Stage 10: to the southwesternmost point of the European mainland

The day begins with breakfast, during which I talk about surfing and other interesting topics with three other hostel guests. After I pack my things for the day, a Swiss couple gives me a ride for a few kilometers on the road to Vila do Bispo. By 11 a.m. I am at the church where I took a small break two days ago. From there, I hike the section of the Fishermen's Trail to Sagres.

First, I pass through a dry landscape. Apparently, enough vegetation grows here for a whole herd of sheep that I walk past.

Since I'm only carrying my daypack today, I decide to take a detour to visit a beach. The way there is longer than expected, but really beautiful. It leads through a lovely forest that eventually transitions back into a dry, steppe-like landscape. I emerge above the beach and walk through a ravine on one side of the beach. This means going up and down quite a bit, but I've already tackled steeper sections. As a reward, I take a break with a fantastic view of the beach and the wooded ravine. 😍

Now I follow a gravel path through a relatively unremarkable bushland. During this time, I finish listening to my audiobook. Next is a section along the cliffs with a few beautiful coves. And a beach where I need three attempts before I find a suitable access point. I go for a quick swim and then continue along the cliffs until I reach the lighthouse at Cabo Sao Vicente. This is the southwesternmost tip of the European mainland. According to a dilapidated information board, this should be a good place for bird watching. However, with the busloads of tourists, I doubt that birds feel comfortable here. In front of the locked lighthouse, there are some stalls selling goods. Among other things, you can eat the last bratwurst before America. 😅

The last kilometers to Sagres run between the road to the cape and the cliff edge of the coast. I pass a few coves and the beach where I went surfing yesterday.

This time I arrive at the fortress much too late to visit it. Instead, I watch the sunset. After that, I walk back to the hostel to take a shower. During the subsequent three-course dinner, I chat with Mea, whom I met in the surfing course. Simone also stops by, and we exchange stories about our recent days and future plans.