Walking the beach from Matosinhos to Vila do Conde?

[Portia1]

I am making another shout-out to those who have taken this route. I leave in almost three weeks and am trying to determine whether this route makes sense.

I have looked on Google maps and it looks like the boardwalk ends about 11 or 12 miles up. Can someone who has actually walked this route give me more information? I do not want to walk on the sand but the boardwalk and even some inland walking is good. I am printing off the Google map to show the neighborhood roads so I have some idea of street names, etc. Does it make sense to get off when the boardwalk ends and walk over to the metro and go to Santa Irene for Vila do Conde? I am walking with six others so I want to have some idea of what we might encounter so that if people want options, I know what they are!

Thanks!

 

[Via Lusitana]

Hello,

You could try and contact the following association - Via Veteris - http://facebook.com/viaveteris as the take care of this part of the Camino.

Email: viaveteris@gmail.com

BOM CAMINHO!
Helena

 

[sulu]

Please Portia, if you get information from Via Veteris will you post it here?!
I can't make sense of facebook.
Thanks
Sue

 

[Portia1]

I have looked at Google maps (you can easily do this by putting in Vila do Conde, Portugal, take the magnification down to the "person" level and examine the beach north to south). It looks like the boardwalk ends around Vila Cha or perhaps just north of Barrio do Louca and doesn't resume until pretty far north where there is a resort area. To that end, barring any further information from someone who has actually walked this, I have printed off the street maps in that area so that we have names, etc. to walk north (using Rua de Estrada Vehla) to the bridge into Vila do Conde. Or you could catch the Metro in Mindelo to Santa Irene by taking the Rua de Praia (which intersects with the beach) into Mindelo and then take Rua de Estacao over to the Metro station.

It may be that the boardwalk continues beyond Barrio but I don't really see any consistency using Google maps. I guess I will print street maps for that northern area just in case.

 

[sulu]

Thanks, I also thought that the boards don't go all the way and that we will need to walk inland to get to the bridge. I don't actually want to walk up the coast but I'll be walking with a friend who does so I am also hoping that someone who has walked this route will post a reply.
Buen camino
Sue

 

[AlanB]

I think I might be able to help here. I walked this route from Mastinhos to Vila de Conde about 5 weeks ago. There was only one stage of about 300m that I had to walk on sand. I could have walked on sand a lot more but it's a bit uncomfortable. I had Brierleys guidebook with me and it appears to be out of date.A lot of the boardwalks were clearly new so not as much of the yellow stuff as there might have been when he walked it.
The part where you walk over sand is next to/before the iron age village(can't remember the name) There on in, whenever you lose sight of the beach there are some fairly new arrows. You are never going to get lost as such (keep the sea to you left). If walking on the beach is a concern then it needn't be.
It a really good stretch for your first day's walking. Long enough to feel the strain but without any harsh terrain underfoot or elevation.
Let me know if you have any other concerns. Happy to answer questions.

 

[Portia1]

Thank you, Alan! So less than .2 miles on sand.....did that take you all the way up to the inlet curve and around to the bridge? Or was the road before that?

I am trying to figure out where this village you are talking about is located and whether it is well marked from there into Vila do Conde. There is a long stretch which shows up on google maps north of Barrio da Louca with no readily apparent roads or development along the shore up to Avore--this is the particular section where I was concerned about sand. It looks longer than 300 meters. If you get a moment, perhaps you could look at it and see if it refreshes your memory. Hopefully there are roads/boardwalk on this stretch which are not showing up on satellite.

I hate to ask so many specific question but I have some folks with me who can get spooked pretty easily and if I am not walking with them (I am faster), then I'd like to give them some direction.

 

[AlanB]

Hi Portia. Is there a particular map you are looking at? I don't have my guidebook to hand. There is a long stretch after the iron-age village which isn't on boardwalk(we aren't talking about an existing settlement here) but it is made up environmentally sensitive dunes which are protected so the trail takes you inland. Again, very easy to follow. I know the bridge you are referring to and I'm pretty sure that the beach part (which is waymarked) comes after this. A map would be useful though.
I was as anxious as you sound when I embarked. It is the first day after all, but there really is no cause for concern

 

[Portia1]

Sulu--here is the response I received to my email:

Olá, It is possible to cover the Portuguese Way for the Coast. At this moment, it can make the Way of the Port Are Peter de Rates, where it has a good shelter, and there to take the Way Portuguese of the Coast; You can consult this information in our site placed today I publish to it: http://www.viaveteris.pt/ Google on the basis of has to the right side a tool maps, that it allows to visualize the way in the map and the stages between Porto and Santiago. When making use, BON CAMINO, Manuel Miranda

Alan:

I think the dunes area you are talking about is that large area north of Barrio. It is undeveloped. Brierley shows that you go inland around Vila Cha and go out again. His maps do not show the actual roadways (names, numbers, etc.) so I can see how people can get lost if the way is not well marked with arrows. I got lost several times on his alterative routes on the Frances because I didn't have actual road information and no way to tell how to get back. I am taking an actual road map with me this time for that very reason and google street maps in particular for places where it appears to be confusing. It's one thing to do this alone--which I did on the Frances. Quite another to have six other people to be concerned about who are also not very confident. We are walking independently during the day (hence my concern that they might get confused) but gathering each evening at a designated stopping place (in this case, Vila do Conde).

I pulled up google maps (put in Vila do Conde and then moved south) and it looks like you could go inland at Barrio da Louca (if indeed the boardwalk has been extended that far) on Rua da Praia (headed east) and then turn north on Rua da Estrada Veiha (goes around the dunes area) which, if followed all the way up, would take you across the bridge into Vila do Conde. Around the area of Areia/Avore it looks like you could turn back to the coast and walk; however it is subdivisions there without clear street names. Something I might attempt but I'm not sure I would feel too secure about sending others unless it is well marked with arrows.

I think what I will advise my folks to do is to look beyond at Vila Cha and if they do not see boardwalk continuing, to turn inland and follow the google street map I have downloaded and marked . And then either plan to walk north all the way on Veiha to Vila do Conde or go up to Mindelo and go over to the metro there and get off at the Santa Clara stop for Vila do Conde.

I am open to other input--now 3 weeks from departing for Portugal!

 

[Thornley]

** DO NOT BE IN THE ALBERGUE IN TUI ON WEEKENDS< UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE DISCO /NIGHT CLUB NEXT DOOR
WAS VERY NOISY.
We followed the coast from Porto and a beautiful town is Caminha especially on a market day.
We stayed/shared pensions with others and the costs were very reasonalbe.
Enjoy the coast and the lovely , kind people.
David

 

[sulu]

Thanks Portia.

It is possible to cover the Portuguese Way for the Coast. At this moment, it can make the Way of the Port Are Peter de Rates, where it has a good shelter, and there to take the Way Portuguese of the Coast;

In fact this is about the stretch further north, going from Pedro de Rates, not the part from Matosinhos to Vila do Conde. You sound to be pretty well organised, but it also sounds like the route has been waymarked recently! Good luck and buen Camino (or should I say Bom Caminho!)
Sue