Category: Alentejo and Vicentina Coast Natural Park

This past couple of months I visited a few locations where these birds nest, along the SW coast of Portugal. I have written about them already this year, for example in this post:

An afternoon with the white storks of Cabo Sardão, in SW Portugal

Since my previous visit, the females have laid their eggs, and the young ones have been born. I was lucky to find one nest with a young bird, and spend some time taking a few photos with my Fujifilm X-T4 and Fujinon 70-300mm lens. The weather was a bit hazy, with occasional sunshine, but really strong winds, thanks to storm Oscar, which affected Portugal last week. As always, I recommend exercising due care when approaching the edge of these coastal cliffs.

The first photos shown below were taken in May, during a previous visit, when the females had already laid their eggs. One month later, the juveniles had ben born.

Hopefully, next year they will return to this place, occupying the same nests, and ensuring their story has a future.

After a break of about 1 month, during which I visited the Serra da Estrela region in central Portugal, I went back on the trail in the Rota Vicentina. This time, I chose route 18, which I had never walked before. This is a circular trail located near Bordeira, connecting this village to the coast (see map below).

I walked this trail about 2 weeks ago, in a nice sunny afternoon. The trail starts in Bordeira, a small village near the coast, from where other trails begin, such as route 17, which I have written about before. The path is well signaled and is easy to follow. It offers a mix of hilly terrain, where schist predominates (covered with the green shrubbery of Spring), and sand closer to the shore. Since I was doing this walk for the first time, I carried my Fujifilm cameras and lenses, namely my 16mm wide angle and my 70-300mm telezoom.

During the first couple of km, the track climbs a small hill, before descending into the Bordalete valley. Here, you will pass near a farm house, on the way to the coast. The building is a bit ruined, but the fields are still cultivated.

Leaving Bordalete behind, the trail climbs again, until it reaches the plateau. The views encompass the Serra de Monchique to the south, plus the first glimpses of the sea in the distance. Soon I reach the dunes where the walk is now over soft sand, making for a slower progress. I spend some time photographing the local flowers, which add some color to the landscape.

Reaching the coast, the view opens up into a continuous stretch of wild beaches, between Carrapateira in the south and Arrifana in the north. This is the Vicentina Coast at its best. My advice? Bring your swimming trunks.

The trail follows the shoreline for a while, before turning back into the interior. It then crosses another interesting place, the Bordalete pine forest, which was planted in the sand dunes as a source of wood. The afternoon is warm, so the shade they provide is welcomed.

Further along, the trail once more passes next to the Bordalete farm, where a shepherd is gathering the live stock (cows, sheep, and goats) at the end of another day.

The final part of the walk was made under a cloudy sky, and follows a fertile valley full of purple flowers. The buzzing of the bees is constant. I stop to photograph a few more flowers, which requires waiting for the wind to subside before clicking the shutter.

I very much enjoyed this trail, because of the diversity of the terrain, with a mix of countryside and beaches. As Spring turns into Summer, with the concurrent rise in temperature, the trail season in SW Portugal is approaching its end, but perhaps I will manage to walk a few more routes.

Every year I do my best to photograph this unique species of birds. Like them, I return seasonally to this location in the beginning of Spring. That is when they come back to nest in the coastal cliffs and sea stacks, the only species of white stork in the world that does that. The last time I visited the location in the early morning, in May 2022, and I wrote about the experience here:

White storks in the early morning

This time I went to Cabo Sardão during the late afternoon, and I was happy to see that the nests were occupied. There is a small bay in front of the lighthouse, where several species of birds can be seen; besides the white storks, there are cormorants, and even a couple of peregrine falcons (these are more elusive). Plus, of course, lots of seagulls.

The afternoon was nice, with sunshine and some clouds. The wind was weak, which is unusual for this area, but the sea was very rough, with large waves. It was the first day of Spring, which is the equinox, so the tides were strong.

I used my Fujinon 70-300mm zoom lens and the Fujifilm X-T4 camera for the bird photos. Walking around the cliff edge along the bay, it is possible to get some nice vantage points looking down, from where to photograph the nests. The conditions were good, and compared to previous visits, the rough sea and crashing waves provided some different and really interesting backgrounds. These convey the difficult conditions these birds endure, because the nests were being hit by sea spray; I was further up from the sea and I was being hit by sea spray.

