Around Alentejo: Day 5; Fri 8 March 2024; Cuba to Evora

And so the last day. The fastest- 13.2 mph for 39.1 miles with 2,100ft of climb.

Over the final 10 or so miles we averaged 18mph and that was slightly uphill. Have to admit the following wind helped.

And we were fuelled by the best breakfast of the trip:

Local soft goats cheese, scrambled eggs, bread, fruit, yoghurt and excellent coffee. A well deserved winner.

Left Cuba at the for us incredibly early time of before 09.00. Fortunately the helpful owner of Cuba Real prevented an immediate nav error and sent us in the right direction.

Forecast was for showers so we pushed to get some distance done before another deluge like the night before.

Swollen river. Fields very soggy too.

Into Alvito in a light drizzle. Rather damp and miserable (the place not us).

Then the sun came out and enjoyable cycling through the soft countryside:

We decided to not have our usual coffee break until we’d got about half way in Viana do Alentejo. This was at the top of a long slog of a hill but nowhere was open.

Very steep descent as we headed north.

So on to a village called Aguiar where a little café was open. Coffee and pastries and seats in the sun, chatting with one of the locals.

Then the last 10 or so miles that we flew along.

We were on the N254. It was fast with quite a lot of traffic but it got us to Evora by 12.30 or so. I returned the bike to Galacio Bikes and back to the guesthouse.

Tropical rainfall all that evening so very happy we weren’t still out cycling.

A great trip.

Around Alentejo: Day 4, Thur 7 March; Castro Verde to Cuba.

A great days cycle despite the rain.

The stats: 46.2 miles at 13.1 mph, with 2,938 ft of climbing. Max speed 32.5

Woken up by the sound of heavy rain on the street lamp outside my window. It was cold and grey.

And to breakfast, that of the Hotel Vila Verde being the best so far:

Juice, scrambled egg, bacon, yoghurt, banana and muesli all good but rubbish coffee.

Off and out of town. Onto the old main road, now virtually unused, variable road surfaces (perfect tarmac to grit to mud to stones to ripped tarmac).

Amazing run as the first 15 miles are almost all downhill so very fast especially with the strong tailwind.

Some big puddles:

After about 2 hours the second big shower – this time horizontal hail for only 500 yards or so but got soaked.

The countryside is very different. Gone is the barren moorland of yesterday.

Now what appears highly productive fields of olive trees, vines and crops.We cycled along with orange trees lining some of the roads.

Deserted as ever.

This sign is everywhere. It means hunting zone, like in France.

Just out of Santa Vitoria we turned into the right road after the usual navigational issues aka getting confused.

It was brand new tarmac and very smooth with just one problem; a sign saying the road was shut apart from at night.

We cycled along through lovely countryside for many miles and then came across the tarmac layers who fortunately weren’t bothered about us going through.

Into a little village called Beringel where we found a café for lunch:

Cheese toastie with a coke that tasted suspiciously like red wine.

The café like the others we have been to had loads of elderly locals in, like a local community centre which I suppose it is.

Typical small village scene:

More heavy rain when we were eating then the last 12 miles or so to Cuba and this:

We’ve seen quite a few bull fighting rings in the small towns.

Eventually found our hotel, the Cuba Real. The best place we’ve stayed so far and it should be at €70 per room ( the Vila was €50 and Casa Serpa €40).

Off out for a couple of beers. John asked if we could eat in the bar and they showed us into their restaurant.

Excellent dorado with sauté potatoes, rice and salad and a bottle of local wine, plus olives, bread and pâté for just €27.

Now back at the hotel and the rain is pouring down…

Around Alentejo: Day 3; Wed 6 March – Serpa to Castro Verde

A hilly hard ride but not chased by man eating dogs.

64.6 miles at 11.9mph, with 4,277 ft of climbing.

Casa Serpa is a charming place to stay but the breakfast was somewhat meagre:

It had a plunge pool:

Oranges everywhere.

Found our way out of town easily, which was a first. Signposting is hopeless.

South on the N265. It was sunny with light winds, perfect cycling conditions.

Lots of storks nest on top of power one poles:

The villages are all very similar; single storey and simple, thick walls and Roman tiled rooves.

They also seem to be inhabited by old people, the men sitting on the streets watching the world go by. Many houses seem deserted.

After some 30 miles of rolling hills with olive trees and sheep a sweeping fast descent to Mertola:

We had a good lunch:

Fish soup with fried bread (!)

Then off for the next 30 plus miles and a very steep climb out of town.

The countryside changed to resemble a warm dry version of Dartmoor, very little cultivation or animals.

Also the roads were at first very quiet.

John on gravel road.

It became a bit of a slog up and down rolling hills. Then suddenly tons of traffic but fortunately we were near Castro Verde.

We are staying in a 3 star hotel the Vila Verde.

Opposite is a building straight out of India. The helpful receptionist said no one knew how or why it was built.

A welcome shower and off for an excellent supper:

Squid, chips and salad.

