Photography

Jo’s Monday walk : Following mountain goats!

Now don’t be too alarmed! It’s not as bad as it seems, and if you really don’t have a head for heights- well, you can tak’ the low road, and I’ll tak’ the high road. To be completely truthful, I was out of my comfort zone for a short while, but we can blame the partner for that (and he’s not here to defend himself).

The area along the River Guadiana is wonderfully peaceful at most times of the year. In places the road stays quite close to the river, making for a lovely scenic drive. But, of course, you have to get out of the car to admire the scenery properly. You never know quite what you’ll find. Parking alongside the tiny village of Laranjeiras, our first discovery was the ruins of a Roman villa. Not a lot to see, but the remains appear to date back to the 7th century.

Strolling into the village, life seemed to centre around a little riverside cafe, from which you could watch the occasional boat mooring at the jetty. A couple of youngsters indulged in that age old pastime of skimming stones. Entertainment for me presented itself in the form of a boatman, with a delivery of tarpaulin for the little boatyard. His antics, trying to find a convenient space to offload his cargo in the minute space, kept me happy.

The moorings at Laranjeiras

Never content to sit for too long, I had a mooch about while Michael consulted the map. A path seemed to lead up the hillside and run parallel to the river before dipping back down at the next village, Guerreiros do Rio. Gamely, we set off.

But not before I had admired this 'Maypole' in the village

But not before I had admired this sign of celebration in the village

And soon we're out of the village looking down

And then we climbed out of the village, and looked down

There wasn’t much sign of the path and it was a bit of a scramble. Stopping to catch breath, we heard a tinkling sound, and suddenly two dogs burst out of the scrub. They darted to and fro, rustling between them a magnificent herd of goats. Sighting us, the creatures pressed on, with nervous sidewards glances. The goatherd gave us a nod, a third dog rounded up the stragglers, and the pack headed for home. Happy to have found a proper path, we followed them.

Keep moving boys- they’re watching us!

The trail rolled off across the hills, but we were quite happy to take a branch that led back down to the riverside. Enough of adventure!

All was calm, down by the river

It looks dry, doesn’t it? It had been a long, hot Summer and was still very warm in early September. Just around the bend we reached the next village, Guerreiro do Rios. Time for a drink! As usual, I left Michael sitting in the shade, while I went off to explore the back streets.

Colourful fishermen’s huts

Not the friendliest of cats!

But an inviting doorway

And some pretty wall tiles

Traditional homes

And a Buddha in a yard

When I returned, one of those village cats had attached itself to Michael and was greedily begging the ham from his toastie. Good job he didn’t have the tuna kebabs he’d been fancying! Strangely, the cat was not at all interested in my glass of delicious white. I didn’t have time to hang about because I had discovered that the Museu do Rio was open! (the link is in Portuguese but you can translate it if you like)

We had passed the sign before, but never gone into this small museum, tucked away from the road. Here was my opportunity!

The Museum of the River

The outlook from the museum

Boats adorned every available surface

In glass cases and on the walls

Of course, there was one called the Guadiana

There were interactive displays

Telling the history of life on the river

A lot has been achieved in the space available. I chatted to the nice young lady at the till, who sold me a ticket for 1.50 euro. This was also valid for admission to the castle at Alcoutim, a few miles up the road. A bargain, I thought! The museum is open daily except Mondays.

For us it was time to amble back along the riverbank, occasionally stopping to admire passing craft.

Back at our start point

The tiny harbour at Laranjeiras

I hope you enjoyed our little Algarve adventure. It’s quite easy to just walk along the road and back between the two villages, if you don’t want to go following goats. It’s not a busy road. The riverside junction leading south from Alcoutim is the easiest way to find the villages.

Don’t let anybody tell you that the Algarve is just a strip of boring beaches, will you? Not in my experience, anyway.