One of the couples of storks was busy ensuring the next generation will be born soon. This was an endearing moment and the first time I have witnessed this behavior. Maybe next month the little ones will be in their nests.

If you have them, take a pair of binoculars to scout the cliffs. That was how I managed to spot a small cormorant on the cliff’s face.

I spend the rest of the time until sunset watching these wonderful birds, and I hope to go back in April to check on the new babies. It is a great time to visit these shores.

With the end of the trail season approaching (the temperature is increasing with the beginning of Spring), last week I have walked a short circular route near Amoreira beach, Aljezur. The map is shown below.

This is a short (7 km) and easy walking path that starts in Amoreira beach, at the mouth of the Aljezur brook. From the beach, the trail heads to the interior, crossing a small valley before climbing to the top of the plateau. I stopped in the valley to photograph the numerous red poppies, which add a colorful touch to the landscape. I also found a small frog in a nearby pond.

After a couple of kilometers, the trail starts to cross the plateau, which is dominated by small brushes and pine trees. Here and there, a few farms dot the landscape, with cultivated fields and grazing animals.

Roughly mid way in the trail, the path turns and heads back to the coast; now the sand dunes prevail, with pine forests and shrubs. During springtime, several typical flowers are in bloom, and I stop to photograph them, using a close-up diopter filter in the telephoto zoom lens.

After reaching the coast, I highly recommend to make a small detour to visit the beautiful Carriagem beach. I was short on time, because sunset was approaching fast, but I could not resist making a few photos. During low tide, the erosional patterns on the rock formations resemble plowed furrows. They are the result of the water cutting horizontally through the folded layers of rock, exposing their internal geometric pattern.

From Carriagem it is only a short walk back to Amoreira, where this particular erosion effect is also present. It really adds a special interest to the landscape. the sun had barely set behind the clouds, resulting in a soft light that was adequate to photograph these dark rock formations.

Even though this is a short route, there are may interesting things to see, as the path crosses different ecosystems and landscapes, including the rural interior and the coastal environments. It was the first time I walked this trail, and I am sure I will go back. In terms of photo gear, as usual I carried two cameras (Fuji’s X-T3 and X-T4) and two lenses (Fujinon’s 16mm f/1.4 and 70-300mm f/4.5-f/5.6), plus the tripod.

During the first quarter of 2023, I have walked several trails of the Rota Vicentina, which is a vast network of walking and cycling paths located in the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentina Coast Natural Park. I normally walk in the circular routes because the logistics are easier. However, there are a few non-circular routes that I wanted to walk, notably the one between the villages of Vila do Bispo and Sagres, in the Algarve region of the park. Throughout the years I have visited this area a few times, in particular some beautiful locations such as the lighthouse in São Vicente, and the beaches of Telheiro and Ponta Ruiva. As such, I wanted to go back this year and walk the complete trail, not only parts of it.

This corresponds to route TP-09, which is stage 9 of the Trilho dos Pescadores, or Fishermen’s Trail. The latter is a long 180 km route that follows along this entire coast, roughly between Sines and Sagres. The map below shows only the path for stage 9.

I chose to start the walk in Vila do Bispo, where I left my car. There is a regular bus service between Sagres and Vila do Bispo, or taxi services, to return. There are more buses during school days compared to weekends, so I recommend you do a bit of research beforehand. At the end of the day, it works alright.

The weather forecast for the day was sunny and mild, which was perfect for a long walk. Spring has arrived in full force, coloring the landscape with many flowers. In fact, one of my interests in this walk was to spend some time searching and photographing several species of flowers that are typical of this region. For such, I had with me an old high quality close-up filter (or diopter lens) to mount on my Fujinon 70-300mm lens; this combination is very good for near macro photography, and I got nice images.

Leaving Vila do Bispo, the path heads directly to the coast, climbing gently until it reaches the coastal plateau. Along the way, some red poppies start to appear in the countryside. It is an easy going and enjoyable walk, and also quite popular, judging by the number of people on the trail. Indeed, when I walk in the interior routes, I normally don’t see anybody, but here that is not the case. Nevertheless, the only sounds I hear are the strong wind and the chirping of small birds.

My first planned stop is at Ponta Ruiva (or red rock point), which owes its name to the strong red color of the outcropping rocks. Along the way, I photograph a few more flowers. Some of them are really small, only 1 or 2 cm in diameter; this, plus the constant wind, makes for challenging photographing conditions, but I am patient. There is always a lull in the wind, just 1 or 2 seconds when the wind abates, and that is when I take the photo.

