Look Out For The Lowveld Ramblers! We’re Back!

[jsalt]

One Saturday morning on a club hike:

“So when are we going back?” they asked.
Me: “But you know how it works – you can go by yourselves now; you don’t need me anymore.”
“Yes we do! We need you to organize it for us!”
“I’m going alone next time; I need the space.” (Yeay!!!)
“I want to go too; I missed out last year.”
“And me, and there is no way I am going alone.”
Me, mumbling: “I’m not walking from Sarria in September again.”
“Yes, that’s true, the 2 weeks before we got to Sarria were the best.”
“I want to do the Portuguese!”
“What’s the Portuguese Camino like Jill?”
“Yes! Let’s do the Portuguese!”

So, Look Out For The Lowveld Ramblers! We’re Back!

Three weeks from Porto in September 2018, staying next to the coast as much as possible.

I’ve limited the group size to 12 this year, for various reasons.

This was our first trip in September 2017:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/look-out-for-the-lowveld-ramblers.49263/

Jill

 

[nycwalking]

Sounds wonderful.

 

[kennymandy]

One Saturday morning on a club hike:

“So when are we going back?” they asked.
Me: “But you know how it works – you can go by yourselves now; you don’t need me anymore.”
“Yes we do! We need you to organize it for us!”
“I’m going alone next time; I need the space.” (Yeay!!!)
“I want to go too; I missed out last year.”
“And me, and there is no way I am going alone.”
Me, mumbling: “I’m not walking from Sarria in September again.”
“Yes, that’s true, the 2 weeks before we got to Sarria were the best.”
“I want to do the Portuguese!”
“What’s the Portuguese Camino like Jill?”
“Yes! Let’s do the Portuguese!”

So, Look Out For The Lowveld Ramblers! We’re Back!

Three weeks from Porto in September 2018, staying next to the coast as much as possible.

I’ve limited the group size to 12 this year, for various reasons.

This was our first trip in September 2017:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/look-out-for-the-lowveld-ramblers.49263/

Jill

It’s becoming an annual event!

 

[jsalt]

It’s becoming an annual event!

Actually, I was hoping you two might take over from me next year – you’re good at organizing trips away! (Think about it . . . . )

I see you will be in Porto soon (kenmandyhaley.wordpress.com), and that you will be taking the coastal route. I hope the sea breezes cool the temps down a bit for you.

Just for the record, and for anybody else who might be planning a slow, budget, small group camino on the coastal route, this is our itinerary, starting in Porto, and the cost per person in dorms, or shared rooms:

Porto, The Passenger Hostel (E27)
Matosinhos, 11.5kms, Fishtail Sea House (E19)
Angeiras, 12kms, Orbitur Bungalows (Pilgrim Rate of about E10)
Póvoa de Varzim, 15.5kms, Sardines & Friends Hostel (E16)
Esposende, 20kms, Hostel Eleven (E14)
Viana do Castelo, 24kms, Orbitur Bungalows (Pilgrim Rate of about E8)
Vila Praia de Ancora, 23kms, Hostel d'Avenida (E16)
A Guarda (N.B. No Ferry On Mondays!), 16kms, Hotel Eli-Mar (E21)
Mougás, 19kms, Albergue Aguncheiro (E10)
Nigrán, 22kms, Pensión Venus (E20)
Vigo, 19kms, Hotel Oca Ipanema (E22.50)
Redondela, 16kms, Albergue A Conserveira (E12)
Pontevedra, 20kms, Hotel Rúas (E30)
Armenteira, 24.5kms, Albergue Armenteira (E6)
Vilanova de Arousa, 21.5kms, Hotel Camping Arco Iris (E17.50)
Padron (by boat), Albergue Rossol (E14)
Milladoiro, 18kms, Albergue Milladoiro (E14)
Santiago, 7kms, Hospederia San Martin (E20)

Jill

 

[kennymandy]

Actually, I was hoping you two might take over from me next year – you’re good at organizing trips away! (Think about it . . . . )

I see you will be in Porto soon (kenmandyhaley.wordpress.com), and that you will be taking the coastal route. I hope the sea breezes cool the temps down a bit for you.

