Staying on the Coastal, whatever the weather!

[jsalt]

Returning to Viana do Castelo and starting Monday 29 May, to Santiago via A Guarda, Oia, Vigo, Pontevedra and the Variante Espiritual. Hoping to meet other forum members along the way. I had to abandon this route in early March 2016 due to strong winds and rain. Jill

 

[Doogman]

I hope you have better weather this time around. It was warm and sunny last July when I was on it, and some of the views are fabulous. Just passing on one small recommendation that we received: When you are crossing from Portugal to Spain, likely either by ferry or fisherman's boat from Caminha, follow the riverside out to the ocean and then follow the ocean north into A Guarda. There is a good trail and it was one of the sections I really enjoyed. If you were to follow the yellow arrows, the route would take you inland over a hill into A Guarda.

 

[jsalt]

Hi, is there anybody else likely to be walking between Viana do Castelo and Vila Praia de Ancora on Monday 29 May? Hoping to meet a few other forum members.
Jill

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

I'm doing Valenca to Santiago on the 8th June so hoping for sun sun sun. I wish you well my friend

 

[Mike Savage]

Bom Caminho Jill!

I really enjoyed that route last September, I enjoy it even more.

Mike

 

[Mike Savage]

Jill, one other note, when I crossed the Minho River on the ferry and left A Guarda I was unable to find food or water until Ramalhosa (14 miles or 22 km) the next day I again could not find food or water until Freixo (11 miles or 18 km.) It seems that the path I was on avoided the parts of the towns that would have any facilities. Plan accordingly. It was a beautiful walk and the locals were very welcoming. I will be meeting two of them in Freixo when I go back this year.

Mike

 

[Telelama]

follow the riverside out to the ocean and then follow the ocean north into A Guarda. There is a good trail and it was one of the sections I really enjoyed. If you were to follow the yellow arrows, the route would take you inland over a hill into A Guarda.

Good advice! The marked route was along very busy city roads, wish we had known that prior to our Portuguese

 

[jsalt]

Jill, one other note, when I crossed the Minho River on the ferry and left A Guarda I was unable to find food or water until Ramalhosa (14 miles or 22 km)

Hi, have only recently got back home, so sorry for the delayed response. I have been mostly offline for 2 months. Mike, did you not go through Oia? I stayed there after A Guarda (about 13 kms). It has at least 3 bars (down by the water) and a good supermarket (up on the main road). Sorry you missed it, as it was a lovely place to stopover.
Jill

 

[alipilgrim]

Jill, any words of advice for taking the Senda Litoral?

 

[jsalt]

Hi, yes, download MapsMe for detailed offline maps of each area you are walking in. The path next to the sea is not always waymarked. Occasionally you are not sure whether to take the path next to the sea or not. MapsMe will show you if it is a dead-end or not. In one section I used MapsMe to easily criss-cross on tracks across farm lands, whilst other people were struggling along the beach in thick sand.
Jill

 

[DaisyIrish]

I was hoping to run along coastal path and return for a holiday too... is it easy to navigate from airport to path? Would I lose anything by leaving out first few miles from Porto ...
It sounds like it might be easy to lose your way ...
Thanks

 

[jsalt]

I was hoping to run along coastal path and return for a holiday too... is it easy to navigate from airport to path? Would I lose anything by leaving out first few miles from Porto ...
It sounds like it might be easy to lose your way ...
Thanks

Hi, welcome to the forum! Have a look at this thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/walk-from-porto-airport-to-angeiras.46591/

and this thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/walking-from-porto-airport-to-the-coast.47663/

Jill

 

[DaisyIrish]

Hi, welcome to the forum! Have a look at this thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/walk-from-porto-airport-to-angeiras.46591/

and this thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/walking-from-porto-airport-to-the-coast.47663/

Jill

Thankyou.
I will take a look,really looking forward to it.I have no plan but that kind of is the point for me for now,so great to see so much information.

 

[LTfit]

Jill, did you take the Senda litoral the whole way from Porto?
I am trying to figure out how many days needed if I were to follow stages of around 30 km.

 

[jsalt]

Jill, did you take the Sender litoral the whole way from Porto?
I am trying to figure out how many days needed if I were to follow stages of around 30 km.

