The 27km walk out of Esposende began through urban back streets. On this route, you can never escape the Portuguese hand-tiled roads that are particularly hard on the feet!
21km on a rainy day on beachside boardwalks and paths, then through an agricultural area and into the back streets of villages before reaching Esposende.
There are many churches along the Camino, but I particularly liked the many variations on this roadside shrine. Sometimes they were modern and colorful and, at other times, ancient stone. They all portray Mary and angels pulling sinners from a fiery boat on the ocean. This shrine was just outside my hotel.
This was the first official day of my Camino de Santiago and a long one at 31km.
I stayed in central Porto and took the first metro just after 6 am back out to Matasinhos, as I walked there along the coast the previous day. Exit at Mercado station (about 40 mins from Trindade station, central Porto) and cross the Ponte Móvel de Leça bridge immediately.
Whether you’re setting out on the Camino Portugues da Costa to Santiago de Compostela, or just want a lovely walk around the coast from the city, this route from Porto central to Matasinhos in the city’s outer suburbs is a delight and highly recommended. The ‘official’ Camino route goes up through the streets and suburbs, but the coastal route is a much better experience, especially if the weather is good.
It’s around 13km in total so you can do it slowly and still make it to Matasinhos port for lunch. It’s an easy, flat walk — just keep the river and then the ocean on your left.
I stayed at House of Sandemans on the south bank of Porto Gaia which has a view over to Cais de Ribeira where you start the walk. As I walked along the waterfront with a pilgrim I met, a man called out from a window high up — “Bom Caminho!” — the first of many such greetings over the following weeks.
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I walked the St Cuthbert’s Way from Melrose, Scotland, to Lindisfarne, Holy Island, on the Northumberland Coast in early October 2021. It was a secular pilgrimage to an area of the UK that I have always wanted to visit and since the pandemic restrictions prevented travel overseas, I decided to take the opportunity to finally go.
This article covers the 5-day walk, including the final crossing to Lindisfarne, Holy Island. There were challenging elements every day in terms of distance, weather, and terrain — but it really was a worthwhile trip and I highly recommend it. I share day-by-day pictures from the walk and some practical information if you’re considering the route.
I organized the trip independently, walked solo, and carried my own pack. I used the Cicerone Guide to Walking St Oswald’s Way & St Cuthbert’s Way and also took physical OS Maps with the route highlighted. I also used the Komoot app and I have the OS Maps app on my phone. Although there is a phone signal most of the time on the way, there were notable occasions with no service, especially in the valleys in the more rural section of the Cheviots.
My book, Pilgrimage, Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways, is out now.
[Read more…] about Walking The St Cuthbert’s Way. 5 Days From Melrose To Lindisfarne, Holy Island
South Bank is one of my favorite walks in London. You pass places of historical importance and architectural beauty, as well as iconic cultural locations, plus great places to eat and drink alongside the River Thames while people-watching in this fantastic city. I set my Brooke & Daniel crime thriller trilogy in this area and I do this walk whenever I’m in London.
If you walk the route from end to end without stopping, it will only take you about an hour or so to do the 5km along the Thames Path. But if you make the most of everything along the way, you could be busy for a week or more. It’s a great way to orientate yourself if you’re new to the city where so many get the Tube or a taxi when it’s easier and often quicker to walk.
Start at London Bridge Station which is a major transport hub for overground and underground trains. There are many different exits but it’s easy enough to find the river!
The Shard is next to the station. You can pay to look out over the city at The View From The Shard, which is worth it on a glorious day.
The Old Operating Theatre is also near the station, Europe’s oldest operating theatre, pre-dating anaesthetic and antibiotics.
