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Camino Oporto la Costa
  • Norman Graham
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  • Norman Graham

Camino Oporto la Costa

A camino from Porto in Portugal following the coast north, crossing into Spain, then inland to Santiago de Compostela Read more
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    🇪🇸 Madrid, Spain
    Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 16 Madrid

    4 hours ago in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 38 °C

    The albergue wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible, and no one made any noise in the early hours of the morning, so we slept well.

    We went round to the café opposite the Pilgrim Office and had a proper cooked breakfast. My friend wanted to walk to the train station as it was only 1.3km away.

    We got there in plenty of time and just waited until we were able to go through the security check and board the train. It took three hours to get to Madrid. It was boiling hot, but just a few hours later, it was thunder and rain.

    Our hostel for tonight was less than expected. Let's just say that whoever designed their website deserves an academy award. But it's a bed for the night and a shower in the morning.

    The whole day has felt like being in a departure lounge, waiting to move on.

    Tomorrow, we will check out at 11 am. and head to the airport. We will be too early, but we might as well wait there than in a street cafe somewhere in Madrid    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 15 Santiago de Compostela

    July 6 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    I don't know what it is with Italians, but the ones in our dormitory got up just after 0400... and put the lights on! It actually took them over two hours of packing bags, coming in and out of the room, having breakfast, and talking to each other before they finally left.

    As everyone else was now wide awake, they all just got up and left.

    We also got up but waited as we were aiming to get the 0845 bus to Santiago.

    We had gone out last night for dinner dnd discovered thst every café, bar, and shop was closed until today. I had forgotten how ghost-town-like Spanish towns are on a Sunday.

    One of the things that you lear on the camino is to make the best of what you have without whining about it. So, for dinner, we had a Belvita soft bake biscuit - red berries, my favourite. Followed by a small pot of custard and a banana. A Swiss lady, unaware of our predicament, also gave us a small handful of cherries. Spanish cherries are the best in the world, as big as golf balls and sweet and juicy.

    It was all we had, and we made the best of it, and it was good.

    Still, we were delighted to discover that the hospitalera had left a basket of mini quassants for our breakfast. I found some butter and peach jam in the fridge, and we ate some with our tea and coffee. The coffee was instant and decaf, but I'm still alive.

    We walked the 1.5km up to THE bus stop, and some of the young women that had met my friend also arrived, including the girl with the burns.

    The 0845 bus was 30 min late, and the 0903 one arrived at the same time. Thirty minutes later, we were in Santiago. The bus and train station were together so to save time and walking we decided to get our train tickets to Madrid. But first... since every train station has a café we went for a second breakfast like true Hobbits.

    Once we had the tickets, thanks to the help of a very efficient, friendly, and English-speaking Renfe staff member, we set off for the cathedral, just 1.3km away.

    It is always a very emotional moment arriving in the Cathedral square at the end of your camino, and it is difficult to put into words...so I won't try.

    We met several people we had encountered along the way, and there were joyful reunions happening all around us.

    For some people, the arrival at the Cathedral is an ending, and for others, it is a new beginning.

    As you might expect, Tolkien put it best...

    "The Road goes ever on and on,
    Down from the door where it began.
    Now far ahead the Road has gone,
    And I must follow, if I can,
    Pursuing it with eager feet,
    Until it joins some larger way
    Where many paths and errands meet.
    And whither then? I can not say."    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 14 Padrón 19km

    July 5 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 38 °C

    I had a very good night's sleep in the albergue and woke up just ten minutes before my alarm. It was not the best albergue I've ever stayed in but nowhere near the worst.

    We had made the difficult decision to go to Padrón by bus, as there was no way that my friend would be able to walk that distance. So we got dressed and left. The hotel across the street was open, so that was our first port of call for a morning coffee.

    The bus stop was only a few minutes away, even walking slowly. My friend was upset at having to take the bus, feeling that in some way it was a failure. I pointed out that it was beyond her control and that many people on the camino had similar experiences.

    Just then....

