A short hike along the Alentejo coast

In these last years I have been learning the Portuguese language. Thus, in order to give a try to my new linguistic ability, I decided to embark on a long distance walking in Portugal.
One week ago I went for the first time to Portugal where I visited Lisbon and walked along the splendid coast of Alentejo.

The Alentejo coast trail is a four legs hike of about 20 km a day.
It is called "Fishermen's Trail" (Trilho dos Pescadores) and, with the "Historical Way" and some circular routes, it is part of the "Rota Vicentina", a recent project of a walking system in the region.
The Fishermen's Trail lays along a gorgeous and unspoiled (protected area) coast of the Atlantic in southern Portugal.

The coast is mainly red sandstone around 60 meters over sea level. Sometimes the stone is also black or dark and stratified (like in Wales). But what is amazing is that on top of the cliffs (where one actually walks) there is a deep layer of sand dunes with the typical fragrant Mediterranean vegetation.
In the last leg (coming from the South) there are also very long stretches on beaches.
Between the end of leg villages there is definitely nothing; only savage nature!
The villages are very nice: whitewashed houses, bright colour framed.

Unfortunately I was obliged to skip two legs because I wasn't well.

Gear

Because the mild temperature I didn't carry a second fleece; neither did I carry shelter nor bedding, having booked ahead the relevant accommodations.

Thus, with 1.5 l of water and some reserve food I carried a scarce 4 kg rucksack.



 Highlights

The ocean breakers, the smell, Vila Nova de Milfontes
 

Again on why not long distance walking in Italy

Well, I should have written this post in January but I've been a bit lazy.
For Christmas, my brother Luca offered me, as a gift, a book remarkably apropos the present topic.
Namely it is "Di buon passo" by Andrea Bocconi; a kind of journal, telling the author's adventures backpacking through Tuscany and Umbria, hitting the springs of the two major Central Italy rivers: Arno and Tevere.
I roughly reckoned he might have walked about 400 km during his 12 days journey.

I can hardly compare his mode of walking with mine: he carried a rather heavy backpack and he often camped while I'm aiming lightness and halting only in b&b or inns.

But I'm not going to review the book which - by the way - is rather nice. What interest me there is that Andrea implicitly confirms some of the aspects which I mentioned in an earlier post where I explained why I won't undertake any journey on foot in Italy.
In particular he often was not able to access the path because illegally blocked off by bordering real estate owners or obstructed by thorns uncut long since for lack of maintenance.
In conclusion, it seems that the journey frequently proceeded on the roads, beside motor vehicles.

That's a pity but who can help? I don't think the situation is going to improve considering the unrelenting spreading of illegality (and concrete) in this country.

I'm consoling myself by the perspective that within two week short I'm starting the Pembrokeshire Coast Path walk.

But more about that in the upcoming posts where my gentle readers will be acquainted with sundry matters like gear improvement, athlete's foot and the journey story.

Why England - Conclusion

To see no other verdure than its own;
To feel no other breezes than are blown
Through its tall woods with high romances blent

J. KEATS

In the last post I tried to explain why I didn't choose my home country (Italy) for my first long distance walking experience.
Today I am going to tell wherefore I preferred England to other nearer countries.

Probably there are many fine long distance walks in other European countries but, as far a I could understand exploring Internet, no other country offers like England (and Wales) such a rich choice of trails managed by an official organization (National Trail) providing - through a dedicated website and guide-books - a comprehensive support to walkers for planning their trips: maps, distances, accommodation, photo galleries, etc.

Nowhere else I have been able to find such a help which allowed me - absolute beginner - to choose the best fit trail and smoothly organize my trip.

Moreover what pleasant surprise when - perusing some maps of England - I discovered that, beside the 4,000 km covered by the 14 national trails, the whole country is reticulated by a grid of public footpaths allowing to actually go everywhere on foot.

Thus, practical motives were determinant in choosing England but this choice matched a preexistent inner inclination.

It is not that I don't like France or Germany but England has something undefinable which strikes a chord with me.

Well, how to say?

One almost magic aspect deals with the relative intactness of England: since medieval times - excepted some bombings in World War II - she has scarcely suffered from war destructions not in the least comparable to Germany or Italy. Actually it is the fire which has been the main ravager.
This aspect is also due to her inhabitants who generally don't throw away things just because they are out of fashion.
I have been fascinated by pubs where one expects to suddenly behold Tom Jones or Falstaff.
Even the very fences or signposts are quite discreet in this country, barely impacting on the landscape.

I could resume my feelings saying that, walking in England, I rarely get a clashing sensation. My sharp aesthetic sensibility is seldom upset and I feel at peace.

In the next post I going to tell why I chose the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path among the 14 national trails.