Camino Portuguese in Feb

[Brett Bays]

Am looking at the Portuguese route for 2015. I need to keep it around 10 days. Any thoughts on the route from Oporto to Santiago in February?

Ive seen the weather stats, but would like to hear from someone experienced with the route conditions and weather in February...

Thanks a load!

 

[Former member 22438]

Welcome on this forum Brett

May rain,may shine !
The Portugese caminho follows close by the ocean The area has a "sea climate"
10 days could be doable for about 250 kms but not all places to sleep fit in that schedule. 12 days should be more realistic. besides that you are only walking. There are some places of interest, worthwhile staying one more day , for example Porto and Braga (close by Barcelos on the interior route) aswell Santiago itself.
Bom caminho

 

[Brett Bays]

Welcome on this forum Brett

May rain,may shine !
The Portugese caminho follows close by the ocean The area has a "sea climate"
10 days could be doable for about 250 kms but not all places to sleep fit in that schedule. 12 days should be more realistic. besides that you are only walking. There are some places of interest, worthwhile staying one more day , for example Porto and Braga (close by Barcelos on the interior route) aswell Santiago itself.
Bom caminho

Thank you for the welcome and for the quick reply. I hate having to wrestle with a "tight schedule," but the thought of going again this year won't leave me alone, and 10 days is all I can muster. I have ordered the guide book and will consider a slightly reduced itinirary to accomodate some side trips.

Should I be concerned about the availability of beds that time of year?

Once again, thanks for your interest. Buen Camino!

Brett

 

[Former member 22438]

Thank you for the welcome and for the quick reply. I hate having to wrestle with a "tight schedule," but the thought of going again this year won't leave me alone, and 10 days is all I can muster. I have ordered the guide book and will consider a slightly reduced itinirary to accomodate some side trips.

Should I be concerned about the availability of beds that time of year?

Once again, thanks for your interest. Buen Camino!

Brett

No I don't think so about the availability of beds. More that you have to walk longer distances to find one what I meant with my remark .
it could be that some albergues in Spain are closed during the wintertime.
an alternative should be start f.ex. In Ponte de Lima instead of Porto. That might fit more into the 10 days you have and you 'll find your bed within a normal schedule .
Ponte de Lima to Rubiães
Rubiaēs to Valença do Minho(Portugal) or Tui Spain. Both bordertowns just 3 kms from each other
Valença/Tui to O Porriño
O Porriño to Redondela
Redondela to Pontevedra
Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
Caldas de Reis to Padrón
Padrón to Santiago
All distances are about 20 kms each day.
In all those above mentioned places are albergues, hostals, pensions
Off course in between them you'll definitely find place to sleep somewhere.

So you could stay one day in Porto and an extra day in Santiago
So I should do this but I can soeak easily. I never have a time limit.
It took me 14 days from Porto to Santiago last time with stops in Porto, Barcelos (to visit the world heritage listed Bom Jesus do Monte church in Braga) and an extra day in Santiago

 

[freescot]

I walked the costal route last February - from Villa da Conde which you can reach from Oporto, and its airport with a short tram ride. That saved a day's walking and it took me 11 days - by the coast. The weather was abominable with storms coming in from the Atlantic one after the other. There was no problem with beds, except in Oia where I slept uner the stands of a football ground.
All in all it was a great experience.

 

[Former member 22438]

I walked the costal route last February - from Villa da Conde which you can reach from Oporto, and its airport with a short tram ride. That saved a day's walking and it took me 11 days - by the coast. The weather was abominable with storms coming in from the Atlantic one after the other. There was no problem with beds, except in Oia where I slept uner the stands of a football ground.
All in all it was a great experience.

Could you give us your schedule with places you stayed during your coastal walk please ? I am very curious and are going to start in Viana do Castelo next May.
Un saludo deste lado de Europa

Albertinho