Carreco & Vila Praia de Ancora

 

A bit of blog catch up. We've been dodging the rain and slowly making our way up the north west Portuguese coastline.

We enjoyed going inland after Viana do Castelo. We passed lovely pastoral scenes with happy contented cattle and cute spring calves. Lots of pilgrims on the trail from all over the world, a higher number of Americans than we've come across on previous Camino adventures and always a good smattering of Aussies -  Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

Some scenes were very NZ-esque! We stopped at a little stream crossing and as I looked up to the hills I spotted a magnificent stone crucifix and was wondering how on earth it got there given its made of stone and set  atop a large set of granite hills. ( Click on pic & enlarge to spot it)

As we rounded the next corner  there looked to be an old monastery or convent grounds which had to be connected to the stone cross on the rocks - maybe a pilgrim path of old? 

The colour of the high stone entrance wall and gate  was stunning and made you wonder what delights were behind those high walls. 

After a little sleuthing it turns out the castle/estate/Quinta has over 500yrs of history and  it's now a fancy schmancy hotel or parador  called Quinta da Boa Viagem. Way back  early 16th century the King of Portugal made a pilgrimage to Santiago and  made a stop here and he gave  permission to build a chapel dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem, or Our Lady of Good Journey. The chapel was built  outside the walls of Quinta so that pilgrims walking the Camino could rest in the shade and coolness of its walls and bathe their feet in the  natural stone pools. 

Stunning coastal views with tidal, rocky shorelines, again it could be a coastal path in New Zealand. I thought this looked like seal country, but not a seal to be seen.

 

Many little collections of pilgrims stones with messages for loved ones or with hopes/wishes  have been left along the trail.

The final stretch into Praia do Ancora had us do an extra dogleg to get across the river when on a previous Camino we cut across the sand dunes. Any extra walking when you're  tired can be a challenge but we found a cafe just as spirits were lagging and dos cafe con leche made the world good again. 

Our humble little hotel in Praia de Ancora was above a local cafe/bar with a perfect window ledge to dry our hiking shoes - a view for a shoe, or two:).  After a good days walking sometimes a burger just hits the spot!