if you are short on time and not looking for something very challenging.

Buen Camino!

 

[Diogo92]

Thought after walking a number of Camino routes in 2013/2014 that I would have a "done that been there" feeling. Well apparently not as so many others have experienced so am now thinking about my next Camino walk.

Three walks are of interest...Via de Plata, Camino Portugues and Camino Norte. The Via de Plata route will have to wait due to it's length however am considering the other two Camino's. I know the Camino Norte is about 250 kms longer and more physically challenging than the Camino Portuguese. I think the Camino Norte is more scenic than the Camino Portugues. If I am lucky enough to walk in 2015 the Camino Portugues may be a better choice due to time availability.

I then read a blog outlining someone's walk on Camino Portugues...impression is that the walk for the first week or so out of Lisbon was well dreadful ...easy to get lost due to poor way marking. It seems like few pilgrims walk prior to Porto for these reasons. If I walk the Camino Portuguese it would be the full distance from Lisbon.

Would appreciate any comments on whether it is worth walking the Camino Portugues and if you have walked both the Camino Portugues and Norte which one did you prefer and why?

As always many thanks for your help.

Guy

Don't get me wrong, but poor marking from Lisbon untill like Coimbra? I walked half of that stage in the last month, and it's very well marked. Most pilgrims walk from Porto because there is more pilgrim support infra-structures after that (e.g. Albergues). I haven't walked the Camino del Norte, but I think that both are a challenge, for their circumstances. I think that the question that you have to do is: are you ready to each one?