Day 11 – Aljezur to Odeceixe (23.2km) – Saturday 30.03.2024
I got up at 7 a.m. and had breakfast in my room. Actually, I wanted to leave this morning. But since it was just raining quite a bit, I preferred to wait a little longer until the rain became less. Around half past nine I left the accommodation and finally ran.
I followed the city’s river out of it and soon left the last houses behind me. Due to the heavy rain, the river was quite crowded and overflowed in some places.
Soon it went up a mountain for a long time. After a few minutes, a hiker came towards me, who immediately warned me that there would be quite deep ‘lakes’ on the way further up and that she sometimes had to take off her shoes. But since I didn’t want to walk around the mountain either, I decided to go any further.
Once at the top, I actually soon passed the first larger puddles. At first I tried to bypass the water, which I managed quite well in the first few meters. At some point the water also got deeper and deeper in the fields on the outside and suddenly I stepped into a deeper hole. After that, the shoes were completely soaked. As a result, I no longer tried to walk around the water, but simply marched through the middle of the partially knee-deep water.
When improvement was finally in sight, I took off my completely soaked shoes, poured the water out of them and changed the socks. Then I set off again with dry feet.
The weather got better and soon in the sunshine I ran through pastureland and arable land, some of which were also under water.
In the next town I sit down in a small cafe and have breakfast a second time.
As soon as I had left the place, I could see very dark clouds in the sky again in front of me.
I walked quickly through the landscape. Smaller groups of hikers kept coming towards me.
When I was warned by a woman for the second time today about the amount of water on the following section of the path, I preferred to follow the cycle path for some time to avoid the wet fields.
Soon after, it started to rain again and the rain got stronger and heavier. When I passed an old bus stop, I took a few minutes with two other hikers. While it was raining really hard in front of us, we talked about our hikes.
When the rain got less, I set off again and less than 5 minutes later I was out in bright sunshine. The weather here was really very varied 😀
A detour to the coast soon followed and the next downpour was not long in coming. So I soon ran completely soaked again along the coast, where there were no options for shelter. The people who came towards me and were just as drenched as I did, just had to smile.
When it lightened up again after the short but heavy rain shower, I wrestled my socks out and then put them on again because I wanted to save the last few dry socks for the evening.
Then it was a few more kilometers along the coast.
Later I turned right and I walked on a road to Odeceixe, where I stopped at an accommodation.
There I took a quick shower and then sat in the warm sun on the accommodation’s terrace to warm up a bit and enjoy the evening.
Day 12 – Odeceixe to Zambujeira do Mar (20.4 km) – Sunday 31.03.2024
Today was Easter and I celebrated a holiday a little differently than usual. I went to the accommodation on time and apparently only Germans were here today. During the meal I talked to a couple and once again eaten large amounts of food.
When I made my way out of town, I realized that it was pretty cold today. So soon I ran out of town with a hat, but of course still with shorts, and came past really cool wall paintings.
First we went a few kilometers along a river towards the sea.
After about 5 kilometers I was able to see the place on the other side of the river where I had taken a break yesterday afternoon. So I had now walked around the country for almost 10 kilometers to bridge almost 200 meters.
At least I was back at the sea from here and since I walked around pretty quickly, I got really warm. Soon the weather got better and running was really fun again.
After a short detour through vegetable plantations, I returned to the sea and then took a first little break after 16.5 km.
It continued along the steep coast and again and again through bushes or smaller forests. In between, I apparently got a little off the official path and followed an old path through the bushes. I had to keep fighting my way between branches, but apparently I was able to save myself a small river crossing, which some hikers had warned me about in the morning.
Otherwise not much happened today and I continued walking through the beautiful landscape.
Arrived at my destination, I booked accommodation again, since rain reported again tonight and it was Easter.
In the evening I went for a delicious meal in a restaurant to round off the day.
Day 12 – Zambujeira Do Mar to Almograve (28.3 km) – Monday 01.04.2024
Since it was only breakfast at 8 today, I was able to sleep longer. After all, the buffet was very lavish and there was even fresh sourdough bread. So I stayed seated for a long time today and only left the accommodation around 9 a.m.
It continued right on the coast. On the way I passed a very small fishing port, which looked unused over the holiday.
On the other side it went steeply uphill again and then I followed the paths upstairs.
Even today I had to dance around smaller and larger puddles in between. Otherwise, the way was great and the weather today was great too. I really enjoyed walking with a blue sky and sunshine.
At a suitable place I took another coffee break to enjoy the landscape in this beautiful weather.
Later I passed a lighthouse again, where at least not that many tourists were traveling.
After that, I was able to marvel at storks in their nests again and again from the path. Some of them were really built on interesting places. Apparently, the wind here bothered them in the vs less and at least they were pretty well protected from cats and other things. Unfortunately I don’t have a good picture here.