And now it’s time to turn our attention to other people’s walks. Thank you so much to all my contributors. You take me to places I might never reach on my own. Anyone is welcome to join in, and it’s very straightforward. My Jo’s Monday walk page has all the details. Just click on the logo above. Let’s put the kettle on and settle in for a good read, shall we?

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Benches actually have several uses in Anabel’s world. Highly useful on a walk!

Balloch benches

Fancy taking the train? Let’s go to Montreux with Drake! No regrets, I promise :

Heaven for everyone

I gather there has been lots of rain in Texas, but Amy’s found some sunshine :

Monday Walk : Texas Countryside (Part 2)

A lady I’d never heard of next, but an interesting post from Jackie, in Canada :

Laura Secord

Demonstrating her versatility, Violet Sky finds us some very scenic caves!

Seeing the caves

So many lovely things to discover in Tasmania, thanks to Ruth :

Taroona Coastal Path

I need to pull my socks up! I haven’t even made it to Amsterdam yet, and here’s Rotterdam looking so beautiful!

Rotterdam in a Day (part 1)

We’re joined this week by Fifi and Hop- isn’t that a great name? Please go and say ‘hi’ to Corey!

Walkway over the Hudson : World’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge

Indra at Trav Trails certainly covers some ground. Can you keep up?

Four Cities and an Island

Geoff’s Dog has had a poorly paw, so we might have to slow down a bit on this one :

The Capital Ring- Highgate to Stoke Newington

‘Do you want this walk’, asked Meg? You HAVE to be joking! Wait till you see it!

Eurobodalla beaches : Bingie Beach North

Come and sing some Bruce Springfield with me? I love this song! Thanks, Kaz :

Travel Album : Philadelphia

Nearer home, I don’t think I’ve been to Anglesey! Have you? Looking good!

Flashback Walks : Holyhead Mountain

And it’s simply impossible not to enjoy one of Tish’s posts! Look and learn!

It’s a wonderful world

As Jaspa demonstrates, on his trip to South America :

Cartagena, Columbia : UNESCO World Heritage Site

But you don’t have to go past Worcestershire for beauty- or pretty much anywhere on Jude’s blog!

Garden Portrait : Arley Arboretum

Aren’t they a fantastic selection? Thank you very much everybody! I’m off to the Lake District on Thursday, celebrating another birthday, so hopefully I’ll have an English walk for you next week. Have a great time till then! Monday Escapes is on again this week if you’d like to join in.

Six word Saturday

Are you ready to be frightened?

Maybe not so scary?

NOT a good advertisement for this cafe!

But this one’s definitely hungry- sugar mouse, anyone?

I’ve never been a big fan of Halloween but I hate to be a killjoy. You have to enjoy the ingenuity and enthusiasm on display. The cafe in our local park has put the Christmas tree up, but decorated it Halloween style. Just a few adjustments and they’ll be good to go for another festive season. Help!!! It’s barely November…

Have a great Saturday, however you spend it! Cate was very late last weekend so I missed many of you with my duck tales. Hope it was a good one. Don’t forget to share your six words, if you can.

A cup of coffee and a rose or two

It’s a damp old morning in my corner of the UK, so what better thing to do than move on to my second coffee (ok- third!) of the day and wander through some roses with you? A few weeks back, just before the colours started to turn, I made a Sunday afternoon visit to The Gardens at Wynyard Hall. In the profusion of colour that this Autumn has been, I almost forgot all about it.

Sir John Hall bought Wynyard Hall Estate in 1987 and has turned it into a truly sumptuous venue. I was lucky enough to attend a wedding there a few years ago and the stained glass panels high in the beautifully imperious house remain a warm memory. Many years in the planning, Sir John says that even as a boy he dreamed of owning his own rose garden. He has enlisted RHS award winning landscape architect Alistair Baldwin and rose expert Michael Marriott from David Austin Roses to help make his dream come true.

