Solo Walk on Portuguese Last 100KM

[MSYOGA66]

I am planning on walking the last 100KM of the Camino Portuguese inland route. Is it safe as a solo female? Will there be other Pilgrims on the trails?

 

[Kris85]

Im a norwegian, but have been living in Portugal for the last 4 months. Portugal is one of the safest countries on earth (not even a joke, its a rated as the 5th safest country in the world - https://barnes-portugal.com/en/2016/11/portugal-is-the-fifth-safest-country-in-the-world/)

People are friendly, helpful and most of them speak english.

Happy walking!

 

[KayVee]

I am planning on walking the last 100KM of the Camino Portuguese inland route. Is it safe as a solo female? Will there be other Pilgrims on the trails?

Hello, when do you start? A friend and I are starting in Porto end of March.

 

[kim in cornwall]

I am starting in Lisboa at the end of March, is anyone else?

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

I am planning on walking the last 100KM of the Camino Portuguese inland route. Is it safe as a solo female? Will there be other Pilgrims on the trails?

very safe
Buen Camino

 

[MSYOGA66]

Hello, when do you start? A friend and I are starting in Porto end of March.

I'm starting March 24th but out of Tui

 

[kim in cornwall]

We start from Lisbon on 29th March.

 

[Former member 22438]

I am planning on walking the last 100KM of the Camino Portuguese inland route. Is it safe as a solo female? Will there be other Pilgrims on the trails?

We start the 8th April next from Valença Tui

 

[Elle Bieling]

There are so many pilgrims on the route! You will be fine!

 

[Delphinoula]

Walked it solo last year. Yes and yes. But do,t remember if you still are in Portugal the last 100 km to Santiago. Bon Camino.

 

[robproct]

Walking from Tui you will of course be in Span not Portugal.

 

[Leon Ivan]

I am 70 and walked solo in August 2018 from Porto to SdC , including Valenca , Tui , Porrino and the rest.

 

[MaineSally]

Kim from Cornwall!! I am also planning to start my walk on March 29th. I actually arrive on the 29th, very early, but plan to head directly from airport over to the park. Could you please private message for intros.

 

[David Tallan]

This isn't the first thread I've seen on this topic. Based on what I've read in many other threads, here's the best answer I can give you. It is not perfectly safe for a solo female. No place where there are other people is perfectly safe (unfortunately). It is, however, safer than most places. Many solo women walk it without fear. Others like to take precautions. However, I think the latter group are likely to take precautions wherever they travel.

 

[Red Rose]

I am starting in Lisboa at the end of March, is anyone else?

Hi Kim,

I will be arriving in Lisboa on March 26th and starting my camino later in the day March 27th. If you want to pm with me maybe we can meet up on the camino.

 

[kim in cornwall]

Hi Kim,

I will be arriving in Lisboa on March 26th and starting my camino later in the day March 27th. If you want to pm with me maybe we can meet up on the camino.

Hi, we don't start walking until the morning of 29th. We will watch out for you, keep in touch. Buen Camino.

 

[Marcus-UK]

I am planning on walking the last 100KM of the Camino Portuguese inland route. Is it safe as a solo female? Will there be other Pilgrims on the trails?

The last 100KM of the walk actually means starting in Spain from TUI! From this point on there are plenty of pilgrims walking the Camino. Not as many as the Frances but still enough to feel comfortable.
If you are going to do the last 100 Kms I would advise starting in Valenca do Minho on the Portuguese side of the Minho River.
This allows you to walk over the Minho bridge into Spain and then a walk up hill into Tui and the cathedral for your first or second stamp of your pilgrim passport. Near the cathedral is Ideas Peregrinas which is a good coffee shop and pilgrim store. I had breakfast there when I went through and met up with some of the people I had been seeing from my start in Porto.

Ideas Peregrinas Albergue | Hostel & Café en el Camino Portugués

Hostel & Café en Tui, junto al Camino Portugués. Tienda de productos para peregrinos del Camino de Santiago. ¡Ven a conocernos y a vivir aventuras!

ideas-peregrinas.com

 

[Lisa HS]

You will be fine...just be conscious of your surroundings (as you should anywhere). I encourage you to check out the Camigas (Camino Amigas) on Facebook. It's a group specifically set up to support women walking alone. They even have a spread sheet where you can put your info in, and see when/where other Camigas might be walking. I met up with several when I walked the CF alone in 2016.

 

[MarkN]

You may start solo... but if you so choose you may find yourself walking with newfound friends?

 

[JPP]

Hi. I'm planning to walk the last 100km from Valenca starting on April 5. I'm really bad at direction so afraid that I'm going to get lost. I'm walking solo/female.

Can you please let me know whether the sign is easy to follow? I don't have much planning at all. I got an opportunity to get off work for a week. Also, I don't want to be chicken out not doing it because I'm afraid of getting lost. (sounds stupid. sorry)

 

[Former member 22438]

Hi. I'm planning to walk the last 100km from Valenca starting on April 5. I'm really bad at direction so afraid that I'm going to get lost. I'm walking solo/female.