    A young woman arrived at the stop asking if it was the stop for the bus to Padrón. She got quite emotional, and through her tears, she told us that she had to get the bus on medical advice. Despite putting on sunblock every day, she had second-degree burns on her arm, chest, and neck. She was in a lot of pain and had been advised at the local hospital to go straight to the hospital in Santiago. The worst of it was she felt like she had failed in her camino.

    I think in this moment my friend understood the truth of what I had said to her. She and the young woman embraced in total solidarity.

    Just then...

    An older lady we'd seen before on the camino arrived for the bus. Her camino was over because she had the same problem with her foot as my friend.

    Another camino miracle?

    Perhaps.

    The thing about miracles us that we fail to see them because we're busy looking for something spectacular. I have found that God works miracles in small and ordinary ways, in quiet ways through ordinary everyday situations and people. In Zechariah 4:10, God tells us not to despise the small things, for great things often begin in small ways.

    So, if you've never seen a miracle, perhaps you've just been looking for the wrong thing.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 13 Caldas De Reis 20km

    July 4 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 38 °C

    Another noisy night in the albergue, but once everyone went to bed, it got quiet quickly, and I slept well.

    My companion had been in pain all day with a very sore foot. So, I got some support tape for it, but we weren't sure of the correct way to apply it. Just then, we noticed an elderly Italian man in our dormitory applying the same tape to his granddaughter's legs. The mother noticed us watching and asked if we needed help, which we absolutely did.

    He then carefully examined my companion's legs and feet and told her that her instep was collapsing. He then preceded to put the KT tape on her feet and legs in a particular way. It turned out that he had been a physiotherapist. We were very grateful for his help, which was for us, another camino miracle expressed in the kindness of strangers. He is the elderly gentleman in the photo below...not me, the other elderly gentleman.

    One of the great lessons I learned on the camino is that we are not as strong as we think we are. No one can make it through life without the help and care of others. Our challenge is not only to accept that but to become the person providing the help and care.

    We decided that walking 20km today was out of the question. So, we agreed to get a taxi to take us halfway, and we would walk the rest. We started off well, but by 5km, she was struggling. It was only her grit and determination that kept her going. When we arrived at the albergue in Caldas, I don't think she could have taken another step.

    The albergue was ok, the showers were good, I know you were wondering. There was a restaurant a few doors away and we had a fabulous dinner, then back to the albergue. Our walking for today was over.

    What will we do about walking to Padrón tomorrow? Well, as Lord Taranaga said, "Tomorrow is tomorrow."    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 12 Pontevedra 21.11km

    July 3 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    The camino stage planner said that the distance today was 19.8km, but in fact, it turned out to be 21.11, and it felt more like 40. Fortunately for us, our albergue was right at the start of the town.

    We had a decent night's sleep after the Italians had stopped talking. Everyone else in the room was in bed, lights out, and privacy curtains closed. The Italians came in tot he room lie they were on a football terrace, oblivious to the fact that everyone else had either been asleep before they came in or was at least trying to sleep. It seems like good manners and commmonsense no longer apply oday.

    We were up and out just after 0600. Our goal was to get as far as we could before it got really hot... and believe me, reader, it got very hot.

    The temperature was quite cool, and we managed a good pace, It was a struggle, though. The furtherst I have ever walked was 40km, but it is not the distance that is the main factor in terms of difficulty. It is the terrain. In our case, the road went up and up, turned a corner, and went up somemore. When the ascent was shallow, it was long, and when it was short, it was steep. We were very glad to stop on the way for a coffee, and as is common in Spain, we were given free food with the coffee, the acfe gave us a plate of churros, which were delicious.

    We left the cafe refreshed, but that bouyant, joyful feeling was soon crushed by the next group of ascents. It was tough going. Along the way, I had to say to a few pilgrims that they were walking on the wrong side of the road, with traffic coming up behind them. Some folk were grateful others just ignored the advice. I don;t kow if there are any statistics on how many pilgrims are injured in an RTA, but it does happen.

