Self-guided walks : no.1, Odiaxere Estuary, Alvor.

[Geoff]

Walk 1(a) : Odiaxere Estuary

Degree of Difficulty: 1, easy.

Duration : about 1 hour

How to get to the start: from Lagoa, go west on the N125 for just over 16kms. Just past the turning on the left saying “ Estacio” , there is a new roundabout, turn left opposite the road to Mexilhoeira Grande....just to confuse matters, this is also signed " Estacio" though it doesn't go to the station! Drive over the level crossing for about 2.3kms and park by beach/lagoon.

GPS of start point: N37.1316225,W8.6114669
Walk directions: The walk round the lagoon is well sign posted, in a clockwise direction.

Walk 1(b): Mexilhoeira Grande Station to Odiaxere Estuary
This is an extension of Walk no. 1, but you walk along the track rather than drive. Nice views of fields en route.

Degree of Difficulty: 1, easy.

Duration : about 2.5 hours

How to get to the start: as above, but turn left the junction before,following sign to Estacio and park by station.

GPS of start point: 37°09'14.27"N, 8°36'49.81"W

Walk directions: Cross over rail tracks ( take care, there is about 1 train an hour) and walk right on the path till you come to the level crossing. Turn left and walk the 2.3kms to the beach/lagoon along the track.
Walk around the lagoon, but instead of going back to the carpark, turn left and walk round in a complete circle, getting back to the level crossing. Go straight over, and back to car by the station.

Optional visit to A Roche
Every Thursday they have demonstration on bird ringing , measuring and weighing ; also a talk on moths ( surprisingly interesting!). Free coffee and homemade cakes ( donations welcome ) from about 1000-1200, no booking necessary. See: http://www.arocha.pt/en
This can be added to either of the above 2 walks ; the Aroche centre is about halfway from the level-crossing to the lagoon , on the right hand side. It is sign-posted : turn right and park about 50m on the right.

Eating.
There are numerous cafes in Mexiloeira Grande , especially up by the church, which do coffee/tostas/sandwiches.
Nearest restaurant is the Tic Tac by the bike shop, 1.5kms back along the N125 towards Lagoa , on a turning on your right as you go up the hill ( recommended by others, but not personally). Restaurante a Choupana is about the same distance on the N125 in the other direction, on the left. It specialises in suckling pig , but do not have personal experience of it.

[Buddypair]

We did this walk from the station at the end of February 2017. This is a great time of year if you want to see Pink Flamingos in the wild. Today we were rewarded with a large flying flock and mating 'dancing'. These birds are very beautiful in the wild and we spent over an hour just watching them and other birds. The walk itself is not difficult and mostly flat. Is clearly marked and a very pleasant way to spend a morning. If you have them, we really recommend taking some binoculars with you so that you can get a close view of the birds.

Helen, Nigel & Mary.

[Geoff]

Bob and Maggie did this the other day and reported:

"We followed your Self Guided Walk no 1 - Odiaxere Estuary - from Mexilhoeira Grande station yesterday - a lovely gentle walk with binoculars - flamingos, black winged stilts and many other wading birds followed by a fine beer and mixta sandwich plus coffee lunch in a friendly small cafe near Mex. G church

Cheers"

[williew]

Restaurant Choupana was visited by Willie & Carol and Brian & Penny in March and it was very good. Chicken piri piri comes on a bed of garlic butter and is superb. Suckling pig is very large portion and also good! Not cheap @ 15 euro a head but worth it. Notably very busy with Portuguese!


Willie W

[Wendywoo]

The weather has been very kind last week bright and sunny, we did the 2hr walk from the train station, lovely with all the spring flowers out. Finished up in silves on the way back for a chicken piri lunch at the market for around 8euro 3course and drinks
Many thanks for the suggesting the walks Geoff
Wendy and Steve

[williew]

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I did this walk Tuesday 26 March with 4 Canadian friends and found it impossible to complete the loop round the lagoon as the culvert which links it to the river has been completely swept away and there is a 20 foot gap in the path.

The path between the lagoon and the meadows has also been undermined and is only half the previous width in places.

[Geoff]

EEK!!!

I know it's been windy lately, but what caused it?...very high tides?

[Geoff]

I visited on 29 March, and saw the damage...with photos the right way up!

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But if you walk as far as you can one way, and then as far as you can the other, it makes a longer walk!

It didn't put the flamingoes off though....

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Some quite pink:

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but some juveniles quite grey/black:

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[williew]

We did this walk late Jan 20 and it is still not possible to complete the circuit around the lagoon. I doubt if it will ever be fixed!


Willie W

[Geoff]

...nor in September 2020...if anything the gap is bigger. Still a nice walk though.

[williew]

We did this walk in early Dec and work appears to have started with the repair of the breach. They are constructing a better access road on the inland side. May be a while yet before sorted.


Willie W

[carolyn]

Does anyone know if the breach has been repaired ?
Thanks

[Geoff]

We went there today , but it's still far from completed. Lot of work on improving the access work, but no sign of the gap being filled yet...few months at least I reckon.

[carolyn]

Thanks for the update Geoff We went yesterday and work was definitely in progress though it will clearly take a while!

[carolyn]

Visited last week - and the breach has been repaired