Today was 31km, 9+ hours of walking.! The closure of several Albergue’s in small towns along the way meant we had to walk on to Coimbra. A large town/small city based around several universities. This will be our longest day.
We started at sunrise just after 7am, we wanted to get as much distance completed before the full heat of the day, as it turned we had the biggest hill at the hottest time of the day. The walk started well through flat farmland along a valley for the first few hours.
We passed by a small piece of land where people seemed to be camping/sleeping rough and they had set up a shrine, small outdoors cafe (pay by donation). There did not seem to be anyone around but as soon as we entered the plot I am sure they would have appeared.
We walked along a narrow goat track for a few kms, we even came across an elderly Nona tending her goats.
We know we are on the right path, it is well signposted.
Cork trees grow naturally in Portugal and the cork is still harvested manually. Once every nine years.
We eventually left the farmland, valley and goat track behind for the challenge of several hills. Once again over rocky uneven steep paths, up and over a seemingly endless series of hills.
We walked down from the hills into Coimbra, thoroughly exhausted.
Russ and Jan's Camino 