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28-05-2013 - 29-05-2013

After dropping off Patrick at the place where people disappear into the sky, I drove over the Tagus had a quick look at the Cristo Rei and then started a long drive south. Overnight in an Estacao Servico Autocaravanas in the small resort of Porto Covo south of Sines.


I made a quick visit to Foia the highest point on the Serra de Monchique - a Major 902m P739 - when I say the highest point, I mean the highest you can reach by the fence of the Radar station, only a few metres from the obelisk and trig point. How frustrating. And what a mess of  human-made construction the summit area is. A good hazy view of the sprawl of resorts in the Algarve to the south. The serra itself seems to be a giant plantation of eucalyptus trees

The Atalantic from Foia

A year ago I went to the point where the Baltic and the Atlantic meet at Grenen in Denmark - see http://oakesave.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/went-up-to-danish-most-northerly-point.html

So, I thought I would go to the point where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. I know that this is not the same as arguably that point could be at the Gibraltar straits. And the waves does not literally crash against each other here.

The Romans considered Cabo de Sao Vicente to be at the end of the world - the Promontorium Sacrum - and it apparently has the most powerful lighthouse in Europe. The way the lighthouse is built it is impossible to get to the edge of the cliff at the extremity of the cape, despite attempts to clamber past it on the 60m high cliffs.

Cabo de Sao Vicente

I also visited the Point of Sagres which is defended by a fortress that was originally built by Henry the Navigator and tried to stand at the most southerly point of the point.

Henry the Navigator's pebble wind compass - the Rosa dos Ventos

Cannot say that I was impressed with what I saw of the rest of the coast of Algarve - a continuous nightmare of seaside resorts.
Overnight in the Parque de Palmeira, Albufeira.