I think he probably succeeded

The setting is a nicely weathered wall garden, and the planting is lush. Newly opened this year, it was designed to be a rose garden for the 21st century. It takes inspiration from the geometric order of Persian grids and the Moorish influence of a bubbling rill, crowned by the raised beds of the traditional English kitchen garden.

Of course, there are tea rooms

And a South Border to attract the butterflies

An old bell set high in the wall

Wonderful Cosmos

And a handsome rill

With interesting shadows

And beauties such as this!

You can wander through to the gardens of the Grand Marquee, if there is not an event in progress. The view sweeps down to the lake and there is still more planting to be admired. A little old, and something new.

Not much beats an old urn

Except maybe an urn in an archway

Surrounded by lovely planting

And hot borders

Delicately blushing anemone

And thistle delight!

Set beside glorious old walls

But inevitably the stars of the show are the roses. The visitor guide lists 135 species but I am not going to attempt to name them all for you. (huge sighs of relief!) We’ll just share a small gallery together. I hope you enjoy them!

Jo’s Monday walk : Thorp Perrow

The magical colours of Autumn

It lasts for such a short time! Already the Virginia Creeper, whose rosy hue adorns my wall in Autumn, is strewn across our drive and whistling off down the road. So I’m glad that I made it to Thorp Perrow Arboretum when I did. 100 acres of woodland are surely enough in which to worship Autumn colour. And you can take your eyes off that tearoom! That’s for much later,

Let’s get delicious with the daisies first!

Over a little stream and the colour is already beckoning

But close at hand there are jewels to distract

But close at hand, there are jewels aplenty

As always, I hand the map to the other half, and set off to follow my nose. Or, in this case, a lovely little stream which wends its way through the woods. Signs promise ‘Henry’s Island’ and ‘Kate’s Island’. Will I be allowed?

A plopping sound stops me suddenly. From overhead something lands in the water, sending concentric rings dancing to shore. High in the canopy, a mischievous squirrel is dispensing acorns for our entertainment.

Sunlight dances in the woods

Beaming from bronzed leaves

And then the lake, in all it’s glory

It’s a ‘hold your breath’ moment

Just the lake, and the leaves

The history of Thorp Perrow can be traced back to the Domesday Book, where it was listed as ‘Torp’ manor house. The trees came much later. Planting began in the 16th and 17th centuries, and in the 1840’s the Milbank Pinetum was planted with seed brought over from America. There are now 5 National Collections of trees (Juglans-Walnuts, Tilia-Limes, Fraxinus-Ash, Cotinus and Laburnum) and 66 Champion Trees (the largest of their kind in Britain).

But it’s not at all a stuffy place! A sense of humour manifests itself in many forms.

See the shark’s fin in the water?

The crocodile, of course

And an unfortunate gardener!

Throughout this month the children have been treated (or tricked!) with a collection of spectres and ghouls lurking in the woods. Eek!!!

Just hanging about

Or sitting patiently on a bench, for Jude

Or sitting patiently on a bench, waiting for Jude

There is also a growing Wildlife Park, where you can ‘meet the meerkat’, watch bizarrely plumed fowl strutting their stuff, and gasp at the exploits of the birds of prey. The flying displays are one of the park’s most popular features, and are well worth seeing. I’ll let you discover them for yourself. For me the park is mostly about the landscape.

Trees and topiary

And gasps of Acer colour

Beautifully weathered statues loiter wistfully amongst the trees. They mingle with newer wood sculptures, showing no apparent resentment.

Walks spiral off in all directions from the mighty Jubilee Oak, and another named for Catherine Parr. You don’t have to follow a specific route but simply wander to wherever your eye finds most pleasing. It doesn’t really matter. It’s all lovely!

A hen stops to drink at the fountain

The handsome new Acorn Sculpture

Banks of hydrangea

A wisp of pine

A busy ‘heron’

Stately bulrushes

And Rowan berries

Despite it being a glorious day, the park is quite peaceful. Strangers nod to each other, wearing beatific smiles in the unaccustomed October warmth. Only when we reach the Autumn bays is there a sense of urgency. Bathed in rosy colour, we gaze upwards.

