The Caminho Begins



Friday 25/08/22 27/08/22


Since we landed life has been so full I have only had time to write the briefest notes. Now we have a rest day and I can record my thoughts more clearly. I am also having some difficulties editing, on my phone so please forgive any typos. Uploading  photos is also taking a lot of time. If this continues I will abandon them but you can find plenty on my FaceBook or Instagram.


Christine, a great friend, who is walking with me for two weeks to Fatima and I began that afternoon. A 5km brisk walk from The Ingreja De Santo Antonio in Estoril where we paused a moment for photos with Bernardo, who picked us up from the airport.  He has developed ‘Walkbox’ a walking app of trails all over Portugal. We are using a prototype of the Caminho to Santiago de Compostela been designed specifically for us, leading to and from each accommodation. Santo Antonio’s is just around the corner from the casino of Ian Flemming’s Casino Royal in the James Bond books. We followed the first arrow and shell on the signpost which took us under the road towards the beach. These signs would be my guide for the next four hundred plus miles, north to Santiago de Compostela. Dodging the holidaymakers on the promenade we passed restaurants where people were eating delicious smelling seafood and it seemed a rather strange way to begin a pilgrimage. The sky was clear blue and the breeze kept the temperature to a relatively comfortable mid 20s. 

Bernardo had spoken of our trip and my fundraising for MindSpace to the Cascais tourist board, with whom he collaborates in the development of walks. They had provided our first night’s accommodation. We had intended to stay in a local hostel but the Vila Gale was a lovely large hotel overlooking the marina and lighthouse. We were very happy!


Next morning Christine and I set off with full packs and full stomachs having made the most of the breakfast buffet. It was to be a gentle amble, hugging the coast for a few kilometres to Guincho beach when we would bear right inland. There would be many more strenuous days ahead. We expected a repeat of the promenades of the day before and we’re pleasantly surprised to loose the large holiday complexes and walked along the very quiet road with cliffs to our left and heathland to our right. On reaching the wild and windy surfers paradise we paused for coffee in a interesting cafe with an old wooden interior. It was packed with photos of famous people who had visited over the years, we spotted Kofi Annan amongst others.

As we left an American couple, on bikes, stopped us and asked what we were doing as I had the MindSpace poster on the back on my backpack. I felt after all the long hard training at last my journey had begun. 

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