Challenges of Hiking the Rota Vicentina : Carrapateira to Arrifana

Challenges of Hiking the Rota Vicentina

Trust Yourself

Today’s venture on the Rota Vicentina from Carrapateira to Arrifana could be seen as a day of dealing with some of the “Mental Challenges” one experiences when hiking any long-distance trail.  These are the sorts of challenges that make you doubt your choices, grow frustrated with the pathway, and question your decision to trek in the first place.  By day’s end, we would contend with nonsensical road construction, extreme heat, confusing signage, soft sand dunes, and the discovery that our night’s accommodations were both uphill and far off the trail.  In short, it was one of those days when the mental rather than physical challenges can get to you.  

Setting out onto Portugal's Fisherman's Trail

The alarm went off around 6 AM, breaking the wonderful quiet we had enjoyed throughout the night.  Through the window, we could hear the chirping of Tree Swallows and House Martins, and see the soft glow of the morning sunrise.  Amid the small background noises of the hostel, we could hear the gentle sounds of others getting up and readying themselves for the day.  Striving not to disturb anyone else, we were soon out of bed, making instant coffee, and enjoying trail bars from our backpacks on the open terrace, watching the sun rising over Carrapateira. 

By 7 AM we picked up our backpacks, deposited our key at the empty front desk, and stepped out the door.  Setting off we began following the road towards the beach through a sprawl of neighborhoods that led us to the edge of agricultural fields.  It was only at the edge of town that I suddenly realized that I had left my hiking poles in our room!  Hurrying back, I grabbed the front door to go back in and immediately remembered that we were locked out – having left our keys in the deposit box a few minutes earlier.  Knowing that every minute wasted would mean more time hiking in the afternoon heat later on, we debated whether to just continue or to wait for someone to let us back in.  Ten long minutes later three Italian ladies opened the door as they set out, and I was able to slip back into the building.  With my hiking poles in hand, we set off again, heading through town in the cool morning air, grateful that things had worked out.

Praia do Bordeira

Town streets soon transitioned to a quiet country lane, which in turn led us down a wooden boardwalk to a long sandy trail and the Praia do Bordeira.  Stepping off the paved road and into the soft sand, we realized that this morning could be a bit of a workout.  Around us, the trail was surrounded by colour.  Amid the gentle dunes at the back of the beach were large spreads of blooming flowers, including lavenders, sedges grasses, and yellow reeds as well as flowering succulents.  These decorative ice plants that we have in a small pot on our deck in southern Ontario were clearly at home in the Algarve and formed a massive flowering organism that expansively covered the entire coastline. 

Little Egret wading on Praia do Bordeira, Portugal

At the end of the boardwalk, we arrived at a small pond - which was actually the Ribeira da Carrapateira.  According to our guidebook, when conditions here are bad, hikers are forced to take an alternative route around this body of water.  Standing there, it seemed amazing that such a shallow puddle – though wide – could ever pose a problem for trekkers.   A few feet away from us, standing in the water and perfectly reflected in the still water, stood a Little Egret, fishing for the small minnows and tadpoles flitting about.   

Intersection of Trails

Seeing how shallow the waters were, several people simply pushed past us and marched through – breaking the stillness of the pond, which in the process sent the Egret up into the air.   Once across, the hikers marched off along the beach.  Ultimately we decided against either getting our shoes wet or removing our footwear, and so followed the blazed sandy footpath around the edge of the water to the base of a hill.  

Sardinian Warbler on the edge of the Ribeira da Carrapateira

It was at this point that the Fisherman’s Trail, Historical Way and Circular routes each came together, creating some confusion among the assembled hikers as to which set of markers we should continue following (blue/green, red/white, or yellow/orange).  Somewhat confused, we watched as two Italian ladies who had walked straight across the shallow lake, leaving their friend behind, stood across the water yelling and gesticulating wildly to indicate the way we all should go. Grateful for the advice, we skirted the hillside and were rewarded with views down the expansive golden beach. Unfortunately, not everyone was convinced, as more and more people watched as others simply walked across the puddle.  The end result was that some hikers stopped on the narrow trail to check their phones, take out their guidebooks, or turn back.  

Hiking across Praia do Bordeira

In short order, we reached the beach where luckily for us the tide was going out.  This allowed us to walk along the hardpacked sand at the waterline.  Nearby, huge waves crashed in the surf and the strong winds gave each crest of water a mane that looked like it belonged in the ancient drawings of Poseidon.  The setting felt wild, free, fierce, and full of energy.

Having trekked across the length of the Praia do Bordeira, we wanted to allow the mass of hikers to pass through or ahead of us, so we set off to explore the shoreline and impressive red caves along the coast.  Unfortunately, rather than people hiking onward, it seemed that our deviation had spooked the others, who apparently thought that they were on the wrong track and promptly stopped on top of the cliff to sit and check their guidebooks.  And so, after 20 minutes of exploration and birding, when we finally rejoined the trail, we found almost a dozen people waiting there.  As we nodded and passed, they then quickly put everything away and continued on, marching right on our heels – sigh.

