The Long And Winding Road

Posted bynickletjogPosted inDiary

CAMINO PORTUGUÉS – Day 1: Tuesday 26 May 2026 – PORTO to VAIRÃO (24 [+5] kilometres) *

Purple moon convolvulus on the rural wayside, near Mosteiró

My digs in Porto happened to be just a kilometre or so from the Catedral Sé that I visited yesterday morning, and which marks the start of the Porto to Santiago section of the Camino Portugués. So, and I hereby confess, I decided to take an evening stroll last night, back to the cathedral to complete the first section of the walk in the evening sunlight. So herewith those early steps.

The evening sun on the west façade of the cathedral, where I stood earlier in the day – but this time to the delights of a violin recital
Looking back from the base of the cobbled ramp that leads down and into Porto city centre . . .
. . . Before descending past the imposing frontage of the Igreja de San Lourenço . . .
. . . then almost disappearing through the ancient side streets of the Old Town . . .
. . . for a final view of the cathedral
My hostel (left, behind the car) sits conveniently at the top of the hill precisely upon the Camino Central route

So, a head start, but here we go for real. An early wake-up, walking before breakfast in the cool air of a bright morning, saw me heading out of Porto, at last, on the long and winding Camino Portugués. I say ‘at last’ because of all the planning and logistics required to clear a space in the calendar, plan the route, accommodation, etc, and prepare the mind for the unpredictable mix of activity and leisure, camaraderie and isolation, comfort and survival. It is a great feeling of release to wander off into unknown country with just seven kilos of ‘essentials’ on your back, and a fortnight of adventure ahead.

My first steps this morning were through the Parça Lisboa . . .
. . . then along the Rua de Cedofeita shopping street (looking back at the Torre dos Clérigos tower)
I passed the Igreja da Maia chapel with its façade of decorative azulejos . . .
. . . and some nearby residencies have also embraced the glazed tile look
Heading out of the city on the less than glorious but not entirely disinteresting main-streets . . .
. . . brought me eventually and reassuringly to this Camino sign
Crossing the Rio Leça – some greenery at last, after 15 kilometres of asphalt and concrete
The country lanes here are of granite setts, not the most even or comfortable of walking surfaces, but at least no potholes!
And this is how they lay them
Reaching the village of Mosteiró, with 18 kilometres on the clock by noon . . .
. . . and then out into some countryside at last
In the city us peregrinos are lost within the tourist masses, but out here our conspicuity spawns camaraderie – pictured here at a lunch stop in Gião with Vivek, Daniel and Nora
A stand-alone passport-stamping post, where we stopped for a water break . . .
. . . then today’s final stretch over the fields to Vairão
The Capella San Ovidio stands atop a small hill just off the path . . .
. . . affording views (just about) out to the ocean
Arriving at the Mosteiro de Vairão monastery, originally founded in the 10th Century, and now converted to a resting place for Camino pilgrims
The gardens (and meditation room) offer a chance to unwind and rest weary feet – whilst the washing dries!
All this for just just ten euros per night (for those of us with our own sleeping bag): let the snore-fest commence!

I was intending, at this point, to say a little more about the tradition of the Camino Portugués path, but it’s ‘lights out’ early tonight, so that passage will need to await another day.

Sundown

Most of you will be familiar with ‘The Long and Winding Road’ that I have chosen as my Blog heading today. The song of that name is of course a Beatles number, penned by Paul McCartney, that appeared on the band’s final album ‘Let It Be’, released in May 1970 after the group had disbanded (although it was actually written in 1968 and recorded in January 1969 before the ‘Abbey Road’ album sessions). Producer Phil Spector added the dominant orchestration and choral overdubs to the Beatles’ sparse arrangement of piano, guitar, bass and percussion, changing the vibe of the recording to the to condemnation of the band, and McCartney in particular. The song fits tonight’s mood well though, after a rather warm first day on the long path to Santiago.

Dinner for three tonight in Vairão village, with Daniel and Vivek

* The main distance stated beneath my daily title heading is the number of kilometres covered along the Camino Portugués path itself. The figure in brackets is the additional distance walked off the way (eg for diversions en route, or in reaching my overnight accommodation, and for my ‘evening stroll’ in search of dinner)!

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