MONCHIQUE AND THE CLIMB OF PICOTA: DAY 8

We haven't said much about the weather to date. We started off in coolish temperatures but as the first week went by it became warmer and more settled. There was the windy day at Cape St. Vincent but by the end of the week the winds were calm and we were beginning to enjoy the sun more and more. The second half of the week saw the weather move from warm to hot and we had blue skies for the rest of our stay. We had been watching the weather forecasts carefully and there was a large high pressure region building out in the Atlantic. As a result we became more adventurous and we traveled inland into the area of Monchique which sits between some 3,000 ft hills. In clear weather the walks book said we would be able to see all along the coastline.

We chose the walk to the top of Picota.

On the way there we took a small diversion to see a new Formula 1 capable race track that had recently been built in the foothills. A very large amount of money had been spent to set this up and the approach roads were worth seeing on their own. To date the track had attracted many of the Formula 1 teams for testing on February and, although they have yet to get the circus to come for an actual race, there were many other events on the calendar.

The whole set up was very impressive. At the time we arrived there were a bunch of motorcycles speeding around the track. There was a great deal of spectator accommodation including a very long grandstand along the main straight. We couldn't get in but got a good idea from the outside looking in.

The main grandstand at the new Portimeo race track

Next stop was the town of Monchique. There was a sausage festival on at the time and after parking the car in a tiny street, rather like the one in the photograph


we stopped for the usual morning coffee break.

Anyone you know?

Then we started our walk to Picota passing though the marquee where the festival was being held. There were sausages of all shapes and sizes, many looking to have a lot of blood in them.






There were plenty of other interesting things for sale including some lovely looking pastries.


and the local village band was there to entertain the crowd.


Our walk took us downhill at first which we weren't too impressed about as we were trying to climb up to the top of Picota. The road ran through a cork oak forest. Cork is still an important product for the wine industry.


There were many small properties with their land in terraces.


and everywhere we went we saw oranges in abundance and many lemon trees loaded with fruit.


We passed a cork pile awaiting collection. The cork is stripped off to about twelve feet and it regrows back in eight to ten years.

A cork tree stripped of the outer cork layer

Almond blossom - Algarve snow

A Bread Oven

The town of Monchique

The view from the top showing the coast in the background

The grandstand at the Portimeo track

Further proof one of us was really there

Coming down from the peak at Picota

We made it down after what was quite a strenuous day in hot weather. The sun stayed with us for the rest of the trip.