- Time of past OR future Camino
- .
There's quite a lot of debate as to whether the Lisbon-Porto stretch (specifically the central way, as opposed to the coastal and interior ways) is really worth the candle. I walked this starting mid-October and record my mixed impressions here, leaving it up to the reader to decide whether it's something they'd want to undertake.
The Ugly
1.Some really reckless and inconsiderate driving by the locals which on several occasions either scared and/or upset me a great deal. Actually, although pedestrian fatalities are proportionality higher in Portugal than in the UK and Spain, it's not by a dramatic amount – which surprised me! http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safe ... trians.pdf . Particular recklessness on the windy walled roads in and out of Santarem and a narrow fast road after Albergaria.
2.a lot of mean and ugly dogs, looking to scare and intimidate people walking past their properties. I wasn't ever attacked (except by one pathetic pekinese) but one rottweiler in particular (coming out of Albergaria) had me fearing for my life. Through the many inhabited areas that the camino traverses, which are neither towns nor villages, it seems every fifth house has one or more dogs and that these are trained to be really angry with anyone walking by, but especially anyone with a backpack. It's not a relaxing experience. Much worse than Spain.
3.Mosquitoes. I got bitten from head to anke like never before. Possibly to do with being close to the rio Tejo for a few days at the start. Also wearing shorts in the early morning, walking through woods, seemed to be a problem.
The Bad
1.so many roads. Big ones, little ones, fast ones, empty ones, but never the chance on them to really stop being alert and think about the deeper things that I associate with walking on the camino. Some people don't like walking on asphalt, but I find it's fine. It's the uneven, sharp and often slippery portuguese tiles closer to the big towns and cities that are a pain.
2.the lack of albergues. Just one that I'm aware of, brand new in Sernandelo on the exit of Mealhada. But not advertised anywhere along the route as far as I could see. Some of the alternatives were fine, but it makes for a solitary and expensive existence staying in residencias or pensaos most of the time.
3.tacky piped church bells (admittedly not just an issue on Lisbon to Porto!). The church seems to have signed up to piping the same excruciating ditty from bell towers (often every quarter hour) instead of using the bells. Deeply depressing.
4.Waymarking towards the end. Although much of the waymarking from Lisbon is very good, it tapered off in the last few days to Porto becoming pretty much indifferent by the end. However if you've seen nothing for a while, a useful trick is to turn round and spot the blue arrows going the other way to Fatima. If they are present then you know you're still on the right route.
The Good
1.wonderful, open, kind and friendly Portuguese people. Very interested and supportive of anyone walking to Santiago or Fatima. And linked to this....
2.lots of the older generation speaking the same bad schooldays French as me. This would be totally unacceptable to French people but has found its natural home here in Portugal! Younger generation speak great English and unlike in Spain and France, they volunteer it before you've even opened your mouth.
3.quaint old residencias the like of which were all pulled down in England by the 1960s. Bathrooms without ventilation fans, electric sockets and switches made of bakelite (and wiring that probably hasn't been touched for 50+ years). Ornate bedsteads and old style breakfast and sitting rooms. Best example: Pensao Uniao in Tomar.
4.Bombeiros Voluntarios. How amazing to be able to pay €3 and have the freedom to roam around an active firestation as well as get a warm welcome, a hot shower and a floor to sleep on.
5.Moped timewarp. If you were 15, a boy, in the UK in the 1970s you probably dreamed nightly, earnestly of reaching 16 and scorching along at 30mph on a Puch, Gilera, Sachs or Yamaha moped. Some of these are still alive and well and living in Portugal, transporting old men to and from their vegetable patches.
6.Cheese. Wonderful goats cheese or goat/sheep/cows mix varieties (curado?). Stays edible in your pack for days, just hardening a little, with a nutty yet slightly sour flavour that's crying out to be enveloped by a crusty roll of which you can usually purchase two for 25c. Didn't find anything quite as good after Porto.
7.The countryside between Tomar and Coimbra. I've walked 120+ days on the camino. The day/stage from Alvaiazere to Rabacal went straight into my all time top 5. Admittedly I'd been walking for 2 days in gloom and rain beforehand. And the first hour or so is on the road. But from the Alto onwards, it was glorious. Old paths, wonderful woodland, great ancient dry stonewalls (some chunky limestone?), olive groves, vineyards, orchards of walnut trees where goat-herd-esses mind their flocks grazing in the long grass. Paths that wind ingeniously between the settlements making the camino a crafty option rather than as is so often the case a lengthy detour.
Well that's about it. I think you can go prepared to address the ugly aspects to some extent. It's definitely worth incorporating reflective items onto gear and walking sticks and switching to r/h side of road on every blind bend (where traffic allows!). Having a stick to hand can curb the worst behaviour of the dogs and insect repellent liberally applied can reduce the mosquito problem. People thinking of starting from Porto should consider adding the Tomar to Coimbra section. I'd be interested to hear the comments of others who've walked the way.
