Date: 18 April 2018

Walked from: Porto

Walked to: Vilarinho

Distance: 27 km

This is going to be one of those ‘What’s that great ball of fire in the sky?’ type blog posts, because, today people, summer appears to have arrived at last in Portugal. Clear blue skies all day, sitting in a garden at 6pm in the evening enjoying the still hot sun type of sunny. And every other person staying in my hostel tonight only started their walks from Porto today and therefore have no idea at all of how damn lucky they are. Not that I’m bitter…

Anyway, it’s a good thing it was sunny, because getting out of Porto today – while straightforward – was a bit of a slog through a largely unattractive and uninspiring suburbia. That said, I was surprised at how quickly fields starting making their appearance, and there were some pretty cobbled streets as well as a very nice final four kilometres or so which took me past Mosteiro de Vairão (today’s main picture).

I also met a whole new cast of Camino characters; a South Korean woman and Danish man who met on their first day, actually at the start point of Lisbon Cathedral, some lovely Spanish people, a couple of friendly Tasmanians… and a very nice husband and wife from England. And not just anywhere in England; nope, turns out they’re from the island where I grew up. Never thought I’d meet anyone from Hayling Island on the Camino!