I don’t object to taking the same walk repeatedly,” stated Joana Almeida, kneeling near a patch of plants. “Every visit, you can spot fresh discoveries – these were not in this spot previously.”
Growing on shoots at least 2cm tall and adorning the dirt with snowy flowers, the observation that these delicate blooms appeared overnight was a striking testament of how rapidly things can develop in this hilly, interior area of the Algarve, the public forest of Barão de São João.
It was also reassuring to learn that in an area ravaged by blazes in September, types such as fire-resistant trees – which are flame-retardant because of their reduced sap – were starting to regrow, in proximity to highly inflammable eucalyptus, which obstructs other slow-burning trees such as oak. Local helpers were being gathered to participate with rewilding.
Visitor numbers to the Algarve are increasing, with this year registering an increase of over two percent on the prior year – but the majority guests make a beeline for the beach, although there being a great deal more to discover.
The shoreline is undoubtedly untamed and dramatic, but the area is also eager to showcase the charm of its upland zones. With the creation of year-round walking and biking routes, along with the addition of ecological celebrations, interest is being directed to these equally compelling vistas, featuring hills and lush forests.
The Algarve Walking Season organizes a set of several walking festivals with general topics such as “aquatic elements” and “ancient ruins” between the start of winter and the end of winter. It’s hoped they will encourage tourists year round, strengthening the regional economy and aiding slow the exodus of younger generations departing in pursuit of employment.
The excursion to the protected parkland fell during a cultural gathering with the subject of “creativity”, centered on the white-washed community in the northwest of Barão de São João.
As well as led walks, starting at the cultural centre, complimentary activities included mastering how to make natural coloured inks, to theatre workshops, tai chi and drawing. There were two photography exhibitions available as well as a number of other child-friendly pursuits, such as nature hunts and crafting bird-feeders.
Prior to our casual afternoon printmaking session at the local venue, our stroll into the forest with Joana had the atmosphere of an art trail. Signposted at the start by standing stones adorned with representations of rural workers, it was dotted en route with smaller, permanently placed stones showing types of animals, such as hedgehogs and lynxes – the latter’s community reviving, due to a conservation center situated in the castle town of Silves.
As the trail wound up to its summit, the menhir (monolith) on the Pedra do Galo trail, it became more densely vegetated with the aromatic fragrance of conifer. There was a ripeness to the air and solid, honey-toned droplets swelled from bark. Chalky rock shone underfoot and minute toads rested by water’s edge, throats vibrating. In the distance, wind turbines rotated against the horizon.
Francisco Simões, the tour leader the following day, was similarly keen to emphasize that these inland areas can be experienced in every season. Designated walks, developed in the past few years, are offshoots of the Via Algarviana, a path that extends from the border with Spain for a significant distance, continuously to the Atlantic, and several are now connected to an digital tool that makes wayfinding more straightforward.
Francisco established sustainable travel company Algarvian Roots in the recent past and offers tours from birdwatching to day-long led walks, all with the similar objectives as the AWS: to highlight the locale by way of engagement, education and cultural awareness.
The creative link is here, too – his parent, ceramicist Margarida Palma Gomes, had guided us to paint azulejos, the distinctive blue and white glazed tiles found all over the nation, a couple of days before on a cultural activity. Excursions to her studio, along with to a local potter, can also be organized through Algarvian Roots.
Francisco urged us to do our bit for the trade by consuming generous quantities of quality vintage stoppered by cork
Following an excellent dining experience of meat dish and vegetable in A Charrette in Monchique, a quaint mountain town nestled between the Algarve’s tallest mountains, the tall Fóia and 774-meter Picota, Francisco led us down steeply cobbled streets and into a side lane, where an older couple basked outdoors at the front of their home.
A inclined path took us into the woods, the earth strewn with oak nuts. Here, Francisco was enthusiastic to show us cork trees, Portugal’s emblematic species and legally protected since the medieval period. Besides are they inherently slow-burning, but their flexible bark is a source of livelihood for residents, who collect it to sell to other {industries|sectors
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