Route with most nature and least asphalt

[arnew17]

Hi everyone,

Two weeks from now I will start the camino Portugese in Porto.
I am still a bit in doubt about what route I will take. I have read that there is a lot of road- and cobble-stone walking on the camino Portugese. This is something I would like to avoid.

For me the perfect route would be through a lot of forest and natural paths, crossing and walking by rivers and streams.

On the map of Portugal I noticed that there is a nice National Park north from Porto called "Penede-Geres". Would anybody know if there is an existing route that passes this park and does it has more nature and natural paths than the classic central camino?

How about the coastel route? Does this route has less asphalt and road walking?

Thanks

 

[mspath]

...

On the map of Portugal I noticed that there is a nice National Park north from Porto called "Penede-Geres". Would anybody know if there is an existing route that passes this park and does it has more nature and natural paths than the classic central camino?

...

The National Park Penede Geres is very beautiful; I have often stayed within the park during Christmas after completing the Camino Frances during past years. There are many trails but no albergues or official camino route; thus you would need to "wing it"!

For more on the Peneda Geres with further links re hiking see this Portuguese web.
http://www.icnf.pt/portal/naturaclas/ap/pnpg

Here is a handy booket re the park in English.

Happy research and Bom caminho!

 

[beiramar]

There is the Geira Romana or Via Nova crossing Gerês. It's an old roman road that used to connect the cities of Bracara Augusta (Braga) and Asturica Augusta (Astorga). It still exists, at least in pieces and there are even the old mile stones.
That might be an interesting and seldom walked trail you'd like.

 

[Deleted member 36903]

I suggest walking (or travelling by train) to Vila do Conde (as many of the pilgrims I met later did this route) via Matosinhos, then cut across to Rates, then on to Barcelos. From Ponte de Lima onwards there are many beautiful stretches through forests and alongside rivers. It is on the stages leaving Porto that you will encounter the most tarmac and cobblestones. The latter you get used to, well more or less.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

If it's a pilgrimage you want, choose a camino and walk it, complete with pavement, industrial areas, not-so-pretty stretches as well as the woods and soft paths and pretty places.
A pilgrimage is symbolic of real life, complete with hard times, loss, tragedy, failure, stupidity, and other ugly things, alongside the sweetness, love, and light.

If a pretty woodland trail with soft footing is what you want, you might look at Spanish "Nature Trails" or "Scenic Day Hikes" forums. I've hiked many pilgrim trails, and none of them is a pretty walk in the park. They're not supposed to be.

 

[arnew17]

Thanks, I didn't expect this much respons in so little time .

The National Park Penede Geres is very beautiful; I have often stayed within the park during Christmas after completing the Camino Frances during past years. There are many trails but no albergues or official camino route; thus you would need to "wing it"!

For more on the Peneda Geres with further links re hiking see this Portuguese web.
http://www.icnf.pt/portal/naturaclas/ap/pnpg

Here is a handy booket re the park in English.

Happy research and Bom caminho!

I thought this could be the case. Would it be possible to just take a tent and camp 'in the wild'?

There is the Geira Romana or Via Nova crossing Gerês. It's an old roman road that used to connect the cities of Bracara Augusta (Braga) and Asturica Augusta (Astorga). It still exists, at least in pieces and there are even the old mile stones.
That might be an interesting and seldom walked trail you'd like.

Yes, I also came along something like that on another website... I will keep it in mind.

I suggest walking (or travelling by train) to Vila do Conde (as many of the pilgrims I met later did this route) via Matosinhos, then cut across to Rates, then on to Barcelos. From Ponte de Lima onwards there are many beautiful stretches through forests and alongside rivers. It is on the stages leaving Porto that you will encounter the most tarmac and cobblestones. The latter you get used to, well more or less.

This was indeed my plan before I thought about walking through Penede Geres.

If it's a pilgrimage you want, choose a camino and walk it, complete with pavement, industrial areas, not-so-pretty stretches as well as the woods and soft paths and pretty places.
A pilgrimage is symbolic of real life, complete with hard times, loss, tragedy, failure, stupidity, and other ugly things, alongside the sweetness, love, and light.

If a pretty woodland trail with soft footing is what you want, you might look at Spanish "Nature Trails" or "Scenic Day Hikes" forums. I've hiked many pilgrim trails, and none of them is a pretty walk in the park. They're not supposed to be.

Thanks for this valuable post. This certainly made me think this over... I have to admit I almost forgot about this important aspect of the camino...

 

[Albertagirl]

If it's a pilgrimage you want, choose a camino and walk it, complete with pavement, industrial areas, not-so-pretty stretches as well as the woods and soft paths and pretty places.
A pilgrimage is symbolic of real life, complete with hard times, loss, tragedy, failure, stupidity, and other ugly things, alongside the sweetness, love, and light.

If a pretty woodland trail with soft footing is what you want, you might look at Spanish "Nature Trails" or "Scenic Day Hikes" forums. I've hiked many pilgrim trails, and none of them is a pretty walk in the park. They're not supposed to be.

