Tips and Advice for Hiking the Rota Vicentina

Tips and Advice for Hiking the Rota Vicentina

Guide to Thru-Hiking Portugal's Fisherman's Trail

Having now hiked almost two weeks from Lagos to Sao Torpes on the Rota Vicentina we have a few thoughts and pieces of advice that come to mind that we thought would be helpful to pass along if you are interested in this trail.  

First off, the Fisherman’s Trail follows the rugged Atlantic coastline over an uneven surface – as such, while beautiful, the pathway can be challenging both for the constant climbing and descending as well as in being exposed to the warm temperatures.  

Second, I am not sure whether the Portuguese just have not discovered or simply have a disdain for switchbacks however it seems that the sections of their paths which do go up and downhill take the most direct route rather than zig-zagging over the terrain. The inevitable result is that some sections of the trail are nearly vertical and are heavily eroded – making for tough progress on several stages of the hike. 

Third, each official stage begins in a town and ends in a town.  In addition to this on most days you will pass through a small community or by a beach bar.  So you don’t need to carry lots of food or supplies.  We found that there were even vegetarian options available at restaurants along the way.  With that said, we admittedly bought croissants the night before to have our coffee and breakfast in our room to get going early each day as many bars do not open until later. 

Fourth, despite the fact that we began and ended each day in towns we nonetheless carried extra water with us given the temperatures. 

Fifth, given the hot temperatures we left as early as possible each day.   To this end, one has to balance leaving early and getting as much hiking done in the cooler morning with the reality that in doing so you will likely leave before breakfast and arrive at your destination well before you are allowed to check-in. 

Sixth, wear whatever footwear you are comfortable walking in.  We wore trail runners with gators or Keen sandals.  The only challenge was to find a stride that minimized how much sand one got into their shoes with each step.   

Seventh, on beaches and sandy stretches we found that taking smaller steps, walking in the footsteps of others, or trekking along the damp tidal area made for easier hiking.  The Rota Vicentina is filled with natural wonders but there is no denying that they are wonders and moments that you have to work for. 

Eighth, don’t overestimate your abilities.  The combination of high temperatures, sandy conditions, strong winds off the ocean and challenging topography definitely slows one’s pace and makes for a challenging hike.  Our average hiking speed of 6 km an hour was cut down to 3.5 km an hour on the Rota Vicentina.  We found that the best approach was to accept that many of the stages along the Fisherman’s Trail would simply take longer to complete.  Some of these obstacles you will encounter simply can’t be rushed through and we found that a slower pace often helped in traversing the long sandy beaches as well as in spotting wildlife and birds. 

Ninth, the Rota Vicentina has great signage and is very well-marked.  However, there are a few small stretches which can be confusing.  Navigating dunes which are crisscrossed with local trails could be a little unclear as to which was our route.  As such we used our downloaded GPX tracks on the cell phone to help us stay on course. 

Tenth, while hiking anywhere follow the rules, stay on the trail, and practice Leave No Trace principles.  The Costa Vicentina is a protected region, a national park, and home to world-famous birding habitats.  To this end help to keep it natural by staying on the trail and packing out what you bring in.  At several points along the Rota Vicentina – especially on the beaches and amid coastal dunes people have cut routes everywhere.  The result has been a great deal of coastal erosion and uprooted vegetation.  In addition, we often found discarded plastic water bottles, trail bar wrappers, and used toilet paper along the route.  When hiking anywhere we need to remember that we all have a part to play in keeping routes such as the Rota Vicentina naturally beautiful.  As such it is essential that people learn and practice LEAVE NO TRACE principles.

Eleventh, remember that southern Portugal has two different aspects to it – and the Rota Vicentina traverses both.   On one hand, much of this area is dedicated to travel, surfing and retirement.  To this end the Algarve is in many ways very much dedicated to tourism – this fact is reflected in the prices of some accommodations and restaurants along the route as well as in the need to ensure that you had reservations in advance as surfing season began.  Alternatively, while the busier tourist centres make visiting as an English speaker very easy much of the Rota Vicentina also navigates rural towns which do not have the same multilingual options open to visitors.  Because of this, it is beneficial to have a basic understanding of the Portuguese language to make arrangements with hosts and to order food at bars. 

Finally, the Rota Vicentina is definitely busy.  With that said it is not as busy as the Camino Frances or the Camino Portuguese - though it is clearly rapidly gaining in popularity.  While from Lagos to Sagres we only met or saw a few hikers each day, beyond Sao St. Vicentina our daily encounters included groups of people ranging anywhere from 40 to 180 hikers heading southbound.   In this regard how you like to hike may well determine which direction you trek.  For those seeking interaction with others and willing to travel amid larger groups of people you will likely want to hike from north to south.   Alternatively, if you want a more solitary venture with only short bursts of groups of people each day then one might consider hiking the Rota south to north.  

See you on the Trail!

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