Day: April 9, 2025

• Camino walking: Marinhos to Anha, 10.1 miles in 6:11 hours
• Elevation: up 604 feet, down 435 feet, from 1 to 391 feet, we were inland today and there were a lot of hills, it was also quite hot so we were tired and sweaty when we got to the hotel.
• Flight of stairs climbed (equivalent per Wynette’s Fitbit): 72
• Total walking: 11.05 miles
• Percent on boardwalks: 0%, we missed them.
• Pilgrims seen: we didn’t count but probably over 100, this is a popular Camino and April is getting into the season.
• Pilgrims walked with: 4, two pairs, one couple from Ohio, USA, and one couple from Cornwall, England.
• Breakfasts on the trail: 1, we have been having breakfasts at our hotels where they were included but we prefer to walk 2-3 hours and then have fried eggs and toast with coffee. We ate at a pastry shop but she was happy to make us eggs.
• Pilgrim trails walked backwards: 1, this would be the pilgrimage to Fatima. The Fatima walk is popular in Portugal and goes along the same paths as the Camino, sometimes in the same direction (farther south) but here the Camino is going north and Fatima is going south. It is funny to see the Camino (yellow) and Fatima (blue) arrows pointing in opposite directions.
• Rugged forest trails walked: 1, there was a long section along a river. The trail had lots of rocks and roots and parts where we had to be very careful scrambling down. We almost fell once or twice. Wynette was using her hiking poles.
• Pilgrim memorials passed: 1, you see these along all the caminos.

This photo was taken shortly after we started out this morning, a little after 7:00. I wanted to post this so it’s clear that the Camino isn’t all forest paths and boardwalks and charming villages! But we haven’t had to do too much highway walking.

We thought we were staying in a regular hotel tonight but turns out it is a bunch of apartments. There was a problem with the first one they put us in so they moved us to one that has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a huge living room and kitchen and a huge balcony. Whew! A lot more than we need, but no complaints. The place is further away from restaurants, etc. than we wanted to walk, and the grocery store where we planned to pick up some food was closed. But the hotel sold us some frozen meals that we heated in the microwave in the kitchen. They turned out to be quite good. A bean/rice dish and a cod/vegetable casserole dish. We plan to eat the breakfast food they gave us for dinner (ham/cheese sandwiches, fruit, and cereal). Then will get breakfast on the trail tomorrow. So … we certainly aren’t starving.

Weather.com said it was 82 here today. That feels very hot when you are hiking in mostly sun and it’s humid. Whew, I cannot imagine doing a Camino in summer. This one about did me in today. Yesterday and today all the hiking was a bit inland and much more hilly.

Just about when I was thinking “we don’t have enough water” and “man, I wonder what happens when you get heat stroke” we came across a Camino angel rest area. Cold drinks in tubs, hot coffee (no way!), fruit, etc. And a place to drop some coins for what you take. Charlie and I had two bottles of cold water. Heavenly. And we had a nice rest in the shade.

We have one more hot day tomorrow (not quite as hot as today) and then many days of rain in the forecast. I’ll probably be the only one not complaining about that.