Autumn in all its splendour

The other half seems to have found something interesting

These beauties! No. 129 in the brochure

I’m more taken with the Sycamore wings

Delicate Cotinus

And the Gingko

I can sense you beginning to tire. There’s only so much beauty the eyes can take in, and we’re not far from the promised tea rooms. If Meg were here she’d be fingering the bark on so many of the trees. But you’ve earned your bowl of soup, and some of that yummy cake. Which one to choose, I wonder? There’s a full menu on the website, all very reasonably priced. (Dare I admit to having the pensioner’s special?)

The Arboretum is just beyond the lovely market town of Bedale, in North Yorkshire, and details of how to get there are also shown on the website.

I’m feeling quite tired myself after all that exercise. I’ll just say my thank you’s and get that kettle on, I think. You’ve certainly brought variety this week. Thank you so much to all of you who keep following me down this path. I really value your company. Anyone wanting to join in will be made very welcome. Details are on my Jo’s Monday walk page. Just click on the logo.

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Scotland has some of the most beautiful gardens, and in wonderful locations too. Thanks, Anabel!

Inverewe and around

And I can’t argue with this description from Violet, either :

The prettiest town

A little fog gives a nice air of mystery, don’t you think?

Monday Walk : Texas Countryside

A comprehensive guide- see the sights with Jackie!

Day 2- Berlin

Richard doesn’t mind being a beach bum. With beaches like this, who would?

Cornwall’s Seven Bays in pictures

A ‘kick of happiness’ is what you’ll get if you join Drake this week!

A lake, peaks and a queen

Ever tried Australian salmon? Ruth explains why you might not have :

Salmon Ponds

Not so taxing as last week’s walk, but still you might prefer just to gaze in admiration :

Rain, Rivers and Waterfalls : The Steall Falls

Next up, a nice relaxing stroll around Central Park (or a ride in a horse drawn carriage if you’re feeling flush)

Travel Album: New York City (2)

Tobias is showing us a very different kind of beauty. Come and see!

A Short Walk in Saint-Saturnin-de-Lucian

I hope you enjoyed the walks this week. I certainly did! Where to take you next week? I haven’t made my mind up yet. I shall just wish you all a Happy Halloween week and hope the weather stays fine. Bye for now!

Six word Saturday

Oh no! Not a duck decoy!

Hello ducky!

His friends are looking worried!

But this guy just refuses to move

It’s ok- there’s plenty of food

Yes- but there could be a storm approaching

Yes- but there could be a storm brewing

It’s fine! Look, I’ve found a shelter

And it’s big enough for all of us

No!!!!! Can’t you read? It’s a decoy!

Well, thank goodness we spotted that in time!

Not very bright, those ducks!

Look how peaceful it is over here

Strolling in the country park at Sedgefield last week, I spotted the duck decoy sign. I’d never noticed it before but it gave rise to my little Saturday story. (if you magnify the sign, you will see that it was a method of trapping ducks for the table at the ‘big house’) Hope it gave you a smile.

And while I’m in the park, here are two photos I took on the boardwalk, just perfect for Verena’s Festival of Leaves. It’s a lovely autumnal challenge you might like to visit. But don’t forget to pop in on Cate, will you? Happy Saturday everybody!

Thoughts on benches

A little meaningful conversation?

Some posts seem to just glide effortlessly onto the page. Others don’t! They kick and bite and scratch. You can’t find just that photo that you wanted, lost in the annals of untidy folders. Too many thoughts collide in your head, often at silly times like 5 in the morning. And then there are those that miss the deadline by a smidgeon. Just enough to be annoying. I’ll leave you to work out which this is.