Can you please let me know whether the sign is easy to follow? I don't have much planning at all. I got an opportunity to get off work for a week. Also, I don't want to be chicken out not doing it because I'm afraid of getting lost. (sounds stupid. sorry)

Pity we do not meet up. We , two Dutch pensionados , start in Valença monday 8th
Don't be afraid. The route from Valença is well waymarked.
Because it is Semana Santa, the holy week before Eastern it is expected that a lot of mostly Spaniards walk from Tui " so you'll never walk alone "

 

[Catherine O'Connor]

Plenty of people will be on the way from Tui. Visit Ideas Peregrina in Tui. Also do not miss the bridge in Arcade, the thermal springs in Caldas de Reis, the church in Padron and the pimientos de padron. Enjoy

 

[Moonbeamzz]

HI,
I am 65, admittedly male not female, and have just walked (left Lisbon on 6 Mar 19) the Portuguese central route Lisbon to SDC solo without any safety concerns whatsoever. Better clarify that, no concerns at all with people, a couple of dogs in Portugal south of Porto did give some concerns one in particular which was quite aggressive.
Very few other pilgrims around Lisbon to Porto but quite a few after that. March is quite early so would expect numbers to increase.
Bon Camino

 

[Gabe_Way]

[QUOTE="Moonbeamzz, post: 729842, member: 86160" Better clarify that, no concerns at all with people, a couple of dogs in Portugal south of Porto did give some concerns one in particular which was quite aggressive.
Very few other pilgrims around Lisbon to Porto but quite a few after that. March is quite early so would expect numbers to increase.
Bon Camino
[/QUOTE]
Hello,
Could you please elaborate more on the dogs episodes? Can you tell us the two anedocts in better detail, what happened and why? how did you handle it?
and afterwards, where did exactly occured?
Thanks a lot! This may be quite helpful for other piligrims passing by near the infamous dogs.

 

[Moonbeamzz]

[QUOTE="Moonbeamzz, post: 729842, member: 86160" Better clarify that, no concerns at all with people, a couple of dogs in Portugal south of Porto did give some concerns one in particular which was quite aggressive.
Very few other pilgrims around Lisbon to Porto but quite a few after that. March is quite early so would expect numbers to increase.
Bon Camino

Hello,
Could you please elaborate more on the dogs episodes? Can you tell us the two anedocts in better detail, what happened and why? how did you handle it?
and afterwards, where did exactly occured?
Thanks a lot! This may be quite helpful for other piligrims passing by near the infamous dogs.
[/QUOTE]
Hi Gabe_Way, the first incident was as I entered Rabacal the dog ran at me but did not fully attack it circled around snarling, growling etc and was quite persistent but it did keep its distance. Finally it was called off by a person who came out of a house but this was after some time. The second situation occured going along a farm lane on the way to Coimbra. This was a large brownish dog which did attack. It had hold of my jacket which I was carrying at the time and basically showed all the signs of a dog that felt my legs should no longer be attached. It and I had a real go despite me trying all sorts of approaches to encourage it to seek alternative pursuits. It (the dog) finally called it quits when I gave it a face full of rocks which I managed to scoop up. I found that south of Porto dogs tended to be loose around farm yards and there were a number who charged barking etc but sheered off when I made a rock throwing motion, No problems north of Porto where dogs tended to be on chains or behind fences.
I spent a lot of time as a young boy on farms and have no concerns re dogs and generally know how to handle them. I also walked with a German guy who claimed to have been bitten, showed me the stitches, and as far as we could work out it was the same dog. The German fellow took the matter to the police so hopefully action has been taken.
I did not have walking poles and got in the habit of picking up rocks if I saw dogs that looked menancing, it was only the one occasion as per above that I actually had to throw rocks which I prefer not to do as am a bit of a dog person.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Hope this assists.

 

[Gabe_Way]

[/QUOTE]
Hi Gabe_Way, the first incident was as I entered Rabacal the dog ran at me but did not fully attack it circled around snarling, growling etc and was quite persistent but it did keep its distance. Finally it was called off by a person who came out of a house but this was after some time. The second situation occured going along a farm lane on the way to Coimbra. This was a large brownish dog which did attack. It had hold of my jacket which I was carrying at the time and basically showed all the signs of a dog that felt my legs should no longer be attached. It and I had a real go despite me trying all sorts of approaches to encourage it to seek alternative pursuits. It (the dog) finally called it quits when I gave it a face full of rocks which I managed to scoop up. I found that south of Porto dogs tended to be loose around farm yards and there were a number who charged barking etc but sheered off when I made a rock throwing motion, No problems north of Porto where dogs tended to be on chains or behind fences.
I spent a lot of time as a young boy on farms and have no concerns re dogs and generally know how to handle them. I also walked with a German guy who claimed to have been bitten, showed me the stitches, and as far as we could work out it was the same dog. The German fellow took the matter to the police so hopefully action has been taken.
I did not have walking poles and got in the habit of picking up rocks if I saw dogs that looked menancing, it was only the one occasion as per above that I actually had to throw rocks which I prefer not to do as am a bit of a dog person.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Hope this assists.
[/QUOTE]
Hello Moonbeamzz,
Thank you for replying. Ok, so it looks like the rural areas between Lisbon and Porto are the ones to avoid in terms of 'angry' dogs. Anyway, personally I like dogs too, but it's better to be prepared and know how to face these kinds of situations. For instance, since you said you spent a lot of time in the farms as a young boy, what would you recommend us to do in a similar case? What's the best way to handle those guys?
I plan to take a solid wooden stake and keep it on the side of my backpack so that I can quickly reach out if needed. Do you think that would be enough? What would be the best way to use it, and when?
I have seen in some documentaries, that yelling at Bears or wildlife in general, may work to scare them off. I don't know if that would work with dogs, which are used to come across into people every day.

Also, it would be interesting to know why the German fellow was bitten by the dog and you haven't. You threw the handful of rocks at his face, sure, but you stayed put and didn't move I guess. Perhaps the German guy started running away, and the dog saw him as a predator.

Any suggestions and recommendations would be very welcome.

Thanks again!

 

[JPP]

Hi. Just wanted to update you all that I have finished my Camino from Valenca on Wednesday. It was truly a blessing, a spiritual journey and I have found friends to walk with throughout the journey. I'm so blessed.

People are kind and wonderful. I also want to thank you all and the forum for providing me with the information and courage to do the walk. Buon Camino everyone!