Now walking at the head of a troop who followed our every lead, we proceeded along a sandy trail with lovely views over the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  In this stretch, the soft sand made for tough going.  Thankfully, our conditioning from previous hikes allowed us to slowly put some distance between ourselves and the acquired group of hikers who seemed to stop every 10-15 minutes to take off their backpacks, get out food, or check their guidebooks.  

Eurasian Linnet on the sandy Praia do Bordeira, Portugal

European Stonechat along the Rota Vicentina near Carrapateira

The Fisherman’s way eventually led us up a hill to a white and black concrete obelisk which turned out to be a geodetic marker where we could enjoy lovely views of the surrounding countryside.   Here we met an elegant and somewhat eccentric French lady who was walking barefoot and who, in rapid-fire succession, asked us a swath of questions: where were we walking from? Where were we trekking to? What country did we come from?  What was our favourite thing to see on the Rota Vicentina?  Hearing each of our answers, she cheerfully responded “oh fine, oh fine”.  Eventually, she wished us well, encouraged us on, and cheerfully called out “Bon Chemin” before continuing southward.  The last time we had received this type of joyous encouragement we had been hiking the Via Podiensis or GR65 from Le Puy to Saint Jean Pied de Port France.

Continuing along, the Fisherman's Trail led us inland down a sandy track amid small brush and a few scattered eucalyptus trees.  As we turned onto an established dirt road, which was hard-packed and easier to walk on, we began to meet the large daily groups of southbound hikers coming towards us.  Once again we were stunned, as they seemed so closely grouped together, walking on each other’s heels, and spanning the entire roadway.  As a result, as each successive group approached us, walking 8 and 10 people shoulder-to-shoulder and refusing to give any room, we soon were forced to step off the road to let them pass.  Never were we acknowledged, as heads were kept in the air as the group pushed onward.  It was like we didn't exist.  Once again, we were reminded that everyone hikes their own hike – whereas we prefer to be out in nature and take our time each day, others seem to be single-mindedly dedicated to getting to their destination and need the reassurance of a large group to ensure their success. 

Perpetual Road Work

Following the trail down a long stretch of country roadway, we eventually came to a section under construction.  Here the crew was filling in soft spots in the road with fresh dirt and packing it down.  We paused, uncertain if we were allowed to walk through their worksite, but were soon cheerfully waved through. Twenty minutes later we passed a second construction crew that was digging up dirt from the road and loading it in a truck, seemingly to take it in the direction that we just come from.  In Portuguese, we asked the crew where they were headed, and they noted that the team behind us needed more soil to fill in the road.  Assuming that we were simply confused by their explanation and the prospect that one crew was digging up the roadway to fix another part of the road we pushed on.  

Ultimately however, we would eventually pass a third, then a fourth, then a fifth crew - each with machinery who were alternatively digging up their section of the road and moving their piles further south while each of these holes were being filled with dirt from another crew’s hole.  The result was that these crews were effectively moving an entire roadway 1 pile of dirt and 1 truck of soil at a time some 50-100 meters down the road to fill a hole they had just created to move that pile of soil further down the road.  Sometimes the world just makes you want to laugh at the absurdity of things. 

Oasis among the Dunes

Away from the coast, there was less of a cooling breeze, and at the same time, the noon temperatures felt like they were soaring. With little shade in sight, we followed the road which led us past agricultural fields and several small farmhouses.  Here the fields resembled a patchwork, with some looking as though they were ready to harvest, while others were still the light green of fresh growth.  At one point, on the side of a dried water cistern, we spotted a little brown lizard.  A quick search revealed that it was another Moorish Gecko.

The dirt track soon gave way to a paved road, which radiated the day’s rising temperatures.  Thankfully, it also led us to a beautiful oasis by the name of Quatro Quatro (44 Bar).  This establishment was not noted in the guidebook, nor did it appear on Google Maps, so it was a completely unexpected blessing.  Even from the road, we could see the shaded patio, which was full of hikers enjoying cold refreshments and lunches.  Stepping into the shade we soon discovered that this bar also had a pool and rooms for the night!  Sitting there for the next half an hour, drinking iced teas and hungrily eating slices of delicious cherry cake, we earnestly debated whether we should stay for the night.  However, we had already made reservations in Arrifana for tonight, and we worried about what adding the extra distance to the next day might do to us.  

And so, despite loving our time in the shade and relishing the cool drinks, we nevertheless headed back out into the heat and bright sunshine, reluctantly making our way down the paved roadway.

Algarve Coastline

Weaving onward, the pavement soon gave way once again to a dirt road on which the Rota Vicentina wove through a pine forest, and stands of strong-smelling eucalyptus. We arrived back on the coastline at the top of a steep road that switchbacked downhill, and on which two trucks were stuck trying to climb up. Waiting for the vehicles, which were using all of their horsepower to ascend the slope, we watched the surfers on the water below as they sought to catch huge waves.  Such was the natural beauty of the region that we have often stopped and spent long periods watching the mesmerizing ocean waters as they rolled in, built up, curled over, and then crashed with a roar into the base of the cliffs and sandy beaches.

