Jo’s Monday walk : From Bay to Beautiful Bay

You’ll be happy to know that I was properly shod for this little expedition.  Relatively speaking, of course!  But then, I wasn’t going to The end of the world.  It’s amazing how far you can actually see, round this wonderful coastline.  The cliffs seem to roll on and on.  Here I’m standing, in the fresh wind I’d been longing for, looking down on Praia do Tonel.  Ahead lies the Sagres promontory.  Behind me, a modest little pottery shop.

The commanding fortress looks out to sea in all directions.  Built in the time of Prince Henry the Navigator, its most distinctive feature is the compass rose, a giant pebble compass, 43 metres in diameter.  Within the fortress, Nossa Senhora de Graca dates from 1579, replacing the original chapel built for Henry in 1459.  He spent much of his later life here, dying in 1460.

The sea sucks greedily at the cliffs, battering its way in on the calmest of days.  It’s a place to be in awe of nature, yet fishermen cast their rods with the nonchalance of familiarity, from the most precarious nooks and crannies in the rock face.

From the solid entrance to the fortress, Rua da Fortaleza gradually dwindles into Sagres, the cobbles culminating in a timeless square, the heart of the community.  My visit coincides with an easing of restrictions related to lockdown and Covid-19.  Caution is in the air and people are sparse, yet there’s a peace and calm to this sun-soaked spot.  It’s not hard to linger here, sheltered from the wind, and indulge and daydream a little.

Reluctantly I move on.  Curving round the cliff tops, views sweep down to Praia da Mareta and across the bay.  The sun is gaining strength as I follow the road past an old school, converted to a café, and a straggle of surf shops, eating establishments and a tiny post office.  The signs are leading me to Praia da Baleeira and the old port.

From here the lookout is to distant Praia do Martinhal.  The bay is protected by the four islets lined up on the horizon.  It’s a bustling port area, temporarily becalmed.  The small cove has tempted just a few to frolic on the sands.

I’m pleasantly tired now, and climb back up the steep cliff, passing the pretty tasca with the incomparable view, to a more modest eatery, where the locals happily pass the time of day.  I try to catch a few scraps of gossip while gazing out across the bay.

walking logo

I hope you enjoyed a wander across Sagres.  Even in high summer it’s a place where you need a warm jacket early morning, and certainly when the mist creeps in on an evening.  I’d love to see it with the sea raging and storming those cliffs.  For now I’m content to share a few walks.  Many thanks to all of you who keep them coming.

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Carol has shared some truly spectacular scenery from Australia :

Rain in the Rainforest

Cloud Shapes

A Walk in the Forest

While Marion treads carefully on limestone pavement in Yorkshire :

Malham Cove

And speaking of limestone, Drake introduces us to a rather special one :

Some answers blow in the wind

While, just across the water, we are…

Surrounded by horizons

An early start and a bit of a climb certainly didn’t daunt Albert :

Jerrabomberra Mountain Reserve-Summit Walk

Nor is there any reason to stay at home with local views like this!

A Walk in the Woods – or beating those stay-cation blues!

Walking doesn’t have to be restricted to Mondays.  Whatever suits you, Colline  🙂

A Sunday Stroll

Rupali enjoys taking us out for the day and exploring her beautiful world :

Weekend 101 -Hiking

Finding sanctuary in nature

While Susan finds delight in the simplest of pleasures :

Walking the urban forest

Natalie always manages to keep herself busy, no matter where :

Summer Week 4 :Trillium Park

It’s a long while since I’ve been to Morecambe Bay, and I’m happy to do it in Eunice’s company :

Morecambe promenade – south to north

How about this for a grand finale?  A fabulous post from Sheetal :

The Ultimate Guide to Florence

Rather a lot of shares this week.  Please visit where you can, and apologies for anyone I’ve missed.  I’m temporarily becalmed myself, after a wonderful family visit.  Take care all, and have a good week.

144 comments

  1. I had to google Sagres after seeing this beautiful post Jo. The sky looks extraordinarily blue and the surf spectacularly rushes to the shore. Even the pottery shop with its eye catching front was so charming. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk , seeing your part of the world through your lens and words, ‘it’s hard not to linger here, sheltered from the wind and indulge and daydream a little’. I agree.
    Also thanks for linking my post ! 😊 ( that’s me grinning from ear to ear)

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    1. Where I live in the Algarve is relatively flat, with offshore barrier islands, Sheetal, but the serious cliffs are only about an hour away. Best of both worlds. 🙂 🙂 Happy to have you here, always.

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  2. As ever, I’ve loved joining you on your walk. It may be a few days before I can catch up with the others you have highlighted (I know you understand about family visits!), but I will. Hope you have lots of lovely memories of last week.

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  4. So pleased you’ve had a family weekend at last, it’s heartbreaking being far away from loved ones. My nearest and dearest are in Sweden and unable to travel here, nor can I go there. It’s not so much the travelling as the hanging about in airports, trains and buses etc. Still, we are all alive, we have phones and emails, Zooms and Skypes (both of which I hate) so we are the lucky ones.

    With your blue sky photographs all is OK in the Algarve world and you had a lovely collection for us to view this week. Sounds a fab walk. I was with you in spirit.

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    1. Great to have your company, Mari. I’m trying to keep busy and distract myself but I keep wandering off track. I don’t really want to wish Christmas upon us but that might be the next time ☹️💕

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  6. RJo – Many thanks for the link, you rascal. This is what you call taking a break? Perhaps the family visit energized you. I do love looking through all the walks you post, and all the walks you link. What a treasure 🙂 Cheers- Susan

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    1. I feel a bit mopey actually. I hate it when they’ve gone. I kept myself busy writing this last night and scrambled to get it done this morning. It’s just pretty pictures, but I guess that’s what I like. I’m a lightweight 🙂 🙂 You don’t post often so it keeps me on my toes checking.

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  7. This is a beautiful place, I’m sure you enjoyed getting out into the sunshine and blue skies. The pottery shop has done a good job of advertising itself. Have a nice day, I’m waiting for the rain band to ease up and I’ll walk out to the beach and get some Isaias photos

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  10. thank you for another lovely walk, Jo! what a beautiful world you live in – cliffs, sea, skies and charming villages – what a treat! thank you for taking us along! 🙂 🙂

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  11. Such a beautiful part of our planet to explore! I can see why you love it so much. We managed to duck in to a few of those pottery shops when we visited and bring a few pieces home.💕. Happy Monday my friend.

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      1. Hi Jo. Considering the craziness of COVID, all is well. We are healthy, but miss some of our old activities. Thanks for asking. All well with you?

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  17. What a wonderful walk, Jo. The opening shot is stunning, then you tease us with patterned pottery and cheeky churros, and then drag as along to even more wonderful views. If it wasn’t so early in the morning I’d be sitting there right now with a vivacious vinho verde.
    And was the gossip good?

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  18. Another lovely walk Jo. I love the look of the pottery shop, and the deserted little cove in your first shot looks gorgeous – is it just for looking at from above or is it accessible?

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