5 February to Monchique

A shorter day today of only14 km so a leisurely start. The first part of the walk involved some steep climbing through eucalyptus then past the ubiquitous wind turbines before levelling out among scrubby brambles, heather and the like. Beneath was a terraced landscape possibly once used for arable crops but now used for grazing cows and sheep among the ruins of old farm buildings.
I diverted up to the top of Foia, the highest point in the Algarve. Sadly low cloud and mist prevented me from seeing the view. On the plus side the snack bar was open and I had coffee and apple cake as their only customer.
From Foia it is a short distance downhill to the pretty town of Monchique with its white washed walls, red tile roofs, narrow cobbled streets, interesting sculptures, a chocolate shop and terraced municipal gardens. I saw a children dressed as toadstools and other things, I had just missed the carnival it seems.
I am staying at the Miradouro da Serra which is a reasonably priced guesthouse with a view of the mountains, if a little dated.
In the evening, having eaten pork three days in a row, I tried the tuna with onions which had appeared on a number of menus. It was a surprisingly good combination.

Terraced hillside

Sculptures in Monchique