    So, reader, remember, if you have to walk on the road, always walk facing the traffic that's coming towards you.

    for the last 4-5km, there was a varant route, and we decided to take it, mostly because it kept us off the road where there was no shade. It was certainly in the mid to high 30s. The alternate route followed the course of a river through a forest. Although it was slightly longer and winding, it was much cooler in the shade of the trees. When we came out of the shade, the feirce heat of the sun was like a physical blow.

    We were glad to arrive at the albergue, which is very nice and cool, with cold ar flowing through the building. It is within a couple of minutes walk from an Aldi, a cafe, and a restaurant, so perfectly located.

    And in case you were wondering, yes, the showers were good.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 11 Redondela 18km

    July 2 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    We had a terrible night in the albergue. It was boiling hot, and we couldn't open the solid wooden shutters that would have allowed the strong sea breeze in because that was also where the sun was.

    Just after 2am, someone's mobile alarm went off. then shortly afterwards, an American lady got up and opened the wooden shutters near my bed. she then tried to shut them but couldn't, so she just left them. The strong sea breeze was still blowing, so the shutters started to bang with the force of the wind. So, I had to get up out of my top bunk and close them again.

    over the next few hours, various mobie alarms went off, and peole got up using the torches on their mobiles to see by, thereb helpfully lighting the whole room, and then everyone who had not thought to pack their backpacks the previous evening decided to do that.

    We just got up, had our breakfast, and left. It was reasonably cool at 0710, but it soon warmed up. By midday, it was 35 degrees, and by 5pm, it was 40ish. It is expected to be in the high 30s and low 40s over the next few days.

    The walkout of Vigo involved some steep ascents for about 7km before it levelled, and then we had some steep descents into Redondella.

    Apart from the ascents, the walk was very pleasant. We met a couple of people from Cyprus and had some great conversations about life, faith, kindness, what it means to be a good person, and how to be happy. It made the walk much more enjoyable.

    Sometimes, the scenery is inspiring, and sometimes, it is the people that you meet along the way.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 10 Vigo 23.5km

    July 1 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We planned to get up at 0500 ths morning and leave as soon as we were ready. However, my alarm didn't go off, and I slept until 0530. I can't remember the last time I slept in for anything. It has been years.

    We were on the road by 0630, which wasn't terrible. It was just light but very cool and absolutely perfect for walking. A lot of the walk was by the sea, and there was a lovely, refreshing breeze. In fact, we walked for over two hours before we felt the heat of the sun. After the sun did come up, a lot of the walk was in the shade. So, all in all, it was a great walk. The last few km in the city of Vigo was the most boring bit, like all cities it was just tarmac, noise, and traffic.

    The Xunta albergues in Galicia are of a high standard, and this one is no exception. great showers and toilets and great kitchen (with no pots or any equipment - it's against the law).

    As we were among the first few to arrive, we had the choice of beds and made sure we picked good ones, with plenty of space near a window, so we have a nice breeze. Time and again, we were grateful that we had left so early. The temperatures here are boiling. It makes everything more difficult.

    We are only walking 15km tomorrow, and although the albergue we have booked doesn't open until 1300, we are going to leave early because of the heat. We will arrive well before it opens, so we will be forced to sit in a cafe and watch the world go by.

    it's a tough life on the camino.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 9 Sabaris 16km

    Jun 30–Jul 1 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Although we were not walking far today, just 16km, we were up very early because we wanted to walk in the cool before the sun fried everyone.

    It was a good decision. The temperature was cool, with a fresh breeze blowing in from the sea. We had over an hour walking before we began to feel the heat. Although it was beginning to brighten up, we used our head torches to make sure drivers could see us. A good part of the camino today was beside the road on a wide cycle/ pedestrian path. The kind of thing they do really well in Spain and that we do really badly in the UK.

    It was all going well until the camino veered away from the sea and then went over a mountain. It was a lot steeper than it had looked on the map. However, there's nowhere to go, but forward, so we just kept putting one foot in front of the other and were soon at the top.

    The path levelled out and began to descend. For much of the way, we had a series of short, sometimes steep, sometimes shallow ascents and descents into and our of towns and villages along the way.

