2nd Stage: Up and Down Through the Sand

I don't sleep very well on the first night in the tent; I'm not cold, but I'm also not really warm. In the morning, I first have to take charge of my tent chaos again, which is why I only get going shortly after 10.

At first, I keep going up and down to small coves, over a long beach, passing an island and a castle. I take a quick look inside, but the view from above is even more spectacular.

Then come longer sections above the cliffs until I am back at the beach by noon. After that, I continue on a sandy path somewhat away from the coast. This is the first time I encounter trees and shade – which is good because the sun is quite intense; I don’t see a single cloud all day!

Finally, I reach a guarded beach, and I throw myself into the waves of the Atlantic – I love it. ❤

In the second half, I continue only above the cliffs, one cove follows the next until it becomes normal, and I no longer want to photograph each one; I stop marveling and start thinking about all sorts of things. My mood dips a bit, but by concentrating on my senses – feeling the fresh breeze, listening to the roar of the waves, and smelling the fishy sea air – my spirits lift again.

However, the path drags on, and trudging through the sand becomes tedious in the long run. After the lunch break, I stay barefoot for a while. After a few kilometers, I put my shoes back on because the sand keeps getting hot, and I have a small open wound on one toe. I think to myself: better to have a few grains of sand in my shoe than in the wound. However, more than a few accumulate, and after emptying them out, my shoes feel half-full again after three-quarters of an hour. I see other hikers wearing gaiters, which are supposed to prevent that – maybe I'll find some too. Overall, there are quite a few hikers out; I even have a nice chat with two individual Germans about our travel plans.

Shortly after six, I finally reach my day's goal, Vila Nova de Milfontes. Even several kilometers before, a vegan café is announced. It's actually quite close to the campsite. There, I enjoy a beautifully presented and delicious pumpkin risotto – a perfect end to the day! 👌