I am not following this. There are alternate routes in many places which pilgrims take, at least in part, because they are scenic. I would not take Brierley's advice and take the bus into Burgos, but I shall follow the river route this year, if I can find it. Myself, I would be very cautious about trying an alternate backcountry route, because I have no sense of direction and a real talent for getting lost. But I wouldn't avoid it solely because, although it was going in the right direction and was attractive, it was not a traditional pilgrim's route. And I cannot see "the traditional pilgrim" deliberately choosing a less attractive route in order to be uncomfortable. There is enough discomfort in all the ways of life without trying to make it worse. If I want to be uncomfortable, I shall pack my discipline with the rest of my pilgrim's gear. In a practical vein, there is the issue of trying not to damage frail feet or knees through too much walking on paved surfaces. Those of us with progressing arthritis want to take care of our joints so we can walk the camino as long as possible.

 

[Sur Plus]

If it's a pilgrimage you want, choose a camino and walk it, complete with pavement, industrial areas, not-so-pretty stretches as well as the woods and soft paths and pretty places.
A pilgrimage is symbolic of real life, complete with hard times, loss, tragedy, failure, stupidity, and other ugly things, alongside the sweetness, love, and light.

Rebekah, I couldn't say it any better myself. Clear and precise.

 

[Pelegrin]

Peneda Geres is a National Park not only because nature but also because it has kept old traditions from North Portugal very similar to Galicia. I have found there elder people who still spoke a language almost the same as mine (Galician), different from the normative Portuguese (that is from the South of Portugal).

 

[HeidiL]

After a couple of days out of Madrid the Camino de Madrid is almost all paths, long and sandy ones through lovely forests. Not many pilgrims - but very little traffic.

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

Check out all the caminos you can take from Porto to Santiago on Luis Freixo's Blog see http://www.caminador.es/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/RELIEVE-PORTO-REDONDELA-Impr.pdf

 

[Anemone del Camino]

If it's a pilgrimage you want, choose a camino and walk it, complete with pavement, industrial areas, not-so-pretty stretches as well as the woods and soft paths and pretty places.
A pilgrimage is symbolic of real life, complete with hard times, loss, tragedy, failure, stupidity, and other ugly things, alongside the sweetness, love, and light.

If a pretty woodland trail with soft footing is what you want, you might look at Spanish "Nature Trails" or "Scenic Day Hikes" forums. I've hiked many pilgrim trails, and none of them is a pretty walk in the park. They're not supposed to be.

The Portuguese from Porto I just got back from was just that: walking, walking, walking. Little beautiful views to distract you, but when you got them you appreciatd them. I'm ready to go back to my former tourist walks on the Frances, Primitivo and Norte .

 

[rlr9200]

The Portuguese from Porto I just got back from was just that: walking, walking, walking. Little beautiful views to distract you, but when you got them you appreciatd them. I'm ready to go back to my former tourist walks on the Frances, Primitivo and Norte

Did you take the Coastal Route from Porto? We are planning for that route next year and I was hoping it was more of a walk along the waterfront. And for those above in this thread, yes, I know it is a Camino...but I don't think there is anything wrong with looking for a pleasing route for a spiritual and personal journey.

 

[PilgrimPillar]

If it's a pilgrimage you want, choose a camino and walk it, complete with pavement, industrial areas, not-so-pretty stretches as well as the woods and soft paths and pretty places.
A pilgrimage is symbolic of real life, complete with hard times, loss, tragedy, failure, stupidity, and other ugly things, alongside the sweetness, love, and light.

If a pretty woodland trail with soft footing is what you want, you might look at Spanish "Nature Trails" or "Scenic Day Hikes" forums. I've hiked many pilgrim trails, and none of them is a pretty walk in the park. They're not supposed to be.

Detours of today is often a caminopath of yesterday in my humble experience......so make it to your liking and suspect to come upon old yellow arrows...,.

 

[ctdkite]

I suggest walking (or travelling by train) to Vila do Conde (as many of the pilgrims I met later did this route) via Matosinhos, then cut across to Rates, then on to Barcelos. From Ponte de Lima onwards there are many beautiful stretches through forests and alongside rivers. It is on the stages leaving Porto that you will encounter the most tarmac and cobblestones. The latter you get used to, well more or less.

This is exactly what we did and thought it was a good mixture of environments, with many stages in woods alongside streams, etc. Incidentally, some people talk about a lot of pavement on this route. From our memory -- it was just three months ago -- there was little asphalt. It was mostly cobblestone, old Roman roads, and dirt trails.

 

[newgabe]

And if the 'pilgrimage aspect is not so important to you and it's is mainly a beautiful Portuguese walk you want, very natural, maybe take a different tack altogether and look at southern Portugal. Rota Vicentina.
http://en.rotavicentina.com/go.html

 

[rlr9200]

And if the 'pilgrimage aspect is not so important to you and it's is mainly a beautiful Portuguese walk you want, very natural, maybe take a different tack altogether and look at southern Portugal. Rota Vicentina.
http://en.rotavicentina.com/go.html

Thank you. It looks beautiful. But, yes, we are doing this as a pilgrimage to SDC, but the beauty of the walk is a benefit!