Heading West Journal 58

West of Lagos  Pt. 1  (Sorry, no pics-see Jrn. 59)

We haven't been west of Lagos for several years.  Today it was time.  In the past I would always follow the N125 two lane highway through Lagos and on toward Luz, Burgau, Salema and finally into Sagres.  That was fifteen years ago and much of that highway was not the best.  Now it has been largely upgraded and makes for a pleasant drive from the A22 onward although the frequent roundabouts are a nuisance. 

You might remember Praia da Luz as the site of the little girl Madeleine McCann's disappearance many years ago.  However, our goal today was not Luz or any those beach villages.  Our goal was Cape Sao Vincent; otherwise known as 'the end of the world' owing to the fact that it is the most southwest point in Europe.  From there our destination was the tiny inland village of Pedralva.

To make things quicker we took the A22 tollway from here and on past Lagos where the expressway ends and you pick up the N125 again.  Once you are past Lagos the topography begins to change and then changes again a few times before you get all the way to the west coast.  

What I think of as the commercial or tourist Algarve more or less disappears beyond Lagos and the N125 rolls through some beautiful countryside for about 30 miles.  Gently up and down and around, intersected by a rotovario at every village which on average are only about 3 to 4 kilometres apart.  As one of my friends here says, "Portugal is a land connected by roundabouts."

Eventually you pass by Villa de Bispo and after another eight km you are in Sagres. The highway from Vde B to Sagres is first rate.  

I won't comment on Sagres, other than to say it's a ratty little town that's not worth photographing except for the iconic fortress and the lighthouse a few miles away.   We went north to the lighthouse first and stretched our legs there.  Then we backed up to the fort made famous by Henry the Navigator.  I really don't think Henry had much to do with it but it's a great story for the tourists.  It might be interesting if both sites were open but for some unfathomable reason both sites are closed.  The government has put a fortune into the highway and new parking, etc., etc. and doesn't open the very sites people come to see.  Even as we visited there were an easy thousand people milling around including hundreds of cars, RV's and god knows how many hikers.  Shame on some bureaucrat.  Good thing we saw them years ago.