Jo’s Monday walk : Praia da Rocha

Winter in the Algarve- the deserted beach at Praia da Rocha

Winter in the Algarve- the deserted beach at Praia da Rocha

Despite the high rise, I’m sure you can see the attraction?  Praia da Rocha was the Algarve’s earliest resort, and it still makes a pleasant place for a winter stroll.  I don’t have much time to create a walk post, having just arrived home, so I’ll be starting you off very gently.

Praia da Rocha and the city of Portimão meld into one where the River Arade empties into the Atlantic Ocean, on Portugal’s southern coast.  Next week we can wander the river bank at leisure, but let’s start simply, with the beach, shall we?

Smart hotels line the promenade

Smart hotels line the promenade

In contrast, the remains of the 17th century Fortress of Santa Catarina de Ribamar come as something of a surprise. Testimony to the days when pirate corsairs raided these shores.

Pirates beware!

Pirates beware!

But these days it's more of a look out

But these days it’s more of a look out

And isn’t that the most inviting causeway stretching out into the sea?  I think I can spy a lighthouse at the end.  Zip your jacket up!  A windsurfer or two is testing the breeze.

The empty beach tells it's own story!

The empty beach tells it’s own story

I bet those waves are cool!
Still quite a way to go
Just a puff of cloud on the horizon
But here we are at the lighthouse
Hiding from that breeze!
And playing with the shadows

And playing with the shadows

Collar huddled against that bracing wind, it’s a brisk stride back to the shelter of the cliffs.  You can feel yourself relax then, as the warmth tickles your shoulder blades.

Near perfect weather for sailing

Near perfect weather for sailing

But it’s the boardwalk that beckons, and those mysterious stacks at the end of the beach.

You can walk back along the beach, admiring the cliff face in detail, or return to the cliff top. There are several sets of steps.  Most of the available parking is around the marina, at the east end of the resort.  Let’s just pop our noses in there first, then go looking for something to eat.

Take your pick!

Take your pick!

If you’re not too hungry, you can wander out around the marina.  There are plenty of restaurants to choose from, even though many close in the winter.  I’m moving on to Portimão, and I hope you’ll join me there, next Monday.

walking logo

I had a wonderful two weeks ‘away from it all’, and I have so many of you to catch up with! Thank you for your patience.  I’ll stop by as soon as I can.  Meantime, there are some wonderful walks to share.  Some of you have been very diligent.  For anyone new to my walks, the logo or my Monday walks page will give you more details.  Goodness- I’m on to my second cuppa already!

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Any of you know Warsaw?  That’s where my lovely friend Meg is right now, visiting family   :

Shopping in Praga

Paula has been checking out ‘restless fliers’ in Zagreb.  No, nothing to do with me!

Shooting birds on the lake

I can’t ski but I’m always game for a chair lift or two!  Thanks, Drake  :

Off-white or rough white

Two Megs this week, just to confuse you!  This one’s in Virginia  :

A Winter walk

Lucy often stays in Paris, lucky lady!  Share a beautiful walk with her in St. Germain  :

The streets of St. Germain

What about a little poetry next?  And a classic from Dionne Warwick- thanks, Esther  :

Walk on By

Amy really does take wonderful photos.  Just check these out!  :

Architecture walking tour of downtown Fort Worth

Welcome to Anabel, who introduces us to a beautiful light show in Glasgow Botanic Gardens.  Jude- you’ll like this!

Electric Gardens

And you can rely on Elena for quirky!

Hundertwasser House in Vienna

I’ve always wanted to visit the Far East, so I’m very happy to tour Vientiane with Colibrist  :

Experimental travel in Vientiane, Laos

Who wouldn’t want to eat with Yvette, and share music with Frizz?  What a combination!

Pasto Italiano (and Belichick quote)

Or maybe try beachcombing with Tobias  :

A Walcheren walk

The Eternal Traveler has joined us this week with some stunning views of Japan.  I’m so jealous!

Unusual, unexpected, unbelievable

I’m delighted to end with lovely Sherri Matthews.  You can’t help but enjoy her stories  :

Virginia Woolf’s Round House and Lewes Priory

That’s it for this week, folks.  I didn’t think I’d make it!  Thank you for all your brilliant contributions, and I can’t wait to see what next week brings.  Have a good one!

133 comments

  1. Pingback: Walking in the mountains above Interlaken | Elizabeth Krall Photos

  2. I’m not surprised you enjoyed your time away, that walk was a really wonderful one and such interesting sight to capture your attention. Thanks for taking me someone new Jo and welcome back! 🙂

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  3. Hi Jo, The sky is so beautifully blue its hard to believe to it’s winter! And what an interesting variety of walks to follow as well. Of course I had to follow Colourist around Vientiane and check out some of my favourite haunts through their eyes because we visited the city ourselves only a few days later, at the very beginning of January.