    I kept looking for a café as my route plan showed cafés in almost every village. It may have been that the camino kept us away from them, but it was about 12km in before we saw a café and had coffee and toastada, then more coffee.

    When in Spain, if you need coffee, look for a church, it will be in a plaza (square), and there will be cafés around the plaza.

    Refuelled, we set off again and were soon at the albergue, but we couldn't check in for almost two hours, but they let us leave our backpacks. We went along the street to a cafe where we met Emily and her son Louis from Canada. She was of Scottish heritage.

    After the land was stolen from the people came the Highland clearances, and the biggest Scottish diaspora from that tragedy is in Canada.

    We had a lovely chat and said our goodbyes. We then went down to the beach for a while and had some ice cream. Life on the camino is tough.

    The albergue turned out to be great, cabin bunks with privacy curtains, sheets, and towels provided. A really well resourced kitchen - in Galicia, most albergues have kitchens but no pots, crockery, or cutlery. This one had everything. It also had a garden and was very clean with fab toilets and showers.

    We were all settled when about 7pm a large group of pilgrims arrived and checked in. Most of them were in one group, I think from Eastern Europe and Roman Catholic, one of them was a nun. I found it difficult to imagine her hiking over that mountain. She was no Julie Andrews. I know, I know...I'll probably have to light an extra candle for that one tomorrow    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 8 Porto Mougás 25.44km

    June 29 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    After dinner last night, we went to find the place where the river taxi would leave in the morning. We bought our tickets and decided to go for the first boat at 0615. So we were up early. In fact, we were the first there.

    The river was very calm, and the journey was fast, and in no time at all, we had reached the first town on our route, A Guarda. We decided to stop for coffee and tostada at the first cafe we came to. The waitress told me my Spanish was excellent, and so I took a minute to thank God for Camino Ken, who spent many hours trying to teach me camino Spanish.

    Today's walk was very varied, through forest, road, towns, and gravel paths, always winding away and returning to the sea. It was a very enjoyable walk but also tiring in the heat. We were glad to arrive at the albergue. I had booked two single rooms with a shared bathroom and shower. However, we were given two double en suite rooms with great views of the sea.

    We have to eat in the restaurant next door as it's the only game in town, so we'll see how that goes.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 7 Caminha 25km

    June 28 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    The albergue of St John of the Cross is beautiful, spotlessly clean, and very well equipped. The toilets and showers are excellent, and they have not tried to cash in by having too many beds all squished together.

    That said, it wasn't a great night. Once again, the lack of consideration for other pilgrims was evident. Reader, there is a rule in every albergue: at 10pm, people have to be quiet. The noise level of other pilgrims was incredible. Someone was even trying, badly, to play a piano. Because of the construction of the building, the noise was amplified considerably. Even in our dormitory, people were on their phones chatting loudly.

    We had gone out earlier to a pizzeria and had dome dinner. Just as I was closing the albergue door behind me, someone pushed it open. It was four young people, Italians, I think, who barged in. I told them they couldn't stay as registration was closed and the hospitalera had finished for the day. They were not happy. They wanted us to call someone, and we told them there was information on the door, which we closed firmly behind them.

    That might seem harsh, but we are not allowed to give people beds,and in fact, could be thrown out for doing so.

    We set off early, and the walk was right along the coastline with a wonderful sea breeze keeping us cool. We stopped for coffee at a beach van, and it was good. Today's path was a mixture of boardwalk, tarmac, and gravel, with a short detour through forest, but mostly by the sea. The end was the eorst bit, it was boiling hot, and we were on a long straight road that seemed to stretch into infinity. It was a day of doggedly putting one foot in front of the other until we got to our albergue.

    The albergue was comfortable enough, although the owner had two dogs, so I was a little bit wheezy. The room was boiling hot, and there was a large fan not being used. So I turned to an older guy, by whose accent I knew was Irish. I asked him if he minded if I turned the fan on. He replied, with the utmost seriousness asking me if I could speak in English...

