This last year, after having spent many enjoyable Christmases here in Archez with family and friends, we felt the need to do something different. Especially as no family members were coming over for the festive season, and friends would be away too. Also, it would be our first Christmas without any of our three children – a bit of a milestone in anyones's life – and we didn't relish the thought of going through the usual motions without them. So, we packed up our trusty old camper, affectionately known as the "Heatwave" (for reasons too involved to mention here, but you know who you are, Alan!), and headed off to Portugal. We had been to the Algarve before, but only briefly and to the more developed resorts, and this time we wanted to explore in more depth.
So on a beautiful sunny day we drove to Sevilla (traffic nightmare – I had my eyes closed most of the time and let Tim, the sat-nav man, to do the negotiating. And, no, I wasn't driving!). Then on through the fairly bland landscape to Huelva, and soon we were over the bridge and into Portugal. Our first stop was at Manta Rota, a small beach resort, where we met up with some friends. The surrounding area is part of the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, with sand dunes stretching for miles along the riverside, which runs parallel to the beach. The dunes were teeming with birdlife, and we spotted egrets, hoopoes, curlews and spoonbills, as well as the storks perched up on their nests – an iconic Portuguese image.
Our intended destination was Lagos in the south-west corner. We seem to have a penchant for places in the south-west of anywhere – it must be because of coming from Cornwall, and indeed the landscape in places reminded us very much of the area around Land's End. We knew that there was a town campsite in Lagos, which we thought would make a good base for exploring. However, just one look at it had us hurrying back to the camper and swiftly moving on! Heading west we came across an excellent site outside the village of Espiche, and we it was here that we stayed for Christmas and New Year. As a gesture to the time of year I had brought a small tree to sit on the dashboard, which I thought just might be a bit over the top, so I was waiting to see what the camping etiquette was on this occasion before I put it on display. I needn't have worried as everywhere we looked campers and caravans were festooned with lights and decorations, and Father Christmases were shinning up awnings all over the place. So the tree was put in situ and what with my husband wearing his specially purchased musical elf hat, we were all set!
We made the most of our time there by going out and about in the camper every day. We particularly liked the harbour and old part of Lagos, with its' interesting streets and shops, and its' huge fish market. Just out of Lagos and on the coast is the famous Ponta da Piedade, where there are spectacular rock formations in the sea. If you are willing to climb down the hundreds of steps to the base of the cliffs, you can take a boat trip in and out and through the rocks. But always remember that you will have to climb back up afterwards! The fort at Sagres, at the extreme south west tip of the country, was well worth a visit even though it was a wet and windy day. The weather seemed to add to the atmosphere somehow. It is a wild and lonely place, and is attributed to Henry the Navigator, who instigated voyages of discovery in the 15th. century which gave rise to Portugal's famous seafaring history. Especially riveting was watching the fisherman balancing precariously from 100 metre high cliffs in the hopes of landing a big one! Luckily, someone did while we were there.
Further up the west coast we visited Arrifana and Monte Clerigo, where the Atlantic rollers come crashing in, making this a popular surfing venue. The cliffs here are abundant in plant life, and are protected, and you can only access them via wooden walkways – this was conservation at its' best. Coming inland from the coast we drove through pine forests to Monchique, a mountain village. I had been there before many years ago, and had found it charming, but this time I was disappointed inasmuch as it looked quite shabby and seemed uncared for. But, to be fair, it was a cold damp day and I'm sure that a bit of sunshine would make it look a whole different.
Back on the southern coast again, we found some lovely, lesser-known villages. Lesser-known to us anyway. No doubt there are people who have been keeping these places secret for years, and I don't blame them. Two villages that spring to mind are Salema and Burgau. We were able to walk to Praia da Luz from the campsite. This place started life as a small fishing village, and you can still see glimpses of it today even though it has been virtually taken over by a holiday company. Despite this it is still an attractive resort and the beach is golden and clean, as are all the beaches along the Algarve. In the village, passing the church, you couldn't help but spare a thought for Madeleine McCann and her family.
Going east from Lagos we liked the beach at Alvor (level walking from the car park – no cliffs here!) Good for fishing, which kept my husband busy although he didn't have as much luck as the high-rise fishermen at Sagres. Good walking here too through the dunes and alongside the marina. We called in at Tavira as we drove back towards the border, and I was very impressed! Very old, with some really interesting architecture, but interspersed with some very modern sculpture. A mix that seemed to work well. Also, the town is on both a river and the sea, and has a wonderful feel of both light and space.
Meeting up with our friends again in Manta Rota, we decided not to come home but to go north with them – campers in convoy – and follow the Guadiana River inland. The Guadiana forms the border between Portugal and Spain for parts of its' length and, at one point, the village of Alcoutim on the Portuguese side faces the Spanish village of Sanlucar del Guadiana on the other bank. Both have their own fortifications which were, no doubt, put to use at some stage in the history of the two countries. We were glad that we had made the decision to travel inland as we drove through beautiful countryside, passing many cork plantations. Sadly, due to the decline in the demand for cork by the wine industry, several species of wildlife, who depend on the cork oaks for survival, are under threat. This is in addition to the possibility of lesser employment for the local community. We could maybe bear this in mind when we buy our next bottle of wine, and make sure it has a cork "cork". We were also fortunate to see azure-winged magpies, bee-eaters and red-legged partridges in this area, and much of the cistus was already in flower.
But all good things must come to an end, and we eventually headed for home. We both agreed that it had been a very worthwhile trip, and a great way to spend Christmas, and we will certainly be travelling back to Portugal at some stage to explore even further.
Oh, and by the way, I can highly recommend Portuguese cakes! Very melt-in-the-mouth, stuffed with figs, dates and other delights, and oozing with honey…… And the wine's not bad, either
