Day 5: Ponte de Lima to Rubiães - Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Pauline waits while I struggle up to the highest point of the Camino Portugues

Light rain made for pleasant start to the day after the heat of the previous days. It wasn't wet enough to require rain gear but we did put the waterproof covers on our backpacks.

We like to combine breakfast with our first rest stop about an hour into the day, but Brierley had the first bar/cafe more than 8km away so we grabbed an orange juice at the cafe beside the albergue and started walking.

The further into the walk, the less appealing 8km before breakfast felt. Our luck was in, however, as a new restaurant/bar had sprung up along the path, 5.1km from Ponte de Lima according to the GPS on my phone. An orange juice, coffee and warm pain au chocolat set us on our way. While there we picked up an attractive stamp, depicting a trout, on our credencials. It was here that we met three Belgian peregrinos who we were to bump into frequently in the following days.

By the time we had reached the recommended cafe/shop, 3km on at Arco, we were ready for a long cold drink. We were also able to order filled rolls for lunch which we had planned for the top of Alto da Portelo Grande.

Leaving Arco we started our first climb of the day. It is always a bit depressing to start climbing knowing that it will be followed immediately by a descent and then another longer, steeper climb. On this occasion I actually felt quite good as the initial climb did not take nearly as much out of me as I expected.

When it came to the real climb I still felt better than I had hoped and it wasn't until about the last third that I really started to wilt.

Relaxing after lunch on Alto da Portelo Grande

At the top, the highest point of the Camino Portugués, we enjoyed our lunch in the company of Herman and Marjet, who had passed us on the way up, and Joy and Odile who were just behind us.

The sun came out while we were at the top and it became a little too warm for walking, even downhill. We eventually covered the 5.2km to the albergue at Rubiaes. This is another fine facility, but unmanned in the afternoon. Someone arrived after I had fallen asleep and locked all the doors. In the morning I was unable to open any door to collect our washing, but one of the Belgian peregrinos eventually figured out how to open a sliding door. Before we left someone arrived to register everyone and stamp our credencials.

Inside the albergue at Rubiaes leaflets told us of a cafe 400m away. A sign outside pointed to a restaurant 1km away. We thought we could make 400m so off we went only to find it closed until 7:30pm. There was nothing for it but to keep walking. It was worth it. We were provided with rolls and butter, mixed salad, more pork, chips and rice than we could eat, a glass of red wine and two cans of Fanta all for €15.50 for the two of us.

The mostly uphill walk back to the albergue was tough on a too-full stomach.