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The strolling stage from Vila do Conde to Charges connects the Coastal and the Central Routes of the Camino de Santiago route from Porto. It’s one of many two connecting routes on the Portuguese Camino that’s utilized by individuals who stroll out of Porto following the coast and after the primary day wish to proceed their Camino journey on the Central (inland) route.
The place is Vila do Conde?
Vila do Conde is a coastal city in Northern Portugal, 27 km north of Porto. It’s located on the Coastal and the Litoral Routes of the Portuguese Camino. Two routes depart Porto following totally different trails and join in Vila do Conde. The Litoral Route (Senda Litoral) is probably the most stunning path to stroll out of Porto. Many pilgrims even those that are planning to stroll the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino depart Porto following the Litoral Method until Vila do Conde. From there they change to the Central Route following the connecting path between Vila do Conde to São Pedro de Charges.
Switching between the Coastal and the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino
There are two locations with marked trails on the Coastal Route of the Portuguese Camino the place you may change to the Central Route. The primary one is described on this publish from Vila do Conde to Charges and the second is 70 km north from Caminha to Valença.
If after per week of strolling on the Central Route, you begin feeling like going again to the coast you are able to do so by following the Non secular Variant of the Portuguese Camino from Pontevedra.
Vila do Conde to Charges – evaluating the river route and the aqueduct route
I’ve learn lots of info on-line and in Brierley’s guidebook about each routes earlier than strolling them. It sounded just like the river route is well-marked but it surely has lots of strolling on busy roads whereas the aqueduct route is barely marked however has no strolling on roads. I went to the tourism info workplace in Vila do Conde and so they indicated that the river route was the official Camino route that’s marked.
Listed below are my conclusions after strolling the river and the aqueduct routes.
Route marking
Each routes are in some way marked however not in addition to the principle Portuguese Camino routes. The route marking was in some way good in some elements and really poor in others. On the river route, the shells on the primary 5 km have been troublesome to note as they have been pale or washed off. On the aqueduct route within the final stretch, I didn’t see any arrows for about 2 km.
Roads and visitors
On each routes, you generally stroll on the highway however these roads are extra like streets by way of cities and villages with no sidewalks. Locals use them to maneuver round. The one time on the river route I actually needed to stroll on the highway (freeway) was 1 km earlier than Arcos after I went over the bridge. There have been no vehicles in any respect and the highway had a large shoulder.
The final 3 km to Charges the aqueduct route have been on a sidewalk alongside a busy highway and on a highway with not a lot visitors. The final 3 km on the river route have been by way of the countryside.
I walked the river route from Vila do Conde on Friday morning (between 10 and 12) and the aqueduct route on Saturday morning (between 8 and 10). You’d assume that Friday morning can be busier however there wasn’t extra visitors on the river route on Friday than on the aqueduct route on Saturday.
Easiness to navigate
The river route for my part is less complicated to comply with than the aqueduct route. It’s very simple. I feel I needed to flip 2 or 3 occasions in the course of the stroll. For many of the day, you comply with the identical road/highway that goes by way of cities. Even in the event you don’t see arrows you simply preserve going straight. Each time it’s important to flip there will probably be a Camino signal. On the aqueduct route, there are various turns you actually have to concentrate to route marking or use an app.
The river route merges with the Central Portuguese Camino route in Arcos, 3 km earlier than Charges. From there on it’s straightforward to navigate there are various Camino indicators. The aqueduct route merges with the Central Route in Charges the final kilometer is marked properly however the earlier 2 km have barely any indicators.
Issue
My stroll from Vila do Conde to Charges on the river route was 13 km and on the aqueduct route – 15 km. My stroll on the aqueduct route was 2 km longer however I needed to do a 700-meter detour to cross the highway exterior of Vila do Conde in a secure place and I walked 300 m further in Vila do Conde after I missed the flip. Each routes are fairly flat with no important ascents or descents.
