Sagres and Cabo St Vincent.

 10/27/21 the final day.

Got up this morning and realized we only had today to go. We had a choice of a short 5 mile hike along the road, or an 8.5 mile hike out along the coast, we decided to do the coastal route as it would have been sad to finish the walk by taking a boring road.

It was chilly as we left but the issue was, we couldn’t find an open coffee cafe, so caffeine free it was today.

 The initial trail was pretty bland and boring, but as we reached the coast it was beaches and cliffs again.

Here the cliffs seemed higher and more severe, 300 ft straight down seemed to be the order of the day.

 For the most part, it was firm and flat, so easy walking for the first 7 miles or so, then we headed down into a rock strewn crevasse, before climbing up and out and onto a very rocky path.

This went on for quit a ways and I felt for Patty in her  softer walking shoes and blisters, but she hung in there.

 In the distance we could see the lighthouse at the end of the trail, and when we walked in, we had a beer and it was over. ,,,,,,, Just like that.

Two t-shirts, two pairs of shorts,  and one pair of socks, that was my wardrobe for the hike. Meant for lots of rinsing at night, and damp clothes to put on each morning, but we made it, smelly or not. My pack weighed 25 lbs and a liter of water. Never could get it light enough as we had to carry clothes for the after walk tour of Portugal, and now it’s time to do just that.

Strange feeling but this is what we walked for. It was tourist madness at the lighthouse, and three dirty tired Americans showing up , carrying back packs, I think added to the circus..

I took my obligatory photo with St Vincent and sat down with Bill and Paddy for a beer before heading out to the town of Sagres where we had rooms for the night.

My thoughts!!!!

This was not what I was expecting, but that’s on me. The hike was brutally tough some days, mindfully boring at times, but at the same time I enjoyed it.

Ultra hiking comes in all shapes and sizes, and surprises, but it is alway going to challenge you, the key is to be up to the challenges and stay positive. The one thing I struggled with was the lack of interesting places, or historical  places along the route , when it’s just walking and walking, it is less interesting for me, certainly made it hard to write something each day that felt interesting and entertaining for this blog.

The lack of fellow hikers along the route made it less social, I’m used to meeting people from all over the world when I walk, this walk is certainly one I was glad to have had friends on with me.

I get the feeling that this walk is too new and doesn’t have a soul yet, maybe in time , when more people have past this way, and left a bit of themselves behind

Having said that, I did really enjoy the hike, I got to see some of the best beaches and ocean vistas in the world, I stayed in idyllic coastal villages, I drank great wines and ate fantastic food, I shared it with friends  and made memories.

I got tipsy once or twice, got up to mischief when I could, laughed and joked a plenty, and sometimes just sat in reflection on some huge out of the way sea cliff with no one around.

I’m grateful that I came and walked, grateful I still can, grateful for my friends, grateful for the excellent weather, and happy I can look back and remember all the times My legs were screaming stop and I felt like quitting, but didn’t

PAT HOLMES

October 27, 2021

A final sunset to remember each warm sunset we got to share along the way, and a “reminder” that it was never about the destination, but about the journey to get there, maybe in that lies the lesson for “this” Way