Rustle and tussle

A backlit ballerina

Twirling in the wind

In breeches

With a good book

In courtly days

And whilst I have been known to cheat occasionally, in the interests of a beautiful azulejo or two- can you spot these people sitting on benches?

This one’s easy!

And simply lovely

Two on here!

I’m off out to kick a few leaves now. You never know- I might spot somebody loitering on a bench. If I do I may even share it with Jude.

Jo’s Monday walk : Fabrica to Cacela Velha

Fabrica, our start point

If there’s one place in the Algarve that always works its magic on me, it’s Cacela Velha. I’ve taken you there before on my walks (remember Mind that hole!?) but today we’re taking the boat ride from Fabrica. In all my Algarve years I’d yet to see the ferry across to the beach operating, but a reference to it in Spanish ‘Conde Nast’ left me determined. Described as ‘one of the best 15 beaches in the world’, I’ll leave you to judge for yourself. How many beaches can there be in such a location?

But I’m getting ahead of myself, as usual. Taking a Cacela Velha turn off from the E125, you will first come to a sign pointing to Fabrica. This will bring you to a tiny harbour with a couple of very laidback bars and a restaurant. Out of season it’s a place for fishermen and locals, but on the last day of my holiday in September it was almost bustling. The tide was out and flipflops or bare feet were the best way to squidge across to the boat.

Leaving the harbour

We scoot out to meet the sea, the boatman deftly following preordained paths through the water. Running aground would be all too easy.

You have two choices for disembarking- the first stop is opposite to Fabrica. The second, further along the sand bar, is opposite Cacela Velha. Let’s get out at the first, then we can have a bit of a beach comb before catching the boat back from the second stop.

Looking back at the shoreline

And just in case you thought I had the beach to myself…

I’m always intrigued by beach ‘art’

Natural and otherwise

Even a little wistful

The lagoon is a great meeting place for birds

There’s the boatman heading back to base

A rod hopefully standing guard

A flag of surrender?

Behind you lie the salt marshes

And sparse, wind blown grasses

Ahead, the open sea

The sky was very hazy and the sea a milky blue as I wandered with my camera. What makes this beach special, though, is the view back across the lagoon to the fortress on the headland. There’s an almost mystical quality, to my mind, in being out there on the lagoon. The tide was low enough to plodge across to the shore, but the sea creeps in stealthily here and you can be caught out.

The fortress across the bay

A handful of people in the water

The fortress reflected in the salty puddles

The fortress reflected in salty puddles

I carry on beach combing as the tide flows gently back. Joyful cries and laughter reach me from the family on the sandbar. The Portuguese families revel in their beautiful surroundings. And I do, too.

Molluscs clinging tightly

Dried out sea thistles

Pearlescent shells

More beach ‘art’

And a delicate shimmer

Can you see the family on the sandbar?

Their boat, bobbing in the bay

I should explain that this beach stretches all the way back to Tavira. You can reach it by catching the ferry from Cabanas, and the beach will be much busier nearer to that resort. A very long beach walk would eventually bring you to this spot. In the winter months that or swimming across would be the only way to get here. Or a boat taxi, of course.

In the opposite direction, the beach rolls all the way to Spain, but first you have to cross over a channel. A boat is a very useful thing to own in this part of the world. Speaking of which, here comes the ferry.

We leave Cacela Velha behind

And head back to Fabrica

The end of our walk? Well, first we might have a snack at one of the beach bars. Then I’m going to show you the view from Cacela Velha over to ‘our’ beach, just to give you a sense of place. It’s only a half hour walk along the road to Cacela Velha or, if the tide’s not too high, you can walk the strip of beach that hugs the cliff. You’d then have to climb the steps to the village.

Sitting at a Fabrica beach bar

And there you have it- the view from the fort

And here you have it- the view from the fort!

