Jo’s Monday walk : Sunkissed in Serpa

Meet Serpa!  Small town Alentejo at it’s very finest. You may think I’m leading a slothful life, induced by food, wine and intoxicating sunshine, here in the Algarve, but I do occasionally stir myself to take you somewhere special.

It’s an easy whizz up the IC27 from Castro Marim, on a switchback road of magnificent views.  Suddenly you reach the extremity of the Algarve, glide across the border and hit a narrow country road.  Straights, twists and turns, endless eucalyptus trees, nesting storks and lazy cows.  Almost no people, and often you can see for miles, beyond an isolated farmhouse.  This is rural Alentejo.  A searing hot place in Summer, but a good place to be on a sunny Spring day.  Skirting around Mertola, a right turn and gentle persistence (known as N265) will bring you to sleepy Serpa.

Don’t you love these heroically gnarled olive trees?  Following signs to the historic quarter, I note the unusual chimney pots.  Narrow streets, with deep pools of shade, cutting off the sun’s glare, are very typical of this region.

It’s always a surprise to step out of the shadows into the magnificense of Praca da Republica.  Bathed in sunlight, the grey and white loses its solemnity.  Meanwhile Cafe Alentejano dispenses food to all comers, especially when it’s lunchtime for those in the grandiose council offices.  I recline, with wine, happily adjusted to this pace of life, and then nonchalantly wander, pausing to appreciate window delights.

Praca da Republica
Elegant grey and white
The council offices
Flavours of the Alentejo
Sticky pastries
The cheese festival

Steeped in history, Serpa dates back to the pre-Roman era and has, at various times, been occupied by Celts, Romans, Moors and the Spanish.  Just 30 kilometres away, Beja (known to the Romans as Pax Julia) was their southern capital of Lusitania.  Near to the Guadiana river and the border with Spain, Serpa was a defensive stronghold, belying its current peaceful nature.

Leaving the square, I’m confronted by the bell tower of a church and a mighty flight of steps.  Mounting them, I am level with the rooftops.

But the surprises don’t end there.  Turn a corner, and how about this for a castle entrance?

A nervous glance overhead and I’m into the castle forecourt and gazing around.  Plinths display remnants of gleaming stone frieze and a flight of steps leads tantalisingly aloft.  Since I was here last work has been carried out to make the castle walls more accessible (including a lift).  I climb with mounting excitement until, finally…. I can see for miles!

The castle keep was damaged  by Spanish invasion, and in 1295, following the Reconquista, King D. Dinis ordered the reconstruction of the castle and a walled fortification.  These were added to in 17th century.  I stay up there for a long time, examining each and every angle, entranced by all that I can see.  Can you spot my final destination?

Eventually the aqueduct lures me off the wall.  I can really do no better than let Becky tell you all about it.  She and her husband are enthusiasts.

My idea of a grand day out, I hope you’ve enjoyed it.  Our road home through the Alentejo was enhanced by a brief visit to Mina de S. Domingo, with it’s striking church and lakeside walks.  An adventure for another day.

It’s a stormy prospect in the Algarve this week.  Part of me hopes that it won’t disrupt tomorrow’s challenging walk, but part of me won’t mind if it does.  Becoming lazy in my old age!  Not sure if I will share a walk with you next week as I’m off to the lovely city of Jerez on Wednesday.  When I return I’ll only have a few days left in the Algarve, and plan to enjoy them.  Meantime, thanks to all my contributors.  It must be time to get that kettle on and settle in for a good read.

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Starting our walks with Anabel this week.  A little damp but lots of diversions :

Amsterdam: walking East

You could say that Jackie has a fondness for food, as well as sunshine :

Frijoles Refritos

Lady Lee loves both of those.  This is a wonderfully colourful post :

More of Singapore

It’s a white world, in Irene’s eyes, whichever way you look at it :

Opposite Sides

Something completely different from Geoff (and his Dad) :

The Old Road (with random pictures…) #dad’spoems

And from my lovely friend, Drake, who recently lost his Dad :

Cold or cool

Becky’s walk last week ended in tears, or certainly a great degree of discomfort.  Hope you’re back to normal, Robert!

Sunbathing goats, snakes and Little Owls

Staggeringly beautiful in the sunlight, join Carol, Down Under :

More than a Walk in the Park

Eunice was losing sleep over this one.  Last Drop Village sounds tempting :

A local walk in the sunshine

That’s it from me, for now.  Take good care, and join me soon for another Jo’s Monday walk!

 

105 comments

  2. Wow! I am intrigued, once again. Should we ever get around to traveling Portugal, I must make sure I visit all the places you make look so beautiful. But for now my eye travels thanks to your blog!

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    1. I make them beautiful because they are, Tobias. 🙂 🙂 I’m sure you observed trailing wires and shabbiness in there too. I just don’t choose to focus on it much. Thanks for traveling with me.

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  3. So beautiful. We have a very old olive tree like that in our own little olive grove. We really should venture over the border more often into Portugal when we’re in Spain..it’s only a few hours away and there’s so much to see.

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    1. Well, I did a little of both, but I do find it hard to sit still for long periods. 🙂 🙂 It’s raining today (much needed) and I’m wishing I had wellies to jump in the puddles.