Just for the record, and for anybody else who might be planning a slow, budget, small group camino on the coastal route, this is our itinerary, starting in Porto, and the cost per person in dorms, or shared rooms:

Porto, The Passenger Hostel (E27)
Matosinhos, 11.5kms, Fishtail Sea House (E19)
Angeiras, 12kms, Orbitur Bungalows (Pilgrim Rate of about E10)
Póvoa de Varzim, 15.5kms, Sardines & Friends Hostel (E16)
Esposende, 20kms, Hostel Eleven (E14)
Viana do Castelo, 24kms, Orbitur Bungalows (Pilgrim Rate of about E8)
Vila Praia de Ancora, 23kms, Hostel d'Avenida (E16)
A Guarda (N.B. No Ferry On Mondays!), 16kms, Hotel Eli-Mar (E21)
Mougás, 19kms, Albergue Aguncheiro (E10)
Nigrán, 22kms, Pensión Venus (E20)
Vigo, 19kms, Hotel Oca Ipanema (E22.50)
Redondela, 16kms, Albergue A Conserveira (E12)
Pontevedra, 20kms, Hotel Rúas (E30)
Armenteira, 24.5kms, Albergue Armenteira (E6)
Vilanova de Arousa, 21.5kms, Hotel Camping Arco Iris (E17.50)
Padron (by boat), Albergue Rossol (E14)
Milladoiro, 18kms, Albergue Milladoiro (E14)
Santiago, 7kms, Hospederia San Martin (E20)

Jill

It is much cooler today and it is forecast to stay that way. I don’t think the Lowveld Ramblers would like the distances we’ve covered so far. We now have much shorter days (20-25km).

 

[jsalt]

Two weeks to go .

All very excited .

Flights booked, accommodation booked .

Schengen Visas . . . ??? Tick. Phew!

We have an extra day in Porto, so we are all booked on a cruise up the Douro River for the whole day . . . including wine tasting in Pinhao. Yippeeee!

Then we take a very leisurely stroll along the river to Matosinhos on Wed 12 Sep, as we start our pilgrimage to Santiago.

If you see us, please say Hi!

Jill

 

[Tincatinker]

Buen Camino amiga. Beware that wine tasting. I'm still paying DHL to deliver what I can't collect ;o) and my last visit was a decade ago....

 

[auburnfive]

We are a group of 6 leaving Porto on Sept 19, following the same route, and staying in some of the same places, slightly longer days. I don’t 5hink we will quite catch you.... Please pass on any advice, and burn Camino to you!

 

[jsalt]

Please pass on any advice, and burn Camino to you!

If you are on WhatsApp, and would like to PM me your cellphone number, I can let you know of anything, as we go along, that might be relevant to you.
Bom caminho!
Jill

 

[auburnfive]

Thanks Jill, have sent you a pm

 

[OzAnnie]

Two weeks to go .

All very excited .

Flights booked, accommodation booked .

Schengen Visas . . . ??? Tick. Phew!

We have an extra day in Porto, so we are all booked on a cruise up the Douro River for the whole day . . . including wine tasting in Pinhao. Yippeeee!

Then we take a very leisurely stroll along the river to Matosinhos on Wed 12 Sep, as we start our pilgrimage to Santiago.

If you see us, please say Hi!

Jill

Good luck Jill.
You’ll be a wonderful leader. Your free day in Porto and leisurely stroll along the river on camino out of Porto all sound like a lovely plan.
Wish I was there.
Buen Camino
Annie

 

[jsalt]

Hi Annie, wish you could be with us too .

The latest development – I was telling hubby about our cruise up the Douro River, and he said he wants to come too . So he checked the flights . . . and booked! He’ll then be walking with us for a week, as far as Caminha, before he has to get the flight back home .
Jill

 

[Camino Chrissy]

The Douro river with all the vineyards on the hillsides is stunning. You all (and hubby) will love it!

 

[OzAnnie]

The Douro river with all the vineyards on the hillsides is stunning. You all (and hubby) will love it!View attachment 45864View attachment 45866

Love it when people add a pic here and there. It looks beautiful. My stop in Porto was much too short. I really need to get back and spend a few days there. Thanks for sharing Chris.

 

[andywild]

We are a group of 6 leaving Porto on Sept 19, following the same route, and staying in some of the same places, slightly longer days. I don’t 5hink we will quite catch you.... Please pass on any advice, and burn Camino to you!

I start from Porto on 19th.. I'll keep an eye out and say hi !

 

[auburnfive]

Wrong date, we leave Porto the 18, but you may well catch us, doing about 20K per day. 6 plodding Canadians...

 

[jsalt]

We made it . . . and we had a lot of fun .

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Jill, congratulations! What a beautiful photo! Everyone looks so happy, the cathedral looks perfect again finally, and no other pilgrims in the picture!
That was quite the undertaking leading such a large group and I remember you have done it before.
You walked the Portuguese this time and wonder which route, or combination you did, and how long it took you? I will be going in mid April, and am trying to weigh out the differences in each.

 

[jsalt]

You walked the Portuguese this time and wonder which route, or combination you did, and how long it took you?