Cheers, tom
The Ugly
1.Some really reckless and inconsiderate driving by the locals which on several occasions either scared and/or upset me a great deal. Actually, although pedestrian fatalities are proportionality higher in Portugal than in the UK and Spain, it's not by a dramatic amount – which surprised me! http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safe ... trians.pdf . Particular recklessness on the windy walled roads in and out of Santarem and a narrow fast road after Albergaria.
2.a lot of mean and ugly dogs, looking to scare and intimidate people walking past their properties. I wasn't ever attacked (except by one pathetic pekinese) but one rottweiler in particular (coming out of Albergaria) had me fearing for my life. Through the many inhabited areas that the camino traverses, which are neither towns nor villages, it seems every fifth house has one or more dogs and that these are trained to be really angry with anyone walking by, but especially anyone with a backpack. It's not a relaxing experience. Much worse than Spain.
3.Mosquitoes. I got bitten from head to anke like never before. Possibly to do with being close to the rio Tejo for a few days at the start. Also wearing shorts in the early morning, walking through woods, seemed to be a problem.
The Bad
1.so many roads. Big ones, little ones, fast ones, empty ones, but never the chance on them to really stop being alert and think about the deeper things that I associate with walking on the camino. Some people don't like walking on asphalt, but I find it's fine. It's the uneven, sharp and often slippery portuguese tiles closer to the big towns and cities that are a pain.
2.the lack of albergues. Just one that I'm aware of, brand new in Sernandelo on the exit of Mealhada. But not advertised anywhere along the route as far as I could see. Some of the alternatives were fine, but it makes for a solitary and expensive existence staying in residencias or pensaos most of the time.
3.tacky piped church bells (admittedly not just an issue on Lisbon to Porto!). The church seems to have signed up to piping the same excruciating ditty from bell towers (often every quarter hour) instead of using the bells. Deeply depressing.
4.Waymarking towards the end. Although much of the waymarking from Lisbon is very good, it tapered off in the last few days to Porto becoming pretty much indifferent by the end. However if you've seen nothing for a while, a useful trick is to turn round and spot the blue arrows going the other way to Fatima. If they are present then you know you're still on the right route.
The Good
1.wonderful, open, kind and friendly Portuguese people. Very interested and supportive of anyone walking to Santiago or Fatima. And linked to this....
2.lots of the older generation speaking the same bad schooldays French as me. This would be totally unacceptable to French people but has found its natural home here in Portugal! Younger generation speak great English and unlike in Spain and France, they volunteer it before you've even opened your mouth.
3.quaint old residencias the like of which were all pulled down in England by the 1960s. Bathrooms without ventilation fans, electric sockets and switches made of bakelite (and wiring that probably hasn't been touched for 50+ years). Ornate bedsteads and old style breakfast and sitting rooms. Best example: Pensao Uniao in Tomar.
4.Bombeiros Voluntarios. How amazing to be able to pay €3 and have the freedom to roam around an active firestation as well as get a warm welcome, a hot shower and a floor to sleep on.
5.Moped timewarp. If you were 15, a boy, in the UK in the 1970s you probably dreamed nightly, earnestly of reaching 16 and scorching along at 30mph on a Puch, Gilera, Sachs or Yamaha moped. Some of these are still alive and well and living in Portugal, transporting old men to and from their vegetable patches.
6.Cheese. Wonderful goats cheese or goat/sheep/cows mix varieties (curado?). Stays edible in your pack for days, just hardening a little, with a nutty yet slightly sour flavour that's crying out to be enveloped by a crusty roll of which you can usually purchase two for 25c. Didn't find anything quite as good after Porto.
7.The countryside between Tomar and Coimbra. I've walked 120+ days on the camino. The day/stage from Alvaiazere to Rabacal went straight into my all time top 5. Admittedly I'd been walking for 2 days in gloom and rain beforehand. And the first hour or so is on the road. But from the Alto onwards, it was glorious. Old paths, wonderful woodland, great ancient dry stonewalls (some chunky limestone?), olive groves, vineyards, orchards of walnut trees where goat-herd-esses mind their flocks grazing in the long grass. Paths that wind ingeniously between the settlements making the camino a crafty option rather than as is so often the case a lengthy detour.
Well that's about it. I think you can go prepared to address the ugly aspects to some extent. It's definitely worth incorporating reflective items onto gear and walking sticks and switching to r/h side of road on every blind bend (where traffic allows!). Having a stick to hand can curb the worst behaviour of the dogs and insect repellent liberally applied can reduce the mosquito problem. People thinking of starting from Porto should consider adding the Tomar to Coimbra section. I'd be interested to hear the comments of others who've walked the way.
Cheers, tom
