A great walk today. It was helped that I could not find any accommodation in Azinhal - simply nada available - so I decided to do my walk and then taxi back to the seafront hotel in Altura.
The way leads away from the coast but it was a gentle incline. No stops for second coffee but it was not far to Castro Marim. And at the entrance to Castro Marim there was my first moron! Only 933km to Santiago.
There is a little museum on the tourist office which was worth seeing. Then a little detour up to a fortress in the centre of the town.
The castle has an interesting past, being linked to the successor order of the Templars, the Order of Christ. The site is much older, having been occupied by the Greeks and Carthaginians. It was reconquered for Christianity in 1238 and served as a base for the Order of Christ, initially as their headquarters until they moved to Tomar. When the Order of Christ moved out, the Order of Santiago moved in - hence there is a little church within the grounds of the fortress dedicated to St James.
After a cursory visit to the torture museum - not pleasant if one is squeamish - and a gaze from the ramparts across the Guadiana River to Spain - it was back down to the town for lunch. The cafe, Encontro d'Amigos, was great. They didn't do sandwiches on the menu but were happy to rustle up a light lunch, washed down with beer of course.
The rest of the walk was through a delightful landscape of open countryside. No great ups and downs, just a gentle stroll. Arriving at Azinhal, I had a beer from a fairly serious barman at the little Taberna Anastacio until a taxi came from the coast to end the day back in Altura.
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