Saturday 28 December 2013

Mira de Aire

Our aim now is to get to Nazare for the New Year celebrations on the beach. But because we've got a few days to spare and it's only 100km away, we thought we'd take in a few sights along the way, and basically take our time. First pit stop last night was in a little place called Sao Pedro de Muel. A nice little village with a lighthouse and a great beach bar. This is also where our little Geology related activities begin!

This morning was an early start to make sure that we got two major things fitted in. First on the list were the caves at Mira de Aire.

The caves - first discovered in 1947 - are about 11km in length and go as deep as around 110m. They combine a fantastic example of stalactites, limestone formations, and enough humidity and condensation to annoy the most hardened glasses wearers! The tour, costing about 6 euros each, takes you deeper and deeper into the formation with a guide explaining things along the way. Unfortunately, as we didn't book in advance, it was all in Portuguese, but we still got the jist! They do explain when you first arrive that there are a lot of steps involved (363), to check that you are fit enough to manage it. But in all honestly, the majority of these are going down, with flat sections in between, followed by a lift back up to the top. Not really that challenging to be fair.

Next up today, and the bit I'd really been looking forward to is the dinosaur footprints!

These tracks cross all over a huge slanted layer of limestone in the base of a quarry and include footprints from dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes. They were discovered in 1994 by a local archaeology association. It only cost a few euros to get in and is well worth a visit. There is a roped path that you have to stay within to preserve the area, and along the way, information boards explaining what to look for. This is a truly unforgettable experience, and quite honestly I can't explain it in words. Whether you have a keen interest in geology or not, this place will stay with you for a long time.

Still heading in the direction of Nazare, we decided to stop off at a municipal campsite in Alcobaca. This is until we discover that the aforementioned campsite has actually shut down and is now a massive carpark. Not wanting to drive staight into Nazare and go early to the New Year campsite, we eventually found one on the outskirts that we are planning to spend the next two nights at to chill out and relax before the New Year celebrations begin...

 

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