The Original Fishermans Trail

Portugal

Sunday 31st March – 3rd April 2024

The Fishermans Trail follows the wild southwestern Atlantic coast of Portugal. It is classed by some as “one of the most beautiful coastal trails in the world”. The Fishermans Trail, is so named because it follows the centuries-old tracks used by local fisherman to access the best fishing spots along this section of Portugal’s coastline. It is graded as a single track, walkable only on foot along the cliffs, with lots of sand and therefore can be seen as more demanding from a physical point of view.

We are sticking to the original route which will take us 4 days and we will be starting from Porta Cova and ending in Odeceixe with a few days at the end in Lagos simply to chill, with a few day hikes.

We have accommodation all along the way which is luxury for us and we have heard there are some really nice eateries. What more could we ask for? Maybe a little touch of sunshine (with no rain) actually, with us coming from Scotland!

We wanted to experience this stunning coastline of Portugal’s Alentejo region. We had heard about this hike from a fellow hiker who we met whilst underaking the GR20 in Corsica, 2023. At times when we were all cursing the ‘campsites’, the ‘toilets’, the ‘food’ and the ‘sleep’, I use all of these terms extremely loosely as there was pretty much zero of any of these on this trek, our friend said to us, if you guys ever fancy doing a short, quickish, easy enough trek whereby you get amazing accommodation, hospitality, food, drink and scenery you should try The Fishermans Trail…and so here we are!

We chose to hike this time of year as we had heard summer months brings more hikers. We had also heard springtime brings the most beautiful arrangements of flowers. We could have also went for luggage transfers but we chose and preferred to carry everything we would need for the week on our backs.

The Gateway to our adventure begins at Porta Cova, a charming coastal village nestled amidst rocky cliffs and pristine beaches. We arrived around 5pm after spending some time in Faro. We checked in to our accommodation before exploring this small, quiet and very pretty white washed village. There’s not a lot here to be fair, but for me it was enough and I loved it…infact I wished I hadn’t bothered with Faro and came straight here!

We then found the most amazing pizzeria, ate pizza and drank some wine and sangria before heading back to our accommodation to get sorted for our first day of hiking.

Day 1 – Porto Covo to Vila Nova de Milfontes

We set foot on the Fisherman’s Trail and we were straight away greeted by panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean stretching out before us. The salty breeze filled our lungs as we eagerly anticipated the adventure that lay ahead.

As we trekked along the trail, we were treated to a diverse tapestry of landscapes, from rugged cliffs to golden sand dunes. Each turn revealing a new vista more breathtaking than the last, with dramatic seascapes and hidden coves waiting to be discovered.

Hidden gems and serene beaches were some of the highlights of todays journey. Secluded beaches invited us to pause and soak in the tranquility of our surroundings, with nothing but the sound of crashing waves and the cries of seabirds to disturb the peace. We took advantage of these moments to soak it all in, rest and recharge, savoring the simple joys of nature’s embrace.

We continued to walk and couldn’t believe our eyes when we came across a nesting stork on a sea stack close to the waters edge…this nest was the biggest nest I had ever saw in my life!

We traversed over lots of very deep sand dunes heading upwards, downwards upwards and downwards before walking along some amazing beaches and then it was back to the sand dunes for miles on end. Let me tell you this it is a work out, there is no ‘paths’ here, it’s pretty deep sand most of the way.

As we approached our final destination for the day, Vila Nova de Milfontes, we reflected on our days experience, it had certainly been different to our usual hikes thats for sure but lovely all the same.

This picturesque coastal town welcomed us with open arms. Its whitewashed buildings and cobblestone streets evoke a sense of timeless charm. We found our accommodation, dusted off and headed out to explore this town.

Vila Nova de Milfontes is utterly charming. And little did I know but this was to be my favourite village of the trek with the previous being a close second.

Please click on link below for Day 1 video

Day 2 – Vila Nova de Milfontes to Almograve

We reluctantly left this stunning village of Vila Nova de Milfontes, with its beautiful charm, nestled amidst rolling hills and lush countryside. We set out, finding ourselves winding through narrow cobblestone streets lined once again with whitewashed houses and colorful tiled facades, giving a taste of traditional Portuguese village life.

There are two options for reaching Praia das Furnas, a short distance across the estuary from Vila Nova. This involves either taking a small ferry at a cost of five euros per person – the fastest option or by crossing the Vila Nova de Milfontes bridge on foot – this involves additional walking, including an unavoidable short section on a main road. The latter is the ‘official’ route; however, it’s roughly two kilometres longer we opted for the ferry ride.