Surroundings
I actually loved strolling alongside the aqueduct for the primary 4 km on the aqueduct route. Strolling out of Vila do Conde on the river route wasn’t that spectacular simply strolling alongside a quiet road previous homes. As for the remainder of the stroll, I favored the cities and villages on the river route greater than on the aqueduct route. On the aqueduct route, you stroll by way of cities on a road between excessive partitions or fences you may’t even see homes behind them. General the cities on the river route regarded extra like outdated cities whereas on the aqueduct route, they regarded extra like newer neighborhoods.
Each routes have cafes and bars each couple of kilometers.
You get some countryside surroundings on each routes. And a brief patch of forest on the aqueduct route.
Strolling floor
Each routes from Vila do Conde are nearly completely on laborious surfaces comparable to asphalt or cobblestones. The river route has extra sidewalks with even surfaces (tarmac, asphalt), and the aqueduct route has lots of cobbled streets which in my expertise are tougher in your ft. It may not matter because the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino has loads of strolling on cobbled streets.
Conclusion
If you need a straightforward and easy stroll I’d suggest taking the river route. Even in the event you don’t see yellow arrows it’s not troublesome to navigate. The roads should not as dangerous and busy as generally described. I can’t say that the Vila do Conde to Charges stage within the sense of visitors was, particularly, dangerous in comparison with the opposite phases of the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino.
If you wish to stroll a extra scenic route (the primary 5 km) and don’t thoughts utilizing a Camino app or GPS navigation then the aqueduct route is an effective selection.
Which route from Vila do Conde to Charges is described in Brierley’s guidebook?
The guidebook provides a quick description of the river route from Vila do Conde to Arco from the place you proceed to Charges on the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino. As a lot as I like Brierley’s Camino guides I discover the outline of the route is in some way complicated. Even after strolling it, I’m undecided I completely perceive the directions from his Camino Portugues guidebook.
I didn’t use the guidebook for strolling the river route however we’ve one at residence the 2022 version and I checked the route description out of curiosity.
The river route from Vila do Conde to Charges
- Distance – 13 km
- Time – 2h30min. – 3 hours
- Ascent – 155 m
- Descent – 107 m
- Strolling floor – principally asphalt, some cobblestones
The river route GPX file
An in depth description of the river route
The river route begins on the bridge over the Ave River. When you cross the bridge flip proper. You’ll see a yellow arrow pointing in that path. Comply with the river for about 200 m until you get to a highway break up. Take the left road (Av. Figueiredo Faria) that goes away from the river. Proceed straight previous the roundabout following Av. Bernardino Machado. There will probably be some yellow arrows on the sidewalk on the fitting facet. Comply with the road until the top, it’ll take you out of the city.
After 2 km at a T-junction (the top of the road) flip proper. You’ll see a constructing materials retailer (AGAL), a automotive service heart,
Comply with the identical road for the subsequent 3 km. It goes by way of a city with a few bars and a non-public albergue.
Between 3,5 km and 4,2 km, you stroll on a highway with not a lot visitors. There was a really brief half (within the picture) between two partitions that I didn’t like an excessive amount of.
At 4,5 km you attain a small city with a restaurant (Cafe Novo) and a grocery store. Proceed strolling alongside the principle road for about 300 m until an intersection the place you flip proper in direction of the bridge. There will probably be a few Camino indicators indicating the route.
From that time for the subsequent couple of kilometers, the route marking is best you’ll see many yellow arrows.
Proceed following the identical major road/highway by way of cities and neighborhoods. Don’t flip wherever.
Someplace round 6 km, you cease seeing yellow arrows. Simply preserve following the principle road.
At 6,5 km you’ll stroll previous Ramos and Ferriera cafe/bakery. It’s a pleasant place to cease for espresso and pastry. There’s a break up proper after the cafe the place you are taking the left road. For the subsequent 400 m, you stroll on the highway by way of the city. There will probably be a few cafes within the subsequent kilometer.
7,5 km you get to a good looking church. From the church, the road goes left. You stroll on a slender highway for 400 m until you attain a village.
