So last night The French and I needed to look at our options.
Our initial 'itinerary' some days ago - when we realised we had to sort out our accommodation for the rest of our walk - would have had us walking 37 (or possibly 33) kms today from Zambujeira to Almograve (22) then on to Vila Nova de Milfontes (15 or 11 if the ferry service is operating). That would leave us with our last day of 20 kms to Porto Covo - short distance by comparison but it's mostly along the beach and rated as a difficult (i.e. slow) and beautiful section.
Even without the dodgy leg, we realised yesterday the dune and beach walking means a much slower pace (about 3 kms an hour). And it's tiring. So the 37 kms was immediately off the table. If we were going to walk at all today (if I thought I was up to it) which section would we walk?
Still wondering about this, we came back to the hostel after dinner. Two of the other people in our dorm room (of 6) were a young couple - a Bavarian girl and Spanish guy (who, like us, had met when walking a camino some years before!). Like most hikers on the Rota Vicentina, they had walked from the north, so in the last two days they'd just walked the two sections we were trying to decide between. No contest, they said. Definitely the section from Almograve north was the prettier landscape, staying on the coast most of the way. And, happily for me, this was also the shorter of the two at 15 kms, with the possibility of taking a ferry across the river at Vila Nova and avoiding the final 4 kms.
We knew we could take a bus in the morning at 8.15 to either Almograve or beyond to Vila Nova so our plan was set. We'd get up early, have breakfast and, depending on how I felt, not walk at all and take the bus directly to Vila and and rest for the day or get off at Almograve and walk the 15 kms (or hopefully 11) to Vila Nova. At breakfast I told Domi that my leg was still sore, but better than the night before, so I'd like to walk from Almograve. And that's what we did.
It was a lovely path today, on lower cliffs than the day before - the weather was fine but cloudy from time to time. Not so much up and down as yesterday or tricky 'goat tracks' but there was a slightly scary ladder climb - photo included. Having hopped off the bus in Almograve around 9 this morning, I started well but was in quite a lot of pain by the time we arrived 11 kms and 3.5 hours later at the restaurant and ferry jetty across the river from Vila Nova. We had a leisurely lunch and waited for the 2pm ferry - just a short ride but such fun - and climbed the stairs to Vila Nova de Milfontes, which I look forward to strolling around later on.
We have a bright and comfortable room here in Isabel's Casa Da Alagoinha - and I've been resting my leg in the hope that we'll be walking tomorrow. And I am still hopeful. When I've had these bloody shin splints before they've settled within 24 hours and I have not missed a day's walking. But this time it seems to be a bit more stubborn and I don't have my usual remedies at hand.
The French and I will be happy either way. We've enjoyed our walks on the Rota Vicentina - both the Historical Way and Fishermen's Trail - and if we decide to take the bus to Porto Covo tomorrow, we will enjoy our time there and look forward to heading to Lisbon.
Nous verrons ca. We'll see that!
A demain.
J x
Our initial 'itinerary' some days ago - when we realised we had to sort out our accommodation for the rest of our walk - would have had us walking 37 (or possibly 33) kms today from Zambujeira to Almograve (22) then on to Vila Nova de Milfontes (15 or 11 if the ferry service is operating). That would leave us with our last day of 20 kms to Porto Covo - short distance by comparison but it's mostly along the beach and rated as a difficult (i.e. slow) and beautiful section.
Even without the dodgy leg, we realised yesterday the dune and beach walking means a much slower pace (about 3 kms an hour). And it's tiring. So the 37 kms was immediately off the table. If we were going to walk at all today (if I thought I was up to it) which section would we walk?
Still wondering about this, we came back to the hostel after dinner. Two of the other people in our dorm room (of 6) were a young couple - a Bavarian girl and Spanish guy (who, like us, had met when walking a camino some years before!). Like most hikers on the Rota Vicentina, they had walked from the north, so in the last two days they'd just walked the two sections we were trying to decide between. No contest, they said. Definitely the section from Almograve north was the prettier landscape, staying on the coast most of the way. And, happily for me, this was also the shorter of the two at 15 kms, with the possibility of taking a ferry across the river at Vila Nova and avoiding the final 4 kms.
We knew we could take a bus in the morning at 8.15 to either Almograve or beyond to Vila Nova so our plan was set. We'd get up early, have breakfast and, depending on how I felt, not walk at all and take the bus directly to Vila and and rest for the day or get off at Almograve and walk the 15 kms (or hopefully 11) to Vila Nova. At breakfast I told Domi that my leg was still sore, but better than the night before, so I'd like to walk from Almograve. And that's what we did.
It was a lovely path today, on lower cliffs than the day before - the weather was fine but cloudy from time to time. Not so much up and down as yesterday or tricky 'goat tracks' but there was a slightly scary ladder climb - photo included. Having hopped off the bus in Almograve around 9 this morning, I started well but was in quite a lot of pain by the time we arrived 11 kms and 3.5 hours later at the restaurant and ferry jetty across the river from Vila Nova. We had a leisurely lunch and waited for the 2pm ferry - just a short ride but such fun - and climbed the stairs to Vila Nova de Milfontes, which I look forward to strolling around later on.
We have a bright and comfortable room here in Isabel's Casa Da Alagoinha - and I've been resting my leg in the hope that we'll be walking tomorrow. And I am still hopeful. When I've had these bloody shin splints before they've settled within 24 hours and I have not missed a day's walking. But this time it seems to be a bit more stubborn and I don't have my usual remedies at hand.
The French and I will be happy either way. We've enjoyed our walks on the Rota Vicentina - both the Historical Way and Fishermen's Trail - and if we decide to take the bus to Porto Covo tomorrow, we will enjoy our time there and look forward to heading to Lisbon.
Nous verrons ca. We'll see that!
A demain.
J x
