The Fishermen’s trail: Almograve to Zambujeira do Mar
It was busy when I left Almograve. There were a lot of people out and about, especially with cars and motorhomes. It was no surprise since the road I followed had some beautiful views. When the path turned into a walking trail, I met Tatiana, who had also stayed in the Beach Hostel. We decided to walk together for a few hours and were presented with some amazing views of beaches and coves.
For the most part the coast was dark grey and black and suddenly there was a completely overgrown cove. The bright green plants formed a beautiful picture with the soft blue of the ocean. The first half of the walk surprised us a lot. The word ‘wow’ kept escaping from my mouth. I just couldn’t help myself. There was so much beauty it was almost overwhelming. I think we stood still every 50 meters to take a photo.
At Cavaleiro we had to go inland a bit to cross the river before heading back to the coast. We parted ways here and each of us continued at our own pace. On the other side of the river was Cabo Sardão, where I saw a lot of tourists. There was a lighthouse and there were many parking spaces. I walked passed the crowd until I was on a dirt road. A little further I found a beautiful spot to sit, relax and have some lunch. This is the only part of the Fishermen’s trail that can also be biked and therefore I came across many mountain bikers, day hikers and even motorbikes. Since this part was basically on a dirt road and further away from the coastline, it wasn’t that interesting.
Sure, it was nice to see some shrubs in bright yellows and reds, but a large part was burned and the scenery was pretty monotonous. Only occasionally the road veered off towards the coast, or rather, the coast reached the road. Those moments were really nice, since there were some stunning bays here. I tried to stop for each one, to make sure I could savor the most beautiful parts of the afternoon. Especially Praia do Tonel was stunning. There were no stairs going down, but I could tell some people had descended the steep cliffs. Apparently there are ropes to help.
Today I completely forgot about the world. Berlin didn’t exist, my job insecurity didn’t exist, my heartache didn’t exist, the future didn’t matter. It was just me and the sound of the waves, the sun on my face and the amazing peace the nature offered. All my emotional baggage had been thrown into the ocean and carried away by the wind. There was only positivity and nothing could stop me. I realized I hadn’t felt this great in a long, long time. I was completely at peace and I hoped I could hold on to this feeling as I continued my walk.
At the fishing harbor of Entrada da Barca I had to descend down a steep, small track over the rocks. At the bottom I walked behind the fishing boats and then uphill to the main street. Seeing all the people with masks on put me back in reality. An incredibly boring path led me to the start of Zambujeira do Mar, right next to a main road. Only at the very end I was rewarded for my patience with an incredible coastal path. I was glad I got to finish the walk like this. There was a beautiful beach, not far from town, with only one man on it. I couldn’t understand why nobody would take the time to walk out here instead of going to the main beach.
At 3 o’clock I arrived at my hostel and was greeted by the enthusiastic owner. His enthusiasm for what he had created was infectious. I could use the washing machine and then decided to spend the last warm hour of the day at the beach. Zambujeira do Mar lies on the cliffs and has some stairs that descend to the water. It is a really cute town and seems perfect for those who want to just get away from it all for a few days. In the evening I sat on the square and watched the sunset. Then I went to dinner with Tatiana. We had a delicious sea bass with veggies and potatoes, but when the bill came I wasn’t so satisfied anymore. It was incredibly expensive! At least they packed my leftovers so I could take them with me the next day. That night the fish invaded my dreams!
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