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!