• Distance: 34.2 km
• Hostel: Hospedaria Alfa 10

I don’t know if it was the excitement or that French guy’s snoring, but I had little sleep before I left Lisbon. I had been looking forward to this day for some time now and it didn’t disappoint. Leaving Lisbon behind wasn’t a major cause of concern for me, I knew I would be back here again sometime.

Carsten and myself left the hostel early enough, we were the first out. It was still dark and people were on their way to work. We needed to find the Cathedral again to locate the first arrow. I had read that there were very few arrows to guide you from the city but I had a back-up gps “just in case”. We had breakfast before the Cathedral before taking a sharp right. We spotted a few Portuguese locals drinking alcohol while we were having our coffee. Maybe on their way home from work?

You really need to keep your eyes on the walls as signage is poor until you come to the coast. But I had an extra step in my walk and I was giddy with excitement. To the coast..

Arriving at the coast, we walk the Passeio do Tejo, a long stretch of boardwalk that goes way into the distance. There are pictures of people walking, pilgrims and families all lined the Passeio. The sun was starting to rise but we took our time. Further on, the former EXPO park at the Parque das Nações is still a hive of activity with many hotels and restaurants. Giant cable cars hang above our heads that usually bring tourists. This is a lovely part of the walk with many people out for their morning walks or runs enjoying the sunshine. We are the only pilgrims however.

A bit further on from the Parque das Nações is the Vasco da Gama Bridge which takes traffic over the River Tejo, which at 17.2 km is the longest bridge in Europe. I didn’t hang around too long however.

Not long after this, the Camino crosses the N10 motorway after Sacavem, and follows a dusty dry path for many kms so it is wise to be prepared. I had just enough water on me for this section until I reached Alpriate. From here on in, I made the decision to carry extra water.

We arrived at Alpriate early. It is a small village with a small snack bar and an albergue. It opens at 2pm. I was in no position to wait but having walked nearly 22 km, we stopped for a snack. I noticed one of the locals grill some meat on a home made barbeque. The smell filled the town. Shortly later we left.

Arriving at the Praia dos Pescadores was the highlight of the day but it was brutally hot. The Riverside Lounge gave us cold drinks before we took a walk along the boardwalk of the nature reserve. An hour or so before we reached the town of Alverca do Ribatejo. On arriving at the town, the Camino brings you over the train line. Any and all accommodation were on the outskirts of the town. We chose Alfa. It is not a place for pilgrims but as the hours went by, we saw a few more pilgrims come in. There were the French couple, and the Italian couple who we didn’t see again. Later on, there was a super menu for offer not to far from the hostal.

The forecast is for more sun. I look forward to it.

After a month of to-ing and fro-ing with the podiatrist, I wasn’t sure this Camino was going to happen. However, after getting the go-ahead from the podiatrist the week prior, my mind was put at ease. I still had over 300 km to walk.

The morning of the flight was an early one. I woke at 5 am, had a quick breakfast and was driven to Dublin airport. I didn’t need to check my bags in as I wanted them on the flight. All that was to be done was the dreaded security check! Why do I always panic when going through security? It’s not like I have anything to hide?

Anyway, the flight was perfect (for Ryanair!) and I arrived in Lisbon at 10.30 am. The sky was bright and it was quite warm. Lisbon Airport was bustling and my first instinct was to look for the metro station. The city centre is only 2 trips on a metro from the airport. The station was super easy to find – directly to the right once you leave from arrivals. What is great is that there is a large information desk if you are unsure. After a quick 10 minute trip to Alameda followed by a 20 minute trip to Martim Moniz, I arrived at my destination – the hostel.

I struggle to find the hostel initially, as the address is not correct. I find it eventually with a little help from my buddy Carsten who had arrived earlier in the morning. Time to settle in, have a shower and see some of the city.

Lisbon is heaving with tourists as we walk through the Alfama district to Sé Cathedral to receive our first sello in Portugal. While walking, numerous 28 Trams speed through the streets with little regard for those in their way. Tourists clamour to take photos as they pass. Tuk-tuk vans whizz by reminding me to stay on the footpath. The Camino calls me louder.

We arrive at Sé Cathedral and I’m blown away by the size of the building. Steps lead into the entrance of the cathedral and then darkness. Carsten has been here earlier in the day and received his sello so he is telling me where to go. Generally, there is a counter on the right-hand side of the entrance and it is manned for those looking for stamps or credentials. However as today was a Sunday, things were different. There was no one behind the counter and a small group was beginning to form outside the sacristy. In broken English, the sacristan was willing to provide sellos and credentials however he made it clear that this was not the norm.

On leaving the cathedral, I immediately could see the first arrow. It was placed on the bottom right-hand side at the entrance. Another can be seen to the right of that on some corrugated iron.

In the small group of pilgrims, we noticed some faces that we would meet in the coming days. There was the duo from Russia, the young man from Hungary and the elderly man from France. We would all know them by names after Lisbon.

For the remainder of the day, we decided to walk to the coast and the Praça do Comércio. It is situated along the Tagus river and with temperatures high in the 30s, the sea breeze was welcome. We took a walk to see the Santa Justa Lift but saw the queue and thought again! This was designed in 1901 by the French architect Raoul Mésnier du Ponsard, an apprentice of Gustave Eiffel.

