“April showers bring May flowers”, so folk culture tells us.

According to the weather forecast, showers were indeed expected, but only in the late afternoon. However, on 21 April last, we were lucky and did not get wet.

The temperature was very pleasant and there was little wind as the brave adventurers started to gather gradually at Bicas Beach, close to Aldeia do Meco campsite (Campimeco).

As we got closer to 10 am, the rather heterogeneous group consisting of students, staff and lecturers began gathering around the two exceptional guides of the Sports, Culture and Well-Being Unit of the University of Lisbon.

After the call and a quick set of instructions and basic rules, we dispersed again, this time just for a quick visit to the toilet or because of last minute preparations, thus allowing the small number of latecomers to join us after they had been duly instructed on the route to follow by telephone.

The walk towards the Espichel Cape closely followed the coast line, embroidered by cliffs and spectacular beaches.

This time the route was not as flat; it was extremely rewarding and not at all dull, sometimes with steep ups and downs, but which were not dangerous or difficult to overcome.

Occasionally, the narrow paths got closer to the edge of the cliffs or made us plunge into the bed of the capricious streams that have carved deep valleys over thousands of years. However, on the precise day we crossed them, they had almost no flow due to the drought of last winter.

For this reason, the first part of the walk was marked by some extra stops due to the irregularity of the ground and to allow us to regroup.
Above us, not too high, or even at the level of our eyes but over the void, with the vast Atlantic and the horizon coming together in the infinite like a backdrop, wingspans glided gently in the silent breeze, like pterosaurs from a remote past long lost in the memory of times.

The scenery deserved being celebrated in a painting painted by a good example of the pictorial realism of the French Barbizon School, which had a slightly romantic influence.

Our lungs were filled with freshness, which offset the heat generated by walking and transmitted the sensation of fresh air, which, unfortunately, nowadays is scarce. However, given the proximity of the ocean, the unmistakable scent of the sea invaded us, now and then combined with the typical odours of the Garrigue.

At certain points of the route, some rarities such as the Convolvulus Fernandesii, commonly known as Corriola do Espichel, could be discovered only by the most trained eyes, but only on limestone areas and coastal cliffs. Those hoping to find Euphorbia pedroi or Trovisco do Espichel were disappointed because it is an endemic plant that can only be found in the south facing cliffs between the Arrábida Mountain and Espichel Cape. Although both plants are extremely rare and endangered, others more common feature in the very characteristic flora of that coastal environment, where we sometimes see small animals looking for shelter as we approach them.

Lunch came as a true “rest break for the warrior”.

It was an extremely rewarding break; it was not the longest stop after a few hours walking, but we could enjoy a light meal outdoors in a very agreeable location in all senses.

Perhaps due to the fact I was hungry or because I was distracted, I only noticed it when those in the group who eat faster started to walk towards a rather sloping rock a few dozen meters from the site chosen for lunch.

Due to the oblique position of the land, at first I did not realize that I was before an authentic picture of how the ground had been like about millions of years ago.

This geological feature of the cape really deserves a closer look, particularly in the cliffs of sedimentary origin formed by a remarkable puzzle of multiple different layers where the much old tracks of distinct species of dinosaurs are visible.

Obviously, any inquisitive mind curious about things could not simply see the tracks from afar.

Despite the inclination of the terrain, raised by imposing movements of tectonic plates, treading on that ground so many years later was an indescribable feeling.

On the same ground we were able to identify other remains that distance had concealed, allowing us to dip our hands and thoughts on footprints ranging from unimaginably large sizes (compared to contemporary animals) to those compatible to our size…like the marks of old claws where I sank my fingers on a journey to the past.

The way back was calm and we followed a more uniform and inner path. We had fewer stops but it was equally adventurous.

The most striking moment was undoubtedly the panic caused by a simple snake warming itself on the path through which we trod, never imagining it would be disturbed by a group of scared creatures. At the time I only felt sorry for not being at the forefront to calm down the frightened members of the group and let the animal go by.

There is something that is very difficult to transmit, regardless of inspiration or skill one may have. The same exact landscape seen in alternative days does not convey the same emotions, because nature is extremely changeable and dynamic. The brightness with which the day left us was indeed unique and inimitable.

 
Miguel Andrade
mandrade@fm.ul.pt