Walking across Europe - 2013: Rota Vincentina The Fisherman’s Trail - March 2, 2026 ~ Day 9 Vila do Bispo to cabo de S. Vincente to Sagres

Daily Information

Actual Distance: 22.1 kms

Actual Elevation G/L: 141 m (183)m
Cumulative Information
Actual Distance: 190.1 kms

Actual Elevation G/L: 2,098 m (2,074)m

Stage Description - Stingy Nomads Highlights & Challenges

"Highlights

If you take the coastal route there are some stunning views from the cliffs over the sea and the beaches. The scenery on this day reminded me of the scenery on the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail in Southern Algarve.
Cabo de S.Vicente – a cape with a lighthouse and a fortress and impressive scenery.

Challenges

The walk from Cabo de S.Vicente to Sagres is mostly along the road though the scenery is still beautiful."

Last evening the Portugal taste testing continued…grilled swordfish. It was delicious 🤤! I am communicating with my Camino walking friend in Brazil as to what should be next. Goose barnacles have caught my attention.

Overall a very easy 22 km with the exception of perhaps 20-25 minutes of the toughest walking surface I have ever encountered. A bit cool with cloud cover…perfect walking conditions.

Breakfast this morning generated a real good laugh…started off pretty normal with toasted ham

& cheese sandwich.

A young fellow sat at the next table. We had crossed paths but never introduced ourselves. Thomas from Germany is walking the Fishermen’s Trail from Sines (one day before our Porto Covo starting point).

Unfortunately a few days ago he started feeling significant foot pain which resulted in having to take a rest day. Thomas is targeting to finish in Lagos as well however timing is now tight considering his injury. Ok nothing at all funny here.

I went up to pay for the two of us and using my best non existant Portuguese indicated that I was paying for both of us. The restaurant server made an all inclusive type motion which I nodded yes to.

The total came to 20 Euros which seemed quite steep in comparison to previous days. Oh well food was good. Thomas goes up to pay and then turns around « you paid for me? » I blurted out « well I didn’t mean to and started laughing » Immediately Thomas pulled out his wallet and I said « No worries it’s on us…hope your injury heals ». Big smiles all round…enjoyable start to the day!

Also a shout out to some very able assistance I received fro the Google Chrome Help online community. From the very start of the trip I have been having a h*ll of a time with the inclusion of photos for my blogposts. Sometimes it worked and often I would get this message.

Seems simple to correct you say! I went through many rabbit online trails and was quite frustrated…Leonard can vouch for that! You try to find where cookies are set yes/no in IOS 26.3 😢

Frankly I was getting close to taking the easy way out…stop blogposts as without photos…no fun. A few days ago I posted my problem to said Google Help online community.

Fairly quickly I was chatting with two Diamond experts…first one suggested checking my cookies setting…second one do this and that and use Safari as it is more stable with Blogger than Chrome.

Back and forth the exchange went…even the Diamond expert was having trouble locating where cookies were now hiding. I turned to AI with my question and bingo…found where cookies were in the setting depths. Only problem cookies were already allowed…so my problem remained…however AI suggested another setting « something like cross website bla bla allowed Y/N » If Y this could interfere with cookies.

So I switched to N…using Safari…and voila to date no more problems. Moral of the story…ask for help…ask AI and then switch something not having the faintest clue what you have really done and hope! 😊

The first 10-11 kms were super easy walking with one long road climb up a hill. Honestly there wasn’t much to see however it was very peaceful walking which I thoroughly enjoyed. While different from the famous Meseta on the Camino Frances it had that feel for me.

Note blue dot 🔵 at top of hill 🥳

Then we started on the path to Cabo St. Vincent and what a superb walk that was to reach the lighthouse. 47 years ago Dawn and I went to the Cabo Lighthouse on our 3 week honeymoon in Portugal.

Here is a short background write up.

Cabo St. Vincent

Why is it called the end of the world?

Cape St. Vincent’s very location makes you believe it could be the end of the world. At least it seemed to be so for people inhabiting the area in Ancient times. In the Neolithic period, the cape was considered sacred ground. Ancient Greeks built here a temple dedicated to Hercules. The Ancient Romans called the cape Holy Promontory and considered it a magic place.

The cape was named after Saint Vincent, an Iberian deacon who was martyred in the 4th century. According to the legend his body was brought here. Later a small stone shrine was built at the place of his burial. In the 12th century, the remains of the saint were transferred to Lisbon.

The cape is one of the three most famous “end-of-the-world” capes of the Iberian Peninsula. The other two are Cabo da Roca in Portugal and Cape Finisterre in Spain.

Interestingly there are 3 « end of the world » capes.

I have had the good fortune to go to 2 of them Cape Finisterre and Cabo St. Vincent…now do I dare go to Cabo da Roca?

The initial walking was mostly easy…the cliffs were incredible.

We hit a rough spot or two

And then the wheels came off…you have to be kidding…who in their right mind created this torture test? 20-25 minutes of the hardest walking surface in all my long walks. Concentration at the max…one poor foot plant and the walking is finito!

Finally we were through and on the homestretch to the lighthouse where bratwurst 🌭, souvenir shop, going up in the lighthouse and WC awaited us 😊

Except 😢 it’s Monday and all is closed…a little side detour of the main road was required for… Oh well the walk was worth it!

On our way to lighthouse

I now consider myself an expert on selfie taking 😊

Tomorrow 20 kms to Salema…our luck with rain (not a drop in 9 walking days) will likely come to an end. 90% chance of rain 11mm forecast. Hey that’s part or the deal walking! 190 kms completed…44 kms to go!

A few additional photos from today.