Camping in Portugal

After another beautiful drive through the north-western coast of Spain (Costa Verde) that took us through Vigo and Tui we finally crossed the border into Portugal. We had been recommended a site at Viana Do Castelo by a Portuguese woman called Maria when we were at Zarauz. On the way there we could immediately sense the cultural difference to Spain. It felt more mellow and understated. You could see architectural differences and the way towns and villages were laid out. We rocked up at Viana to find a group of mobile homes. This was our introduction to "wild" camping. It's wild because there are no facilities except water! There was a toilet that opened at 10pm and closed at 6pm! The setting was beautifully rugged with pine forest behind miles of dunes that sloped down to a windy atlantic beach. Viana attracts kite and windsurfers for miles around. We camped next to a large family from Braga who found us fascinating. It felt quite wierd to have spectators sitting in a semi-circle watching your every move. I couldn't get the "Deliverance" banjo tune out of my head! They were not the most talkative bunch so gestures had to do. It was all too much for Caroline being walking museum exhibits so on Friday 20th we had to do one. 5/10

A two and a half hour drive south along the Portuguese coast brought us to Figieira Da Foz. This is biggest and most touristy coastal resort between Porto and Lisbon. The site was easy to find and they just said find a space you like rather than being assigned a pitch like you do in France and Spain. Pitches are half the price plus compared to its neighbours too. Spacious with wifi and plenty of facilities this was a good chilled place to kick back. The pool was the hub of the campsite and was busy everyday. The pose-o-meter was high here. It was also right next to "Foz plaza" a large mall that was really handy and only five minutes walk. McDonald's was hard to resist (for the girls sake mind!) and met some nice people. 9/10

By now camping was getting a little wearisome. Although we had the drill down to a tee and all the kit we needed, it was the dust, mosquitos, loudness of cicadas and crickets and other ambient camp noises that were taking their toll. When it rained on the fourth day at Foz we drove east through the rain and escaped it about 30km from Pedrogao Grande, a beautiful site perched high above a dam on the banks of the mighty rio Zezere. We stayed here the longest and at 8.5 euros a night it was the best VFM site that stayed at. Unfortunately it all changed on the third day for me. Andy recommended visiting a gorge called Fragas de Sau Simao. Situated 16km away it was a stunning natural wonder. A rocky creek wound through a deep rocky canyon. It was the hottest we had experienced since leaving England. The car said 42C. We bathed and explored the river and studied the wildlife. I had a moment of madness in which I abandoned all respect for my environment and took a gulp of the water flowing between the rocks. As you do. Later that night I would bear the consequences of my utter stupidity. The gastric armageddon lasted for 10 days after and I was sick as a dog for at least 7 of those days.

Apart from that we pitched right by a tennis court and played some bad tennis for a second time this holiday (the first was at Hortensias). The pool was small but warm and only 30secs walk. The people were really friendly including a group that we left our phone and computer with to charge. Pedro Grande was a charming quite well-heeled small town with two quaint town churches. What a shame the toilets were so far from our tent - I want to edit out the 40+ walks at random times of day and night I made to that block! By far the most beautiful site we stayed at and a fitting last leg before arriving at Moses. 8.5/10