Jo’s Monday walk : Rocha da Pena

IMG_3345

Some walks are a really hard act to follow.  After last week’s Almond Blossom Trail, in blissful sunshine, I was really looking forward to taking you to the heights of Rocha da Pena.  I envisioned the landscape, dropping away below me, and my eyes gazing far out to sea. Unfortunately, the dismal cloud wrapped around the rock had other ideas.  Every day in the Algarve cannot be paradise, can it?  But what I can offer you is good company, some wonderful plant species, and… oh, yes- cake!  What’s a little drizzle between friends?

The drive out into the Algarve countryside is beautiful in itself.  A little challenging, and you do have to like hairpin bends.  This is another walk that features in the Walking Trails in the Algarve, (p.72) and once you arrive the signage is good.  The walk begins beside a cafe, Bar das Grutas, and a strong coffee is just the thing to set you up.  Don’t expect a smile from the proprietor, however.  Or maybe it was just the weather!  Taking a look at those clouds, I think we’d better get going!

It’s uphill, of course, but not too steep, and there’s plenty to hold your interest.  Plants nestle in unsuspected places.  I’m walking with a group and every now and then a voice sings out ‘don’t miss this one!’  I’m being teased a little, but I like it.  The challenge is to keep up with the group, yet still record my individual delights.

IMG_3339

There are a few signboards, pointing out things of interest, and I’m reminded of the fires that swept this mountain range, soon after we’d bought our Algarve home.  Driving along the coast, or even down on the beach, a black pall of smoke could be seen on the horizon.  It must have been terrifying to be up here, as the fires raged for 4 days, in 2004.  Hard to imagine on this moist day, when so much has renewed and revitalised.

I’m soon on the hunt for the wild bee orchids which, I discover, like this predominantly calcareous outcrop.  I can’t be cross with the weather when I learn that late January/early February is the perfect time to see them, rain or shine.  The plateau rises to a height of 479 metres at Talefe, which roughly translates as ‘trig point’.  All this richness and diversity has led to the Rocha being a ‘Special Protected Area’, by law.

The boards also refer to narcissus calcicola, which I take to be a simple daffodil. I’m wildly excited when I come upon a carpet of these tiny beauties, so much smaller than any I have seen before.  I think I probably have more than one variety here.

IMG_3373

Up on the heights, with the daffodils, lie the remains of a defensive stone wall, believed to date back to the Iron Age.  It’s been attributed to Celtic people who lived on the Iberian peninsula in pre-Roman times. (6th-1st century BC)

There are caves you can explore, currently inhabited by two locally endangered species of bat.  The largest cave, known as ‘Moor’s Grotto’, was used as a final desperate refuge in the 13th century, according to legend.  The Almohad Moors tried to hide there, before being slain by the Portuguese troops of King Afonso III.

After a speck or two of drizzle, a tantalising glimpse of hazy sunlight appears in the distance, as we drop back down the trail.  I look wistfully towards the open door of an unlikely ‘Mini Museum’ in the village of Penina, quietly going about it’s business.  But my walking friends have lunch firmly in mind.  No loitering allowed!  I guess I’ll have to come back, on a sunnier day, and perhaps do the walk in reverse.

If you’re thinking you’ve seen that door before somewhere, it was one of many in Life is full of choices.  Within a matter of minutes we’re back to our start point, and not a moment too soon as the skies open.  The Bar das Grutas supplies food, but we hop into cars and head for the village of São Romão, near São Bras de Alportel, where we have a reservation.  A warm welcome awaits us at Cafe Correia.  And cake, of course!

I’m including a link to an excellent website, Walk Algarve, where you will find full details of the geology, and flora and fauna to be found at Rocha da Pena, with a little more history.  And now, that cake’s made me thirsty.  Time to put the kettle on.

walking logo

Thanks everybody for keeping me company on my walks, and for entertaining me with yours.  I hope you enjoyed this one and, if you have a walk you’d like to share, details can be found on my Jo’s Monday walks page.  Just click on the logo above.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I’m not a huge fan of snow but if anything could persuade me… Anabel just might :

Canadian Rockies : Lake Louise

And Colline gave it a good try!  Canada definitely seems to be the place for it :

A Walk in the Snow

Come over to the ‘dark side’ with Drake?  He does it beautifully!

Abandoned walk

Congratulate Jesh?  She deserves it!

A Short Diversion

Me and Jackie, still singing, down Mexico way!  And why wouldn’t we?

