Cobbles, narrow roads, % of Hard Surface Roads

[jon gregg]

We're walking the Portugese Costal Camino and to Finesterre during September. We were planning on wearing good hiking shoes, but a Forum member said there were a lot of rough uneven cobblestones
( enough so she wouldn't walk the CP again ) and narrow roads with no shoulders and scary drivers.
So we'd welcome feedback on: 1. the cobblestones in Portugal and whether boots would be advisable
2. What % of the Camino da Costa are hard surface roads 3. are the narrow roads / streets dangerous
4. would you recommend the Portuguese Camino ? or do the above concerns make it a less than desirable route?
Jon Gregg

 

[SabsP]

I only walked the coast from Porto to Vila da Conde and then went inland. The first days till Barcelos are hard on the feet yes especially with the cobblestones. I always wear walking boots and on the Portugues I would certainly not have wanted something else.
And yes the Portugues are superfriendly but are horrendous drivers. Some vigilance when walking is needed. If carrying a walking stick hold it horizontally so drivers will keep some distance. A light fluo jacket also helps.

But the Camino Portugues is a delight.
Good luck and Ultreia!

 

[Stripey Socks]

We're walking the Portugese Costal Camino and to Finesterre during September. We were planning on wearing good hiking shoes, but a Forum member said there were a lot of rough uneven cobblestones
( enough so she wouldn't walk the CP again ) and narrow roads with no shoulders and scary drivers.
So we'd welcome feedback on: 1. the cobblestones in Portugal and whether boots would be advisable
2. What % of the Camino da Costa are hard surface roads 3. are the narrow roads / streets dangerous
4. would you recommend the Portuguese Camino ? or do the above concerns make it a less than desirable route?
Jon Gregg

Hello Jon
Yes, I would definitely recommend this camino! I returned from walking Lisbon to Santiago in June. I did walk the Coastal route from Porto up to Caminha and then followed the river up to Valenca/Tui.

I found it very beautiful but yes, hard on the feet. I would estimate that 85% (or more??) of the whole camino was on hard surfaces - either back country roads, main roads or cobblestones. On the Coastal route I followed the caminador.es map and it took me inland - away from the beach/coast but the water was in sight when I got to the top of a rise or hill. It was predominantly hard surface - perhaps up to 95%. I wore boots and they certainly absorbed a lot of the shock but I was VERY glad to sit down at the end of each day.

Yes, there are some narrow roads and shoulders but these are not extensive and if you can avoid 'peak hour', like I tried to do, then it is all doable. I think the camino association is doing its best to divert the path away from the main roads wherever possible.

I just kept telling myself that every camino is different and I would definitely walk this one again if I had the chance.

I have a couple of blog posts if you are interested...

https://melsonebigadventure.wordpress.com/2016/07/03/caminho-portugues-the-nuts-bolts/

(there are 4 or so posts under the WALKING category that relate to the Portuguese.

Bom Caminho
Mel

 

[jon gregg]

Hello Jon
Yes, I would definitely recommend this camino! I returned from walking Lisbon to Santiago in June. I did walk the Coastal route from Porto up to Caminha and then followed the river up to Valenca/Tui.

I found it very beautiful but yes, hard on the feet. I would estimate that 85% (or more??) of the whole camino was on hard surfaces - either back country roads, main roads or cobblestones. On the Coastal route I followed the caminador.es map and it took me inland - away from the beach/coast but the water was in sight when I got to the top of a rise or hill. It was predominantly hard surface - perhaps up to 95%. I wore boots and they certainly absorbed a lot of the shock but I was VERY glad to sit down at the end of each day.

Yes, there are some narrow roads and shoulders but these are not extensive and if you can avoid 'peak hour', like I tried to do, then it is all doable. I think the camino association is doing its best to divert the path away from the main roads wherever possible.

I just kept telling myself that every camino is different and I would definitely walk this one again if I had the chance.

