Jo’s Monday walk : Falesia beach

Falesia Beach has its share of plant life

Reach for the skies!

Back to the beach this week!  Well, we are in the Algarve, aren’t we?  It would be rude not to.

Falesia Beach is quite central to the Algarve and runs from Vilamoura, with its huge array of yachts, to Olhos d’Agua, a smaller resort on the run up to Albufeira.  It won’t really require me to say much, as the photos pretty much speak for themselves.  I should warn you though that if you intend to do much of the clifftop you will require the agility of a mountain goat.  But we can worry about that part later, or simply stay on the beach.

Something of an unexpected sight
But you know I love a boardwalk

There is ample parking at the western end of Vilamoura, beyond the enormous marina.  At the eastern end of the resort, hotels back on to the shoreline, but to the west the red cliffs begin a steady ascent.  A bridge carries you from the car park across a canal and onto the boardwalk. From here you can see for miles.

A path runs along the back of the beach

A path runs along the back of the beach

The cliff shapes are quite captivating
With lumps and bumps everywhere
And a quantity of grass too
Aloe Vera grow freely too

Aloe Vera grow freely

I am mesmerised by the shapes and colours

I am mesmerised by the shapes and colours

At intervals there are steps up to the cliffs

At intervals there are steps up to the cliffs

Those leggy trees that I love poke through the grasses

Those leggy trees that I love poke through the grasses

And the cliffs grow ever steeper

And the cliffs grow ever steeper

The colours begin to vary
And tiny flowers battle for space
Beneath the towering giants
Can you see anyone on the tops?

Can you see anyone on the tops?

From time to time a couple of people will appear up there, peer down and then disappear from sight.  I’m quite keen to follow some of the cliff top trail, but I know that it is a little rugged in places. (I once attempted part of it in flipflops- not a good idea!)

There are lots of ups and downs

There are lots of ups and downs!

You might have been wondering about the beach?  I’m sorry!  I do tend to get engrossed in the patterns on the cliff face.

Here it is!

Here it is!

Often the blue skies are deceptive but this particular Winter’s day in the Algarve was balmy. Before climbing up the cliff, I sat for a while, just absorbing the sun’s rays.

A sheltered spot to relax

A sheltered spot to relax

Directly from the beach a flight of not very steep steps led up to a hotel complex, nestled among pines.  From here it was easy to head back towards Vilamoura, along the cliff top.

For a moment the sun hid behind a cloud
This pink beauty craved my attention
Looking back along the cliffs

You may remember my saying that the cliffs were fit only for goats.  There are some stretches that are fairly level and you can choose to descend to the beach if the going gets too rough. A couple of flights of steps lead down.

Steep gullies
In places the pines are quite dense
Back to the beach
Just one last look!

Just one last look!

And then it’s safely back to earth.  I hope you agree it was worth a little bit of climbing for those views.  And when you get back to Vilamoura there are plenty of places to eat and relax.

walking logo

I’d love it if you could join me with a walk of your own.  It can be long, short, or in between- I really don’t mind.  For details just click on my logo, or go to my Jo’s Monday walk page. It’s time to say a big thank you to my contributors again this week.  Let’s put the kettle on, sit back and enjoy!

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The last of Jude’s Australian walks.  Oh NO!

Oasis in the Suburbs

A trip to the loo, with Esther?  And a poem to make you smile :

A walk in the dark

A tour of Old Montreal, for history and culture lovers.  Thanks, Ana!

Walking tour of Old Montreal

Or an eating frenzy in Vegas with drums and Boba tea?

Chinese New Year at China Town in Las Vegas

These salt fields look very like those in the Algarve, but Kampot is totally different :

Kampot : Colonial town and salt fields

Back to Suffolk with Geoff now.  Hope you don’t mind a drop of rain?

Wet, wet, wet- You’ll never walk alone part 2

A little damp on the streets of Strasbourg too, but we can take the trolley!

Walk right In

And finally, Pauline (and Jack) take us to a pretty rural village :

March 1st and a walk through Tyalgum

You can’t beat that for variety, can you?  So glad you could join me.  I hope you have a happy week and some great walks.  You might need to wrap up warm!

153 comments

      1. I think he is right Jo! It is definitely not aloe vera anyway. Difficult to tell whether they are aloes or agaves from the photo. There are so many varieties of both plants!

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  3. You see so much on your walks that most of us would just pass on by. My favorite picture is the one with the sea, the beach with footprints and the cliffs. 🙂

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    1. My husband does, Esther! He’s usually lingering at the edge of my photos thinking ‘what’s she shooting now?’ Impatient tapping of toes! Fortunately, I can’t hear them on the sand 🙂 He could always sit down.

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  8. I fall in love immediately! What a beautiful beach – and it looks so quiet that feels like you had the beach all for yourself! I bookmark this Jo, who knows I will visit it someday 😉 Thank you for the inspiration!

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    1. There were a few strollers out that day, Indah. It really was warm and beautiful so I sat and waited till they were almost out of sight for my photos 🙂 You’re welcome 🙂

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    1. Oh darn! The second I saw your name in my comments, Debbie, I remembered that I intended to link this to your ‘Look up, look down’ series! It’s the perfect match, isn’t it? Too late now because most of the comments are in. I’ll have to go looking up and down somewhere else 😦
      Yes, the colouration is very reminiscent of Bryce and the canyons. It’s as near as I’ll ever get 🙂 Many thanks for joining me because I know how busy you’ve been.

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  14. Pingback: Walking the Grand Canal, California Style | Travel with Intent

  15. I have never been to the Algarve,, but you have shown me a different part of it to what I knew of.. it seems a lovely place to visit..

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  17. Amazing area, wonderful captures… 🙂

    Talking cliffs when my son was small he once asked me in the Pyrenees how the mountain goats could walk up there – with a smile I said probably their right leg were longer than their left legs – a story which still walks in our family – when he see a goat he always say with a large smile “Wow one of those goat with equal length legs”… 😀

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  18. wawwwwwwwwwwwwww mi sembra di essere nel Colorado, i colori rossastri me lo ricordano…gran belle foto Giovanna, come va, tutto bene? passa una giornata serena, un grosso bacio

    Annalisa

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    1. I always think that, too, Ventis! Our world is so varied yet so the same. We have so much to be happy for. All good with me. I’m about to go English walking soon (wrapped up warm). Take care, cara. Much love xx

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  19. Hi Jo, am not sure where to put my link in for the Japanese Tea Garden I posted for this week March 3 – please let me know – thanks! Also, thank you for commenting/likes on several of my blog posts! Love the red soil and red rocks on your beach walk of this week):

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    1. You have some nice beaches waiting for you, Tony. I don’t know the resort well but it will give you access to some beautiful places. If you are going inland Silves and Alte are a must. 🙂

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