 

Eventually, the vehicles escaped the sandy track and we climbed down to the beach.  En route, we were passed by over 100 southbound hikers, more than a few of whom made the now-common joke that “we were headed in the wrong direction”. On the beach, we enjoyed the cool spray of the ocean and listened to the particular rhythmic grinding of the rocks and pebbles each time waves crashed on the shore and pulled back out.  We were also fascinated to get a closer look at the coastal rock formations, which were in some sections woven like folds in the stone, while in others they stretched out like jagged fingers into the ocean.  Apparently, these folds are the result of continental shifting, which compresses the sedimentary strata.  Geologists estimate that this coast was “folded” some 300 million years ago. 

Coastal Illusions

Leaving the beach behind, we navigated the steep climb back up to a hard-packed track, which led us to the top of yet another cliff.  Here, looking at the landscape and shore, we came to feel that these coasts continually deceive hikers.   Perspective appears to merge places that are physically separated, creating a sense that a distant landmark or location is tantalizingly close.   Then as one walks on, the twists, turns, and hidden coves of the coastline slowly rearrange the entire landscape, and shatter any sense of progress. 

At one point today we believed that we were approaching the end of the stage….yet as we grew closer we realized that it was an optical illusion created by a finger of land jutting out into the water.  And so, despite the effort required to trek the sandy coastline, by early afternoon our goal was still a good distance away.  Such is the nature of coasts that can stretch peninsulas of land out into the water, and then buckle into coves that lead you great distances inland around them.   

Arrifana and uphill to Utopia

Eventually, after walking along a hard-packed road for a while, we reached the edge of Arrifana.  Stopping to check for directions to tonight’s accommodations, we discovered that we were almost 5 km away from our reserved lodgings. Yet, according to the sign for the Rota Vicentina that we were standing beside, we were also only 5.5 km away from tomorrow’s destination of Alijezur.  Wondering whether we had made a mistake in our plans, we soon discovered that we were at a juncture for the Fisherman’s Trail and the Historical Way.   On the Fisherman’s Trail, which we would follow tomorrow, our route would weave some 20+ km along the coastline from Arrifana to Alijezur.  In contrast, the Historical Way would follow the local roads a short 5.5 km to the same destination.  Adding to this logistical frustration, our lodgings for tonight were along the Historical Way, and nearer to Alijezur than where we currently stood.  

Too tired and far too hot to deal with this reality, we decided to simply get to our room and leave tomorrow’s challenges to tomorrow.  And so we soon found ourselves leaving the Rota Vicentina's Fisherman's Trail behind and climbing switch-backing paved streets into a town that appeared to be spread out across the landscape. As we trekked uphill on roadways, increasingly away from the coastline of Arrifana, we began to realize our mistake.  While we had made reservations for accommodations in Arrifana, this town has two distinct sections.  There is the historical beachside community of Arrifana, which is popular with surfers, and there is a sprawling modern district of urbanization known as Vale de Telha.  In choosing the least expensive option in town, we had inadvertently and without an understanding of the sprawl of the town made reservations at the very edge of the Vale de Telha, which is almost in Alijezur.  

Walking through town in the mid-afternoon heat meant that we saw very few people, as the locals had more sense than to be out in these temperatures.  Upon reaching our accommodations we were promptly informed that we were two hours too early to check in.  Dispirited but understanding of the situation, we backtracked to a beautiful restaurant called Artebianca, where we sat in the shade, ate bruschetta, a cheese plate, a small pizza, and drank cold rosemary-thyme 'Why Not?' soda.  Everything was delicious and perfect and did much to revive our flagging spirits!  

Having basked in the shade and cooler atmosphere of the restaurant, and now full from our wonderful meal, we had little desire to strap on our backpacks and head back out.  Regardless, we eventually made our way back over to our accommodations at the Utopia Guesthouse.  Here we were given a large room and proceeded to delight in enjoying unrushed cold showers, and the ability to do laundry.  Later on, we sat on the covered veranda as our laundry dried in the sun, and we watched as dozens of House Martins fed their young in nests built around the exterior light fixtures.  It was wonderful, entertaining, and cute to watch.    

Birding Arrifana Portugal

Two hours later, with our clothing baked dry, our energy restored, and the afternoon temperatures dropping, we set out for a short walk around the area.  Online sources indicated that a few kilometres north of town was a large freshwater reservoir that was known for its bird life.  

White Wagtail at the pond in Arrifiana, Portugal

European Stonechat along the Rota Vicentina, Arrifiana

A recent biological survey of the area had also spotted several hedgehogs, which is an animal both of us longed to see while hiking.  Arriving at the municipal pond, and now just 2 km from tomorrow’s destination, we were excited to see a number of birds, though sadly, no hedgehogs. 

White Stork flying above a nature area in Arrifiana

Eurasian Linnet in the reeds around a pond in Arrifana, Portugal

With the light of the day fading, we walked back and found an open bar, where we sat on the patio, listened to live music, and chatted.  Here, splitting a bottle of wine, the cares of the day faded away and the concerns about tomorrow no longer mattered.  As the sun set, all was once again well with the world.

See you on the Trail!