Day 5 in Portugal, Day 4 on the Angler’s Trail — the final push from Zambujeira do Mar to Odeceixe. After four days of hiking, our pinky toes were staging a full revolt, however this last stretch would deliver some of the path’s best surprises: strange tree tunnels, technical scrambles, which best river-meets-ocean finale that makes all the pain rewarding.
See the 16 min clips video here: https://youtu.be/u9rNzxUM8f0
The Excellent Escape: 6 AM Checkout Confusion Something about knowing it’s your last hiking day gets you moving. We were up at 6 AM, showered, packed, and ready to roll. Simply one issue– no one told us how to have a look at of Outdoor camping Rental property Park before dawn.
Roamed over to the security gate. Phone on the table, door open, but no guard. Workplace closed. Sun not even thinking of increasing yet. We stood there with our bags like two morons waiting for somebody to emerge.
Eventually, a guard rolled up after picking up another worker. He opened eviction, took our keys, let us stash our bags in the office for the transfer service, and we were free. Often trail life is about fixing these small logistical puzzles before coffee.
Pinky Toe Disobedience: The March Starts Stepping onto the street, both our pinky toes right away submitted protests. Four days of treking had developed some serious blisters, and possibly our toe boxes weren’t rather huge enough for this sort of abuse. But when you’re on Day 4, you do not stop– you just accept that your feet dislike you and keep moving.
Treked back through town to where yesterday’s path ended, beginning before sunrise. The early start implied empty trails except for two German women ahead of us. After the other day’s crowds and cars and truck traffic, the solitude seemed like a present.
Into the Tree Tunnels: Portugal’s Hidden World
This is where Day 4 got wonderful. From a range, the plants looked like common seaside shrubs, maybe a couple of feet high. Get closer and you recognize these are 12-foot trees bent and formed by Atlantic winds into living tunnels.
Strolling through these tree tunnels resembled entering another measurement. Outside: brilliant seaside Portugal. Inside: dark, cool corridors with water dripping someplace you couldn’t see. You ‘d stroll through these shadowy passages for minutes at a time, then emerge to explosive ocean views and dramatic cliffs.
This stretch had the most technical climbing of the entire Angler’s Trail — high scrambles that got your heart pumping and made you actually use your hands. After three days of primarily strolling, the variety was welcome.
Azenha do Mar: The Closed Breakfast Stop About two hours in, we hit a little town called Azenha do Mar. The trail dips down almost to water level where residents introduce boats, then shoots directly the opposite– a correct lung-buster that woke up any muscles still sleeping.
Was hoping for a breakfast stop like Cavaleiro the day in the past. Everything closed. Portugal’s little coastal towns do not mess around with early morning hikers obviously.
At the top of the climb, I stopped on a pillar for an image when we identified familiar figures below– Ian with his signature green glasses and Martha making their way up. We waved, understanding we ‘d cross paths quickly enough.
Trail Household Reunion: Pacing Negotiations Sure enough, we
caught up with Ian and Martha in among those long tree tunnel sections. Walked and talked with them for a while, however here’s the thing about path relationships– everyone has their own speed, their own rhythm. We wanted to hang with them, however we likewise wished to keep pressing. That uncomfortable trail minute when you require to say “we’re gon na go ahead “without appearing disrespectful. They got it. Trail individuals constantly get it. We waved farewell and pushed on, preserving our faster pace. When your feet are screaming, in some cases the best technique is to simply get it done. The Grand Ending: Where River Meets Ocean The last coastal area before turning inland provided the cash shot. A freshwater
river fulfilling the Atlantic, creating this best spit of beach with web surfers working the break. A town rising the hillside behind everything. This is the view that makes you forget your pinky toes exist. From there, you turn inland for good, walking down a big dirty path up until you satisfy the river inlet. Then comes the last test: 2 miles of exposed roadway strolling in full sun and heat
. No shade, no breeze, just you and the asphalt and the understanding that Odeceixe is waiting at the end.< img src="https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/jacuzzi/Eqaz5aCa7MLL6vA9dFHwVwMr8HGEPAEFfqFtvhAA2WyCunLvbKmijWrJ5W9tVptxabw.png "alt
= “image.png”/ > A little bridge takes you over the river, and boom– you exist. 4 days of the Fisherman’s Path total.
Odeceixe: Success Beers and Surprise Theater
Stopped at a small restaurant for lunch and a number of well-earned drinks. Simply as we were leaving, Ian and Martha strolled in. “Invite to Odeceixe!” Perfect path timing once again.
The walk to our hotel up the hill felt like Everest after 4 days and 75+ kilometers, however the location was dazzling. Proper great after our mixed lodging luck. My sister and I struck the swimming pool instantly– the second swimming pool in 2 days, living the dream.
After showers and recovery time, we headed back down to town for dinner. The restaurant where we ‘d had lunch was hosting an event dinner for volunteers who had actually assisted replant local plant life after a fire. Enjoying this community event unfold felt like stumbling into a motion picture scene– all these residents gathering, laughing, celebrating their landscape healing.
Met other hikers, shared war stories about sand and blisters, had some laughs about the universal trail experience. Then one final uphill walk to the hotel, collapsing into real comfy beds.
Objective Total
4 days. 75+ kilometers. From Porto Covo to Odeceixe along Portugal’s remarkable shoreline. We made it through the sand of Day 1, the dullness of Day 3, the pinky toe rebellion, the mildew room, and earned every amazing view along the way.
The Angler’s Path isn’t practically the Instagram minutes at cliff edges. It has to do with tree tunnels you didn’t anticipate, giant sandwiches in towns, path families that form and reform, pools that conserve your sanity, and Portuguese neighborhoods commemorating healing after catastrophes.
No asterisks. We walked every official meter of this path. And our pinky toes will never ever forgive us.
Pro pointer for future hikers: Start early on this last day. The tree tunnels are magical in early morning light, and beating the heat on that last road section into Odeceixe makes all the difference. Reserve a location with a pool– you’ve made it after 4 days.
< img src="https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/jacuzzi/EqL6Qxf1XPKhAgdjdtqK8BvvzeGqPK7cvLz8Tgos5H8HBAxTbh7ksDgdweBCecfT1ZN.png" alt="image.png"/ >