Geoff Jones

Inveterate dabbler in business, travel, gadgets & life

Category: Portugal

Walking Vila do Bispo to Carrapateira on lifeday 25,431

After an excellent nights sleep and an OK breakfast which we ate  al fresco with a German couple who warned as about staying the night in a hotel with a name like the stuff that clogs your arteries we once again set off into the sun & wind!

Al Fresco breakfast

The going was much faster today mainly on good tracks some through pine & eucalyptus woods which gave us a break from the constant wind later we were sheltered by the hills we soon found ourselves having a drinks break in the lovely village of Pedralva.

Sally Kelly crossing a ford
Sally crossing a ford

After our break we started walking down a delightful river valley, stupidly we ignored the sign for the wet weather route which the Germans had taken yesterday, the first ford was OK by the sixth ford the water was getting quite deep  flooding over my trainers 🙁 fortunately only one big climb was left before we descended into Carrapateira and our Guest House named after the village. The room has the bed on a mezzanine with a fantastic shower, kitchen & sofa on the ground floor.

After a bite to eat across the road we then walked to the cliffs to see the sunset. Totally amazing walk along boardwalks and seeing the dunes and crashing Atlantic rollers at Praia da Bordeira a great end to a walking day.

View

I tried using the new Apple Watch Strava app but it came in missing 5 miles, although it displayed the full route 🙁 quite pathetic especially how it dims the display. The good old Etrex20 came up with the correct answer on Strava of 14.3 miles plus an extra 7km to the headland and back.

Excellent scenery and a very enjoyable walking day. Dropbox pictures are here

Portugal and a return to multi-day hiking on lifeday 25,430

Sally Kelly on GR13
Sally on the GR13

Sally decided that it was time for us to return to multi-day hiking 🙂 and go to somewhere warmer than the UK for her weeks holiday in March.

So yesterday we sat on the tarmac at Luton airport for the best part of 3 hours waiting for the Portugese flight controllers call to say we could depart to Faro. We eventually arrived at Faro airport at 8.30pm 🙁  having left home at 10.30am.

At Faro we had another wait for the taxi to Sagres, finally arriving at the Mareta View B&B at 10.30pm. We quickly dashed out for a rather excellent meal & wine at Mums Restaurant.

Today after a fantastic buffet breakfast we started our walk complete with rucksacks & poles my bag weighing in at 8kg. Once again mainly due to all my electronics.

The day was sunny but oh so so windy which bought the perceived temperature down to13 degrees, the scenery was superb especially with the crystal clear air and bright sunshine. The cliffs are stunning and the wild flowers very abundant. The walking surface was very varied with sand, ankle twisting rocks, tarmac & tracks.

We walked from  Sagres to the castle but refused the entrance fee so then headed to the lighthouse at the end of the world using a variety of tracks and on road walking. After the lighthouse we went along the cliffs to Praia do Telherio and then back on to the GR13 to Vila do Bispo and the highly rated Pure Flor de Esteva B&B for the night.

A good walk of over 14 miles and 1300 feet of ascent according to Strava made harder with the constant high winds in our face 🙁 The days pictures are here

We are still undecided as to which route to go tomorrow 🙁 the preferred inland route appears to suffer a lack of accommodation whereas the coastal route we will be walking into the high winds again.