A week ago today, the Via Algarviana Crossing, organized by Associação Almargem, began. This Saturday, the route extended through the heart of the Algarve Barrocal, between Alte and Salir (16,2 km). On Friday, the 18th, the crossing will reach Alcoutim.
Saturday, April 12, 8th day of walking:
Amazingly, the day woke up cold. Alte was calm and peaceful when the hikers marched to breakfast in a pastry shop with great taste and an exceptional pastel de nata.
Today, the group has increased – it is a normal effect on the weekend – so we are now about thirty hikers.
The section started at Fontes de Alte, following the stream, in a typical Barrocal landscape with red earth. We then crossed the Ribeira do Freixo.
Having completed the first third of the way, we arrived in Benafim and a phenomenon that is becoming worrying was repeated: we ended up with the stock of bifanas!
The section continued to the east, always with the imposing Rocha da Pena on our left.
The terrain was not steep, but the bumpy limestone outcrops posed some difficulty, made worse by the heat and lack of shade. It is curious that in this area there is a lot of hustle in the marking and delimitation of land with the placement of landmarks, even in wooded areas.
Towards the end, we passed several daughters-in-law and villages with people, such as Serro de Cima and de Baixo and Almarginho. You can see that people like to see walkers pass by, there is always a «good morning!» or good afternoon!" happy, they join us, admiring our walk “to the sun's turret”, as an old woman told us in one of those villages.
Today we spend the night in the gym at the EB 2,3 School in Salir. Tomorrow, follow the Via Algarviana. It will be a relatively short route (14,9 km), but always uphill, between Salir and Barranco do Velho. But tomorrow will be a new day!…
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