I was somewhat relieved that today started out pleasantly, and largely stayed that way.
For much of the day, the route contoured around a large reservoir. The flowers that this area is supposedly famous for were also more noticeable, although the predominant colours of the landscape were still the green of the vegetation and the red of the earth beneath.
Given the weather, I decided that it was a good day to hang some laundry.
One of the surprising things about long distance walking for me is how full the days are. You get up in the morning, pack, have breakfast, walk all day, get to your accommodation, recuperate for a bit, shower, wash clothes, shop for the next day (if there’s one available, have dinner, blog … and then it’s time for bed and the cycle repeats. At least on dry days there’s a chance to get laundry dried.
Day 5 Route: Sao Bartolomeu de Messines to Silves. Terrain: tracks, footpaths, minor roads. Weather: a mix of sun and showers with odd drops of rain. Daily distance: 29.1 km/18.0 miles. Cumulative distance: 110.0 km/68.2 miles. Accommodation: Residencial Ponte Romano, Silves.
Come Wind, Come Weather 