A lovely long walk. Starting along the river then rising up onto the cliffs for a while before turning inland to the little town of Rogil. Then through the pine forests and countryside climbing slowly up into the hills and then the final steep descent into Aljezur.
I rose before dawn and ambled along the riverbank, astounded by the birdsong and stuck by how it must have been before our bi-pedal boots were around. Then as the sky lightened and I could see more detail, the fish rose in their hundreds splashing all along the river for their breakfast.
My breakfast was some fruit and nuts I’d bought at the local shop the night before and I munched on my greenish banana hungrily. Shortly after gaining the cliffs and the sea once more, the sun came up and with it my breakfast and everything from the night before. It has been a very long time since I had an alfresco evacuation but was to tire of the process very quickly.
As a result, what should have been wonderful became agony and just about the hardest physical thing I have ever done.
Add in some rusty goats. Still night, as you can see.Near the river’s entrance to the ocean and you can see the track down from the hills that I came in on yesterday.Sun coming up and Stan is overhead to watch me defecate (the first of very many).The first climb done and their is a cold wind coming in of the ocean. Might even rain.It’s hard to give you scale to appreciate just how big the waves are.Stan at home tidying up his nest. He’s not at all sure of his new neighbour, doesn’t quite have the right coloured feathers. I was going to say that I haven’t seen any seagulls along this coast at all- I assume the storks keep them away – and yet there appears to be one visiting. Maybe it’s Stan’s breakfast stored momentarily while he cleans out last night’s bones.For the last couple of miles, since I got back up on to the cliffs, I’ve been noticing small tracks running in the opposite direction. This clean print shows it’s a little woofer, miles from anywhere and running along, hopefully towards home.The headlands to get around today. I turn inland one before the last, the one sticking out the furthest.I was just dwelling on a few things noticeably absent from this coastal walk. Seagulls, dogshit and seats. Ah! well. I suppose I’ll stand in dogshit soon.I think I’m going to have to go into the woods again, face. Luckily such an early start means no one to pass and no one coming the other way – yet.Left the cliffs and heading to that forest. I hope that I can hang on.Now it has started to rain and a man, with his umbrella, is out walking his cows.These cows have very sharp horns.The rain has brought out the snails. I stepping around them.The town of Rogil. And a café com leite and water. But most importantly a civilised toilet – with paper!Rogil’s been cancelled. Something’s wrong. I do occasionally look at the map and when I did this morning, I wasn’t to head this way. My euphoria at having a clean bot has made me miss a turn – an extra mile I didn’t need.Someone seems to have walled in their water tower and made a home of it.It runs to the horizon and makes me think of those roads in the internal vastness of America.Who, and maybe more importantly, why? Some forest worker just happens to have a spare chair in the van and sets it up in the middle of nowhere.Strange orange growing on this tree.Well up in the hills and things are quieting down, I hope. Haven’t had any event for 40 mins or so.Long down slope. I was wondering if I’d see my old mucker, trekking chicken on this trip. But he’s a no show, so far.Friendly woofer in the dog pound. Hope he’s picked up soon.An old house opposite a new one, both perched on top of the hills.A single sheep in a field. Makes you wonder where the flock went.Looks completely like a river valley at home. Bet it is very different at the end of summer.Civilisation. Hope I can hang on to the hotel. Nowhere to hide here.I think that it is Vasco de Gama, either that or the baker from Trumpton, but I’m not stopping to find out.
I posted all this the day after because yesterday I was just thankful to get to my hotel room, shower for about 30 mins and sleep for 14 hours. The screaming baby in the next room couldn’t even keep me awake.
