Spring Season Trekking - Portugal's Fisherman's Trail - Free Accommodation Guide

Hello Lovely Hikers!

I hope this message finds you well! Unfortunately I’ve been severely ill for the past 4 weeks and off hiking and researching cool treks. Stay healthy out there!

Not going hiking has given me some time to deep dive into planning — and I wanted to share the lovely coastal trek in Portugal called the Fisherman’s Trail.

It’s easy to self-book and a guide is not needed for most people. So I built a simple accommodation guide you can download and book directly from.

Today’s roundup:

• Self Guide The Fisherman’s Trail - Free Accommodation Guide

• AMA: Send in Questions Rota Vicentina Fisherman’s Trail Portugal

• Hiking in the Sand Tips

• Next week: Video release where I’ll show you step-by-step how to book, share the GPS and announce a new cultural audio-guide project!

Shoulder Season Trekking - Portugal’s Fisherman’s Trail on the Rota Vicentina

Europe’s mountains are lovely, but hard to trek other than the summer. Enter: Portugal. Yeah it rains in winter, but if you can handle some wind, sand and rain — it’s a lovely 3 season trekking destination *excluding summer.

December and January are the lowest season you can hike where luggage transport is not possible. July and August are off-limits unless you are a very experienced desert hiker.

Otherwise the trail is a great option. September, October, March, April and May are the busiest. November is my favorite.

Here’s why this trek stands out:

- Accommodation Availability: Dead simple to book - almost all places are online and you can use credit card.

- Resupply Options: Pass through authentic fishing villages every night with markets and restaurants.

- Comfortable Lodgings: Enjoy more comfortable accommodations, some with en-suite bathrooms.

- Optional Luggage Transfer: at 15 euros a transfer, it’s cheap and easy

While there are some rugged sections it’s generally a flat and easy trail - minus the sand.

There are different itineraries to suit your pace:

- 4-Day Highlights Itinerary: The classic option between Porto Covo and Odeceixe

- 12-Day Itinerary: For fit and experienced hikers - Sines to Lagos (sine section is boring so most skip it)

- 15-Day Itinerary: For a more relaxed pace, taking some zero days to enjoy the beaches

And let’s talk buses and taxis - you can utilize these to mix and match sections as you like.

If this sounds like the adventure you’ve been waiting for, I encourage you to check it out. Download my guide and book your trek.

Questions about Fisherman’s Trail - Send them in for next week’s presentation

Save the date and watch next Thursday (Dec 12th) for my release of What you need to know about your first time on the Fisherman’s trail.

Whether you're considering a trip to the rugged coastline of Portugal, this presentation will offer a sneak peek into the adventure and planning tips.

Send in any questions - reply directly to this email and I’ll try to address it during the presentation that I will post next Thursday on Youtube.

Hiking in the Sand Tips

It’s harder than it looks. Unless you have grown up in the dunes of the Netherlands or some other sandy place…it’s quite tough and can bring up some problems.

Generally speaking, the sand fills up your boots (and shoes) and make them heavier, your stride less stable and more effort to walk. You can try to minimize the sand by:

• Wear low gaiters: Lightweight breathable, low gaiters like the “dirty girl” gaiters will help keep sand out of shoes

• Trekking poles: if you’ve got some tweaky joints, the instability of the sand can irritate and you may want the stability of a pole.

• Packing Smart: Keep your pack light to reduce strain.

• Wear Long Pants: Let the length of your pants cover where your sock and shoe are open to minimize sand.

Ready to embrace the sand? It’s not THAT bad ;-)

🔖 Read the Full Article

How is your hiking going this year? Next episode will be a year in review!

Okay, until next time!

x Morgan