The Robbi Route

A Sunny Day on the Camino Portuguese!

Wednesday, April 9th, 2025

Barcelos to Lugar do Corgo

12.2 miles, 5 hours, 45 minutes

Towns walked through: Vila Boa, Lijó, Tamel São Pedro Fins, Aborim and Balugães.

My guidebook, “The Camino Portugués” by Kat Davis, says today’s trek “is a picturesque walk along winding country lanes with a few short forest sections, medieval bridges and one long climb before the albergue in Tamel São Pedro Fins.” The stage was again ambitious at a bit over twenty miles. That was originally my aim and many of my comrades set out to accomplish just that.

I decided to give starting later (8:40) a try, mostly because the place I was staying offered breakfast! It was up to 79° by 10:00 and most of the walking was quite exposed. The forested pathways were not very shaded and quite short indeed!

After the first hour it truly was bucolic surroundings including more calla lilies, and yellow flowers as far as my eyes could see at times! One forest had oak, pine and eucalyptus trees, ferns and blooming wildflowers. The fragrance on the occasions that the breeze picked up was intoxicating and refreshing. Fields are being prepped for planting and working tractors were a common sighting. At one point I got a big smile on my face passing by a country home with loud accordion music and singing, perhaps in Portuguese? There were many little churches, yet mostly farm land.

My lament – WAY too many “hills” for my liking and I found myself shuffling my feet and withering as the afternoon progressed.

Thankfully, my Plan B (which revolved around an accommodation that was highly popular on social media and other resources) was about half that distance, and Oh My Goodness, I was SO THANKFUL that I committed to staying at Casa da Fernanda by calling to reserve a bed Tuesday afternoon!!! Not only did I get the last one, I was so toasted by the sun and decently long day, that I was Overjoyed when I arrived!!!! I am extremely grateful and feel extraordinarily fortunate!! I saw several people turned away, and one of the pilgrims staying here reserved her spot a year ago!!

I read nothing but great reviews and I can understand why!! Fernanda is gregarious, very fun and speaks perfect English!! She has welcomed many pilgrims over the years including some famous people!!

It’s a sizable piece of property that includes a very big garden, some chickens, roosters, ducks, four dogs and a few cats!! I have enjoyed the company of other pilgrims that arrived about the time I did and, many more poured in as the afternoon ensued.

There are only eleven beds – and I lucked out and got the “bedroom” which is actually an outdoor porch!!

Seemed like there were way more people than that by 6:00 and I then found out there were two more room. for couples. Quite a lively crowd! N from Tel Aviv is here and N & J from London were here briefly yet I learned later that they were turned away – no room at the Inn. And, the couples in the two other bedrooms are from Seattle and we have so much in common, including people we know!

Fernanda prepared an AMAZING, plentiful and hearty dinner which we all shared at a communal table! Wine from her family’s grapes and port flowed freely. What a generous, kind and energetic hostess!! This will be a lasting memory for sure!!