    I am happy to say that all the pilgrims were quiet and we had a good night's sleep.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham
    1

    Day 6 Viana do Castelo 22km

    June 27 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    It has been said that the camino is changing, and not for the better. For one thing, it is busier. It is the end of the season for the CP, but it's still busy. It is also changing in the attitude of pilgrims. I have noted that there is far less consideration for other pilgrims than in previous years.

    Last night was a case in point, with people coming in late when most pilgrims were in bed and making lots of noise packing their backpacks. Quite a few were lying in bed watching stuff on their mobiles, which lit up the whole room. We also noted that a few did not remove the disposable sheet and pillowcase from their bed. There was just a general lack of care.

    We set off earlier than planned because of people's mobile alarms going off. Pretty much everyone was up by 0630.

    Today's walk started off ok, my legs didn't ache as much, and my pack felt lighter, although thst could've been because of my stuff I put in Carol's backpack when she was sleeping 😉

    The walk turned out to be quite gruelling. About 75% of it was uphill, some of it quite steep. It felt like every time we turned a corner, there was another hill. Not to mention the miles and miles of cobblestones.

    On the way down the mountain, we were surprised to meet a group of Christians who had set up a stall to provide coffee and biscuits for pilgrims who hadn't died of exhaustion climbing the mountain. They offered to pray for anyone who wanted thst, and fome pilgrims did. It was another example of how the kindness of strangers can reveal the heart of God.

    At some point, the walk was no fun anymore, so we just kept doggedly putting one foot in front of the other until by some miracle we arrived at the albergue.

    We were among the first there and were given excellent beds. The albergue is the best I have stayed in on this trip, and certainly in my top 10 albergues.

    By the time we had showered and done our washing, most restaurants were closed until after 7 pm, so we went to a pizza place that opened at 6 pm.

    We were too tired too much of anything, so we decided to forego our usual stretching exercise routine. Maybe tomorrow, when we will have to do it all again.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 5 Marinhas 17.7km

    June 26 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    After a lot of noise ( someone kept setting the smoke alarm off), it all quietened down... until 0430. One of the folk in our room had set their alarm but not on silent. By 0600, pretty much everyone was up, and we just got ready and left.

    We used our walking poles for the first time today. Our legs were still stiff and sore from the previous days walking, and we needed the assist.

    It was very windy but we were glad of it. Today's walk was an uneventful mixture of miles of boardwalk and miles of cobble stones. We walked about 6km to the village of Faō and stopped at the first café we came to. We were very ready for coffee and something for breakfast.

    The rest of the walk was a mixture of cobbles and gravel, but we made good time and stopped again for a ham and cheese toastie. We had thought we might walk further today than planned and try to book into a private albergue. However, in the three villages past Marinhas, the accommodation was 50 to 80 euros each. So we decided to pick up the once and get to the parochial albergue, which did not allow reservations but took in pilgrim a first come, first served basis. As it happened, we were the 3rd and 4th pilgrims to arrive. Having said that, it filled up quite quickly.

    We managed to get some dinner and some supplies for tomorrow. I think it will be an early night as tomorrow we will walk 21km, and again have no accommodation booked.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 4 Aguçadoura 17km

    June 25 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Last night, everyone went to bed quite early, and so, we all got up quite early as well. We left just after 0730 with light rain, but it didn't last long.

    I had thought that today's walk would be reasonably easy as it is only 17km. However, I was surprisingly tired, and my leg muscles were very stiff and sore, and my feet were aching before we started. Despite that, we made good progress, but the soreness just got worse, the backpacks felt heavier, and we were suffering from not having had breakfast. Needless to say, our pace slowed.

    We met the Irish lady from a couple of days ago and chatted with her as we struggled along. She asked about people's reasons for walking a camino. The answer is, of course, not straightforward, but I mentioned St Augustine's famous phrase that "it is solved by walking."

    It seemed obvious to me that she was working through something, but also that she wasn't ready to speak about it. But I tried to answer her questions as best I could.

    We said goodbye, again, and headed off at a quicker pace. We stopped for breakfast at the first cafe we found open, and it was very good. We were really feeling the effect of having walked about 10km with no breakfast, and so we were very glad of it.