At the middle of the day, the light is not the most interesting one, so I decide to go for long exposures at Ponta Ruiva, using a neutral density filter. The blue of the sea is really vivid, and the coastal cliffs are more than 100 m high; down below, the waves crash incessantly against the rocks. We are close to Torre da Aspa, the highest point in the west coast of the Algarve, and it shows.

A note of caution, which is actually valid for this entire coastal region: the wind is normally strong here, so take proper care when approaching the edge of the cliffs. I keep walking, already with the Cabo São Vicente and its lighthouse visible in the distance. But before arriving there, it is time for a picnic lunch in the Telheiro beach. This beach is famous for its geology, notably an angular unconformity, where the more recent rock strata overlies the near vertical older rocks below. This means that the older rocks were compressed by huge tectonic forces, uplifted and eroded for millions of years, before the younger ones were deposited over them. The best location to see this is on the northern part of the cliff, which is only accessible during low tide. Unfortunately, this is not the case, so I will have to go back another time. Still, this geometric relationship can be also be seen from above, even though it is not the optimal view. Along the trail near Telheiro, it is possible to see some endemic and rare plants, which grow in the calcareous soil of this area.

After Telheiro, the path enters an area composed of limestone rock, which has been eroded, creating a typical karstic landscape. The terrain is made up of loose rocks and is not level, so be careful not to twist an ankle. Many plants are in bloom, some with tiny flowers sheltered amongst the rocks, where the sand has accumulated.

After a while, I arrive at São Vicente, but I do not stop there, since I plan to return at sunset. So I keep walking towards Sagres, leaving the path now and then to see the views from the top of the cliffs. It is worth stopping in Beliche to see the fort with the chapel, and the beach with the same name. The landscape here is amazing, with large promontories jutting into the sea. In the distance, it is possible to see the famous Sagres fort, from where the Portuguese Age of Discoveries was planned. People used to say that the world ended here, and one can appreciate why, when facing this endless sea.

I finally arrive in Sagres, and I am lucky because I do not have to wait long for the bus to Vila do Bispo. As a note, the bus stop is right next to the tourism office in the centre of the village. It is only a 10 minute ride back to Vila do Bispo, so pretty soon I am back where I started.

I rest for a little while, before driving to São Vicente for some photography at sunset. The lighthouse is a popular place with tourists, and a great viewpoint from which to admire the surrounding landscape. The sheer vertical cliffs dropping down from the plateau into the deep blue ocean below, with the crashing waves, make for a beautiful scenery. Again, please be careful if you venture into the cliffs, because the wind is really strong; a sudden change of wind direction can be dangerous if you are too close to the edge. I sit down on some rocks and set up the camera in the tripod to make some photos.

Watching the sun going down near the lighthouse was the perfect way to end this memorable day in this beautiful region.

I have walked several trails of the Rota Vicentina since January, with a mix of new and old ones. After a few years of walking in this wonderful SW region, I have a few favorite routes, including this one. Looking at my records, it was the fifth time that I have walked this trail since 2019; in fact, I do this trail every year. So what makes this route so special? In my opinion, if you want to experience the character of the interior region of Odemira, this trail is perfect. It takes you along beautiful rural landscapes, where you can find very old cork oaks, typical farm houses, and panoramic views from the top of the hills.

Spring is a good time to visit, with the fields covered in green grass, and several wildflowers in bloom. Of course I had my camera with me, and of course it was a challenge to try and come away with different photos from the other visits… I have seen this landscape at the end of summer, when it is dry and brown, and at the end of winter, when it is wet and green. What follows is a collection of the photos I made during this latest visit, with my trusty Fujinon 33mm lens, a standard for the APSC format.

As I mentioned in my last blog entry, this month I have walked two routes of the Rota Vicentina for the first time. Today I want to write about route 19, which is located near the village of Bordeira, as indicated in the map below. It is actually located close to route 21 which I have described before, near Carrapateira.

This is one of the longest circular routes but it does not have any steep inclines, so it is easy going. The village of Bordeira is nested in the flank of a gentle hill, and has several interesting points, like its church, which dates from the middle of the 15th century.

Leaving Bordeira, the path quickly enters a forested area, where cork oaks predominate. The weather is slightly overcast, with the clouds acting like a giant umbrella, softening the light.

