On the boardwalk

Agudela to Povoa de Varzim 14.1 miles

A very wet start today - the same Atlantic front that brought rain to SW Scotland this morning - so after 3 miles we dived into a coffee shop to dry off a bit.

The rain had passed off by mid morning and we were walking mostly on boardwalks which protect the fragile ecosystem of the sand dunes. Saw some lovely birds including crested larks, stonechat and plovers and some pretty flowers too.

At midday we stopped to rest and look at the waves and ended up sitting there for a couple of hours, enjoying the view and the sea air and watching ther pilgrims pass by.

It was 5pm by the time we arrived at Povoa de Varzim..I kept stopping to look at interesting things like fish and boats. Sarah said I could look at them while I was walking :-)

Our accommodation tonight (in the Big House) may be the best yet and our host Oscar the most attentive. We had a welcome drink with him when we arrived and met two other walkers from Germany. After a shower we went out to eat at an Indian Restaurant (very few of these in Portugal). Through the open door, I could see skateboarders going up and down outside and the sun setting pink over the ocean. At night when all these good things are going on and a comfortable bed is beckoning, it's easy to forget the discomforts of the day :-)