The mother church at Estoi
Do you remember the lovely palace gardens at Estoi in the Algarve? I was there last November for a Garden Fair. Always on the lookout for somewhere new to walk, I sat up and took notice when, advertised in the ‘Portugal News’, I spotted a guided walk in the countryside surrounding Estoi.
The village of Estoi makes a pleasant enough wander in itself, and so, one surprisingly warm April Saturday, I joined up with the group of walkers. A young man called Chris was our walk leader. After gathering up his flock by the church steps in the main square, he set off, at a fair pace. A little too fair, in all probability, for someone who loves the distraction of wild flowers. But I managed to keep up… mostly!
The sky patterns were bewitching that day!
I was really taken with the views
In no time we’d turned down a trail that threaded round behind the village. I chatted companionably with several of the walkers, eager as always to exchange titbits of information. And then I became hopelessly distracted by the flowers. The red soil appeared quite dry, but from beneath every rock there peeped a smudge of colour.
Growing wild and free
The occasional farmhouse appeared, with its noisy dogs, and we passed by a field of melons. I don’t recall ever seeing melons grow, but was assured that this was a melon crop. A wild iris stretched shyly in the gentlest breeze. But the stars of the show for me, the gaily abandoned hot pink of the small rock cistus.
Who can ignore these?
Profusely growing wild sage, lavender (both green and lilac shades), not to mention the less flamboyant white cistus- each had found a place. An Algarve Spring has a wealth of treasures.
Click any photo in the gallery to walk with me
I continued to chat whenever I fell in step with someone. Hearing interesting stories. We were nearing the end of the walk when my then companion said ‘ah, I remember this!’ A group of the walkers had gathered to look through a high wire fence. What was the attraction? Unfortunately, by the time I got there the creatures had turned their back, and I didn’t manage much of a photo.
Who’d have expected an ostrich farm in the Algarve?
I hope you enjoyed my walk around Estoi this week. ‘Let’s walk’ advertises in the Portugal News. It cost 5 euros to join the walk, which lasted about 2 and a half hours. See Portugal Walks website for details. The walks cease in the hot summer months.
Many thanks again for your company. I hope you’ve got the kettle on for a good read!
For details of how to join in with Jo’s Monday walk, please click on the logo to go to my page. Thanks to everyone for all your wonderful contributions.
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First of all, Drake takes us back to the time when he was a baby duck!
Memory walk through the village
Then Meg meets a friend and shows us around Poznan, in Poland :
It’s years since I was in our Lake District, but Anabel’s posts make me want to go back!
Lake District walks : Silver How
Every now and then I let someone ‘cheat’. Especially when the alternative is very wet!
Sometimes the beauty of our landscape just takes my breath away. See what I mean, with Amy :
Monday walk : Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Jude, meanwhile, is ‘at home’ in Cornwall. Or hopes she soon will be!
And in Scotland’s beautiful capital, Geoff climbs Calton Hill :
Finally, say hello to a newcomer, Ruth :
Yet again I’m scheduling this walk because when you read it I should be returning from the Norfolk Broads (no rest for the wicked!). I should be back in time to chat with you on Monday evening. Take care till then.
restlessjo 
For $5 I would take a walk. It is interesting what you encounter and you get to know your town and meet interesting people. Quite a bargain!
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There were about 30 people walking, Bebs, so it was a nice little afternoon earner for Chris, and a lot of pleasure for us. 🙂
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I love each and every photo, Jo. There’s so much to see and notice on your walk. I’ve taken walking tours when vacationing and right in the area where I live….one can learn a lot about a place. Thanks!!
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It’s something I like to do because I’m awfully good at getting lost on my own. 🙂 It doesn’t produce the best photos, but it’s usually interesting. Thanks for your company 🙂
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What a pretty walk, and so much to see – thanks for taking us along. I LOVE the sky!
