Portgual's Algarve to Altejano

Beach and cliff walk at Alvor

We didn’t stay in Alvor, well not for more than three nights anyway, though we did really like it there. Our first day out was a fantastic walk along the cliffs, though being us, it wasn’t the easy cliff path, but the difficult, up and down and to the edge path, but it was lovely, the scenery was spectacular. (see our short video of the route with photos: click here)We walked back past the free parking which had no notices, and plenty of space, but hey, we were happy with our book exchange, hot showers and being able to put our chairs and table out. Sunday we walked the boardwalk around the salt marshes, the other way out of town, along with most of the town I think, but it was Sunday morning, so it was a good thing to do.

The scenery was stunning all the way, but we can't put all the photos on

But we did see a Peregrine Falcon (I thought it was an eagle, but Richard and Helen S put me right!)

There we a lot of these holes - watch your step!

We’d had a lovely lunch on Saturday, more fish, we’ve eaten lots, and lots of fish, it’s been a delight, but Sunday I rebelled, Portugal is also renowned for Piri piri chicken and I wanted some spice! The bbq restaurant was a little more cheap and cheerful than the last one, but it had fab reviews, and had earned every one of them (The Churrasqueira Mercado de Alvor). The chicken was gorgeous, but so too looked the fish. We couldn’t eat both, and it’s probably as well they were shut on Monday or we may have stayed an extra day!

Our walk through the salt marshes on Sunday we saw several of these. R&H to identify! Thank you Helen, it's a Crested Lark

And one of these which a Canadian couple we met said is a heron

On the salt flats by the sea - art?

Main reason to visit Sagres was to see the fort

Sagres was our next destination, right on the South western tip. A great fortress, lighthouse and cliff walk. Lots of mobile homes in the carpark and lots of space, but also lots of signs saying no parking 22.00-08.00. Lots of people had stayed, and lots of people were planning on staying, as were we till we saw those signs, and got more and more uncomfortable (location: 37°00'17.7"N 8°56'42.8"W). It was no good, at 16.00 we packed up and drove off. There’s a new Aire 8miles away costs €10 we’ll go there (Vento Norte campsite location: 37°04'50.9"N 8°54'50.2"W). If we can’t get in we’ll come back and risk the 23.30 knock on the door to move on and the €120 fine. There was more than one posting on search4sites to that effect! There was plenty of space on the Aire, we were greeted by a lovely guy with a tiny baby, and with light hearts we opened a bottle of wine, secure in the knowledge that we could drink it, have a good nights sleep and not risk the knock on the door!

It is believed that Prince Henry the Navigator established a naval school on the site of the fort (but other's doubt this, but it is generally believed he used this as a base to plan and fine tune his navigation techniques that opened up not only Portugese exploration, but all subsequent naval exploration) 

Believe it or not, this is actually within the fort. It doesn't look much and in fact it isn't. Occupying a strategic position of a headland, the only defensive walls are at the land side of the peninsular. Walls aren't needed elsewhere as its protected by very steep cliffs on three sides with an angry Atlantic at the bottom

Its a long way down!

Like a lot of places along this coast, the sea has carved caves into the cliffs, causing in places the roof to collapse. Here's one of them inside the fort, when a wave crashes in an eerie sound is created. Just behind is an enclosure that amplifies the sound, we walked in and were quite startled at first

Another promontory at Sagres, the most SW point of Portugal has a lighthouse, seen here from the fort. We didn't go there, it's a 6km walk round the cliff path. Some other time maybe

Where the river meets the sea at Villa Nova de Milfontes

An hour and a half to our last coastal campsite took us to Vila Nova de Milfontes (location: 37°43'54.8"N 8°46'51.8"W). It was nice enough, but as a last stop, slightly disappointing, as was our first lunch out. It was all fine, just nothing spectacular. Yesterday Brian planned a little walk, which was very pleasant ending up at a restaurant that did score highly on trip advisor (see our short video of the route with photos: click here). She was laying up as we walked past, sign said ‘open 12.30’. “We’ll be back” and so we were, though now the sign said ‘open 13.00’. Bang on 13.00 the doors opened and the place was swamped, there had been people milling all over the place. It was a bit more expensive than our usual choices, but it was lovely. We’d ordered lemon rice with sea bass and clams a choice that had been enthusiastically endorsed by our waitress and were both hoping for a big barbecued fish, which was not at all what turned up. It was more like a very sloppy lemon risotto with the sea bass and clams in it. Just adds to my theory that the stew is the national dish of everywhere. There are variations, this one had rice in, but it was basically a stew. (the Porto das Barcas)

And another fabulous clifftop walk

This gives us one more chance to find a big barbecued fish, but we are now on the other side of the river from Lisbon so prices may be up through the roof. Our day out tomorrow (after a 3 1/2 hour drive today we just wandered to Lidl and want to chill) has two sites Brian wants to see, before we head inland and across Portugal into Spain. He can post the blog while I search the web for bbq fish in Almada! Our Corroios Aire parking location: 38°37'56.1"N 9°09'20.3"W

On the way, beach art

And a photo of Brian taking that photo!