Near the middle of the trail, there is a nice valley which is covered in green grass, surrounded by large oak trees. There are also some flowers that have bloomed in the fields. I spend some time here, before resuming the walk.

My next stop is in a lake created by a small reservoir used for the cattle. The wind creates ripples in the surface of the water. I rest for a while and make a few photos.

The path continues to climb in a gentle fashion, until it reaches the top of the mountain. The wind is stronger now, and the vegetation is scarce; in the distance I can see a sliver of the ocean near the horizon. A good part of the walk goes along the top, before descending into another green valley.

As I approach a group of abandoned farms known as Samouqueira, I notice a couple of bikers on the road. I take the opportunity to make a few interesting photos. Once they disappear in the distance a complete silence descends again over the landscape.

From Samouqueira only a few easy going km remain until arriving back in Bordeira. This part of the walk follows the Bordeira valley, parallel to the black top road. This was without a doubt another excellent route to walk, and for sure I will return in the future.

Just a few days ago I had the opportunity of walking a couple of new (for me) circular routes in the Rota Vicentina. Today I want to describe my experience in route 21, which is located near the village of Carrapateira, in the western coast of Algarve. This is a popular destination, thanks to the several spectacular beaches in the vicinity, like Carrapateira, Amado, and Murração. There are several routes that follow the coastal areas, but this one heads off towards the mountainous interior (see map below).

Before arriving in Carrapateira, you will notice that the topography changes, with the appearance of rounded hills covered in short trees and shrubs. In between these hills there are valleys where ephemerous creeks run after rainy periods. It had rained a few days before I walked this trek, so the landscape was greener than usual, and even some flowers had appeared.

After parking the car in the village, it is easy to find the beginning of the trail. The initial km follow a dirt road that climbs gently between hilly terrain, before reaching the top of the first mountain; from here it is possible to see a few beaches in the distance. I make a few photos along the way, the day is sunny but cold, with crisp air and a stiff breeze. It is interesting to appreciate the dual nature of this region, characterized by the close proximity between the coastal and rural areas.

Continuing to walk inland, I arrive at a nice viewpoint that affords a fantastic view over the Serra Algarvia, with the Monchique mountain in the far distance. The nearby mountains are covered with cork oaks, pines, and arbutus. From here, the trail descends steeply into the Vilarinha valley, where a few houses make up a small village. Some cattle is grazing in the fields. This is a wonderful part of the walk, as it crosses lush land. The only people I meet are a couple of cyclists and a farmer tending to the cows.

After crossing Vilarinha, I find a nice spot to have a picnic lunch and I rest for a while. The rest of the trail continues along the top of the hills, affording some good views of the surrounding landscape, before descending into Carrapateira.

After walking this route for the first time, I can say that it became one of my favourites. On the way back home, I made two extra stops, the first one in the iconic beach of Arrifana, and the second one in the windmill of Rogil, another local landmark. Arrifana is simple a beautiful beach, more so in a winter afternoon, with only the surfers around. I waited there for the sunset, and made several photos.

I was lucky to be at Rogil a few minutes after sunset, when the sky was filled with soft pink and purple colours. It was an excellent way to finish this wonderful day.

This is one of the many routes of the Rota Vicentina network in southwest Portugal, and passes through the villages of Santa Clara-a-Velha, Sabóia and Totenique. The area is characterized by a rural landscape, where small farms can be found dispersed in the hills. Details can be found in the following link:

https://rotavicentina.com/en/trilhos/discovering-totenique/

A general map is shown below as a quick reference for this 13.5 km walk.

The trail starts in Santa Clara-a-Velha, a small village near the river Mira, following the river valley along the first half of it. You can park your car near the tourism office and perhaps get some supplies from the local café. From here, the path crosses the river in a pleasant wooded area. There has been a drought in the last couple of years, so this part of the river is normally dry, but due to recent rainfalls, the water is running again.

The first few kilometres of the trail are easy to walk, crossing hilly terrain before arriving at the Santa Clara and Sabóia train station. From the top of a hill, the scenery is nice, with a succession of green valleys and mountains.

After so many months of drought, the rainfalls in December have changed the landscape completely. The ground is covered with green grass, and there are many patches of flowers. Looks like spring has arrived during the winter, a feeling that is reinforced by the balmy temperatures. Leaving the train station behind, the trail then crosses several farms located in a valley, and I stop here and there to make some photos.

