As I left Silves, with its impressive castle, I was expecting today to be a tough day.
Apart from the length of the day, there were two main obstacles to overcome: crossing the Ribiera de Odelouca, which was showing as a ford or perhaps stepping stones on the map, and going over the summit at Portela, which at 774m was a fair way up from my start at only just above sea level.
While I spent the morning steeling myself for the Odelouca crossing, it turned out I needn’t have worried. Since the maps had been printed, someone had thoughtfully built a bridge.
Just a little farther on, however, I discovered I would have to cross the Ribiera de Monchique. This probably wouldn’t usually be an issue, but with the rainfall of the last few days there was a fair bit of water in the river.
Frankly, if I’d have been on a wander in my local hills, I’d probably have turned back at this point. Here, I didn’t really have that option, other than by taking a massive detour. So, boots off, spare shoes and shorts on, pack waistband unbuckled just in case, and I went for it.
There were two further crossings of the same stream in the next few hundred metres, both also a bit sporting.
The force of the water was impressive but at least the water was clear, which allowed me to choose my route. The crossings wouldn’t have been safe otherwise.
Oddly, the river crossings invigorated me, and the long pull up to the summit seemed to go very quickly. And, from the summit, I could see both the south and west coasts in the distance.
A tough day, but the best of the trip so far.
Day 6 Route: Silves to Monchique via Corte Grande. Terrain: tracks, footpaths, minor roads. Weather: a mix of sun and cloud. Daily distance: 29.7 km/18.4 miles. Cumulative distance: 139.7 km/86.6 miles. Accommodation: Estrela de Monchique, Monchique.
Come Wind, Come Weather 