Day 2 saw me set off under some blue sky, which was very welcome. I was staying on the track as it heads out of the town, and it wasn’t much walking along the road (note: on pavement) before the track turns off and starts winding down between trees. A river to the right was spotted, and then my first view of the lovely 8-arch Romanesque Punte de Ave. Crossing this the path then climbs up to rejoin the N306. Very shortly after, the detour appears on the left, and what followed was a meandering but bucolic ramble through countryside and hamlets, punctuated by the occasional barky dog behind a wall, outraged at my temerity at passing their boundary. Always a delight to see something like the bowl of fruit left out on a pilgrims bench.
Next up was the village of Sao Mamede, where I stopped for coffee and a muffin at its little bar-store. Leaving cobbles behind, it’s a tarmac road till the gravel and stone path that leads you to your first view of Sao Miguel de Arcos and it’s church tower. It’s here where you start to see signs of the Coastal and Central routes meeting.
And my first encounter with another pilgrim. Exciting!
Then onto Rates. I missed the instructions for the original route so followed the road (the newer route). Perhaps less interesting? After Rates, I wondered whether I’d see more pilgrims joining from the coast, but given this was late morning, probably too early for anyone crossing over from the coast to make Rates.
The stretch from Rates to Pedra Furada doesn’t get much in the way of a description eg
Wise Pilgrim, but it’s 6-7km of the path crossing through farmland, very little in the way of cobbles or asphalt, and some modest ups and downs. Note that’s worth making sure you’re ok on the water front. I was running low before Pedra Furada, and nipped away from the route as it turns to the right, to find a top up in a village cafe bar.
Then to Pedra Furada and the main road. I stopped to take a look at the donativo, Albergue O Palhuco, opened in 2022. The hospi Marianne kindly gave m a quick tour and it’s delightful. I’d already made plans in Barcelos, but I’d recommend it to anyone looking to stop here. A reviving stop at a restaurant up the road run by the charming Antonio, and then on for the final push which as it usually the way at the end of a long day, seemed to take forever. I took the variants on offer to get off the road.
Weatherise, it changed every time you looked at it - sun-rain-wind-stillish-wet-dry.
A lovely day’s walking.
Here’s a pic from the bridge into Barcelos.
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