Across to ‘our’ beach

And there’s even a bench to enjoy the view

Thanks for humoring me with this boat ride and saunter along the sands. My earlier walk gives you a land-based version, if you’re not a lover of boats. In either case, the views won’t disappoint. In the world’s top 15? I think there’d be strong competition. But I enjoyed it very much, and I hope you did too.

Thank you very much for all your support, and lovely comments. I have a fine time walking with you every week. If you’d like to join me, details are on my Jo’s Monday walk page or just a click on the logo above. Next comes the good bit. Put the kettle on and get ready for a good read!

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Humble apologies are due! I forgot to include this walk last week, so please rush over there first :

Urban Walk 2- Toronto Cityscape

Totally opposite in every way- beach shots to die for with Anabel!

Faraid Head

You can walk, or take the train. Either way, you’re bound to love the views!

A Walk in the Cinque Terre

Amy’s world is beautiful! Have you noticed?

Monday Walk : Architecture Walk, Austin, part 4

I’ve heard so many good things about Berlin. Let’s take a look, shall we?

Day 1- Dublin to Germany

A trip back in time with Drake this week? Any trip with Drake is good!

Yesterday, nowadays

And now for something completely different. Many thanks, Elena!

Renaissance Fair in Las Vegas

You wouldn’t get this level of activity on a UK beach ever, I don’t think! Lazy, aren’t we, Pauline?

Early Morning Beach Activities

Ruth has a totally fascinating tour for us this week. One not to miss :

Port Arthur Convict Settlement

The highlight of Geoff’s post for me is Wimbledon Park tube station. A blast from my youth!

Capital Ring- Earlsfield to Richmond

Jude always shares beautiful walks but she has really blown me away with this contribution!

A Walk on a Wild Ridge

If you really want to test your fitness levels, this could be the place :

A Tale of Two Peaks- Part 2

Once in a while I find something a bit different. For the foodies among you- say ‘hi’ to Ishita :

Iva’s Yummy Ljubljananjam Food Walk

Talking about unusual, thanks for these ‘wild’ animals in the city, Becky!

Panthers in Pittsburgh

I haven’t had a stroll with my friend Esther for a while. Sing along, won’t you?

Walk- Down the Canyon

The title of this next post could really have described mine, but they couldn’t be more different!

Walking, Sailing, Walking, Wading

And you can always rely on Gilly to find the beauty in life :

A Green Circle Walk

Or maybe a stroll in sunny Munich will suit? Thanks, Rosemay!

Nymphenburg The Summer Palace

Lastly, Denzil does his very best to give us a smile on a grey day :

Grey day in Grez-Doiceau

Lots this week, aren’t there? I do hope you can find the time to visit, and many thanks to all of you for keeping me such good company. I have one more Algarve walk in reserve, but next week I’m going to hurl myself into an English Autumn, before it passes me by. I’d love for you to join me. Have a great week, won’t you?

Six word Saturday

Seeing the beauty in the ordinary

What can be more ordinary than salt?

Beautifully packaged, of course

Or a cluster of shells on a beach

Even the broken ones are pretty

And some are shining jewels

A discarded ducky in the dunes

Or a ladybird sitting on my sunglasses

I can even see beauty in the shadows round a broken bench (though not the vandals who did it!)

Just me, reminiscing about time spent in the Algarve, before I launch myself into a grey English day, but it could fit with Cheri’s post. This week we’re looking for the beauty in the every day at The Daily Post.

Wherever you are, I hope you’re having a good day and making the most of your surroundings. See you on Monday for one last Algarve walk. But first I need to visit Cate and Six word Saturday.

From Porto Covo to Carvalhal

The wild coast

Wonderful, isn’t it?

For a beach lover like me, the Alentejo coastline is something truly special, but for a mariner, it’s a nightmare. Sweeping curves of sand are protected by jagged outcrops. The wind and waves are in constant competition. Safe harbours are rare. My base at Vila Nova de Milfontes was calm and serene, but I couldn’t wait to get out exploring that ‘wild coast’.