Food was always on my mind and there are many restaurants lining the many streets of Lisbon. Don’t forget to try the Pastel de nata.

It wasn’t long before we walked up the steep slope to the hostel beside the Castelo. Sleep came naturally but it would be an early start on our first day.

My Camino from Lisbon has been and passed. I arrived back in Dublin yesterday afternoon with fine weather. I left having walked 345 kms over 11 days from Lisbon in the south of Portugal, to Agueda further north. I caught a train to Porto the following day, stayed the night and few home. But not before picking up my final sello of this Camino in Porto. Thanks to all of you who have been following me on Instagram. I have been posting short videos and photos each day. After the first day, I wasn’t sure if this is what I wanted to do for the full trip but on arriving in Alverca do Ribatejo (the end of the first day), I decided to continue.

So why Lisbon? Why not somewhere closer to Santiago? Well, the answer to this is quite simple. I have been walking the Camino Frances for a number years and have seen the numbers of pilgrims increase. I have been looking for something different for some time, somewhere a little quieter. On receiving a message from my pilgrim friend Carsten who wanted to walk from Lisbon, I jumped at the chance and ask to join him. However, I only had 11 days leave having walked the Camino Ingles in May.

Walking from Lisbon is as different from the Camino Frances as you are going to get. There are many stages over 30 km in distance and if you are on a schedule, it can be quite tricky. The first three days are along the River Tejo and the terrain is relatively flat. It is quite easy to walk these long distances and take as many stops as possible. On arriving at Santarem, the terrain changes. Out goes the flat and in comes the hills. That said, a crafty pilgrim can divert a difficult hill by sticking to the main road. By why spoil the fun!

On arriving in Lisbon, I had someone to walk with. I am thankful for that. It wasn’t until the 2nd stage – Azambuja – that we met our next addition to our band of brothers. Azambuja’s albergue was basic and had 12 beds but what it lacked in stars, it thrived in character and charm. It was the Camino. It has been a while since I slept in accommodation that locked up at 8pm.

As the days passed, more pilgrims walked. Each walking their own speed. Pilgrims from Russia, Canada, Holland, New Zealand, France, Japan, England, Hungary, Germany and South Africa. Our eldest pilgrim was a 79 year old cyclist from France and our youngest was 11 months. He was part of a German family making their way to Santiago. His father and mother met on the Camino four years ago and now are walking again. Amazing! Myself and Carsten helped them pull their specially built buggy up a tricky hill on our fifth day and we later met them at the albergue. I met the first Irish pilgrim at Coimbra, which was the halfway point.

The albergues are rarely open before 2pm. Most of them are small and I was lucky enough to stay in a number with beds. There are also plenty of hostels and pensions so accommodation is not an issue. However, if there was ever a time that you find yourself without a bed, you can knock on the Bombeiros (fire fighters) door. They generally give you a place to lay your head if all other options are gone. Our New Zealand friend Alan stayed with the Bombeiros in a number of towns. However, if you start walking before 7 like I did, then there should be no issues.

Arriving in Agueda, my final town, was a highlight for me. Here is the home of Umbrella Sky Project. We have one in Dublin but it is of a larger scale here in Agueda. I stopped here for a while to take it in a then walked on to the albergue, which was located 1 km out of town.

The following day I travelled to Porto. I didn’t do much of a sight-seeing trip here as I knew I would be back, but I picked up my final sello. All I needed to do was board the plane and go home. My walking was done.

I will be posting from Day one soon. Don’t forget to subscribe to receive an email!

13 days left, unlucky for some. Lucky for me, I am not superstitious.

Time to get the pack sorted, you might think? Time to check in that flight and get that last preparation walk before you go? No? Not exactly!

I’ve a few things I need to do before I can finally switch off and have a “Bom Caminho”!

1. I see the podiatrist again tomorrow. I had hoped to have the all-clear last week but it wasn’t to be. Maybe this week.
2. On Saturday. August 31st, a pilgrim blessing will be provided in St. James’s Church in Dublin. So that will be a great reason to fully pack the bag, and bring one of my scallop shells. I hope there is a good turnout.
3. I want to take in one long walk before I go, and the 7th of September is the only day I am free. This is unusual for me. Before a Camino, I have at least 4 or 5 walks completed as preparation.
4. I finish work on the 6th of September and I will leave the office lighter than a feather. I return on Monday, the 22nd after hopefully walking 11 days.

I stay in a hostel (there are no official albergues in Lisbon) beside the Castelo de San Jorge. It is not far from Lisbon Cathedral and the Alfama region, the start of the Caminho Portuguese. For those not familiar with Lisbon, the Castle is at the top of a steep hill but instead of walking to my hostel, I can get there by tram (see picture).

The Cathedral will be my starting point the following day as there is a bright yellow arrow at the base of the church. From there, all will be well. The first day is either 29 km to a place called Alverca do Ribatejo or 37 km to Vila Franca de Xira. It all depends how I feel.

More before I go!

• New Podcast – Adam from England
• Weekend Watch #79 – Irish pilgrim on the Camino Francés
• This is worth waiting for…
• Video: Camino Francés 2017 Part 1
• Ideal viewing – Webinars for Planning your Camino!

We are back on the Camino Francés. One pilgrim has created a short video of his walk to Santiago. It is very difficult to package 800 kilometres in 6 minutes, but he has done a good job of it.