coastal// portugal

To put it simply Portugal has warm weather, cheap espresso, insane wilderness access, very little rules and some great looking waves. Portugal is the wild horse of Europe, galloping free through the fields by the ocean. Lisbon sits in the middle of the country on the coast serving as an unofficial divider between north and south. Most of the coast remains less developed than its European neighbors, especially south of Lisbon. Getting lost on a twisted country road in southern Portugal is like traveling to another time, perhaps this is what Big Sur looked like to Kerouac. Certainly the same rules, or lack of rules seem to mirror that of times past. This wild discovery is what drew us to Portugal and it kept our attention. The road trip is still a real thing with maps, cooking and wild camping. When we first set our sights on Portugal we had grand visions of riding our bikes from Lisbon south to Spain but soon got distracted by the variety of options to explore. Our chariot became a small camper to show us what coastal November looks like with bikes, surfboard and all. In the country this time of year the temperature is rarely below 70 and the accommodation can be sparse outside of major towns so we opted for the freedom of al fresco lodging, van style. Most nights we slept within ear shot of crashing waves, waking up each morning for coffee and our choice of daily adventure. The word is spreading through the travel community about Portugal, especially for the surf.  Tour package, surf camps and summer crowds are making a presence in Portugal but still easily avoided come autumn. 

Bike-RUn// Wild coast

The clouds split around the sun warming us for the first time in days. Two farmers pass us on the side of the road whistling to a pack of three dogs who look more like wolves getting ready to kill. The dogs look like little 50 lbs Australian shepherds and they were moving quickly up the road in front of the of farmers. After hearing the farmers call the dogs split deliberately and surrounded a pack of 30 sheep with confidence keeping the animals in a tight pack hastily moving across the road into an adjacent field. The whole procession passed us in less than a minute with the two farmers a few paces behind the pack. The farmers wore flat wool hats, faded neutral colors, baggy cloths and saunter along with the help of long twisted walking sticks. To us they looked like they were playing historical characters at a renaissance fair, they pass quietly focused on their task and give us little acknowledgment.  

We have set out on an ambitious 8 mile trail run outside of the town of Aljezur in SW Portugal, in the countryside on our way to the sea. The trail that we are on has been appropriately dubbed the Fisherman's Trail, a timeless network of trails used by local fisherman and is now part of the Rota Vicentina trail system. Leaving the farm country we traverse the quiet of undeveloped dunes that lead us abruptly to the edge of the land 150ft above the ocean. Uncomfortably close to the edge of the cliffs the trails are synced up with the curves of the coast line. In places makeshift ladders and cables provide routes down to the sea, but mortal consequences seemed likely. We opted for the high ground which still managed to keep us on our toes and not entirely out of harm's way but without a doubt offers the best view of this stretch of abandoned coast.
 
Until the organization of the Rota Vicentina these trails were under the radar and completely empty. Not much has changed on these remote trails expect some good maps accessible online and clear signage to help one from getting lost. The Fisherman's Trails are for walking only and the farther you go the more isolated you get.  Set out for an adventure on these trails come October and you will have this place to yourself. For bike missions stick to the Trails marked Historical, same solitude, same beauty.

SURF // Wild coast

I am somewhere north of Lisbon running down a steep dirty path that cuts through the bluffs above the beach. I am barefoot and my heart is racing and I cant help but run even though there is broken glass and some trash sprinkled into this little goat trail under me, chill..be careful I think. Warm winds blow from the land towards the sea grooming the face of the overhead high waves cracking across the beach in from of me, the cause of my excitement and loss of self control. The water wasn't much colder than the air and thoughts of life on land vanished behind me as I lay my chest on my board and paddle out the line up slide into a few smooth faced waves that I ride all the way back to the beach.

On the trail of the World Tour of Surfing WSL again, we find ourselves planted for a week north of the madness of the event surfing away from the crowds during the day and enjoying the energy of the critical mass by night. Lucky we slipped into town under clear skies pumping swell and warm weather and hung onto that for a week. After the contest left town we drifted south towards Morocco dodging rain storms and chancing into moments of blinding brilliance on the ocean. Heading south from Lisbon the coast starts to feel like anything but a part of Europe with empty beaches and endless dirt roads to get you there.  Keep the ocean on your right and stop when you see a surf shop or when it feels right.  Parking lots, dirt roads, beach parking lots are all good places to park a camper van for the night. As long as you are buying things (you need gas and water) the Portuguese community in these parts are happy to have you there.

FOOD // AN ECLECTIC BEACHSIDE SCENE

The chill zone can be found strong just north of Peniche in Baleal. Strong surf, minimalist beach hostels and a somewhat eclectic food scene. There were plenty of “beach bar” restaurants lining the water ready to feed burgers and fries to hungry surfers as they call it a day, traditional Portuguese establishments with a cozy, local appeal plus an elusive sushi spot and the swanky surf lodge for those looking to indulge. Some friends of ours guided us to a local gem upon our arrival, Taberna do Ganhao, for Portuguese-style tapas, a friendly crew and ocean views - definitely worth a visit. We also treated ourselves (a couple times) at the Surfer’s Lodge Restaurant, still justifying rewards after our long trek down the coast on bikes. We spent hours cozied up by the fire sipping martinis and savoring every bite of caprese salad and juicy burgers as we anticipated a week of camp dinners on our next adventure traveling south along the Portugal coast. 

As we bounced along the picturesque coast we cherry picked our camp spots, enjoyed hiking and surfing and spent evenings in the van cooking up camp dinners. Supermarches dot the coast and there is plenty of fresh produce (very reasonably priced) for kabobs and stirfrys. Each morning we emerged from the van, practically on the beach, grabbing coffee and pastries and taking morning walks on a seemingly private beach; it doesn’t get much better than this.

HIT THESE 'HOBOS' HOT SPOTS

Dine // Taberna do Ganho // Tapas and smiles at the double beach break

Dine // Surfer's Lodge Restaurant // Up market coziness #treatyourself

Surf // 58 Surf // The place to get a used board and rentals

Transport // Portugal by Van // The best way to get off the beaten path and stay there

Run // Rota Vicentina-Fishermans Route // Remote access to the coast on well marked trails

Bike // Rota Vicentina-Historical Route // Ride the entire length of SW Portugal