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It really was quite an amazing sky that day, Elaine. Thanks for joining me 🙂
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Here you go, Jo. My last section of the Thames path, finished this weekend. http://geofflepard.com/2015/06/08/ending-it-all-the-thames-path-and-reaching-the-source/
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Thanks Geoff- I’m running late tonight but should get there soonish 🙂
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What a lovely sunny walk, I have no idea how you kept up whilst taking all those photos, but I am glad you did! I love seeing wild flowers on a walk and I am having such fun in Cornwall with the hedgerows and stone walls simply teeming with flowers. Sadly today I had a problem with my camera card and lost all the images taken at Cape Cornwall – I am very disappointed 😦
Maybe I’ll get a chance to go back there before we leave, though whether I shall have the energy to climb up to the summit again I don’t know!
My walk for you this week is from April’s visit to Boscastle: https://smallbluegreenwords.wordpress.com/2015/06/08/boscastle-harbour-walk/
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What a horrible thing to happen, Jude! Thanks, hon. Will visit soon 🙂
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Quite. I had some good landscapes too – the weather was perfect!
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The ostrich farm was totally unexpected! The ostrich made me laugh actually. Seems one of those life-is-full-of-surprises moments.
But what a lovely walk. Love the flowers and the look through the archways.
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I thought I was seeing things initially, Linda, but then, so was everybody else 🙂 🙂
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another lovely walk, Jo! beautiful church and pretty flowers along the way. thanks for sharing 🙂
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It seems so long ago, with all this whizzing about, LolaWi, but the photos brought back a smile 🙂
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Lovely skies, gorgeous flowers, stone walls that rise from the ground. What a place, and how wonderfully you caught it in your photos.
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The skies were amazing that day… and I can still feel the heat, just looking at the photos 🙂 Thank you!
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a) Gorgeous! b) Thank you!
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a) I agree! b) Thank you, too 🙂 🙂
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I fell in love with your photos!
You caught the very soul of that region , in Portugal, with those skies, those flowers and the typical architecture!
Thanks for this share!
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That’s so kind of you! I’m happy you like it 🙂
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A great walk Jo! The clouds were amazing!
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I really loved the skies that day, Aletta. 🙂 It was hot but a lovely walk.
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Thank you for sharing another beautiful and pleasant walk, Jo! Here is my entry:
https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2015/06/08/monday-walk-mules-bikers-hikers-deer/
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Thanks, Amy 🙂 I just found time to visit last night, before I crawled into bed. It was a long day, travelling home 🙂
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I sensed that you might have a long day. Thank you so much for finding time to stop by. Hope today is a better day for you. 🙂
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That’s kind of you, Amy. 🙂 It’s beautiful and sunny here but we’re having our garden fences replaced, so I’m kind of hovering with cups of tea 🙂
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Ah…the sun, garden, how beautiful… I should make myself a cups of morning tea. 🙂
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Great walk Jo, I feel totally refreshed by the sea this morning. The flowers are cheerful with lovely colors.
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When I look at the photos I can still feel the heat, Mary! 🙂 It was a lovely day.
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The sky, flowers and stone are such lovely colors. What a fantastic walk. 🙂
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Spring in the Algarve is a wonderful season, Lisa. So much colour, everywhere, and against the red soil it’s lovely. 🙂
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Another two incentives to visit Portugal – your wonderful photos and eye for diversity, and the link you give to guided walks. My arrogance is slowly being nibbled away and I’m beginning to admit that other people may be able to show me something I don’t know. About time!
I’m a sucker for your skies, flowers, ruins and fire hydrant – the latter a particular favourite for its colour and background.
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I walked past then just had to backtrack for the hydrant. Such a cheerful soul 🙂 Thanks, Meg!
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As much as I like a guided walk, Jo, I would be the lagging one for sure. Ron would probably be banned, but those skies, flowers and views are enchanting. The bonus, of course, is an ostrich. 🌺
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I’s certainly not every day that I come across an ostrich or 3, Lynne- even though they didn’t want to know me 🙂
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Lovely walk!!
Here’s mine http://junkboattravels.blogspot.ca/2015/06/monday-walks_7.html
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Many thanks! 🙂 🙂
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What a delightful walk with blue skies and beautiful views and flowers 🙂 Did the ostrich run away from you? 😀
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There were 3 of them, Indah, and they didn’t so much run as disdainfully turn their backs 🙂 It was fabulous weather so I forgave them 🙂
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