Flowers on a winter Camino! Good news for those who consider walking in winter :)

[surya8]

I walked my first winter Camino this Jan: Portugues Coastal/Littroral from Porto + Espiritual.
Had some doubts about the sanity of this trip before as I tend to get cold easily but still decided to go for it. Was a blast! Expected much worse weather and colder albergues but it turned out all right: mild temperatures in mid Jan there, from +3 to +13C, some rain ranging from drizzle to one day of downpour. Rest of the time - glorious sunshine! Well, some cloudy sky but that didn't spoil it. All the municipal albergues are open, also some private as well, so no trouble finding accommodation. And pensions if you fancy some privacy. Previously I walked in Portugal in different seasons: did Portugues Central from Porto in Apr-May, Portugues Interior from Viseu in June, Portugues Central between Lisbon and Porto in late Oct. Every one of them was amazing! Now this winter Camino proved that Portugal is an all-year destination, so you could go there to walk any time, even without planning!
I was so amazed there in January to see all the different flowers in bloom: https://anna-camino.livejournal.com/5063.html
An amazing mix of spring, summer and autumnal flowers all in one go! If they thrive there so can you!
Ah, you can glimpse the weather on the pics there as well.
Bom Caminho to those who are thinking of walking in winter! Season not to waste!

 

[Isca-camigo]

Thank you Suray8 for your blog. I was going to walk from Braga on the Caminho Geira on the 14th December, but 6 weeks of training out I am nowhere were I want to be and yesterday I read of pilgrims having to take a detour around a bridge because it was submerged after heavy rains, so I must just go the 5 km from the Porto airport to the coast and start there instead, your blog has me thinking of the Coastal route as a positive other option.

Obrigado

 

[surya8]

I was going to walk from Braga on the Caminho Geira on the 14th December, but 6 weeks of training out I am nowhere were I want to be and yesterday I read of pilgrims having to take a detour around a bridge because it was submerged after heavy rains, so I must just go the 5 km from the Porto airport to the coast and start there instead, your blog has me thinking of the Coastal route as a positive other option.

Well, there is still time to decide till mid Dec and it doesn't keep on raining all the time in Portugal - one of the reasons I love the country. Coastal would be an easier option in Dec, no mountains to climb there, no training required. Am considering Torres + Caminho Geira for the future now when it's an official route. Re Caminho Geira: what about the accommodation there? Anything apart from pensions? Any bombeiros that might host there?

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Beautiful photographs, thank you.

I always look out for the autumn flowering crocus



have never seen them outside of Spain.

 

[Isca-camigo]

You have two Albergues at the begining, one next to the Ze in central Braga then the recently opened one 17- 19km km after Braga. In Campos de Geres 26km-30km later there is a youth hostel( several large dorm rooms). Various places along the route offer special pilgrim rates. There was a blog in 2014 where the group stayed in the fire station in Teras de Bouro which is 30 km after Braga, I have not seen anything posted since giving bombieros as a place to stay, I
have feeling this route has grown so much since cathedral recognition ( 750 passed through 1 galician area alone this year) that fire stations may not be offered again unless they are adapted to specially hold pilgrims.
An Italian couple walked from Salamanca this year and went onto the Geira at Easter. They have a really useful blog which can be found on the routes website under notices for April.
If I don't do it in December then the next time I will be able to do it will be August, that probably will be with a tent, the people who did the blog in 2014 took a tent and used it some nights

The rain on the Geira is high even for this corner of the peninsula, a lot of preparation had been for that aspect of it, but unless I feel comfortable with my own personal fitness I don't feel like walking long isolated sections at altitude with a minimum of daylight hours, I had a good pre Camino session on the UK south west coastal path yesterday so who knows?

I hope you do walk it, I read your CPI blog after reading your Costa one and quite enjoyed that as well.

Bom Caminho

 

[Peter Wright]

Lovely flower photos thanks for sharing. I just finished the inland route from Porto on 9 October. Many flowers, eucalyptus and olive trees I knew from my previous life in Africa.

 

[Marbe2]

We are heading to Porto to walk the coastal route the beginning of March. Generally, we expect rain and some winds. Will Flowers be in bloom then? Wondering about pollen count as I have allergies. Thanks

 

[surya8]

I always look out for the autumn flowering crocus

View attachment 66094

have never seen them outside of Spain.

