In the beginning of February 2023 I set off on a new adventure, this time to Portugal, where, during three weeks, I walked over 500kms between Sagres and Porto.
During the first week, I walked the Fisherman’s Trail, ca. 170km starting in Sagres, on the south-western corner of Portugal and walking along the rugged and beautiful Atlantic coast to Porto Covo.
From Porto Covo, I took a bus to Lisbon and a taxi (the trains were on strike!) to Azambuja, north of Lisbon, to walk inland to Porto. I walked along a combination of the Camino Nascente between Tomar and Fatima, the Camino Carmelite between Fatima and Coimbra and the Camino Portugues, from Azabuja to Tomar, and from Coimbra to Porto and which continues to Santiago de Campostela, a total of 350 km.
Three weeks with fantastic weather – only 6 hours fairly light rain in total, and lots of sun – great food and places to stay and lots of nice people along the trail. There were also a fair few challenges – forgetting my passport at the first hotel, a pair of walking shoes falling apart in the sand, breaking in new shoes, a train strike on my transport day, a couple of extremely boring stages, a pulled muscle, taking a train 27 stops instead of one and a realsisation that I am a few years older than the last time I walked day after day for three weeks!
But no complaints. Portugal is beautiful, it’s inhabitants helpful, the food is good and fresh, and everywhere I stayed, the room was fine and clean and service perfect.
I’ll start posting blogs on March 3rd.