Turcival towards Outeiro da Cabeça

 Tuesday 30/8/22

I woke at 4.30. Christine was already awake, as she spoke she seemed uneasy. Tearfully she told me her foot was causing her a real problem and she hadn’t been able to tell me the day before, it had kept her awake for much of the night. 

We decided to take it slowly and take a bus of taxi if needed. After an initial climb from the hotel, but nothing on the scheme of previous days we walked steadily to Torres Vedras along tracks and quiet roads. Bus stops became our new best friends allowing a space to rest for a few moments and take our packs off. 

We passed a few men in a field,  ploughing a  furrow over a meter deep. It necessitated the use of a bulldozer and a huge plough rather than the ubiquitous ancient tractor, we had seen so many times. The furrow at the top of the field was pale crumbly and dry, whereas lower nearer where we stood was a the plough had carved out a dark shiny slice of soil creating a hole big enough to get lost in. It seemed likely that they were intending to plant new vines.

We approached out skirts of Torres Vedra which appeared to be a developing town with new industries. We could see the Toyota factory and a new flour mill across the valley and many modern tower blocks. We made our way along an attractive boulevard at edge of town beside office blocks and shopping malls. Further in we meandered through old streets past beautiful churches

We stopped at a bus stop to assess our options. Christine was still concerned about her foot but did not want to let me down. So we opted to take the road which was quiet and made walking easier. 

After a lovely picnic lunch amongst the sweet scented eucalyptus, sitting on my rain cape, we ate cheese and bread in a small roll which had been part of our breakfast box. It was so much tastier than the dreadful sandwich in the Mafra Hotel breakfast box, stale sweet dry white bread with a couple of slices of plastic cheese between. We gazed at the sky and agreed that things we’re looking up!