Peach Tree Island (Ilha do Pessegueiro) has an alluring sound to it, don’t you think? My ‘Rough Guide’ spoke of a short cliff top walk, starting from Porto Covo. Clutching map, and with bags swiftly stowed at our nicely central hotel, it seemed logical to follow the coast directly north out of town. The road soon came to a stop at a cliff top restaurant, and I looked down into a tiny cove. Alas, a sign said Porto Covo 16.5km, pointing off along the cliffs. Inadvertently I had found Portinho do Canal, a haven for local fishermen.

Safely tethered in the flat calm of the harbour

The molho curves into the sea

A perch for daring fishermen?

Out on the sea wall, the wind whistled fiercely. Back to the car, and a return to Vila Nova de Milfontes to find the correct road north, in the direction of Sines. Porto Covo wasn’t quite what I had expected. A single road, lined with shops and restaurants, which your eye soon skirted past to dwell on the sea, glimmering in the distance. After the peacefulness of Portinho do Canal, it seemed a busy spot. The small cove beach was lined with people, but my interest lay much further along the coast.

In the distance, Peach Tree Island

But first the descent

The house on the hill

The road winds steeply down to the quayside, and a gravel track equally steeply up the other side. With the tide out, crossing over to join the track is no problem, but I could envisage a paddle on the return journey. In the event, the cliff top path to Peach Tree Island was not as tempting as I had imagined. With what I had already seen, in Vila Nova de Milfontes, it was time to call it a day.

Looking back at the house on the hill

The coat of arms

The village church

A shopping opportunity

Columbine clings to the wall

And tangles with the prickly pears

The island in the bay

And the potentially perilous crossing point

Another day, and this time those special beaches. Heading south from Vila Nova de Milfontes it’s a bare 5km to Almograve, signed from the N393. The landscape becomes beautifully rural as you leave the main road, and then you’re at the coast.

This way to the beach!

It looks promising

And it is!

An expanse of beach

And a headland

Next stop was Odemira, a small riverside town that I featured in my walk this week. And then it was back to the coast and a place you have already had a peep at in a previous post- Zambujeira do Mar, with it’s vast expanse of sand.

You may remember it

A tiny chapel on a promontory

And a beautiful beach

Make a stunning setting

What can top that? Well, maybe it was the day… maybe it was just time for a place to chill (there were a lot of steps at Zambujeira!)… but sometimes a place just imprints itself on your memory, and you have to stay a while.

Meet Praia do Carvalhal!

A beach bar and a caress of sand, with wickedly shaped rocks on either side. Warning notices on the cliffs- beware rock falls and a fast racing tide.

A dizzying swirl of sand

And an invitation to explore

Beautiful striations

Nuggets of time

This was a beach that I loved!

I’m not a swimmer so I didn’t need to fear the signs. I was more than happy just to pootle in the shallows and explore the beauty all around me. And then it was back down the coast to the gentler beauty of my Algarve.

Join me there for a walk on Monday, won’t you? It’s every bit as lovely.

Jo’s Monday walk : Odemira, in the Alentejo

Rua Serpa Pinto in Odemira

Curiosity often gets the better of me. When I discovered, on my visit to Vila Nova de Milfontes at the mouth of the River Mira, that ‘Ode’ means river and that the small town of Odemira is situated a small way inland … well, I was curious. The intention had been to follow the coast back down to the Algarve, sampling beaches along the way. Well, we definitely did that, but a small side trip to Odemira was called for.

One of the attractions, mentioned in my ‘Rough Guide’, was a riverside walk. That sounded appealing. I also knew that there was a boat trip connecting Odemira with Vila Nova de Milfontes, but sadly that wasn’t practical on our way south. There’s always time for a little stroll though.

This bridge was a good start point!

There were a few clouds, but not too many

It was quite easy to park, on rough ground down by the river, and cross over the bridge to this peaceful little path, which we had all to ourselves.