Even though it is mid morning, the winter sun is low in the sky, and as I climb the shaded side of a hill, I notice many spider webs in the ground. These are covered with water droplets from the night’s moisture and morning dew. Mushrooms are also conspicuous, and come in different varieties.

It is almost time for a picnic lunch, so I take a well deserved rest near the small group of houses that are known as Totenique. Most of them are abandoned, but the fields are still cultivated and there is some cattle grazing nearby. The name comes from the nearby creek, one of the river Mira subsidiaries. As I cross a small bridge, I notice the pattern of the sunlight’s reflection on the surface of the water, almost like dancing ripples.

The last part of the trail traverses the Totenique valley, before a steep climb reaches the top of the mountain. From here there is a nice view over the valley to the west, and it is an appropriate time to take a breather.

It is also worth admiring the view towards Santa Clara-a-Velha in the east, before descending into the village, where this circular trail ends.

When I visit this place, I like to go to the Santa Clara-a-Velha dam, where the water from the river Mira is captured, forming one of the largest lakes in Portugal. With the approach of sunset, the temperature dropped a bit, and a stiff wind started to blow, creating ripples on the surface of the water. I was glad to see that, compared to summertime, the level of the water seems to have risen about 5 or 6 metres, which is great news.

Another local attraction worth visiting is the Dona Ana bridge, a medieval structure close to Santa Clara-a-Velha. This is an old stone bridge over the river Mira, but unfortunately only half of the span remains. Depending on the season and amount of water in the river, it may be more or less difficult to walk down to the bank. This time I was lucky, as the river had plenty of water.

As always, in terms of my photography, I like to keep things simple. For this walk I carried only my wide angle (Fujinon 16mm f/1.4) and standard (Fujinon 33mm f/1.4) lenses in my backpack. This was another happy day in one of the trails of the Rota Vicentina.

I found myself spending a few days after Christmas in the southwest coast of Portugal. After a couple of weeks of heavy rain, the weather became sunnier, so it was perfect for walking in the many local trails of the Rota Vicentina. One of my favourite routes is number 24, a circular path that starts in the town of Vila do Bispo and heads to the coast. I have done this trail a few times before, but I like it so much that I don’t mind repeating it. In fact, this route takes you into direct contact with the essence of this land: a high coastal plateau characterized by hills and deeply cut ravines, leading to some of the best wild beaches in Europe.

The following map shows the trail, which is around 16 km long.

The morning is sunny, and even though it is winter, the temperature is forecasted to reach 23 Celsius, which feels more like springtime. After the rain the land is covered with green grass and yellow flowers; it does look like spring. The trail is easy to follow, and after a couple of hours, it starts to approach one of its highlights, the descent towards Barriga beach. It is impossible not to stop to admire the view, with the hills transitioning abruptly to the azure of the ocean.

Take some time to stroll in the beach and enjoy the surroundings. The dark schist cliffs are still covered by the morning mist. When the tide is low, it is possible to walk for several kilometres along the sand.

Leaving Barriga beach, the trail climbs up the steep hills, until it reaches the second highlight of the day, the viewpoint over Cordoama beach. From here it is possible to admire a good part of the Vicentina coast, starting at Arrifana in the north, and extending into Castelejo and beyond, to the south.

These beaches are a fantastic place to spend the rest of the day, but after a picnic lunch, it is time to return to the trail. It is a steep ascent from the beach to the top of the hill, but the view from is well worth the effort. From here, the rest of the walk is easy, crossing a quiet woodland in a secluded valley, before arriving at Vila do Bispo.

On the way from Vila do Bispo to my house, I stopped at another one of my favourite beaches, Arrifana. I wanted to make some photos at sunset, so I parked the car, and went looking around, trying to find a good viewpoint. There are several places from where to make good photos looking down onto the beach, but I chose one that is not so obvious, near the edge of the cliff. Even though I have been here so many times, I always feel elated every time I return. The tall dark cliffs, with their folded rock layers, are constantly buffeted by the waves.

This coastal region is a treasure trove for Nature lovers, and is beautiful all year round. Walking the many available trails is the perfect way to experience it. A final mention about the photo gear I had in my backpack, which included a wide angle lens (Fujinon 16mm f/1.4) and a standard lens (Fujinon 33mm f/1.4).