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    1. Hi Jill! Are you still in exotic parts? I’m seriously out of touch but I seem to remember you were going travelling? I’ll be along later to check. I’m in a dizzy whirl of catch up right now. There are some terrific shares, aren’t there, but you can spend hours on the post! 🙂

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    1. Good morning, Meg! 🙂 I’ve just started off on ‘my rounds’ to try and catch up with a few folk. Where to start??? We have a beautiful sunrise but it’s only 1C 🙂 How are you faring over there? I’m forgetting it will be just as colder, or colder! How are the little ones? Thank you for your shares. I will head over to yours asap. Big hugs! 🙂

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  6. I’ve been “away from it all” myself, for the last week or so. Just a quick pit stop before I go away again. Lovely walk, Jo. Will be back to read/ see more of your adventures.

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    1. I like to share a little background and history when I do have time, Gilly, but I thought with Praia da Rocha I could just go with the pictures. They tell their own story, don’t they? Hope to catch up with you soon, hon. 🙂

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  9. Nice to see you again, Jo. Lovely photos, especially the lighthouse and the shadow one. I’ll take the third boat from the right in the front row, although either of the little sailboats would do, if they come complete with one of those skippers. Thanks. 🙂 xx

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  10. Jo is back! Thank goodness! WordPress just is not the same without you and your fun, happy posts. You’ve made up for it by taking us on your walk through Praia da Rocha and sharing your gorgeous photographs. For some reason, the name Praia da Rocha reminds me of the cha cha and makes me want to dance! I know. A scary thought!

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    1. Well, it’s Carnival this weekend, Elisa- it’s allowed! 🙂 🙂 We went to the grand parade in Loule on Saturday and there was some toe-tapping going on. All those ladies shaking their assets at Michael! He was almost overcome 🙂
      Thanks for the kind words.

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  11. Hi Jo. Having found you in the last week or so, I’ve waited to post something to test whether this is the sort of thing that interests you. I do a lot of walking and have several posts to call on, if they are the sort of thing. This one is part one of three when my son and I walked the Suffolk 60, the coastal path that runs from Lowestoft on the Norfolk-Suffolk path to Felixstowe in the south. We split the walk into three days last summer.
    http://geofflepard.com/2014/08/06/youll-never-walk-alone-part-one/
    For anyone reading there is a code, for family anonymity reasons: Lawyer = son; Vet = daughter; Beautician = son’s girlfriend; Textiliste = wife; Dog = er the dog. Enjoy.

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  12. A perfect walk, Jo, for this snap of a snowstorm yesterday and today.

    I wasn’t sure where The Algarves was, but see you mentioned Portugal. It’s so interesting as a resident of our spacious US to read how many of you zip from country to country. We do that state-to-state, but it seems far more exotic when you do it 😋 i have a Brit friend who’s lived here ‘forever’ but she often talks about her father owning a house in Portugal where they’d go in the summer, and their ‘rustic’ old car they’d take on adventures.

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    1. We have a wonderful old car, Sammy, but I’m not sure that it would make it to the Algarve. 🙂 It’s a 2 and a half/3 hours flight and prices are good so flying’s the option. (plus Mick has little tolerance for distance driving these days)
      Gosh, but you guys have been having a lot of snow! 😦

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      1. Not us so much here in Denver – Hub has actually been golfing until yesterday when it got cold and an overnight snowfall. Our mtns have a lot, but we’re next to foothills so it passes us and dumps on the Midwest and East coast. Denver has relatively mild winters ( but I’d still love a beach!)

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  13. Welcome back Jo. I hope you had a marvelous time away. Loving this beach walk so very much. The photo with the remains of the 17th century Fortress of Santa Catarina de Ribamar is my top pick. What an unusual contrast.

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    1. Hiya, Sue! 🙂 Sorry I couldn’t keep up while I was away. Not having Internet at the house is both a blessing and a curse 🙂 I do enjoy being free of it for a while though. Gives me plenty of time to go a-roving.

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  17. Welcome home Jo, I missed you! Oh just look at those beaches, that blue sky, the views, the lighthouse…I just know you will have so much to share. And thanks for adding my walk link, goodness, you had a lot of walks to return home to, you must be exhausted! Hope you get back into the swing of things soon – you did amazingly to get this post out, you really did. See you soon 🙂

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  18. Pingback: Jo's Monday walk : Praia da Rocha

  19. It looks like you had the entire beach to yourself; lucky you. I particularly like the shot from the fortress. Nothing better than heart warming, spirit lifting blue skies, puffy clouds, a sense of history and that expanse of water to never want to leave. I can see your affinity for Portugal, but welcome back, Jo. You were missed.

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    1. Bless you, Lynne 🙂 Sometimes it’s harder to leave than others. We had a great couple of weeks with a good variety in them. No doubt I’ll start looking at flights again in a few days 🙂 Poland is likely to be next though.

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