Monday walk : Guadalajara

Jaspa does go to some fascinating places!  I’d really like to visit this one :

The Templar Tunnels of Acre, Israel 

A little summertime warmth, Down Under, with Rosemay would be good too :

The French Connection : Bunker Bay

Geoff and his dog go bounding through the sand dunes!

Life’s a Beach#glorioussuffolk 

While Snowdon Student takes a break from his studies to head for the hills again :

Relaxing by Llyn Idwal

Jude is busy getting ready to move to Cornwall, but still found time to share.  That’s a friend for you!

Scrobbesbyrig/Shrewsbury : Town Trail Part 1 

It looks a bit busy in Macau, for me.  Anyone been there?  Thanks, Lee Ann!

A stroll through the Old Town of Macau

Pauline gave me an early morning nudge this morning!

Early morning beach walk

I’m well and truly re-acclimatised to the UK again.  Not sure where to take you next week, but I’m pretty sure we’ll be walking somewhere.  Many thanks again, and I hope you all have a great week!

179 comments

  5. Orchids, daffodils, cake! What’s not to like about this post – and you did all the walking too 🙂
    Need to go to bed, but so much crowding my mind at the moment i only get to visit blogs far too late. I will be back to check on the other walks. Promise. Just have a few lists to do…

    Like

    Reply

    1. Good morning, list maker! 🙂 Wonderful sunrise and the weather is perking up nicely here (yes, yes, I know it’s cold- you can’t have everything! ) Just think how bee-ooo-tiful it will be in Cornwall! 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

      Reply

      2. Don’t be daft! It’s bound to with things in boxes. Get yourself out for a breath of air. I’ve just been to the beach- different one 🙂 Need to come and see your Seasons but I’m hunting something out for Sherri, emailing Paula and making corned beef pie. Well, one of those options! I’ll get to you eventually and then I need to do some playing with flowers. 🙂 🙂

        Like

    2. Thanks, Debs! I have the feeling I’ve woken up in the wrong country because the sun is glinting away in the sky. 🙂 I’ve done a couple of UK walks already- nowhere new, but maybe entertaining. We’ll see 🙂

      Like

      Reply
  7. Pingback: Broadstairs to Margate: an easy coastal walk | Travel with Intent

  8. Regardless of the weather you made it an interesting walk Jo by showing the flowers.
    Especially the ones struggling up between the crevices of rocks.
    You don’t let us miss wondrous little things that make your walks delightful. _/\_

    Like

    Reply

  11. A lovely orchid, and delicate daffodils – I love the thought of daffodils in the wild. You expressed the dilemma of walking with a group so well. However I wish you’d stop tempting with cake. I’ve taken an oath against it.

    Like

    Reply

    1. For Lent, or permanently? It’s the others who keep demanding cake or sulking, Meg. You know what they’re like. 🙂 Did you look at the Walk Algarve site? You can identify all the individual orchids from there.

      Like

      Reply

      2. Oh, I’m OK thanks, Jo…just been rather busy and preoccupied. And look like being so for a while…I shall dip in and out of blogs when I can

        Like

  15. Oh how I envy you the orchids! and the daffodils are fab, the ones that look like little skirts are cultivated here, I’m sure Jude knows the name. Meg of course will love the rock, is there copper in those hills? What’s going on with the almond thingy? and did you have two pieces of cake, good girl!

    Like

    Reply

    1. No, Mick had the strawberry one. I don’t like jelly stuff (rolls eyes 🙂 ) Hadn’t a clue what you meant about the almond thingy, but you must be referring to the fonte? The white circular ‘thingy’. It’s the site of a spring that would have been used for laundry, Gilly 🙂

      Like

      Reply

      2. I’ve magnified it as big as I can on the original and it’s still quite hard to read (as well as the fact that my Portuguese is extremely limited 🙂 ) Something about being born and drinking???? Sorry! 😦 😦

        Like

    1. It’s a place I’ve intended to visit for a long while, Seonaid. It’s too hot by far in the summer and the grey weather wasn’t all that disappointing when I started spotting the orchids. 🙂 Thanks, hon! All ok with you?

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  19. fantastica esposizione di orchidee selvatice, e di altri magnifici fiori spontanei che nulla hanno da invidiare a quelli ibridati.Adoro quella flora e quei belliissimi angoli di vegetazione mediterranea, un piccolo paradiso terrestre…senza trascurare quello culinario
    benritrovata amica Jo

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.