A 6:30 am wake up this morning, in part assisted by my roommate’s snoring. I’ve no significant ill effects from yesterday’s exertions so it’s on to Esposende!

A 7am departure and I’m glad I brought a spare set of clothes as all my hand washing from yesterday is still damp. One of the perils of arriving at your hostel at 5pm the afternoon before. I currently have a pair of socks dangling from the back of my pack to dry, in vain this morning as there’s no chance of seeing the sun for hours yet.

Just over an hour (4.63 kms) and into Povoa de Varzim I found an open cafe and stopped for a giant €1 café com leite.

By 9 kms I was finally past the outskirts of Povoa and onto some lovely forgiving-on-the-feet boardwalk. Set in the dunes there’s upteen miles of boardwalk in Portugal; surrounded by flowering succulents and other coastal plants, it’s really engaging to walk along. It’s 9:45 am and still cool and misty but I can tell the sun will break through soon.

At 13.7 kms we were diverted to a cobbled road leading past small vegetable farms. It’s a bit more challenging for my ankle, so I make full use of my walking poles. Theres quite a lot of local traffic but the chirping birds and abundant wildflowers balance that out.

At 18 kms there’s a bifurcation but I decided to go straight on on small farm roads rather than left to the sea/boardwalks as the latter was ? distance longer and I didn’t want to push my luck with my body parts. I was aware of all the problem areas but nothing was bad yet. Besides, I was enjoying being amongst the pine and eucalyptus forest and hearing the wind in the trees. Onwards!

19.2 km Stopped in a peaceful church courtyard in Apilua for the 2nd half of my lunch sandwich and to have a short rest then back to the cobbled roads. then a short respite on a lovely dirt road in the trees, then cobbles all the way to Fao.

I reached 23.8 kms by the end of Fao. I had to take a wee rest before tackling the crossing of the bridge and the last 2.4 kms to my destination. The wind was absolutely howling a strong gale right in my face the whole rest of the way. I want extra credit!!! I didn’t dare sit down when checking in at my hostel for fear I wouldn’t get up again!

Nice place. A shower and putting up my feet for 10 minutes miraculously revived me so I headed out to find a grocery store. I’ve decided a nice salad with wine at “home” will do fine for tonight. One last longer day is on the books for tomorrow.