I think this will be the only cycle tour that I’ll finish heavier than when I started.

Rain tomorrow !

Around Alentejo: Day 2: Tue 5 March: Mourao to Serpa

Lovely (apart from the dogs) sunny cycle in light winds.

Those stats:

43.8 miles at 12.8mph.

2,706 ft of ascent. Max 29.3 mph.

But first:

I do like a plastic flower in a pot…

Basic but enough; coffee, yoghurt, bread, cheese. Still no eggs.

Off into the the rolling hills, but not before lots of faffing about trying to work out how to get out of this little town.

I blame Garmin’s aping. Sorry mapping.

But when we got out…

Brilliant roadside flowers.

We cycled south to Povoa de Sao Miguel, a 2 horse town on my Portuguese town grading system.

A steep slog up to a busy café where we had to have the custard pies with our coffee…

This was a lively place full of locals getting stuck into their pichets of wine. Well it was almost midday.

Lovely quiet tarmac road to Moura, another town on top of a hill with a castle.

Great light lunch; I had local black pork with salad, rice and chips washed down with a glass of vino tinto.

Oh yes bread and olives too.

Then we left. But couldn’t find our way out of town yet again. Portuguese signposting is hopeless, as bad as our sense of direction.

The dreaded Garmin guaranteed if we took this almost unrideable dirt track for 200m it would deposit us on a local road which after a few miles would lead to cycling heaven.

But the local road was also a dirt track but worse as in the arse end of nowhere the locals let their ferocious mutts out to try and savage the rare passers by.

We were chased about 3 times and it was scary.

Eventually on tarmac to a little town called Brinches.

Another river, another bridge.

Fields of olive trees and wild flowers…

Taking on water

Roads really quiet – mainly agricultural traffic, tractors, pickup trucks and so on.

About 4pm arrived at Serpa. Lovely old town with castle, viaduct and town walls. We’re staying in Casa de Serpa, a guesthouse in the old town.

Like many places we’ve been through it seems depopulated. On our way back from supper there were very few lights on in a long street and I doubt they were out partying.

Chimney of the day.

A couple of beers in a square then to a little bar for supper.

The owner recommended the local mushrooms which were excellent, cooked in eggs, olive oil and large bulbs of garlic.

Washed down for a change with a couple of jugs of vino tinto.

The loo was somewhat different…

For men who just have to miss. Just don’t try and squat in it.

And so back to my cell like room and sleep…

Around Alentejo; Day 1; Mon 4 March 2024, Evora to Mourao.

A road tour – first in ages – and to Portugal, a first.

A day of over eating and possibly a little too much red wine. Pleasant easy cycling so no excuse nor reason.

Flew to Lisbon then a packed train east to Evora on Sun where I met John P. Fascinating Roman ruins but seen only briefly as at night and livers to ruin…

The extent of the Roman Empire is amazing.

Anyway those vital stats:

47 miles at 13mph ! Fast !

Because it was flat- just 2,100ft of ascent and a following wind.

Max speed: 31.9mph.

Powered by the Lavradores Boutique Guesthouse breakfast:

Pretty good. Roll, muesli, cheese, yoghurt, fruit, toast, excellent coffee. No eggs tho !

Prepared my cycling kit in time honoured fashion. Threw it all over the bed then rammed it into Ella’s panniers. What I couldn’t fit in I wore.

Off to Galicio Bike where I’d booked a gravel bike for the 5 days for just €150.

Lots of faffing around while they fitted a pannier rack, my saddle ( Brooks obvs for bottom comfort), Garmin, ‘phone holder pedals etc and eventually off around 11.00.

Quite grey, cold and drizzly at first not the 20C, sun and blue skies etc John promised.

And the miles rolled by…

Empty roads.

Then on a great cycle track.

Which took us to Reuengos de Monsaraz. This, unlike the other villages we’d been through, was quite busy; a 3 horse town not a 1 horse one.

We found a little café and had the dish of the day; cod with potatoes in olive oil and lots of garlic. Bread and olives to start. Half a litre of surprisingly good vino collapso…

Excellent ! Nice place too.

Then the sun came out and the cycling was great, mainly along dirt tracks (classified roads here) with no traffic.

The miles rolled by, helped by the red wine. A few goats, cattle or sheep in the fields, not a person to be seen.

Idyllic cycling, lots of birdsong, and then in the distance our destination.

We picked up speed to outrun that rain cloud.

Into Mourao and some faffing to find the Casa Esquivel but eventually…

Thankfully did not have to push bikes up those stairs.

View from the guesthouse.

Off up to the castle for the setting sun over the lakes:

The castle sadly was shut but we walked around the walls. Just 5 miles from the Spanish border here.

After the Moors were kicked out the castle was renovated in 1296 (!)

Great chimneys:

This town is very quiet. Eventually found somewhere to eat. We thought we were ordering tapas but the waitress explained the prawn stew was for two…

More like for four not two. We did our best.

And a good bottle of wine.

The day just got better and better. Southwards tomorrow .