Between 8 km and 9,6 km, you stroll on the highway together with a brief half over the bridge that you just stroll on a freeway, about 400 m. The freeway wasn’t busy and had a large shoulder. The bridge half has a sidewalk.
9,4 km you attain Arcos the place the route connects with the Central Portuguese Camino. In Arcos, there are a few cafes and guesthouses.
The route between Arcos and Charges is marked very properly. After leaving Arcos it goes by way of the countryside to Charges.
13 km you arrive in Charges. You may keep there or proceed strolling to the subsequent city.
The aqueduct route from Vila do Conde to Charges
- Distance – 15 km
- Time – 3 – 4 hours
- Ascent – 159 m
- Descent – 127 m
- Strolling floor – principally cobblestones, some asphalt, and 500 m on a footpath
The aqueduct route GPX file
An in depth description of the aqueduct route
My major suggestion for strolling out of Vila do Conde on the aqueduct route could be very easy simply comply with Santa Clara Aqueduct for the primary 4 km. It begins at Santa Clara Monastery about 300 m after the bridge over the Ave River.
When you cross the bridge over the Ave River to Vila do Conde go straight for about 300 m following N13 highway. Then flip proper to Calçada do São Francisco, an extended slender road with many stairs. Stroll up the road to Santa Clara Aqueduct. As soon as there flip left and stroll alongside the aqueduct for 1 km.
There’s a half the place you may’t stroll subsequent to the aqueduct. As soon as there (on the wall) flip left and stroll for 100 m then flip proper to a small road Rua das Mos that may lead you again to the aqueduct. I missed the flip and did an extended detour. Simply bear in mind to remain near the aqueduct.
Comply with the aqueduct for the subsequent 1,5 km until you get to a busy highway (Avenida do Atlantico). You need to cross the highway to proceed strolling alongside the aqueduct. Don’t run throughout the highway vehicles drive at a excessive velocity from across the nook it’s not secure. You might have two choices; to show left and stroll alongside the highway until you discover a crossing (in the event you comply with the Camino app it’ll lead you to a safer crossing) or flip proper and stroll alongside the freeway until you get to a tunnel (as I did). Should you stroll by way of the tunnel you’ll stroll an additional 700 m however you get to cross safely to the opposite facet of the freeway.
As soon as on the opposite facet of the highway proceed strolling alongside the aqueduct for one more 1,5 km.
4,5 km flip left away from the aqueduct in direction of the highway (Rua dos Arcos) after which proper. Stroll to the pedestrian crossing and cross the highway. There are yellow arrows painted on sidewalks and partitions marking the route. That a part of the route is marked fairly properly I didn’t have any downside discovering the way in which.
At 7 km there’s a bar. 100 m previous the bar take the fitting road and stroll underneath the aqueduct. After that, you’ll stroll on the highway for about 300 m.
Between 7,5 km and eight,5 km, you stroll by way of neighborhoods with a few cafes.
9 km – 9,5 km you stroll on a footpath by way of the forest.
At 10 km there’s a cafe. From someplace round there for the subsequent 2 km, I finished seeing Camino indicators. I simply adopted the identical road until I reached the city of Rio Mau and the freeway (N206). As soon as on the freeway I turned left and continued on the sidewalk alongside the freeway for one more kilometer.
On the intersection on the left, you’ll see official Camino indicators. From there, you simply comply with the indicators until you attain Charges. The final kilometer is on the highway with not a lot visitors.
15 km you arrive on the church in Charges.
Please comply with and like us:
The gorgeous half of Stingy Nomads, accountable for all our land adventures (mountain climbing, climbing, strolling the Camino) and following them write-ups. Alya loves strolling since she was a baby, she prefers to stroll 1000 km with a backpack quite than to do a ten 000 km highway journey (really any highway journey). Alya is a giant fan of Latin America, the Spanish language, and dancing. Each time we go away she desperately misses our canine Chile.
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