The beach was so inviting we had to go down onto it again. Baby seagull? R&H, we need you again! Thank you again Helen, it's a Turnstone

We had heard there was a shipwreck on a small isolated beach, accessible a low tide. Turned out is was on the next beach, but a rocky headland connected them, already getting swamped by the incoming tide. Just past here it was too deep to pass, but then....

There was a small cave connecting the beaches. You can just see the shipwreck on the other side

It looks like a fishing boat but no idea how long its been there. It seems not many people get down onto the beach, most photograph it from the cliff. The path up off the beach was quite steep

The view most people get from the clifftop

So we walked past the harbour (our lunchtime restaurant was just above it), watched some surfers for a bit, along the headland a bit further and then returned for a splendid lunch 

When I say we watched some surfers, what I mean is we watched some people bobbing about in the surf clutching surfboards. We never actually saw anyone successfully surf a wave, neither here nor at Sarges, both great surfing beaches. We've never been surfers so we don't know, but it seems it's more about the camaraderie than surfing, at least here anyway. The laid back look, the long hair tied back carrying the surfboard looking cool. Perhaps I'm being unkind! 

Anyway, we had a cracking lunch with a seaview!

From Spain to Portugal and the Algarve

Our welcome drink at Nirvana - it did feel like paradise!

Nirvana was fab. 14 pitches, solar power, which lasted a little later than ours did and as it was presented to us powered the fridge, which our solar panel doesn’t do. Don’t ask me why (Campsite location: 37°17'19.4"N 7°19'21.3"W). There was a nice little bar, at which we were given a welcome drink, and which was frequented by the local mates. Shortly after arrival I was aware that our Swiss neighbours had obviously asked about eating and were being offered paella tonight. Seemed like too good an opportunity, we’ll have some of that, cooked by our hostess. We didn’t eat together, though the paella was cooked as one, we did have a good old chinwag in English with google subtitles.

Our away from it all Nirvana campsite

Villablanca. We did see one house that wasn't white!

We went into Villa Blanca (see walk with photos: click here), the local small village on Saturday morning which wasn’t hugely exciting, but appeared to have more bars than a place that size should. We walked past one bar to be greeted by our only Spanish speaking host. He wanted to know what we were looking for so he could help us find it, (I think), but we were just looking. It is lovely however to be greeted while out and about. Two windmills, a church, a procession of processionary caterpillars (they’ll kill your dog you know?) a coffee, and a beer and tapa and we’d pretty much seen everything, but that was fine.

The very long line of processionary caterpillars. Keep away from them!

Sunset at Nirvana

It really was very relaxed, three Spanish families had come for the weekend together so the kids were running around. There was a bit of a party going on at the bar, there were little walks around, into the woods and we could sit in the sun. Hard this.

Brian had emailed Fred who we met in Nepal, and visited last time we were in the US and Victor who we met on the cruise, and then with his husband Greg as they cruised into Edinburgh as all of them live on the west coast of the US, (though Fred is half there and half New Mexico, neither of which are Minneapolis where we drove for three

Our paella with the German-Swiss couple

days to see him last time) and we quite fancy a trip down the west coast. Within 10 minutes Victor and Greg, who were eating breakfast, were on the phone, full of excitement and ideas. Three months may not be long enough, particularly when added to the huge email that came in from Fred overnight with offers to use his house as a base, use his Jeep, or he could buy us a car and sell it on when we go. What lovely people we know. That’ll be something lovely for the end of the year then.

A walk through the forest close to our campsite at Villablanca. See our short video with a lot more photos: click here

Huge, megabusy site with quite small plots. I didn't like it much

Tuesday, what shall we do today? Portugal? Why not. There was no border control, so no Covid checks. That was easy. Campsites however do want to see a Covid passport on check in, but that’s ok. Olhão was our first stop, we thought we’d booked, but apparently not. Walk in and have a look around and tell us where you want the electricity plugging in. It was huge, tennis court, swimming pool, restaurant, shop and TV lounge, with book exchange, which sadly was Covid closed. It was probably 10 minutes from our pitch, to reception. Brian hated it. I was fairly ambivalent, we’ve just never seen anything like it (campsite location: 37°02'11.2"N 7°49'03.4"W).

However the Via e Volta all you can eat fish restaurant made up for it - it was amazing!!