I have a couple of blog posts if you are interested...

https://melsonebigadventure.wordpress.com/2016/07/03/caminho-portugues-the-nuts-bolts/

(there are 4 or so posts under the WALKING category that relate to the Portuguese.

Bom Caminho
Mel

Thanks Mel,
As we're starting in Porto I wonder, in terms of road surface, if the section from Porto to SdC might be better than the one from Lisbon to Porto and also if you have knowledge of the roads from SdC to Finesterre ?
When you say you " followed the caminador.es map and it took me inland " does that mean there might be another route that stays closer to the coast and didn't go inland and perhaps had less blacktop....and if so can you or any other readers share what they know about it ?....
We originally decided on the Portuguese Camino after reading a post somewhere entitled 10 Things About The Camino Frances That S - - K !
one of which was the writer complaining that there was too much blacktop and too much time spent within site /sound of a major road.....
but from what you're saying it sounds as if there's as much or more hard surfaced roads on the Portuguese Camino
Jon

 

[Stripey Socks]

Thanks Mel,
As we're starting in Porto I wonder, in terms of road surface, if the section from Porto to SdC might be better than the one from Lisbon to Porto and also if you have knowledge of the roads from SdC to Finesterre ?
When you say you " followed the caminador.es map and it took me inland " does that mean there might be another route that stays closer to the coast and didn't go inland and perhaps had less blacktop....and if so can you or any other readers share what they know about it ?....
We originally decided on the Portuguese Camino after reading a post somewhere entitled 10 Things About The Camino Frances That S - - K !
one of which was the writer complaining that there was too much blacktop and too much time spent within site /sound of a major road.....
but from what you're saying it sounds as if there's as much or more hard surfaced roads on the Portuguese Camino
Jon

Hi again Jon
I can only speak from my experience and I would estimate (on a percentage basis) that there were more hard surfaces from Porto up the coast (as far as Camiha), than on the Lisbon/Porto stretch. I wouldn't let that put you off though if you have good shoes and strong knees/ankles. It is very beautiful and there are some lovely stretches of wooden boardwalk.

I probably worded my reference to the caminador.es maps poorly. The maps actually showed two routes - one that basically stuck to the coast and another that took a more variable path including inland. I followed the yellow arrows and other markings and THEY took me inland. As I walked solo I wasn't game enough to ignore the arrows. Perhaps I should have been braver.

I am sorry I cannot comment on the SdC to Finisterre leg. I haven't walked it but I am sure there are many others on this forum who have done so multiple times. I would be confident in saying that there is more blacktop (as you call it) on the Portuguese than on the Frances but a fair portion of that is on small back country roads.
Bye
Mel

 

[chook]

Hi Jon,
Yes, there are millions of cobblestones and they are unforgiving, but so are many footsteps through an ordinary day at home. They will be balanced with lovely people, gorgeous countryside and a known reprieve on softer dirt from SdC to Finisterre. Live in the moment and enjoy your Camino as it unfolds!

 

[SabsP]

SdC to Fisterra has no cobblestones to speak of. No major roads either.
Beautiful walk

 

[jon gregg]

Hi Jon,
Yes, there are millions of cobblestones and they are unforgiving, but so are many footsteps through an ordinary day at home. They will be balanced with lovely people, gorgeous countryside and a known reprieve on softer dirt from SdC to Finisterre. Live in the moment and enjoy your Camino as it unfolds!

Chook
" Be Here Now " .....OOOmmmm...... We're committed to the Camino da Costa ( despite its "millions of cobbles" ).....that said; if you've done the Camino Frances, and were to compare the walking surfaces between CF and CdC would you say that CdC is 10 % harder, 25% , 50% ? than CF ?
Jon

 

[Deleted member 3000]

According to Brierley, the Camino Portugues is:

32.2% path
52.5% secondary roads
15.4% main roads

No, I won't independently research and calculate alternate routes!

