Date: 5th August 2019
Travelled: 16 kms from Ponte da Barca to Soajo both in the Province of Minho
Visited: Soajo
Stayed: Soajo Municipal Aire, free all the usual service. N41.87170, W08.26337
Budget: 57 days @ โฌ82 per day
Having completed our long morning walk along the Rio Lima and had a late breakfast we donโt depart Ponte da Barca until mid-day. The driving distances in Portugal seem relatively short (so far) and today is no different, as we soon drive into the Parque National da Pineda Gerรชs, Portugalโs most northern national park.
Soajo, Norte, Portugal
Map of Soajo, icon on our parking spot.
Our guide book recommends Soajo as an ideal location to explore the walking trails of the park as well as experience the culture of this isolated area of Portugal. Our data base shows it has a free aire with services, so Soajo it is. The aire is very tidy as is the whole town it seems.
Pam stands in front of a espigueiros, a traditional stone grainary. 
The Pillory of Tore (circa 1540) stands as a centre piece in the town square. Nothing to do with marbles, just the villages market authority.
We spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing, come the cocktail hour we wander down to a little bar on the corner for a drink or two before dinner.
Not the best night sleep, as we have a noisy neighbour who doesnโt settle till near mid-night. Anyway we are up at the tourist office at 9am, the lady give us a map and recommends a couple of walks.
It seem the walking paths around Soajo follow the old bullock cart tracks, winding there way through the surrounding hills. 
We pass numerous old huts.
Itโs a stiff climb for 90 minutes, but the views are excellent. 
We make new friends.
More friends. 
The path is well marked in most places, but you need to keep a regular eye for the markers.
Using the telegraph post as part of your cloths line ? 
Just missed getting a photo of a woman walking up the street with a gas cylinder on her head, so this is second best.
We arrive back in the Soajo 3 hours later. As we finish the walk, we hear a familiar twang. We meet a young man from Perth walking up the mountain, exchange greetings and continue on. We walk through the village only to find chaos. There is a wedding in town this afternoon. The streets are full of cars and people. Back in the Hymer we cool down, have a shower before walking up to the corner bar, come pizza place and have a long lunch.
We rest for an hour, then decide weโll move on rather than be part of the wedding festival. So we ready the Hymer, do the services and roll out of Soajo.
Michael and Pam
