Heading for Porto
Posted by Richard on Tuesday 20th March 2018 at 09:28 PM
We really enjoyed our time in Porto, staying in the
Mercure Hotel on the Praça da Batalha. It's fair to say that Laura and I got the best deal here. Our spacious penthouse room had a stunning view across the city.
Heading for the beach
Posted by Richard on Tuesday 20th March 2018 at 09:29 PM
On our second day, we continued our exploration of Porto, before taking the metro out to the beach at Matosinhos.
Heading for the hills
Posted by Richard on Tuesday 20th March 2018 at 09:29 PM
We still had one last morning to wander around Porto, before heading for the hills. We took a tram from our hotel to the bus station; a bus for the 60 mile journey to Arcos de Valdevez; and a taxi for the last hop to Soajo.
Day 1: Soajo to Lindoso
Posted by Richard on Tuesday 20th March 2018 at 09:30 PM
Day 1: 8.9 miles. A gentle start to the walk, following paths along the river before climbing to Lindoso. There was plenty of evidence of the recent fires that have devastated parts of the forest here, but it was remarkable to see how quickly the first shoots of new life are returning.
Day 2: Lindoso to Brufe
Posted by Richard on Tuesday 20th March 2018 at 09:31 PM
Day 2: 16.9 miles. A much longer walk today. We even added a couple of extra miles as we came into Brufe thanks to a wrong turn, and the stubborn belief that we'd be able to get back on track without a u-turn!
Day 3: Brufe to Campo de Gerês
Posted by Richard on Tuesday 20th March 2018 at 09:31 PM
Day 3: 9.5 miles. Another easier day, but some more great scenery, lots of goats, another dam, a massive statue of Jesus, and a Roman bridge.
Day 4: Campo de Gerês to Emaús
Posted by Richard on Tuesday 20th March 2018 at 09:32 PM
Day 4: 15.7 miles. A very long, hot day mostly following an old Roman road. I made a huge mistake when I offered to carry Laura's rucksack (as well as my own) for what I thought was the last mile. Turned out we still had about 3 miles to our destination. Chivalry sucks!
Day 5: Emaús to Santa Maria do Bouro
Posted by Richard on Tuesday 20th March 2018 at 09:32 PM
Day 5: 8.7 miles. The last day of our walk, and another relatively easy one - back up on the Roman road, before dropping down to our final destination, Santa Maria do Bouro.
Heading for home
Posted by Richard on Tuesday 20th March 2018 at 09:33 PM
A relaxing morning at the hotel, and a stroll around Santa Maria do Bouro, before our final meal at a local restaurant.
