Hiking the Fisherman’s trail… stalking the Storks, keeping up with the Austrians/ Germans, achieving a goal!

Our overnight in the Almograve, a very small village which was not really fully open for the beach season was charming nonetheless. We recouped after a long day 2, enjoyed dinner in a fantastic Indian Nepalese restaurant with a funny sweet waiter/ host. Despite being very tired, we had a restless night.

High tide came in in the wee hours of the morning with such force. The sound was like a freight train. The roar was relentless and although we were a mile from the beach it sounded as if it were at our door!

Day 3 dawns and the cumulative fatigue is nagging at the back of our minds (and our bodies), though, amazingly we are rejuvenated.

We review the highlights and warnings of todays stage. It is longer than the previous two days. It has sections of deep soft sand and some climbing up and then down, but we know we are if not halfway midway there. Rise and shine!

We are amazed at how different each day of the trek has been. The cliffs are changing as we advance. The rock color loses some grey and reddens towards an adobe clay color. The sand is thick and a little grainier, the tops of the cliffs some time have more rocky dirt.

The trail is never monotonous, though the grind of walking and the heat of the sun and sand wear on us at times. An interesting and enjoyable comradeship develops as we come in contact with other hikers. The collective persons on the trail are reminiscent of the cast of Lost, a group is unrelated people who find themselves in unfamiliar circumstances (wilderness but beautiful), and momentarily come together.

There are the group of friends, young and competitive, racing from cliff to cliff, the companionable pair enjoying an adventure together, the familial pairs- mother-daughter, brother-sister, husband-wife, and the solitary hikers.

Some struggle to breach the ascents and the challenges of the sand, others blithely walk on unperturbed by the challenge. A handful of these people are becoming familiar faces to us. At times we are lodging together, or strolling past each other in the evenings. There is a comfort and a grace to be recognized and to be known.

The birds are the highlight of day three. Storks nesting in the cliffs provide a glimpse into family life. The stork protector, keeps vigil on a high perch overseeing the nest. The nurture sits on the nest sometimes feeding the young.

The now developing young storks are put through their paces in a para flight school training where the swoop and soar at over the waves, between cliffs and back to the nesting rock under the supervision of the stork flight instructor. It is fascinating. Considering the legendary myth that storks delivery babies… we left our daughters’ addresses with them… just in case!

The trail ends day 3 in Zambujeira do Mar. The final few miles are off the coastal trail along a dusty dirt road and then on to an asphalt roadway. It is the least inspiring section of the trip and also the end of the longest section, but we are all in… no short cuts!

The dawn breaks on our last day of the hike. Once again there is a warning of sand on the trail, but today’s difficulty alerts includes steep ascents and descents. We are not long on the trail before we understand why. Once again the landscape is different. There are rocky cliffs, sharp and jagged, we must scramble up.

There are sections of very wet, muddy segments that are slick. We have visions of slipping and being covered with muck. The trail appears to disappear off the edge at times and the steep descent can require some agility. We see the young kids move quickly and rambuciously down the slope.

We gingerly plant our steps down, cautiously advancing, and after rising again on another ascent, look back to see one of our lone hiking comrade nimbly walk down, humming to herself without ever breaking her stride. ( we’ll have to work on that).

The stage from Zambujeira to Odeceixe eventually leaves the ocean cliff and turns inland, but not before gifting us with some final breathtaking vistas. A forested section gives way to a walk alongside a game farm where we glimpse an ostrich in all his ostrich glory watching the passers by as we watch him, and his family, momma sitting watching over two very beautiful ostrich eggs( think opal faberge eggs).

We later move through a large commercial vegetable farm with rows of greenhouses full of lettuce and herbs.

Nearing the end, we pass some farms with horses and goats and a pig. It is an interesting diversion from the ocean views, but the best sight is the beautiful beach community of Odeceixe.

What… that’s not on our side of the river… we have another 3 miles to cross the bridge then back track to the village, still the windmill on the hill marks the end of a quest.

The taste of victory (and some refreshing green wine) is ours!

In the early morning we took a taxi to Santa Clara Saboia. We got funny looks from people when we revealed our travel plans. When the taxi pulled in at the station… which looked like a grain storage building with a platform, two train tracks, and a hillside full of large caramel colored cows wearing bells.

It made sense why there is a saying in the city that if you are in the middle of nowhere you must be in Santa Clara Soboia! Still, the very pleasant sound of the cow bell chimes entertained us until the train arrived. Next stop…Porto!

We have been prepping and planning for this trip for a while. The great info for the trail, along with the smooth transfer of our luggage for each step of the way and for arranging accommodations with very gracious guest house owners was seamlessly organized by Ray and Marnie from Ramblin’ Trails. While the hike could be completed without this service, it was a great reassurance to know our bags would be waiting for us and our lodging was comfortable and confirmed.