Hi, yes, I stayed next to the sea as much as possible. I stayed over at the following places after Viana do Castelo (distances are approximate):

Vila Praia de Ancora (17km)
A Guarda (15km)
Oia (15km)
Nigran (23km)
Vigo (22km)
Chapela (7km)
Pontevedra (20km)
Armenteira (21km)
Vilanova da Arousa (24km)
Padron (by boat)
Santiago (25kms)

P.S. I had fantastic weather, the Variant Espiritual was amazing, and the boat to Padron was fabulous!
Jill

 

[LTfit]

Thanks for your quick response Jill!
Where does the Variante Espiritual begin?

 

[jsalt]

Where does the Variante Espiritual begin?

At Pontevedra

 

[DaisyIrish]

I hope you have better weather this time around. It was warm and sunny last July when I was on it, and some of the views are fabulous. Just passing on one small recommendation that we received: When you are crossing from Portugal to Spain, likely either by ferry or fisherman's boat from Caminha, follow the riverside out to the ocean and then follow the ocean north into A Guarda. There is a good trail and it was one of the sections I really enjoyed. If you were to follow the yellow arrows, the route would take you inland over a hill into A Guarda.

so much good advice so little time,really looking forward to exploring now..

 

[jsalt]

so much good advice so little time,really looking forward to exploring now..

Hi DaisyIrish, I took Doogman's advice and followed the riverside out to the ocean. It's a lovely walk!
Jill

 

[Doogman]

Hi DaisyIrish, I took Doogman's advice and followed the riverside out to the ocean. It's a lovely walk!
Jill

I am glad you enjoyed it. I would highly recommend that to anyone.

 

[DaisyIrish]

I am glad you enjoyed it. I would highly recommend that to anyone.

Yeah that looks what I am after,I am exploring but running too...I ran the canal du midi last year and found just getting away from it all for a few days way better than any race...so I will use your towns as my road map...Im not too worried about where I end up...It loks spectacular in most parts...

 

[DaisyIrish]

Hi, yes, I stayed next to the sea as much as possible. I stayed over at the following places after Viana do Castelo (distances are approximate):

Vila Praia de Ancora (17km)
A Guarda (15km)
Oia (15km)
Nigran (23km)
Vigo (22km)
Chapela (7km)
Pontevedra (20km)
Armenteira (21km)
Vilanova da Arousa (24km)
Padron (by boat)
Santiago (25kms)

P.S. I had fantastic weather, the Variant Espiritual was amazing, and the boat to Padron was fabulous!
Jill

This looks like a good breakdown for me to try,thanks .all of a sudden its nearly July...just as well I travel light!

 

[jsalt]

This looks like a good breakdown for me to try,thanks .all of a sudden its nearly July...just as well I travel light!

Bom caminho, and wishing you lots of good weather!
Jill

 

[DaisyIrish]

Bom caminho, and wishing you lots of good weather!
Jill

Many thanks

 

[evelinaandpiero]

I hope you have better weather this time around. It was warm and sunny last July when I was on it, and some of the views are fabulous. Just passing on one small recommendation that we received: When you are crossing from Portugal to Spain, likely either by ferry or fisherman's boat from Caminha, follow the riverside out to the ocean and then follow the ocean north into A Guarda. There is a good trail and it was one of the sections I really enjoyed. If you were to follow the yellow arrows, the route would take you inland over a hill into A Guarda.

Hello! Can you tell me if this route is bike friendly at all? Or is the terrain too difficult for biking? thanks a lot!

 

[evelinaandpiero]

Hi, yes, I stayed next to the sea as much as possible. I stayed over at the following places after Viana do Castelo (distances are approximate):

Vila Praia de Ancora (17km)
A Guarda (15km)
Oia (15km)
Nigran (23km)
Vigo (22km)
Chapela (7km)
Pontevedra (20km)
Armenteira (21km)
Vilanova da Arousa (24km)
Padron (by boat)
Santiago (25kms)

P.S. I had fantastic weather, the Variant Espiritual was amazing, and the boat to Padron was fabulous!
Jill

Hi Jill, we also want to take the coastal route by bikes, but I am getting mixed opinions about the terrain. Since you've done what we want to do, can you tell me if the coastal route can be biked? thank you!

 

[jsalt]

Hi Jill, we also want to take the coastal route by bikes, but I am getting mixed opinions about the terrain. Since you've done what we want to do, can you tell me if the coastal route can be biked? thank you!

Hi, there are plenty of cycle paths. But I wouldn’t attempt the beautiful walk down from Armenteira on a bike. So, yes, mixed terrain.
Jill