A place in the sun: Alan Shortt in Portugal
“QUICKLY! Quickly! Take it! Take it!” he shouted.
“Keep the rod in the water… hurry, hurry! don’t let him jump!”
I pulled the tip of the rod out of the water.
“Noooooooo!” the American wide mouthed bass jumped high in the air, spat out the hook and with a wink of his eye and a flick of his tail he was gone.
Joaquin — pronounced “Wackeem” — my bass catching master, gave me a look that didn’t need any translation, it was time for his mama’s homemade chocolate cake and a beer.
I am bass fishing in Santa Clara Lake in the Alentejo region of Portugal.
Only an hour and a half from Faro, north of the Algarve, Santa Clara is one of Europe’s largest reservoirs. Created by damming the Mira river, it’s calm, deep and ridiculously blue.
Along the edges of the lake the tall branches of submerged trees break the surface of the water, and this is where the bass live.
The American wide mouthed bass are solitary creatures, each tree is home to one bass, so if your bass jumps off the line, you have to move on to the next tree. Fishing in trees! Only in Alentejo.
As I relaxed in my super American Discovery Channel type bass fishing boat I tipped my sun hat to a group of swimming wild pigs who regularly travel across the lake. Joaquin tells me they are really good on the barbecue.
www.basscatchinsantaclara.com
The best accommodation in Alentejo is found in family run Barranca’s, they are like B&B’s but much posher. They normally offer full board serving incredible gastronomical delights.
My bed for the night is in Paradise — Quinta de Barranca Estrada, a family run country house over looking Santa Clara lake offering water sports such as canoeing and kayaking.
Dinner is served at a long table where all the guests get to know each other and share the days stories.
My dining partner is Paul, a professional violinist with the Manchester Orchestra and birder [bird watcher].
In fact most of the guests were self proclaimed “Birders”.
If you fancy sneaking around bushes at 6am, Frank, the owner of the property, offers guided tours where you can catch a glimpse of eagles, kingfishers and if you are lucky a golden oriole. No one was interested in my 10-kilo bass that pulled me overboard.
www.casasbrancas.pt/en/rede/quinta-barranco-da-estrada
Up early in the morning, boots on and I head for Santa Clara-a-Vehla, a sleepy cobble stoned village untouched by the passage of time.
My mission is to complete the Rotas de Santa Clara, a looped hiking route which is part of the now famous Rota Vicentina which has more than 400 kilometres of hiking routes.
As I wait for Jose, my guide for the day, I sip an exceptionally smooth coffee, that costs me only 65 cent — and so, I have two.
Jose joins me and introduces me to the people of the village, we chat, we laugh, and drink more coffee.
The pace of life in Alentejo is so laid back, there are only two gears, first and stop.
Eventually we head out into to the countryside, stopping by an old well to fill our water bottles.
The Rotas de Santa Clara consists of two circular routes which combined make up a total of 23km.
It’s a relatively easy hike over hills and through forests with stunning 360 degree views of Santa Clara lake all the way over to The Serra de Monchique Mountain range. Make sure stop at the ancient Roman bridge and ask for the story.
www.en.rotavicentina.com/route-santa-clara-routes-2611.html
With my Santa Clara honey tucked safely in my rucksack, I make the short drive to the small town of Odemira to make the incoming tide.
I see my canoe waiting for me on the bank of the Miro river and then I hear Anke, screaming at me, “Alan! Hurry, hurry, we must go before the tide turns.”
I jump in, push off into the middle of river, aim the canoe up stream, sit back and enjoy the ride on the tide. Eco trails offer a very relaxing experience on the river, a welcome break from the arid heat of inland Alentejo.
The tidal current guides you through an oasis of green shady trees abundant with life, mating dragon flies, sun bathing turtles and a variety of birds that my “birder” friends could only dream of.
When the tide turns, all you have to do is turn the canoe around, and head back down stream for a well deserved ice cream.
www.ecotrails.info/
After an active day with aching legs and sore shoulders there was nothing more welcome than a refreshing dip in my pool which just happened to be right beside my villa for the night, at Monte do Zambujeiro.
Situated in the heart of the Natural Park 3km from Vila Nova de Milfontes, this barranca offers a mixture of suites and villas overlooking the Mira estuary.
As the sun set into a red blood sky, drinks were served on the terrace to the sound of dancing crickets and the watchful stare of a preying mantis.
Monica, my host for the evening, introduced me to some fine Alentejo wine accompanied by local cheeses and family folklore from the farm.
Next morning I awoke to a most amazing “view from the loo” overlooking the Mira river. One night is not enough in Monte Do Zambujeiro.
www.montedozambujeiro.com/monte-do-zambujeiro
I leave the rolling plains and make my way to the coastline which offers wild Atlantic majestic beaches, sea cliffs, sea arches and the odd umbrella like pine tree for some welcome shade from nearly all year round sunshine.
I meet Andre at Praia da Vieirinha for my very first surf lesson. Within two hours I am standing on the surf board taking a wave, I hear The Beach Boys in my head and I feel the salty water washing through my nostrils as I barrel head first back into the Atlantic. I am addicted.
I spent a full day, getting up, falling off, over and over again, laughing, smiling happy to be so alive.
www.costazulsurf.com/index.php?lang=pt
After a long day in the surf I leave Porto Covo and head inland, 3km past Cercal, down a dusty dirt road, totally off the grid, I know I have arrived at a special place, Herdade da Matinha. A little piece of utopia under the stars.
A cluster of farm buildings and barns painstakingly converted with love into 20 individually designed rooms with vivid pink orange and red doors. Alfredo and Moncia create culinary delights from local produce every evening washed down with the best of wines at a very reasonable price.
There’s a yoga studio, swimming pool, horses, and the Rota Vincetino runs through the back garden. A packed gourmet lunch and you are ready for another hike. Absolute heaven.
www.herdadedamatinha.com/
Alentejo produces almost half of Portugal’s wines and is the largest producer of cork in the world.
For a cork oak tree to produce cork it must be at least 27 years old, and they can live for up 200 years, hence the phrase from the “Bark to the Bottle” and it all happens in my final stop, Herdade do Cebola.
Twenty-three hectares of vineyard stretches out in front of me, Isabel serves two of their flagship wines a Cebolal blanco and a Cebolal red.
My palate is cleansed with her homemade bread, local fish pate and Portuguese sausage.
I am looking forward to tasting their new vintage, “Vin de Mar” white wine aged 20 metres deep in the atlantic ocean, the bottles will be covered in barnacles which should lead to an amazing experience of taste and texture when I pour my first glass of Cebolal “Vin de Mar”.
I shall keep dreaming until I return to Alentejo very very soon.
GETTING THERE
Aer Lingus and Ryanair fly to Faro
Bass fishing: www.basscatchinsantaclara.com
Hiking: en.rotavicentina.com/route-santa-clara-routes-2611.html
Canoeing: www.ecotrails.info
Surfing: www.costazulsurf.com/index.php?lang=pt
Wine tasting: www.apvca.pt/os-produtores/herdade-do-cebolal
Quinta do Barranco da Estrada — www.casasbrancas.pt/en/rede/quinta-barranco-da-estrada/
Monte do Zambujeiro — www.montedozambujeiro.com/monte-do-zambujeiro
Herdade da Matinha — www.herdadedamatinha.com
I Cervejaria, at Zambujeira do Mar
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