barrier islands

I’m going to be a bit lazy for my first walk back with you. After all, I’m still in the Algarve, nominally on holiday, but in fact testing out a new lifestyle to see if it suits me. Many of you won’t be surprised to find that it does. I have taken you to Ilha da Culatra before, but my Stroller friends were going there recently and I just had to tag along. I’m sure you’ll see the attraction.

Culatra is an island of fisherfolk, but it doesn’t spurn the attention of tourists or beach worshippers who make the effort to cross over from the mainland. I regularly promote Enjoy the Algarve, a monthly online magazine full of fascinating events and details. Culatra features briefly this month and I thought you might like to see a little more.

Smooth as a millpond

Count the seabirds?

Boats for working and pleasure

Embarkation from Olhão is an easy affair. Ida e volta will get you a return ticket. We chose to disembark at Farol, the second port of call on this long, barrier island, guarded by a strut of a lighthouse with a red cap.

Weaving between a few cottages and a restaurant, almost immediately you reach the beach.

I couldn’t decide quite what the waves were jumping so playfully over, but they held me captive so that I had to scoot to catch up with the others. Of course, you can linger at the beach for as long as you like, but the walkers are single-minded folk and food was a top priority. A boardwalk turns inland, leading back to the village of Culatra, the first port of call.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the bougainvillea

You can feel the heat!

Abandoned?

Maybe I’d stay at this one

With it’s delicious flowers

To escape the heat of the sun there are several restaurants. As usual I was more interested in my surroundings than food, so I grabbed a quick bite and set off again with my camera.

This villa was opposite my restaurant

The shells were set into the wall

Making a grand image

Another contender for favourite flower

Half a boat is better than none?

No idea who they support?

Here’s a clue

Another pot or two

And a simple veranda

It’s a very basic lifestyle. Sand and sea rule and necessities have to be shipped from the shore. As I’m writing this a thunderstorm is rattling overhead and I know that the islands are in the frontline for inclement weather. Hard to imagine on a day like this, but I’ve heard this ocean roar.

It’s a gritty shoreline

With green hued urchins

Abandoned boats aplenty

And even acrobatic seagulls

And the distant gleam of sandbars

There’s an element of scruffiness that doesn’t suit everybody. No manicured greens to tee off on here. But I was highly amused to find, right by the water’s edge, a miniature football pitch. Evidence of another Portuguese passion!

And then it’s time to make for the ferry, wending back past ochre houses, idle bikes and always a twist or two of flowers.

The still calm waters of Olhão await, Becky. No changes yet!

I hope you’ve enjoyed being back in the Algarve with me. I still have another week or so to go. My daughter joins me on Sunday so I expect to be quite distracted but I’ll try to post another walk next week, and keep up with comments on this one. Take good care till then!

Please find time to check out these walks, if you haven’t already done so. Many thanks to all of you for your loyalty and support, even while I’ve been absent. Special thanks to Meg and to Jude for lovely birthday surprises for me.

……………………………………………………………………………….

I am a huge admirer of this lady’s work, so thank you very much for joining me, Debbie :

Street art galore

Another lady who always produces beautiful work. Take yourself strolling with Susan :

A Saturday Stroll at Wave Hill

A Leisurely Sunday Stroll through Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery

I wonder what Jackie might have cooked up this week?

Home cookin’

There’s nothing like good company on a walk. Tobias has a style all his own, and I love it :

Perigueux

Les Jardins d’Eau

Candy takes me to parts of Brittany I didn’t even know existed :