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

  2. Those cliffs look very much as though they are constantly being eroded. I wouldn’t want to live too close to the edge! Your photos look very much like the part of the Algarve we walked along – a bit too high for the OH and his vertigo. Oh, and those tress you refer to in the grass? I do believe what you are looking at there are the (dead) flower spikes of the aloes. Some grow very tall! Such a beautiful part of the world…

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    1. The hotels are set a good way back from the cliffs, Jude, but that’s not to say they always will be. It’s very similar to the landscape around Carvoeira but Vilamoura occupies a large flat area before the cliffs begin, and that’s where most of the building is. 🙂

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  10. Came from Ladysigh’s site to yours. I had no idea where Falesia Beach was until I looked it up and to my amazement saw it’s in Portugal. I lived in Portugal in the late 60s for several months and had no idea this was there. I was pretty concentrated around Avenue de Liberadad. Beautiful photos. Thank you.

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  11. Beautiful sun, water, beach and cliffs, Jo. I could stroll for hours. It looks so pristine and remote and to think that it’s a stair climb away from civilization. Lovely pictures.

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    1. It’s right on the edge of civilisation, Lynne, and long as this beach is, you might not find too many spaces in Summer 🙂 That’s the beauty of this time of year.

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  14. I loves this walk Jo! Something for everyone. Gorgeous flat beach, cliff hikes for those who like challenge, stairs for those who fall in the middle. Wonderful views and the rock cliffs are mesmerizing in their color and textures. Great post!

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    1. Thanks a lot, Sue 🙂 I find these cliffs quite mesmerising too. Sadly, not the other half 😦 He was asleep standing up by the time I’d finished. I only took a few shots, too 🙂

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  15. You’re right, Jo, that it certainly would be rude not to go to the beach when you’re in the Algarve. This looks like a wonderful walk, and those cliffs are very photogenic. Your photos are beautiful. I’m glad they do have some steps down so you don’t have to scramble down like a billy goat. I don’t think walking in flip-flops would be a very good idea at all. 🙂 Nice to be back to following your Monday walks. xxx

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    1. Hiya Cathy 🙂 Great to have you here again but not so good for you. The adventure is over for the time being but didn’t you have a fantastic trip!!! Are you straight back into work? I’m just home from a bracing Yorkshire walk. Will pop to yours later for some excitement. Hugs, darlin’!

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      1. Hi Jo! It was a grand adventure but I have to say I was getting a little travel weary so I’m glad to be home. It will be fun to relive it all by blogging about it. Luckily I don’t have to start work until Monday, so I have some time to rest and recover. I have over 8,000 pictures, so it will be a very long and slow process, especially with my horrible internet connection. Hugs to you, Jo, and it’s good to be back to the blogging world. 🙂

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  16. Love this Jo, another envigorating walk along a beautiful beach in the Algarve. So gorgeous and refreshing. Reminds me a little of West Bay with the cliffs coming down to the sand, even in the colour. Love the pretty pink ice plant. I remember them growing everywhere in California. At nighttime they fold up don’t they, and put their little heads to bed. Then in the morning, they open up, their beautiful faces smiling into the sun 🙂

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  17. Wonderful walk, Jo. I could really do with climbing up and down those cliffs. I know it would do me a lot of good. Love that bright pink Ice Plant. We called them Vygies in South Africa, and they were everywhere in our garden. 🙂

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  20. What a beautiful walk Jo! I’m very interested in the vegetation as I’ve often wondered if there would be similarities between the Algarve and here in Perth – they are both at the western edge of continents and have Mediterranean climates. We grow aloe vera in our garden – it’s great for soothing sunburnt or dry skin! The walks along the beach look wonderful and not many people about! 🙂

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    1. Yes, you have the stacks and the red cliffs in places, don’t you? And they remind me for all the world of the American canyons. I can pretend I’m anywhere, Rosemay 🙂 Thanks for your company!

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      1. Yes we do especially in the outback area and north western WA not round Perth or the south west though. I can see the resemblance to the American canyons not that I’ve been there! Thanks I enjoyed this walk very much lovely to imagine being there too! 🙂

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