No shortage of empty benches

And just around the bend, another bridge

Now which one of Jude’s bench challenges would this one fit?

It’s a nice enough view, isn’t it?

The path follows the river closely

With plenty of spots to linger

But that rowing boat is just out of reach!

Under the red road bridge

To this interesting structure

And there the path ends

Sorry, Jude- not a person in sight!

The riverside walk was shorter than I had expected, so there was plenty of time to saunter around the little town. It seemed to me so typically Portuguese. A mix of dilapidation and renewal. There was scaffolding up at several of the larger buildings. Freshly white-painted grandeur nudged sadly peeling properties, still awaiting their turn. In the small, ‘sell everything’ shops, life continued as it must have for generations. Just off the Praca da Republica, the main square, the coffee habit was indulged. Shopping could wait.

Such a typical Portuguese street!

Coffee now, shopping later!

Freshly painted

Still waiting!

The elegant town fountain

Before I know it, I’m passing a new-looking sculpture in a small square and a handful of modern shops. Rather incongruous, but part and parcel of Portugal today. In very little time I’m back at the river bank and the lovely bridge. Too soon?

The modern square

Our walk today was not at all taxing so feel free to stop en route for coffee. You’ll easily find an appealing cafe. I hope you enjoyed joining me. Later this week I’ll do a round up of those west coast beaches in the Alentejo, and then it’s full speed back to the Algarve.

If you’re in the area, Odemira is on the N393. Travelling south from Vila Nova de Milfontes, you hopefully can’t miss it.

Time to share this week’s walks. Thank you very much everybody. I’ve had a wonderful response. If you’d like to join in there are a few hints on my Jo’s Monday walk page. Just click on the logo. I never turn anyone away. Why would I? Let’s get walking!

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You know I love to start with Drake. This week he has some incredible views :

Austrian upstairs

And Geoff was quick off the mark too. Blue skies in Tooting Bec?

Capital Ring : Tooting to Earlsfield

Our lovely Jude was lakeside walking this week. There’s a bench, of course!

Park Life

Amy and Jude are sharing park life this week- thousands of miles apart. Great minds! :

Monday Walk : Zilker Park

Jackie took me to Bantry Bay. Some distant damp day memories for me :

Junkboat Travels: Monday Walk

Did I ever tell you that I love squirrels? Thanks, Becky!

Chipmunks, squirrels and a groundhog!

And how did Becky know I’ve always wanted to visit this place?

A Walk in the Cinque Terre

DON’T miss this one, or its sequel, from Pauline :

The magic of a dream come true

The Buddha Walk at the Crystal Castle

Don’t you love it when they breathe new life into a place? Many thanks for sharing, Kaz :

Travel Album: Distillery District, Toronto

There are few pleasures in life better than sharing with Meg :

Eurobodalla beaches: Congo beach south

And the landscape on this one is equally stunning!

Ancient Stone

Lastly, I’m extremely honoured to have this guy join us. He’s living a lifestyle many would consider idyllic (with the odd misadventure along the way)

Tampak Siring : Bathing in the Sacred Springs

Hope I haven’t missed anybody? This past week was tricky but I’m still here. The sun’s shining so you know what I’m going to do after coffee, don’t you? Happy walking everyone! See you next week?

restlessjo

Roaming, at home and abroad

Photography

Jo’s Monday walk : Following mountain goats!

Six word Saturday

Are you ready to be frightened?

A cup of coffee and a rose or two

Jo’s Monday walk : Thorp Perrow

Six word Saturday

Oh no! Not a duck decoy!

Thoughts on benches

Jo’s Monday walk : Fabrica to Cacela Velha

Six word Saturday

Seeing the beauty in the ordinary

From Porto Covo to Carvalhal

Jo’s Monday walk : Odemira, in the Alentejo

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Are you ready to be frightened?

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Oh no! Not a duck decoy!

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Seeing the beauty in the ordinary

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