Hm, this makes me think...there might be another plant that looks exactly or very simiral but it's not exactly crocus. This one blooms in autumn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchicum Have seen these in many countries.

 

[surya8]

We are heading to Porto to walk the coastal route the beginning of March. Generally, we expect rain and some winds. Will Flowers be in bloom then? Wondering about pollen count as I have allergies. Thanks

March is considered a rainy month in Portugal, but that's relative. Most of the flowers bloom later. When I walked from Porto in late Apr there were plenty in 2017, whole fields of yellow and blue ones. 2018 was colder and they came a bit later, mainly May-June. It's more subdued and off colour till Mar-Apr. There were flowers on our winter Camino but I had to look for them. I hope you should be fine there in March.

 

[surya8]

An Italian couple walked from Salamanca this year and went onto the Geira at Easter. They have a really useful blog which can be found on the routes website under notices for April.
The rain on the Geira is high even for this corner of the peninsula, a lot of preparation had been for that aspect of it, but unless I feel comfortable with my own personal fitness I don't feel like walking long isolated sections at altitude with a minimum of daylight hours

Thanks for the advice there! Yes, now I rememeber about the rain situation on Camino Geira - could be a bit tricky there in winter.
And yes, with the short daylight hours in winter we were ok on the Coastal. Never walked in the darkness, never used flashlights. Always left around 8am and got to our destination before 5-6pm. Did 35km on one particular day there and even then came before dark.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Hm, this makes me think...there might be another plant that looks exactly or very simiral but it's not exactly crocus. This one blooms in autumn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchicum Have seen these in many countries.

Actually that was a stock photograph - managed to find one in my collection



a little hard to see but a different flower to Colchicum?

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

Hm, this makes me think...there might be another plant that looks exactly or very simiral but it's not exactly crocus. This one blooms in autumn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchicum Have seen these in many countries.

These come in many countries. They are the source of saffron! Thus its extensive use in Spain. I've tried growing them. They just survive, and don't thrive, in a moist environment; they like very dry conditions.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Beautiful photographs, thank you.

I always look out for the autumn flowering crocus

View attachment 66094

have never seen them outside of Spain.

They grow in my yard in Portland, Oregon

 

[Paul Corrin]

I walked my first winter Camino this Jan: Portugues Coastal/Littroral from Porto + Espiritual.
Had some doubts about the sanity of this trip before as I tend to get cold easily but still decided to go for it. Was a blast! Expected much worse weather and colder albergues but it turned out all tight: mild temperatures in mid Jan there, from +3 to +13C, some rain ranging from drizzle to one day of downpour. Rest of the time - glorious sunshine! Well, some cloudy sky but that didn't spoil it. All the municipal albergues are open, also some private as well, so no trouble finding accommodation. And pensions if you fancy some privacy. Previously I walked in Portugal in different seasons: did Portugues Central from Porto in Apr-May, Portugues Interior from Viseu in June, Portugues Central between Lisbon and Porto in late Oct. Every one of them was amazing! Now this winter Camino proved that Portugal is an all-year destination, so you could go there to walk any time, even without planning!
I was so amazed there in January to see all the different flowers in bloom: https://anna-camino.livejournal.com/5063.html
An amazing mix of spring, summer and autumnal flowers all in one go! If they thrive there so can you!
Ah, you can glimpse the weather on the pics there as well.
Bom Caminho to those who are thinking of walking in winter! Season not to waste!

Beautiful flower photos on your blog! Thank you Buen Camino x

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Thank you for posting your blog link. What a joy to scroll through all the many varieties of beautiful flowers...amazing!

 

[surya8]

Thank you for posting your blog link. What a joy to scroll through all the many varieties of beautiful flowers...amazing!

Now I only need to find the names for some of them that I don't know! Especiaally the ugly green thing with small pinkyish flowers from the forests of Galicia - a Jan mystery for me

 

[SYates]

Now I only need to find the names for some of them that I don't know! Especiaally the ugly green thing with small pinkyish flowers from the forsts of Galicia - a Jan mystery for me

Post a photo here and we all help you ;-)
BC SY

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

Beautiful photos. Thank you..........