Ponte de Lima to Rubiães. Day Six on the Camino Portugues

Day six on the Camino Portugues from Ponte de Lima to Rubiães can be summed up in one word. Wet. Or maybe two words. Wet and hilly.

Either way, it was a fairly short 11.04 miles but, the bad weather combined with the climb to the top of Alto da Portela Grande, which is considered to be the toughest part of the Camino, meant that I wasn’t expecting it to be nearly as much fun as on previous days.

Day Six: Ponte de Lima to Rubiães
Date: Tuesday 26 April 2022
Start Point: Terraco da Vila, Ponte de Lima
End Point: Casa das Lages, Rubiães
Distance Walked: 11.04 miles
Time Taken: 4 hours 52 minutes (including rest stops)
Weather: Rain

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I woke up to very grey skies and the threat of rain which wasn’t ideal as I knew that today was going to be a hard day’s walk with the climb to the top of Alto da Portela Grande (and then back down the other side of course).

I decided to have something to eat before I left Ponte de Lima rather than look for somewhere once I was already on the road so found a lovely coffee shop, Panilima Padaria, where I ordered a cappuccino and two pasteis de nata. I realise that this isn’t the healthiest of breakfasts but, I was coming to the end of my time in Portugal (tomorrow is the day I’ll cross into Spain), so I needed to get my fix of these tasty treats before I left the country!

Leaving Ponte de Lima

It was a short walk to the medieval bridge, and I set off across the Rio Lima under cloudy skies – such a difference to when I arrived less than 24 hours ago. The municipal albergue is on the opposite side of the bridge but I didn’t see any other pilgrims about. They may have already hit the road as I didn’t leave until 8.30am – late by pilgrim standards!

There’s also a fantastic pilgrim statue wishing pilgrims a Bom Caminho and pointing them in the right direction for the day’s walking ahead.

The way out of Ponte de Lima is extremely picturesque – there’s a stone path that runs alongside a stream, and later the walk is through fields and vineyards. If the sun had been shining it would have been perfect. As it was, I hadn’t been walking long when I had to stop and put the cover on my backpack as a light drizzle had started.

About three miles outside of Ponte de Lima I reached Café Pescaria and, as I’d only had a small breakfast, I decided to stop for something else to eat. It proved to be an excellent idea and I enjoyed crepes with Nutella (I know, I know, more food that’s not exactly healthy) and an orange juice sitting outside overlooking the river. They call themselves an Oasis do Caminho and, as I sat and enjoyed the silence, I couldn’t help but agree.

The good, the bad, and the ugly side of the Camino

While it’s true that most of the Camino is idyllic (the good), there are some stretches along main roads or through industrial suburbia (the bad) and, for the first time, this morning’s walk took me under the highway (the ugly).

The graffiti here is by an artist called Marcher Arrant who has left his mark in a few places along the way. Keep your eyes peeled and you’re likely to spot more of his distinctive work as you walk.

Pay attention to lamp posts along the way too and you’ll probably see one of his stickers that declare ‘Marcher Arrant Walked Here’.

If you look closely above Marcher Arrant’s walker you’ll see an amusing bit of graffiti saying ‘John Brierley wasn’t here’. John Brierley is considered the ultimate Camino expert, having written detailed guidebooks to all routes of the Camino de Santiago network.

The ugly parts have, so far, been few and far between fortunately, and today it wasn’t long before I was once again walking through a forest alongside the Rio Labruja.

More cobbled paths followed before I reached Revolta which, despite its name, is another of Portugal’s pretty villages. There’s a café here, Café Cunha Nunes, which is the last stop before starting the climb up Alto da Portela Grande, but I decided to carry on– it was late morning by now but I’d already had two breakfasts! As well as that, the weather wasn’t looking too promising so I was keen to keep going in case the heavens opened.

Opposite the café is a small church, Capela de Nossa Senhora das Neves, where I did stop to have a look around.

After another mile or so I reached Fonte das Tres Bicas – if you don’t have enough water for the climb ahead, this is your last chance to fill your bottle or water bladder and then it’s more or less uphill all the way from here!

Climbing Alto da Portela Grande

I’m not averse to a bit of uphill walking when I’m out and about but normally when I’m out hiking in the hills it’s good weather and I’m not carrying a full pack on my back.

I’d also read some horror stories about the climb ahead in various Facebook groups so I wasn’t exactly relishing the hike which takes pilgrims from the Labruja valley on one side of the hill to the Coura valley on the other.

Alto da Portela Grande has an elevation gain of over 1,300 feet (around 400 metres) so it’s not especially big but after five days of mostly flat walking it was going to be a shock to the system.

The path was well marked but it was very steep in parts and there were plenty of loose stones underfoot so I had to keep my wits about me.

I’d only seen two other pilgrims all morning but, as I started to climb, a group of four passed me followed shortly by a group of three. As they passed, the rain started – just what I didn’t want!! We all stopped to put on raincoats and ponchos – at least we were well prepared for the bad weather!

Onwards and upwards (and onwards and upwards) I reached a stone cross, Cruz dos Franceses (also known as Cruz dos Mortos) where pilgrims have left stones and other small items. This spot is also where Napoleon’s troops were ambushed during the Peninsular War.