Hi Chris, this was our itinerary, starting in Porto, and the cost per person in dorms, or shared rooms:

Porto, The Passenger Hostel (E27)

Matosinhos, 11.5kms, Fishtail Sea House (E19)

Angeiras, 12kms, Orbitur Bungalows (Pilgrim Rate of about E10)

Póvoa de Varzim, 15.5kms, Sardines & Friends Hostel (E16)

Esposende, 20kms, Hostel Eleven (E14)

Viana do Castelo, 24kms, Orbitur Bungalows (Pilgrim Rate of about E8) – although they assured me (3 times via email) that I did not need to book as “there is always availability in Sep” (and they refused to make a confirmed booking as “it was not necessary”), when we got there they were full, and they couldn’t care less that we were a group of 13 people and they had no beds. Hotel do Parque in Viana could accommodate us all, so we walked another 3kms. It was far better than Orbitur anyway, so we were glad in the end, and it cost us about E16 each in triple-bed rooms.

Vila Praia de Ancora, 23kms, 20kms, Hostel d'Avenida (E16)

A Guarda (N.B. No Ferry On Mondays!), 16kms, Hotel Eli-Mar (E21)

Mougás, 19kms, Albergue Aguncheiro (E10)

Nigrán, 22kms, Pensión Venus (E20)

Vigo, 19kms, Hotel Oca Ipanema (E22.50)

Redondela, 16kms, Albergue A Conserveira (E12)

Pontevedra, 20kms, Hotel Rúas (E30)

Armenteira, 24.5kms, Albergue Armenteira (E6)

Vilanova de Arousa, 21.5kms, Hotel Camping Arco Iris (E17.50) – we ended up in the bungalows of the camping resort next door. The owner of Arco Iris messaged me in the morning to say that his little daughter had died in a car accident the evening before. What a tragedy. She had been buckled up in the passenger seat, but when her mom’s car went into the back of a school bus, the ipad she was holding flew out of her hands and killed her. The whole community was in shock; the neighbours stepped in and took in all of Arco Iris's bookings for a few days.

Padron (by boat), Albergue Rossol (E14)

Milladoiro, 18kms, Albergue Milladoiro (E14)

Santiago, 7kms, Hospederia San Martin (E20)

Jill

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Wow, Jill, thank you! You've given me more info than I asked for and I love it!! Can't wait to look more closely at your lodgings.
Safe travels to you and your friends back to S. Africa!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Jill, I just counted your days and it looks like you took 17 days. I only have 12 days allocated to walk with one zero day each in Porto and Santiago as I fly in to Lisbon to walk the Fisherman's Trail first. I hope to include the Spiritual Variant, too. I can speed things up a bit since there's not lots of uphills (or so I've read), but now think I may have to bus/taxi a stage or two. Any suggestions on your least favorite stages, if you had any? I may do more of the central route as it's a bit shorter and since we'll be seeing the ocean so much in the begining of our trip.

Chris

 

[jsalt]

I like it all, so difficult to answer.

A Guarda to Baiona is mostly on a cycle track, so you could bus that section maybe.

Vigo is a big city, and although the walking is very pleasant in “green” areas, you are in the city suburbs, so you could bus that too, but beware that you are now entering the 100km zone if you want a compostela.

I love the walk out of Porto along the river to Matosinhos, but I suppose you could get the bus or metro to either Matosinhos or Vila do Conde, and start from there.

I am so happy that we stopped in Milladoiro for the night, before Santiago. We arrived at the cathedral fresh and happy after a 7km walk, not exhausted after a 25km walk from Padron.

The Hospederia San Martin checked us in at 10.30am, we left our packs there, attended the pilgrim mass (the botufumeiro was a bonus!), and we all lined up for our compostelas in the afternoon. Had a great evening meal together in the restaurant at the Hospederia, and we flew out the next day.
Jill

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I already know I want to walk to Vila de Condo and stop in Matosinhos for the night. Yes, maybe bypass Vigo altogether if we take the coastal route that far north as someone else had said it was "grim and industrial". I already have a couple of compostelas, so not that important to me.
Yes, you all looked very fresh snd clean in the picture...almost like the locals who start from Sarria.
Thanks again!

 

[Bala]

Congratulations! What a happy group of peregrinos!!

 

[jsalt]

I already know I want to walk to Vila de Condo and stop in Matosinhos for the night.

The walk to Matosinhos is very short, and easily doable late afternoon, so you could combine it with a full morning in Porto. On the spur of the moment, leaving The Passenger Hostel in Sao Bento train station, after a very good breakfast (included in the rate), I decided to take the group over the high bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia. It was a beautiful day, there were few people about, and the sun was in just the right position for some fabulous photos. We then took the river taxi (it starts operating at 10am) back across to Porto. It made for an interesting start to our long walk, and got everybody into slow mode .
Jill

 

[lovingkindness]

Ultreia e suseia! What's next?