 

[chook]

Hi Jon,
It's eleven years since I did the CF and two since the CP on to Finisterre, but my distinct recollection was how joyous it was to be on a 'soft' path which bore a more comfortable resemblance to the CF as opposed to the cobblestones before the Minho.
I really couldn't hazard a comparative %, I just accepted what un-wound in front of me and adjusted my pace to suit.
Chook

 

[jon gregg]

According to Brierley, the Camino Portugues is:

32.2% path
52.5% secondary roads
15.4% main roads

No, I won't independently research and calculate alternate routes!

Do you know if the percentages quoted above for the Central Route or the Coastal Route ?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Do you know if the percentages quoted above for the Central Route or the Coastal Route ?

No, I won't independently research and calculate alternate routes!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Thanks Mel,
As we're starting in Porto I wonder, in terms of road surface, if the section from Porto to SdC might be better than the one from Lisbon to Porto and also if you have knowledge of the roads from SdC to Finesterre ?
When you say you " followed the caminador.es map and it took me inland " does that mean there might be another route that stays closer to the coast and didn't go inland and perhaps had less blacktop....and if so can you or any other readers share what they know about it ?....
We originally decided on the Portuguese Camino after reading a post somewhere entitled 10 Things About The Camino Frances That S - - K !
one of which was the writer complaining that there was too much blacktop and too much time spent within site /sound of a major road.....
but from what you're saying it sounds as if there's as much or more hard surfaced roads on the Portuguese Camino
Jon

I read Tapon's article (10 Things etc) after walking the Camino and wondered if we'd been in parallel universes (or Caminos); discount half of what he says and ignore the rest.

Having got that off my chest - we walked from Porto to SdC early last summer. I wore Merrell hiking shoes all the way and they were fine even dodging boulders on the way up past Castelo do Neiva (before Viana do Castilo) but the surfacing is HARD.

Fortunately not actually cobblestones (which are natural and rounded and would have been hell to walk on) but hand cut and placed granite setts - 4 inch cubes of stone (we even saw some being dressed and laid) which we could only think was meant as punishment for those who don't drive!

We stuck with the coast route until Cabanas then straight up to Pontevedra (lovely place) and on to SdC.

One section, from Caminha to Oia runs alongside a highway for at least a million kms* (or so it seems) and is a mind bogglingly boring trudge - see the attached gpx file that you can open in Google Earth to see what I mean.

Porto is good, as is Caminha and Baiona. Did not like Vigo! The Portuguese were kind and, contrary to what a lot of people say we didn't find their driving that bad. The food is generally of high quality and not expensive.

We blogged as we went, for what it's worth you can see it at

https://caminolitoral.wordpress.com/
https://caminolitoral.wordpress.com/
scroll down to OLDER POSTS
https://caminolitoral.wordpress.com/
Wouldn't do it again whereas the CF still has a lot going for it.

Boa sorte!

* just measured it - 4.25km, the longest hour of my life!

 

[faye bettencourt]

We walked the the Portuguese coastal from Porto to Santiago in June and would loved it. I wore good hiking sandals with strong support for my feet and they worked great for me. The beautiful views, the food and the wonderful and helpful people made any hard road services worth ever step. Will definitely do this route again!! Buen Camino

 

[Rick2]

We walked the the Portuguese coastal from Porto to Santiago in June and would loved it. I wore good hiking sandals with strong support for my feet and they worked great for me. The beautiful views, the food and the wonderful and helpful people made any hard road services worth ever step. Will definitely do this route again!! Buen Camino

We are walking Portugal Coastal Route out of Porto the second 2 weeks beginning Sept 18. How do you determine where to stay each night, and how much in advance do you need to book? We would like to try various means of accomodation,,some alburgues (understand cant be booked in advance), pensiones (guest houses) and hotels. Another poster said she booked thing day before or day of the stay via a mobile phone on site booking.com, at reasonable prices and decent lodgings. Or do you book some/most in advance. Any experiences, advise or cautions re accomodations would be most welcome.