Camino Portugués Day 3 - Vila do Conde to São Pedro de Rates

There are various types of accommodation on a Camino to suit every budget and inclination. All are bookable in advance except for the public albergues which operate on a first come first served basis. These are generally dormitories, with up to 20 or so in a room depending on the location. There can be pressure on space, and consequently some people set off very early so that they can be in the queue well before the albergue opens at either 2 or 3pm. Yesterday there was a long queue waiting outside the Vilo da Conde public albergue in the early afternoon, I thought it was possible that late comers might be turned away.  There is an interesting ongoing conversation on the couple of groups I subscribe to about what is doing the Camino ‘properly’.  Some say that one shouldn’t book anything in advance, and that you should just walk till you’re tired and hope to find a bed wherever you’ve got to. Others say that they’d rather know that there is something waiting for them so that they don’t have the pressure or the stress of the uncertainty, even though that might mean the distance covered isn’t quite what feels appropriate on the day.  I am drawn to the freedom of the former, but my love of a plan has meant that I prefer the certainty of the latter. So last night I booked the next three days’ accommodation, so I know how long I’m walking and where I’m going to stay.  Maybe one day I’ll do a camino the other way, but this way feels right for me this year.

David and I walked down to the centre of Vila do Conde for breakfast, where a cafe owner made scrambled eggs for us with brioche toast. He (that’s David, not the restaurateur) had to leave promptly to get to his appointment with a golf course, but before he did we had time to walk up to the old convent and see more of the aqueduct. He told me of his Wikipedia research that had informed him that the abbess of the convent had wanted water for her gardens. And so she commissioned a 5km aqueduct to do that. We agreed that her ambition was impressive, though I did wonder whether all that money could have been better spent. On the poor, perhaps.

Anyway, the aqueduct didn’t get finished because of what the article referred to as an ‘unexpected slope’. So difficult for a civil engineer, the way slopes arrive out of nowhere. Finally some years later there was a public drive to complete it, and then a few decades on it fell into disrepair. Whatever its history, it’s an astonishing piece of architecture, and the views over the town past the old convent, now a grand hotel, were very good too.

And then we said goodbye for a fortnight. David will play golf for a few days, staying in a rather posh hotel, before flying home on Wednesday, whilst I walk on, staying in hostels and private albergues. We’re both happy.

Today’s walk was mostly not on the official Camino, as it is a cut in from the coastal walk to the Camino Central, the oldest Camino in Portugal. Although walking past the sea was lovely, when planning this my experience taught me that I would prefer the variety of the inland route once I’d had a taste of the sea. And because of where our hostel was, I made my own route to the conventional cut-in route. This meant that my first mile or so were very peaceful this Sunday morning. The sun was up, and it meant that I already noticed the difference in the shade provided from the buildings compared to the unforgiving heat from the coast.

My route passed through the suburbs of the town before tucking under a dual carriage way, reminding me of the North Downs Way from home that I finished a few weeks ago, which travels back and forth over motorways.

As I travelled into a little village outside the town I met Kurt and Deb, from New England. We walked together for a while, protecting each other on the narrow roads with no pavement, talking of genealogy, the difficulties of Portuguese compared to Spanish and the unimaginative naming of towns by the American settlers. They were good company, at one point all missing a turning as we were talking so much.

We eventually parted in the little village of Sobreposts as Kurt’s Google maps directions was taking him in a different direction to my Buen Camino app. So I enjoyed a spectacular weir and tributaries from the bridge alone, before starting up the first hill of the walk.

And then just as I was wondering whether I should have followed them, I saw Camino signpost that reassuringly showed I was on the right track.

There was a very grand entrance to something in Espinheira, and the blossom of some sort of tree was in full bloom. I wished I knew which either of them were. Later research told me that the portico was the entrance to a hotel, and that the tree was possibly bougainvillea?  Thanks Google lens….

This might have been the first hill of my Camino, but in many ways it was easier walking than the flat route of yesterday, as there was periodic shade, and places to rest and regroup. The villages were quiet, being a Sunday, which was to my benefit, as much of the road continued without footpaths.

Also as it was a Sunday there were people tending the immaculate cemeteries in every village. I had been very drawn to the Vilo da Conde cemetery where some of the private mausoleums looked more like beach huts.

Junquiera is full of fine buildings, and excellently also a cafe that was open. Through the international language of gesticulation together with my faulty Portuguese, the owners, together with all the other customers, and I had a conversation (I think) in which we established that the best restaurant of the area was in Rates (confusingly pronounced Ratch which befuddled me for a bit) I was strongly advised to go there, and was given a card so that I could find it. Either everyone in the cafe was related to the owner, or it was a treat not to be missed. Their enthusiasm for the place was intoxicating.

Going out of the village I peeked in through the doors of the church where the faithful were praying, and wondered who Father Adélio had been to warrant a sculpture.

There was then a period of narrow road that involved concentration to avoid the cars, reminding me of some of the hairier walking in Scotland, and as I approached Arcos I could see the distinctive silhouettes of berucksacked peregrinos, as this is where the cut-in reached the Camino Central. The road became much less busy, the tarmac was replaced by the cobbles that will be a feature of the next fortnight, the landscape became agricultural and the Camino signs were back.

Earlier in the day I’d been feeling ebullient about my walking capacity, considering moving my accommodation from Rates which was going to be a shortish day, to Barcelos, which was another 12 miles on. As I walked along the suburban approach road to Rates, I was glad I’d stocked to my original plan, as my earlier energy was fading into realism.

My mission was to find the Restaurante St Antonio.  Clutching the card I’d been given, I paused outside another cafe, confirming that this was not the right one. As I did so, another walker approached me, wearing a fantastic flowery hat. This was Elsie, a South African woman of my age who was waiting for her albergue to open and looking for something to eat. We decided to go together, and then spent a couple of hours enjoying the food (my first salt cod of the trip with a massive salad and fried potatoes), chatting about our lives.  Luis, our waiter, was so kind, deciding it was best to talk us through what was on offer instead of trusting us with the menu, and getting Elsie a huge plate of vegetables and salad when she said she wasn’t eating meat. A treasure, and without the recommendation earlier from the community of Juniqueria I’d have been none the wiser.

Saying goodbye to Elsie at her hostel, sure that we’ll catch up with each other again before Santiago, I walked a little further down the road to mine. It is clean and comfortable, with a friendly cat and free port! 

There are peregrinos of various nationalities staying, including a young couple, him from Germany, her from Mexico, who are walking with their delightful 18 month old. That’s a challenge.

Although I wasn’t that hungry, I was feeling a bit shaky and tired. I decided that I ought to have some protein before bed, and so went to the only place in the village open on a Sunday evening. It specifically caters for peregrinos. It had a menu for about £10 that supplied bread, olives, soup, a main course and a drink. What a bargain.

Stats

Distance travelled - a relaxed 9.4 miles/15.5 km

Total ascent - 600 feet/182m

Local tipple - a bottle of agua con gaz. Go me.