    It was very hot, and there was really little shade, especially along the boardwalks, and we were soon tired again. So, we were very glad to arrive at the albergue and meet the lovely hospitalera, Connie. The albergue was modern and clean with good toilets and showers and as we were the first to arrive we had the choice of beds, and were first to get our washing done. Eat my dust pilgrims.

    After a fabulous menu del dia, the rest of the day was spent relaxing. We have to get up tomorrow and do it all again.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 3: Vila Chā 26km

    June 24 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    It was a wild night in Porto for the festival. The sky was filled with Chinese lanterns, and the loudest fireworks I've ever heard were going off all night. We thought we would probably never get to sleep, but somehow we did.

    We had planned to leave at 0700, but by the time we checked out, it was 0720. The city looked like a bomb had gone off, but there was an army of council workers clearing it all up. It looked worse than the aftermath of a Rangers match (win or lose).

    Within a few minutes, we were at the river. I was using the Gronze App but would only be checking it occasionally. As I said to an older American lady, we met on the way to the river: if you keep the river and the sea to your left, you're going the right way.

    The App showed that a bridge we would need to cross was closed for refurbishment. However, there was a courtesy bus that would take us the long way round.

    When we got there, it wasn't clear where to get the bus, but an older Portuguese man guessed our predicament. He was the first person I had met in Portugal who didn't speak English. Fortunately, Portuguese is similar to Spanish, and I understood his instructions. The camino is full of the kindness of strangers and often gives you the opportunity to be a kind person being kind. Within the first 10km, we had the opportunity to help an Irish lady with some important App information and another group of ladies who were trying to work out how to use their walking poles correctly.

    There were about 15 pilgrims on the bus, and so although it was the end of the season, it was already the busiest camino I have been on.

    We began to notice that all the cafés, bars, and shops were closed. So, we decided to stop at the first one we came to, and it turned out to be metres from where we got off the bus.

    More than half the walk today was on boardwalk, which allowed for a good pace of 4.5km per hour. 26km was a lot for the first day, though, especially as I was not as fit as i could be, but then reader, neither are you, so don't judge me too harshly.

    As we arrived at Vila Chā we met an elderly lady from Glasgow who was delighted to hear Scottish voices.

    We had to get moving, though. We were hoping to stay in the municipal albergue, and you can't reserve a bed in them. It's first come, first served. When we arrived, there were just four other pilgrims, so we were sure to get beds. It turned out to be one of the nicest albergues I have ever stayed in.

    After z fabulous and inexpensive steak dinner, it was time to get ready for bed. The camino waits for no one.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham
    2

    Day 2: A day in Porto

    June 23 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Last night was very difficult. The hostel is on a busy road and there's a lot of traffic noise. However, June 23 is the most important festival in the year for Porto, and last night was a practice run. The noise was incredible. However, after a final volley of fireworks at midnight, it quietened down, and I drifted off to sleep.

    Only to be woken at 1240 by another couple checking into the room. I don't think they were intentionally noisy, but they were noisy.

    Eventually, I drifted off to sleep again, and, in the end, I had a decent sleep. We were spending the day in Porto, so there was no rush to get up.

    It had been incredibly hot through the night, and so the shower in the morning was very welcome. We were spending the day in Porto, and so there was no rush. Breakfast was a buffet, and it was fine, but the coffee was terrible, and so Carol kindly agreed to a trip to Starbucks.

    The plan for today was to be tourists, theand so we went to the Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace. We marvelled at the skill and craftsmanship of the stonemasons, carpenters, and artists who built this incredible church.

    I could not help but reflect on the cruel irony that the Bishops and priests lived in luxury provided for them by the poor who lived firm day to day barely surviving. Whilst the religious elite ate the best of foods, those same stone masons and carpenters were in a daily struggle for survival.

    It was a very similar experience at the late 14th century church of St Francis, incredibly beautiful but built on the backs of the poor.

    The truly religious are the servants of the people, not their Lords.