Here I caught up with the two groups who had overtaken me. While the group of four stood in silent contemplation, the group of three, who it turned out were Italian, spent some time making a video of one of them placing a rock on the pile. I’m sure under normal circumstances I would have given it the respect it was due, but the rain was coming down fast and I really wasn’t in the mood to watch someone faffing about getting the perfect shot of his rock being placed on the pile. I just wanted to get a photo and move on!

Reaching the summit

More climbing and scrambling up the last steep rocky section and then, finally, I reached the top. On a good day I’m sure I would have really appreciated this – I could have stopped for a rest and admired the view.

Instead, there was nothing to see – the sky was grey and heavy with low clouds, the rain was still coming down in sheets so there was nothing for it but to keep walking.

I’d walked with my head down for most of the way to the top to be sure that I didn’t lose my footing but, when I stopped for a breather I noticed that most of the trees were being bled to collect rubber.

The downhill section of Alto da Portela wasn’t much better than the uphill to be honest. I was glad of my hiking poles as the rain had made the ground pretty treacherous underfoot and, as I can be pretty clumsy sometimes, I was just glad to get down the other side in one piece without taking a tumble.

Reaching Rubiães

It was a relief when the path finally flattened out and the way continued through the forest before joining a paved road. When I say paved, I obviously mean cobblestones! After all, they’ve been a prominent feature of my walk since I left Porto!

I have to say that, even when it rains, there’s something very special about the Portuguese countryside and I’ve loved walking along narrow lanes between hedgerows, under high grapevines, and over ancient bridges.

Arriving in Rubiães there was a brief walk along the N201 before the way passed a small church and then, finally, there was my accommodation for the night.

I was staying at Casa das Lages, a lovely, detached house with a large garden. The owner, Sofia, had messaged me to say that she had been called away urgently but I was to let myself in and she had pinned a note on the door of the room I would be staying in.

I had a private room with a shared bathroom but, as it turned out, there were no other pilgrims staying so I had the place to myself.

There was a kitchen with a fully stocked fridge of water, soft drinks and beers, with an honesty box to pay for anything.

You can read about all my accommodation choices on the Central Route of the Camino Portugues here.

Unfortunately, the weather meant I couldn’t make use of the garden. Had the sun been out it would have been the perfect way to spend the afternoon – relaxing in a hammock or lying on a sun lounger waving at passing pilgrims!

The good news was that there was a washing machine and tumble drier, so I treated myself to a load of laundry – even at €5 each for the washer and drier it was money well spent.

While I was waiting for my laundry to finish, Helmut who owns Quinta das Leiras next door called round to make sure I was ok, had everything I needed, and to talk about where to eat in Rubiães.

Given that it’s such a small town food options are limited but one of the restaurants, Bom Retiro, offers a shuttle service that collects pilgrims from the accommodation further out of the centre of the village, and then drops them home again later.

I arranged to go over to Quinta das Leiras at 6.30pm to head to Bom Retiro with the pilgrims who were staying with Helmut.

My first Pilgrim meal

At 6.30pm I headed next door to catch the minibus. Staying with Helmut there was an Irish guy called Mike and the three Italians who I’d seen in passing on the climb up Alto da Portela Grande earlier in the day.

Mike and I took a table at the back of the restaurant and perused the pilgrim menu – there was soup and bread for starters and then a choice of eight main courses. I opted to have the fish which, when it arrived at the table, came with chips, salad, and rice. As if that wasn’t enough, the pilgrim menu also included a carafe of vinho verde for us to share – not bad for €11.

The restaurant was, not surprisingly, really busy and I saw a few familiar faces from previous days, including the Danish women, and one third of the American group.

This was another wonderful evening, on a par with the dinner I’d enjoyed with Pamela at Quinta da Cancela on day four.

A few hours later the minibus picked us up again to take us to our homes for the night. As I arrived back at Casa das Lages, Sofia was there to meet me. She was keen to make sure I had everything I needed and left a basket of cakes and pastries for me to choose from for breakfast.

I have to say, the hospitality shown to me by the owners of everywhere I’ve stayed has been second to none.

After half a carafe of wine I was more than ready for bed but not before getting a photo of the sunset from my bedroom window.

Today’s Credencial Sellos

Another three sellos today. The first from Café Pescaria where I stopped to refuel on crepes, the second from Casa das Lages, and the third from Bom Retiro.

Highlights of Day Six

The Portuguese countryside is, of course, beautiful but today’s highlights were all about the food – my pasteis de nata in Ponte de Lima, the crepes in Café Pescaria, and the fantastic pilgrim meal at Bom Retiro.

I think it’s safe to say I won’t be losing any weight on the Camino!

Lowlights of Day Six

It could only be the weather. Even climbing Alto da Portela Grande wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. Between downpours though, I was able to get some photos of my journey so it wasn’t all bad.  

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Bom Caminho/Buen Camino

Follow my Camino Portugués adventure:
Day 1 – Porto to Vila Chã
Day 2 – Vila Chã to São Pedro de Rates
Day 3 – São Pedro de Rates to Barcelos
Day 4 – Barcelos to Balugães
Day 5 – Balugães to Ponte de Lima
Day 6 – Ponte de Lima to Rubiães
Day 7 – Rubiães to Tui
Day 8 – Tui to O Porriño
Day 9 – O Porriño to Redondela
Day 10 – Redondela to Pontevedra
Day 11 – Pontevedra to Armenteira
Day 12 – Armenteira to Vilanova de Arousa
Day 13 – Vilanova de Arousa to Cruces
Day 14 – Cruces to Santiago de Compostela

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