First serving

On reading that we were coming into Portugal Iain had recommended an all you could eat fish bbq, but we weren’t stopping in Tavira, our antenna were up though, so looked on trip advisor and found a similar in Olhão. Oh my goodness. We caught the bus, from right outside the campsite, into town, without having breakfast (very hard for Brian). Had a look at the market, the salt marshes, the church, museum and wonderful tiny back streets before arriving at the restaurant bang on 12.00 (The Vai e Volta). Bread, olives, tuna mayo and a couple of anchovies, just to keep us going, then potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomato salad and mush (I will

We lost count (at least 14 we ate), they kept coming as long as we said

find out what it’s called, but it’s basically very very garlicky bread sauce) and fish. The first plate had three on, the second two, the third three and then I lost count, but they kept coming, and coming. I’m so pleased we arrived early and had chance to talk to the bbq meister because once it got busy he hadn’t a minute, nobody had empty plates, he seemed to know what everyone had, mackerel, horse mackerel, salmon, sea bass, two sorts of bream, and more, but I can’t remember... all for €14 each, add a bottle of wine, water, coffee and tip, and still change from 50! Here's a short video of our walk round the town: click here

Snapped this seagull with a tasty little crab in his beak

I call this art!

Up and back into town relatively early the next day too. To catch the ferry out to Culatra island. We got off at the lighthouse and walked the 4km to the other end in time to catch the next ferry back to the mainland. We had actually been aiming at the one after that, expecting to eat on the islands, but the options were a little lacking on a Thursday in February so we hopped back on the boat and ate on the mainland. There was meant to be a walk through the dunes, but we couldn’t find it, and they are protected so you can’t just go ambling, so the beach it was! Here's a short video with photos of our boat ride and walk: click here

The interesting back streets of Olhão

And interesting cats too - do you think he's comfy?

We moved on today to Alvor, not sure why here except that I read you can still free camp for a couple of days, by the sports ground, maybe, except it’s weekend, and wild camping has virtually been banned in Portugal, so we are on a campsite. Not quite as big as the last, and with pool, shop and restaurant, though I have yet to explore. The book exchange is in reception, so that’s a plus, but the vibe is totally different. We are parked as far away as is humanly possible and have yet to go into town, but having realised we can only do justice to a tiny part of Portugal we may just stay here, before doing a mad dash for our ferry in a fortnights time! Campsite location: 37°08'02.8"N 8°35'14.5"W

She didn't mention this ship moored in the harbour at Olhão. It's called the Bom Sucesso, which means Good Luck or Good Success and this is a replica of the original that sailed across the Atlantic to Brazil in 1808 with only rudimentary navigation equipment on board, in order to tell the exiled king D. João VI that Napolean and the French had finally been expelled from Portugal and he can return home. The king gave the town the honourary title of Olhão the village of the Restoration in thanks

We had a little visitor at the Olhão campsite. She hopped into Big Ted, had a good look round, hopped up onto our bed and fell asleep for an hour or so. We had several subsequent visits from her

Storks nesting on top of two chimneys in Olhão

On our boat trip out to Cultara Island. It's all very low lying here and the town of Olhão is protected from the sea by a number of low sandy islands. Most of them are uninhabited, but a couple have small populations living on them. Cultara is one and has three small villages along its 9 or so km length. The ferry wends it's way through the channels separating them, making sure it sticks to the buoys to avoid grounding and stops at firstly at Cultara village in the centre and then goes on to Farol village on the western tip. We decided to get off at Farol and walk back over the dunes to Cultara, have lunch and the catch the ferry back...

Here we've just arrived at Farol. There are no cars on the island and actually no hard path surfaces connecting the villages, only tracks in the sand...

Here we are at the end of Farol village...

From here it's a 4km walk to Cultara village. The sand was really soft, so we tried to walk as close to the sea as possible where it was slightly firmer, but the Atlantic breakers rolled in really quickly requiring a quick jog inland on occasions. With no real purchase on the soft sand it made the 4km feel much longer and we felt we'd had a really good workout

Finally we got to a boardwalk that took us from the south beach across the island to the village on the north, what a relief!

We actually did really good time, but finding no restaurants we liked the look of on the island we waited on the dock and got the next ferry back

One more visit this morning from the camp cat before we packed up and drove for two hours to Alvor, our next stop

So here we are on a lovely spacious pitch in our Alvor campsite. For €16 a night we've got electric hookup, wifi that works reasonably well, toilets, showers and washing up facilities about 20m away, sunshine and warm enough to sit out in t shirts, birds singing in the trees. This is what we came away for! We originally planned to stay here 3 nights, but we might throw our itinerary away and stay here longer, making a dash for the Santander ferry on 26th. We can do more of Portugal another time! There's beach less than 2km away, a long boardwalk through a nature reserve nearby and a town with lots of bars. That'll do - there's sparkling wine in the fridge, we have plenty of snacks and food, there's a Portuguese restaurant bar on site and, Jackie has found out, an English pub as well. Chill out time!