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  7. Another fabulous walk, Jo. I love those gnarled olive trees and that entrance to the castle. It (just a little) reminds me of when you walk to the Treasury in Petra and you only get glimpses of it from between the narrow cliff-bounded passageway. I’d be a little nervous walking under that overhang. Those views from above are magnificent. I couldn’t help looking on Google Maps to see where Serpa is in relation to Evora and Tavira. It looks like it’s about midway – another 107 km to Evora from here. It truly is spring there, isn’t it? I wish I could say the same for here! Have fun seeing the horses in Jerez! 🙂

    How long is the walk you’re hoping to skip out on tomorrow? I am a member of a group called the Mid-Atlantic Hiking Group; every time you sign up for a hike you have to pay $5 and if you back out, you don’t get refunded. I had signed up for a 6 mile walk on Saturday and didn’t want to back out despite the off and on rain. It was a miserable experience, actually 6.4 miles (~10km) slogging through mud and soaked through. At least I’m toughening up for the Camino!! 🙂 Have fun!!

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    1. Walking in rain is miserable, Cathy. We have an arrangement that if it’s raining at the outset we don’t start. There isn’t a charge on ours. We’re just a group of friends. The walk is 12kms of rough track with a few steep climbs, and possibly water to cross (though all the streams have been dry so far this season. Raining a little today so who knows? 🙂 ) The reward afterwards is that we have a meal together and the restaurant tomorrow is one of our favourites. Shame we can’t just turn up at food time. 🙂 🙂
      Serpa is lovely, and so far we’ve been really lucky with the weather. Definitely Spring here and not missing the prospect of snow at home at all! Thanks, darlin!

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      1. It is misery walking in the rain, Jo. If you’re on a paved path, it’s at least a bit better than being on a muddy track! The group I go with goes rain or shine, so if you commit by paying the $5, you either go or lose it. It’s not that I mind losing $5, but it does encourage me not to be lazy and to go ahead and do it no matter what. 12km is about 7.5 miles; that’s a pretty good walk! The meal together at the end sounds like the highlight! I’m so glad you enjoyed your time in Spain. 🙂

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  10. What a fascinating and beautiful place! I might have known you’d head upwards at the first opportunity – does Mick accompany you or stay in one of the cafés reading a book and drinking coffee? The views are superb though, I’ll give you that 😀 But my favourite images are of the olives tree(s). Enjoy Jerez and the rest of your Algarve adventure. I imagine you are going to be very busy once you get back here.

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    1. Mick was up on the walls. I do have one shot of him clowning about up there but I refrained from embarrassing him. 🙂 🙂 There is a long shot of him sitting at the cafe in the main square though. He’s working at the minute because we have grey skies and rain forecast. I’ve been doing jobs and now I need some serious catch up on here. 🙂 There’s a lift, Jude, so you’d have no problem. Longish drive from here but a nice day out. And our roads are so quiet you wouldn’t know yourself! (but we’d take you) Got my tickets for the horse show- whooppee!

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  12. A very special place it is, Jo. You do toil so hard on our behalf 😉 Also love your 2nd intro para – takes us right to the place. What a castle though, and what views – inside and out. We’ve got snow flurries this morning and we’ve had to fortify selves with much porridge and maple syrup. And vests…

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  15. This place looks like a dream. Remote, off the beaten track, small, grand, architecturally interesting…. Looks like my kind of place! I love the huge rock in the first photograph and those olive trees are just something else. Like weird modern sculptures or something. Seems like a beautiful walk on a Spring day.

    Peta

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  16. Pingback: A local walk in the sunshine – Life In The Mouse House

  17. Wow – those are impressive town walls!. I was in Tenby on Saturday and that too has some pretty good surviving towns walls (much smaller though), makes you think about how we take our security for granted.

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  19. What a gorgeous place! I’m feeling quite worn to after that strenuous walk with you, so cup of tea it is.
    Have a great time in Jerez, Jo. A town that is still on my list, though what I’ve seen of that corner of Spain has always been stunning.
    And I have a walk for you this week – in Spain, so it should get you in the mood.

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    1. It really is, Debbie, and as you could see we had a gorgeous day for it. Waiting for rain today but it hasn’t happened yet. Excited about Jerez! I’ve got my tickets for the horse show 🙂 🙂

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  20. oh wow Jo the views from the castle are wonderful . . .another reason for us to go back. Looks like you had a marvelous day. Thank you also for the double links 🙂

    Hope all goes well with your Spanish trip xxx

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    1. You’re very welcome, Becky. 🙂 🙂 Saves me reiterating all the history stuff. I barely just got my walk up this morning. I don’t find my Algarve life very compatible with blogging. 🙂 What you up to today? I was going to do some catch up in this pouring rain but since it hasn’t happened yet I might put the washing in. Certain doom!

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      1. Hee hee, I know it isn’t easy. I’ve found the only way is to set aside a day a week as computer day whatever the weather, and then if it is cold or wet it is a bonus for the blog!!!

        I’ve got some work to do today – someone was meant to send me data last week for a grant application and didn’t, but has promised it today as deadline for application is Wed morning, and of course tomorrow I will lose to flying – assuming of course Gatwick is open for business!

        No sign of rain clouds over the hills here yet so think you will be fine on the washing xx

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      2. I don’t have the self discipline to do that! 🙂 Mick exchanged shorts for jeans and is working online. I took the washing back in and of course it’s brightened. 🙂 Safe trip home and I hope it’s not too horrendous. Wish I was coming back here soon, but clinging to every day and very excited for Jerez. Got tickets for the dancing horses. 🙂 🙂

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