We catch the small ferry which is ready to go pretty much when there’s enough passengers and no sooner than 5 minutes later we were across the estuary. From here the views back across to Vila Nova de Milfontes are stunning.

We crossed a beautiful section of beach then from here it’s a relaxing wander through forest and farmland before returning to the coast for the latter part of the walk.

As we follow the trail, we were once again treated to breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean stretching out to the horizon.

Along the way, we encountered secluded coves, hidden beaches dramatic cliffs, picturesque fishing villages and the most amazing colorful wildflowers that dot the landscape.

Today we saw more storks. What an amazing bird this is to see and in such a stunning environment and we would continue to see more throughout our trek.

As we approached the coastal village of Almograve, we were once again greeted by the sight of traditional whitewashed houses clustered around a picturesque harbor. The trail winds its way through the village, offering glimpses of local life and culture before culminating in a rewarding finish at Almograve Beach.

This village was very different to the previous two and almost felt like a ghost town until we hit about the only two eateries in the village which were positioned next to a round about and where most of the hikers seemed to be. Other than this it appeared this was all the village had to offer, so we sat and got merry for quite a few hours before heading back to our apartment for a wash down and a nice bed. This trail is certainly appealing as this is something we would never dare to do in the mountains!

Please click on link below for Day 2 video

Day 3 – Almograve to Zambujeira do Mar

The first section of the day took us along the beach before slowly climbing upwards through sand and onto the clifftop dunes. There are some pretty steep drop offs at points of these unprotected cliffs and the ‘path’ meanders at times pretty close to the cliff edges. There are lots of signs of erosion along this stretch of the walk.

We then entered a forest of some stunning pine trees which was a welcome break and although the ground was still sandy it wasn’t near as bad as the dunes.

We decided to take a brief detour inland to Cavaleiro, where we grabbed a midday coffee and toastie at Café Adélia. Although a long wait for the toasty it was worth it and an hour later we were back on the trail and back on the coast.

We passed the popular lighthouse at Farol Cabo Sardão, which marks the most westerly point of the Alentejo.

Slightly after this we came upon some cliffs which gave us the most amazing views of even more storks nesting. We hung about here quite some time just watching them.

The views from the top of the cliffs were stunning. From here we had a short walk into town to find our accommodation before heading out for some more food.

Please click on link below for Day 3 video

Day 4 – Zambujeira do Mar to Odeceixe

We were leaving Zambujeira and were on to our last day of the trail. On leaving the village we were immediately confronted with a steep road ascent which veered off to join a narrow footpath taking us back up and onto the cliff tops.

There were a few more bits of climbing to be done on sandy dunes before we reached an area of stone, pine and acacia. After this section we were back on the dunes, this section of the trail had the most ups and downs of the whole trail so far but the scenery more than made up for the effort.

The first glimpse of Praia de Odeceixe from the north is quite something. The hillside tumbles with whitewashed properties with their terricota roofs and below the glorious beaches and ocean. Sitting slightly further back flows the meandering river Seixe.

We descended from the cliff tops down a wide stony path which took us to sea level, we resisted the temptation to head towards the beach and get into the water and instead plodded along the road which meandered up the estuary for quite some time, a little too long for our liking at this stage.

We finally arrived in Odeceixe which marked the end of the Fishermen’s Trail.

We absolutely loved our four-day hike along the Fishermen’s Trail in Portugal. The weather had been more than kind to us which made the days brighter. This time of year had certainly worked out for us as we had the trail mostly to ourselves and to be able to walk along and gaze down at all those beautiful empty beaches was a treat. The accommodation along the way could not be faulted, they were spotless and the Portuguese hospitality was 100% spot on. The food and drink was also amazing throughout the entire trek and was amazing value for money.

We had encountered quaint fishing villages where time seems to stand still, offering glimpses into the traditional way of life along the Alentejo coast….what bliss.

Please click on link below for Day 4 video

Lagos

We had just over 3 days to spend chilling in Lagos, a place we had never been to before. Lagos is a charming port town that boasts dramatic natural scenery. Thanks to its proximity to beautiful beaches and the historic town center, it is not surprising that many travelers fall in love with Lagos. However, despite its popularity, this town has been able to retain its authentic Portuguese character. We were staying right in the heart of the Old Town Walled Town. Below is some pictures of our stay.