Week 13 - Alone Again!!

Monday 5th January 2015

Having stayed at Camping Milfontes for almost three weeks it’s time to move on this time to a pre-booked site, which for us is almost unheard of outside UK. It is small six pitch site on a smallholding owned by a young British couple who travelled by motorhome round Europe before settling at the western end of The Algarve.

Rosemary and Frank had decided to come with us for a few days so we set off in a little convoy less than 100 kilometres southwards to a village called Budens. As I turned left off the main Algarve highway the N125 I was surprised that Frank seemed to be hanging back, apparently reluctant to turn and follow me. Well it was a very rough track rather than a road, a series of deep pot holes connected by very thin strips of dirt so I could fully understand his hesitation. After around .75 of a kilometre the sat-nav announced we had reached our destination. We were outside a bungalow that we recognised from a picture on the internet and similarly the couple striding towards us with big smiles of welcome to Quinta Manjericao.

Frank told us later that while we were merrily turning left his sat-nat was telling him to turn right.

Tuesday 6th January 2015

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We went looking for a cove we had come across on our first visit to this area, Figueria, and were saddened to learn that while it has not been commercialised to the extent of a restaurant or bar it does now have a large car park and barriers that keep motorhomes off the beach. They now congregate at the top of the hill and overlook the beach and the cove has lost, for us, much of it’s appeal. However further up the coast we came upon an absolute gem, just a long dirt track down to a large almost deserted and totally unspoiled beach, absolutely nothing on it but footprints, and along the cliffs large deep caves to explore - a child’s (and big kid’s) paradise.

Wednesday 6th January 2015

Got problems with the fridge in that if you consume more power than 5 amps it throws a wobbly and it’s alarm goes into overdrive. It may have been like that for some while as this is the first site on this trip that we have had more than 6 amps of electricity so having more than a 1 kilowatt heater or a kettle or the microwave at any one time has not been possible. While we are here if we want to draw more than 5 amps we put the fridge on gas first. There is an English caravan/motorhome specialist further east of the Algarve we will call there as we pass and see what he has to say.

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Went off to Praia da Luz today. It is a very pretty town but for us the highlight was the fossils in the rocks at the shoreline. Not just a few but hundreds.

Thursday 7th January 2015

Rosemary and Frank went home today. It seems quite strange to be on our own again after over three weeks in company, the more so that we are the only campers on the site - that feels weird.

Friday 8th January 2015

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We have not explored this section of coast before and find it both unspoilt and un-commercialised with wide sandy bays with nothing on them but a few hardy surfers. We followed the coast along a dirt track for many miles stopping in various places to explore and in one place bumped into Pam and Alan the couple who hosted the boxing day party. They were wild camping on the coast in a most idyllic spot although we were told by other motorhomes a couple of days later that the police had arrived there later the same day (around 11pm) and moved everyone on.

Saturday 9th January 2015

Lagos town today, being a Saturday we were able to park virtually in the town centre for free and explored. It is a very pleasant town, but of course we arrived close to lunch time so several of the places we particularly wanted to see were closed but there was enough to keep us amused until it all opened again and we saw everything we had come for. Sadly they all exhibited notices exclaiming “fotos proibidas” so there are no photos to show for much of our trip. We did manage to get to the fish market before it closed for the weekend where we bought a John Dory or St Peters fish for our dinner - wow was it expensive?? at €26 (£20.00) for two fillets.

Sunday 10th January 2015

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Having been in the town of Lagos yesterday today we went high on the cliffs to the south of the town to the Lagos lighthouse. It must be the most stunning bit of coastline in the whole of Portugal with crystal clear water studded with small islands and caves - Oh yes and 279 steps down to the water from the lighthouse and more importantly 279 steps up again.


Last updated Sunday 21st June 2015                                                                                © S W Ghost 2015