Portuguese part is CHAOS

amancio · Oct 13, 2017

Hi, an experienced Spanish pilgrim is asking me to post a warning here. The Camino de Torres, in its Portuguese part, is just impossible to follow unless you have ALL the following

1) updated track files
2) a GPS app that can read them (wikiloc style)
3) knowledge on how to use the above

My friends tells me there are simply no arrows, nothing, no marking in the country side, you cannot follow a track as such, and you will get lost between towns. He mentioned he would be giving more detailed information upon his arrival in Santiago.

So, you are all warned now!

peregrina2000 · Oct 13, 2017

I think @alansykes is heading that way now, but he is just starting out in Tarifa, so he will have plenty of opportunity to be forewarned and take action! Thanks for this notice, Amancio.

MikeJS · Oct 13, 2017

I think the Wise Pilgrim app would supply all that you need.

peregrina2000 · Oct 13, 2017

MikeJS said:
I think the Wise Pilgrim app would supply all that you need.

Does the wise pilgrim app have the Camino de Torres? I can't imagine it does but I could be wrong.

AlanSykes · Oct 13, 2017

amancio said:
Hi, an experienced Spanish pilgrim is asking me to post a warning here. The Camino de Torres, in its Portuguese part, is just impossible to follow unless you have ALL the following

1) updated track files
2) a GPS app that can read them (wikiloc style)
3) knowledge on how to use the above

My friends tells me there are simply no arrows, nothing, no marking in the country side, you cannot follow a track as such, and you will get lost between towns. He mentioned he would be giving more detailed information upon his arrival in Santiago.

So, you are all warned now!

That is a bit disturbing, especially as I'm having problems with wikiloc, which keeps crashing on me. Ina, a 77yo French woman who has recently completed it agrees good gps is essential, but she says she had a great time. Her blog gives excellent details

http://inaoncaminotorres.blogspot.com.es

Think I'll risk it.

RodlaRob · Oct 13, 2017

This warning has already been well covered in previous posts. Please do your homework before jumping in on this Camino. As advised .....Contact Luis in Salamanca who coordinated all the GPS markings for the magnificent Camino Torres.

Sheena · Oct 14, 2017

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...rly-all-portuguese-caminos-in-one-file.42296/

I don’t know if your route is included in these tracks?
Sheena

RodlaRob · Oct 14, 2017

Hi Sheena ..... not sure if your comment was intended for me, but this is what I have posted elsewhere:

"Don't forget ....as I have stated in previous Torres posts .... contact Luis Quintales (the Salamanca University Professor behind creating this Camino in honour of Diego de Torres Villarroel (himself a Salamanca Professor!). he created the GPS tracks.
Coming from Australia he helped create a great experience for me right from the start! plus downloaded on my phone all gps tracks needed."

Thomas1962 · Oct 14, 2017

Sheena said:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...rly-all-portuguese-caminos-in-one-file.42296/

I don’t know if your route is included in these tracks?
Sheena

Because it starts and ends in Spain the camino de Torres is included in the 'all Spanish tracks in one file'
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...racks-of-all-spanish-caminos-in-one-file.341/

JLuis · Oct 15, 2017

Oh well... The Camino de Torres was only a GPS thing, a the fantastic work by Luis Quintales.
Some anonymous volunteers, here and there, start painting yellow arrows as per the GPS track.
That's all there is. That's all you got. So, thank Luis Quintales, get a GPS, and go.
Anyway, I expect everything to be waymarked by the end of 2018.

pelerine · Oct 16, 2017

I have never written to a forum community and I am struggling! Here goes: message to alansykes #5

I did the Camino de Torres in June. Since I do not know much about information technology a friend whom I had met on a camino a few years ago transformed the GPS tracks which are given on the "usal" website into something I could handle via the "GPX Viewer" app - I managed to download the app myself and a neighbour then set this up for me in the GPX Viewer. And then it was a piece of cake.

The Camino de Torres is a wonderful camino, but since it is not widely known you are not likely to meet any pilgrims until you reach the Camino Portugues in Ponte de Lima. In addition during the first stage you do not come through any village at all, therefore do not see a living soul. During the following two or three stages there are no shops or bars in the villages you do come through, so again you are very much alone. But the more people dare to walk it the better the albergues will become and the less likely you are to find yourself completely alone.

For details of my experience you can go to my blog which somebody has already indicated in this thread and which I repeat here: inaoncaminotorres.blogspot.fr (or .es or other depending which country you are in when you access it)
Do dare to walk this camino and you will not regret it! Buen Camino!

Ina (pelerine)

PS I will now try to upload the GPS files which I used. If I do not succeed anybody who wants to have them would need to contact me by e-mail so I can send them.

JabbaPapa · Oct 16, 2017

amancio said:
Hi, an experienced Spanish pilgrim is asking me to post a warning here. The Camino de Torres, in its Portuguese part, is just impossible to follow unless you have ALL the following

1) updated track files
2) a GPS app that can read them (wikiloc style)
3) knowledge on how to use the above

My friends tells me there are simply no arrows, nothing, no marking in the country side, you cannot follow a track as such, and you will get lost between towns. He mentioned he would be giving more detailed information upon his arrival in Santiago.

So, you are all warned now!

That's an interesting perspective, but the truth is that all that you really need to do is to avoid major barriers such as rivers and impassable mountains, and just head more or less in the right direction.

The Camino isn't a "track" -- it's your personal journey towards the tomb of the Apostle. This journey will ALWAYS include the unexpected.