Thanks to everyone who has contact me. The updated information is in bold below:
Overall Map of the route:
This map is published on the enormously helpful website http://www.caminador.es
And another map I used. The full version on paper is readily available at Tourist Offices in Portugal. Or e mail them (English is fine) and ask them to post one to you.
Contact: http://www.porto-tourism.com/tourist-information-offices-in-porto.html
How much is accommodation?
A couple of people have written with this question. Accommodation along the route in hostals costs between 20 - 35€ for a single room and around 40 - 50€ for a twin room. Sharing is always cheaper!
Waymarking
The route is very well waymarked in places but it is patchy in others. On the map above you follow the green dotted line to A Guardia and then the red dotted line. As you can see you always keep the water on your left. If you scout around a little you can find the arrows. Remember there is very little actual walking on the sand which is difficult to do for any length of time - there is a waymarked path nearby! I will eventually provide detailed walking notes on how to find the start of the route each day...but when I walked I found the arrows although sometimes I had to look around a little!
Leaving Oporto:
Ian Holdsworth of the Peterborough Pilgrims wrote:
"All the way along the first section it is old style resort type frontage like Blackpool.( there is also an old style tram) About 4 or 5miles along you come to the Youth Hostel on the ridge above. With the timing of the first Ryan air fight of the day this is a good place to make a first night stop. If one gets the tram into town from the airport and then walk to the Cathedral and then on it, makes a good easy day that is enough with the rigours of flying from home.
Plenty of places to stop for food along the way. Beware some of the beachside eateries are very expensive foodie seafood places. But there are other enough for all tastes. The boardwalk does not start till after Matosinhos . By the bridge on the Porto side is a great Bar/restaurant for breakfast. Also we found a pharmacist that would sell heart medicine to someone who had left his prescription behind in the UK at 8:45 in the morning without a script or doctors letter. Well way marked from Matsinhos, Cannot remember before, but there is no need the ocean is arrow enough."
Oporto – Vila do Conde 25 kms
Tourist Office -Vila do Conde
Tel: 252 248 473
E-mail: turismo@cm-viladoconde.pt
There are hotels and hostales at all prices – for a full list e mail the tourist office. There are two reasonably priced establishments by the harbour:
Pensão Patarata 3.ª
Cais das Lavandeiras,
18 * 4480-789
Vila do Conde
Tel 252 631 894
Hospedaria O Manco d'Areia
Praça da República,
84 * 4480-715
Vila do Conde
Tel 252 631 748
Fax. 252 631 748
Vila do Conde – Esposende 23 kms
Esposende – hostal as you cross the river and another by the old fort
Esposende – Viana do Costelo 22 kms
Viana do Costelo – lots of options including youth hostal
Details of the albergue:
http://www.cruzdoscaminhos.blogspot.co.uk/p/regulationuk.html
Details of the albergue:
http://www.cruzdoscaminhos.blogspot.co.uk/p/regulationuk.html
Viana do Costela – Camiña/ A Guarda 24 kms (28kms)
Camiña – albergue, hostals, tourist office with list or cross to A Guarda by ferry
Camiña/A Guarda – Oia 20 kms (16 kms)
Oia – casa rural in village and good hotel #
I found their business card:
Hotel A Raíña
Tel: 986 362908
Mobile: 607 986 644
E mail: oia@hotellaraina.com
Web: www.hotelaraina.com
I found their business card:
Hotel A Raíña
Tel: 986 362908
Mobile: 607 986 644
E mail: oia@hotellaraina.com
Web: www.hotelaraina.com
Oia – Baiona 18 kms
Baiona – many options
Baoina – Vigo 22 kms
Vigo ( option 1 follow yellow arrows: modern route no probs but tedious walk in. Option 2 at outskirts of Vigo leave yellow to follow GREEN arrows to Freixo where you can stay in social centre. steep climb up......from Freixo better walk in but longer. Pass v interesting church. OJO! the green arrows tend to run out in Vigo and there are some confusing red ones as well. This is supposedly the original route. Once pass the church ask how to get to city centre.
Vigo – large town, many hostals
Vigo – Redondela 16 kms
Follow CSJ Guide - http://www.csj.org.uk/guides-online.htm
Redondela – Pontevedra 20 kms
Pontevedra - Caldas de Rei 22 kms
Caldas de Rei – Padrón 17 kms
Padrón– Santiago de Compostela 24 kms
