Sweltering and suffocating

Even just in my boxer shorts and without a blanket over me, I’m barely making it through the night at the inn. I had somewhat forgotten, but Spaniards, and thus also Portuguese, sleep with the window closed. What a suffocating and sweltering situation. I had opened the window, but while I was sleeping someone closed it again. Grrrr.

By train to the trail

But no more complaining. Coffee, sadly very bad vending machine coffee, undrinkable, breakfast, and off we go. A quick stroll through the historic center of Guarda, doing some shopping, and taking the 11:49 train to Freineda, where I start the trail. At 12:12 the conductor casually strolls in and we depart. Oh well, I have all the time in the world.

River crossing

After a little half hour, it’s time. The GR22, the Grande Rota das Aldeias Históricas, lies before me. Time to slather on some sunscreen and go! The landscape, dry yet green, with olive trees here and there, stone walls, and varied vegetation, is beautiful and exactly as I imagined it. The walking is pleasant and after I complete my first ‘river crossing’ over the Côa River, I prepare my lunch. I’m glad I’m wearing sandals because I have to wade through water up to my ankles. It’s actually quite refreshing.

Lunch by the Côa River

After a delightful lunch of tortilla de patatas with a fresh tomato, cucumber, and tuna salad, a dizzying climb awaits me. I mean sections of 19% to the picturesque village of Castelo Mendo, the first of the twelve villages that connect this route. In the Netherlands, we have the Elfstedentocht (Eleven Cities Trail*), here it’s the Twaalfdorpentocht (Twelve Village Trail)

Beautiful first village

The village is beautiful, with its small church, the ruins of an old castle, centuries-old houses, a bar, and very, very nice people. I stroll around for a while and actually plan to keep walking, but just outside the village, I see a small camper area with tables and grass. I return to the village and ask the bartender if I could camp there. I can!

Camping under the olive trees

I find a beautiful spot under an olive tree. There is a fountain, and I have a view over the valley. What a fantastic start to my journey!

Overnight stay: Castle Mendo

* The Elfstedentocht (English: Eleven Cities Tour) is a famous, historic 200-kilometer (~124 miles) long-distance speed skating tour on natural ice in the province of Friesland, in the north of the Netherlands.