    The rest of the day was spent preparing for the camino tomorrow, 26km to Vila Cha.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    Day 1: Arrival

    June 22 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I don't usually sleep well the night before a camino. Nervous excitement tends to keep me awake, but I slept for 7 hours, and woke up refreshed. We got to the airport in plenty of time, and the reasonably long queue at the baggage drop off moved quickly, as did the queue at security.

    After a light breakfast, we settled in at Gate 14. Time passed as it does. We never heard any announcements for our flight, and no one turned up at the gate. It was passed time when i thought we should be boarding, but there were no Ryanair staff at the Gate. So, I went to check the board and noticed a final call for our flight at Gate 1F, a gate that is as far away from gate 14 as it is possible to be and still be in the airport.

    We ran like I have not run since I played rugby at high school - and back then, I was running from some very large players from the other team whose mission in life at that moment was to puliverise me into the ground.

    We made it just in time. I had assumed, correctly, that Carol was much fitter than me. She wasn't even breathing hard, and i was desperately pretending that I didn't need a paramedic. It took me ages to feel like I wasn't about to ruin the camino by dying before we even got there.

    Lesson learned, always check the departures board.    Read more

  • Norman GrahamCamino Oporto la CostaNorman Graham

    The final countdown

    June 8 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    It is hard to believe that it is almost time to head off to Portugal to begin walking the Camino Portuguesé from Porto to Santiago de Compostela. The final countdown to departure has begun as I go over my route plan - again - and make last-minute additions and subtractions to my pack list.

    On my first camino in 2018, my backpack was 12 kg without water. In 2022, it was 10kg, and in 2024, it was 8kg. The experience of having walked several caminos and taking advice from more experienced hikers has helped me to reduce my backpack for this trip to about 7kg, quite a difference from 2018!

    My advice for packing for a camino is to lay out everything you want to take with you and then get rid of half of it. It seems that one of the most common mistakes people make when walking a camino is to overpack. On my first camino I took a lot of stuff that I thought I might need, but never did. Portugal and Spain are modern countries, you can buy stuff when you're there. Many of the bigger towns and cities even have outdoor stores like Decathlon, etc. and a supermarket is a supermarket, whatever the country. So, don't take what you can buy when you are there. Another way to lighten the load is simply to buy ultralight clothing and equipment - for example some backpacks can be 2kg or more when empty, but there are other, and lighter options.

    The Camino Portuguese from Porto is a short camino that is 240km - 280km depending which route you take, and it is very well resourced in terms of accommodation and facilities. As a result, it is also very popular, which brings both positives and negatives. On the positive side, because it is well resourced, there are a lot of places to stay and eat along the way. In fact, I will only be carrying 1L of water most days as we will walk through plenty of towns and villages along the way. The downside is that it is a very busy camino. Pilgrim numbers for this camino are up 20% so far this year, and that means there will be more people, and more competition for beds in the municipal albergues, etc. Unlike other caminos it is advisable to reserve a bed if you can. However, we are going right at the end of the first season, (only the truly mad walk it in July/August), so pilgrim numbers may not be too bad.

    UPDATE: apparently this camino is still busy even though the season is coming to a close. I have had to book beds and a few albergues had no spaces. So far I have managed to book eleven of the sixteen nights we will be away, importantly I have managed to book an albergue in Santiago and one in Madrid.

    I will be trying to get as much walking and prep done over the next two weeks. I know there are a lot of YouTube videos out there advising months of training before you walk a camino, but, this one is only for two weeks, and no amount of training really prepares you for the camino, especially the longer ones, it takes you two weeks to get your 'camino legs'. However, another school of thought suggests that intense prep is not the best way to train for the camino. Rather, it is better to maintain a good level of fitness throughout the year. It is also sadly the case that living in Scotland will not prepare you for the heat on a camino.

    Another challenge this time is the new EU border controls which are apparently not going well and are leading to long queues of two to three hours at airports. I am hopeful that some of the problems at east will have been sorted by the time we go.    Read more

    Trip start
    June 22, 2026