When I passed a small town, I treated myself to a cold coke in the apparently only cafe in the village with the now hot temperatures. At least it was pretty crowded and there were definitely 20 hikers around who all drank coke, coffee or beer.
After that, there wasn’t much to see from other people and I walked around alone most of the time. The landscape always changed a bit. At first it was still gray stone and soon I was on the red sand.
Around 3 p.m. I arrived at my planned stage destination and got a slightly different burger for dinner in a restaurant at that time. Instead of buns served with fries, I liked it even better.
Since the weather was so good today, I really wanted to stay in the tent again and thus move on after the meal. When I finished eating, I saw a wanderer with a PCT badge on my backpack. I quickly paid and ran after her to question her a bit about her trip. The Dutchwoman was really happy to talk about it and so we talked about the PCT for a few minutes before she had to get on the bus because she had problems on her knees and wanted to catch up with her friends in the next town. Since she was also in the other direction than I was traveling, I quickly asked her if there was a suitable place to sleep for the tent a little outside. She said there would be a few fields in about 5 kilometers that would be suitable.
After that I made my way to leave the place and walk a few more kilometers. With the slowly sinking sun, the sea seemed a little more magical.
After about 7 more kilometers, I actually passed a meadow that should be good for camping. Pretty far from the next place, I ran up a small hill and placed my tent there.
Since I had already eaten, there wasn’t much to do and so I watched the sunset by the sea again in the best weather.
Day 13 – Almograve to Porto Covo (30.1 km) – Tuesday 02.04.2024
I woke up more often during the night and had to turn (apparently I was supposed to replace the sleeping pad), but overall I slept quite well. Before sunrise I woke up and started to dismantle my tent. After that I set off straight away.
After a few first kilometers, I made myself comfortable by the water and took my breakfast break. Today there was coffee and muesli again to at least start the day strengthened.
Then it goes on along fields and soon to a river that I had to cross further inland this time as well.
Another section through the forest and bushes followed, although in between I kept coming past cork oaks, which had apparently been freshly harvested.
I came across a car bridge to the other side of the river and reached the next town there.
First I thought about taking a break here again in a cafe. But after I had to realize that I had already walked past all cafes, I just continued my journey and left the place pretty quickly.
It continued along the coast. The paths made of sand looked nice and always look good in the pictures, but of course they are not particularly pleasant for hiking. Running on the soft ground was very exhausting and tiring. So I was on the road pretty slowly and felt like the path continued to drag on.
Even today I was able to see many stork nests and this time I even took a picture of a beautifully placed nest.
When I passed another place with a wonderful view of the coast shortly before 12, I unpacked my gas cooker again and took a break.
While drinking the hot drink, I took a closer look at the beaches in front of me.
After that, I descended a bit and continued my hike on a sandy road, only to be on small, sandy paths again soon. After a few more kilometers I noticed how the muscles slowly tired and I felt the efforts of the day.
But it went a long way. I passed an old fortress and could see the remains of an even older castle on a small island, which seemed very interesting together.
This was followed by a few very nice kilometers directly along the water.
When the sun was shining, I reached my stage destination today after almost 30 km.
I shopped briefly at a supermarket and then ran straight to the campsite. After I set up my tent there and found out that the restaurant had closed, I cooked an extensive meal on my gas cooker.
When it suddenly started to rain lightly, I soon disappeared into my tent and stayed there for the rest of the evening.
Day 14 – Porto Covo to Sines (18.2 km) – Wednesday 03.04.2024
It rained more than expected last night, so I had another wet tent. But since it was supposed to be my last stage on the fishing path today and I didn’t have much to walk, I hung the tent in the morning sun over a fence and had breakfast next door.
When the tent was reasonably dry, I set off in a relaxed manner.
I quickly left the place behind and then it went one last time along the coast. In between, smaller beaches were always to be found today.
I descended briefly to one of these beaches and walked for a few meters right along the water to experience the rushing of the water up close one last time. After that, however, it went back upstairs.
In between, I kept taking breaks today to take a few shots with my drone.
At a cafe, I took another break at 11 and watched the surfers in the water.
After that we went on for a few kilometers before I could see more and more industry in front of me and soon arrived at the official end of the fishing path.
From here I walked on a busy road, where running wasn’t necessarily a lot of fun, to Sines and passed the town’s harbour, where significantly larger ships docked than I would have expected.
There I stopped at a hostel to wash my things again and charge my batteries. In the evening I went to eat some more in the city and celebrated the successful end of the fisherman’s path.
This is where my journey on the Fischerweg ends and tomorrow I’ll have to decide how to proceed.
I hope you enjoyed the articles.
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