Day 10 Lamego to Santa Marta de Penaguião

The weather had turned a bit on the walk out of Lamego. The clouds were threatening but it didn't stop a great view back over the town and castle of Lamego.

Looking south over Lamego

On the outskirts of Lamego there was a rather tragic looking Quinta - it looked perfect for restoration into a fine hotel and restaurant. Like so many places, Portugal was hit hard by the crazy over-reaction to Covid.

The map of today's walk was a bit confusing. Rather than follow even close to a straight road, the way swings wildly to the East before returning to the river crossing. After an encounter with some walkers in the village of Sande who ominously warned about the steep climb to come on the north side of the Douro valley, the way came to a deep gorge. The descent and ascent explained the reason for the detour.

Nonetheless the view after the gorge was worth it with a long-distance vista over Peso da Regua on the Douro.

Regua itself was a pretty little town. Stopped here for lunch and the inevitable beer before tackling the hill. On the way out of town, a man stopped me to ask if he could show his little daughter my scallop and explained to her that I was heading to Santiago. He probably also used the word "idiot" but my Portuguese isn't good enough to pick that up.

Foot-bridge over the Douro

The guys from Sande were right and the hill out of the valley was spectacular. And very, very long. Fortunately there was a bar in Quinchosos, Cafe Park, which served beer and ice-cream which was a good rest-stop.

The long and not-winding road

And eventually to the destination, a farm, in Santa Marta. The farm didn't do food but arranged for a taxi to go back down into Regua and, on the recommendation of the farmer, ate at Locomotiva which was, unsurprisingly, in the old train station.