The penultimate leg of this phase of the Nascente. Another day of walking under blue skies and passing falling down houses or, "opportunities to modernise and upgrade" as an estate agent would say.
The first memorable event was another fording experience, this time a few km outside Amendoeira. Locals had been complaining about how dry the spring had been; being a bit selfish, I was certainly glad this river was no deeper as I carefully crossed it.
The second memorable event on this 24km stretch was the place for lunch. I knew there was no chance of a meal so was well stocked with water and food. However in a tiny village called Vale de Russins I found a tavern. Not marked on the map and, at first sight, closed. I tried the door with a firm rattle and, realising the futility of the exercise, sat down on a wobbly plastic chair to have lunch.
An elderly chap then appeared from a couple of doors down. After nodding a greeting he then opened up the bar and was happy to sell beers. I think the Taberna Romao suffers from a lack of passing trade but the welcome as warm and the beer was cold.
I had hoped to stay in Cabeca Gorda but yet again the lack of infrastructure told against me. There was apparently one place to stay in town but no contact details that I could find. Accordingly, I rang the B&B I planned to stay in the next town and asked if they could put me up for two nights. The owner was charm itself and actually drove out to collect me from Cabeca Gorda. The B&B was built up against the old town wall of Beja - my bed was propped against an enormously high stone wall.
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