This post recounts the fifth day of my Portugal End to End cycle tour with Peak Tours in May 2023. Read day 4: Freixinho to Belmonte

For the second day running, I had a disorganised start to the day. I only remembered that I’d not put my contact lenses in after I’d brought my bags down to reception. No matter – I’m more than capable of cycling 50 miles without them. It was another lesson in being organised!

I was sorry I didn’t get the chance to explore Belmonte last night. It looks like a handsome town with an intriguing history. With Alec’s accident here in mind (see yesterday’s episode) we were very careful to avoid the drainage slit in the road.

This Sunday was no day of leisure for us. The climbing began almost immediately, and I found it tough at times with long sections steeper than my natural comfort gradient. It was warm, too. I thought we had completed this morning’s long climb, to find there was more to come.

But there was pleasure in the company and the countryside. We chatted on the road between climbs early on, seen above and below. Later, we had a similar breather in the attractive town of Sortelha, with its inevitable castle. (We found two certainties in Portugal: cobbled town centres and castles.)

It was a pleasure and a relief to arrive at the morning’s brew stop. Peak Tours had chosen a wonderful spot, overlooking a steep, scenic valley. It even had two swings to provide a moment of light relief, although I’ll admit Peak Tours guide Sam was a lot better at getting himself moving than I was. (As you’ll see from the day’s highlights video at the end of this post.) These brew stops are a Peak Tours speciality, and as I found on the first morning of my Land’s End to John O’Groats ride in 2019 are perfectly judged to break up a day’s riding, and keep morale and energy high.

The descent was a delight, although inevitably we were soon climbing again. But that was the last significant ascent before lunch, and we had a long section on a fairly dull main road accompanied by spots of rain.

You can always rely on Peak Tours to find wonderful lanes, and today was no exception. Just as I was getting bored with the long main road drag, we turned onto a lane of pure delight. It twisted and turned, sometimes barricaded by tall stone walls. This was perfect territory for cyclists and dog walkers. (Sometimes both combined!)

We had a picnic today at Aldeia do Bispo. We sheltered under a tree from the intermittent rain – and after 40 hilly miles were not tempted by the outdoor gym!

Over the past few days, I have been stronger in the afternoon, but today I felt lethargic as we continued on our way to Monsanto. The gradient profile explains why: a series of climbs punctuated by modest descents. We also had the now-familiar cobbled lanes through largely silent villages. Where were all the people?

The last five miles were a delight. We had some enjoyable freewheeling sections, and could see our destination, Monsanto, in the distance. We knew we’d have a serious climb up to it – hill towns are always at the top of the hill – but that would be our last effort of the day.

I was pleased to complete the climb without walking the bike – although I did stop for a breather and photos a few times. Just for the views…

When we arrived in Monsanto, we wheeled our bikes through the historic village centre to our hotels.

After a shower, I headed up the hill to the castle to get a feel for the history and beauty of this extraordinary village. (I still feel sorry that I never got to explore Belmonte last night.) I’ve never seen a landscape quite like this: giant boulders dominate the scene. Many have been excavated for pig pens, and the houses are often squeezed in between them. Exploring Monsanto, you could almost believe in legends about giants dropping the enormous stones into place. As I climbed up to the 12th century castle, I did wonder how on earth they got there. This BBC travel story about the place gave no clues, but did explain that the traditional workers who lived high on the hill now live on its foothills. Monsanto is now largely a tourist destination rather than a working village, but it is unspoilt by its new role.

It was a stiff climb to the castle, but worth it. As fellow Cymro Richard put it, “As a Welshman, I can’t resist a castle!”

As I walked down to the village, I came across a number of our group enjoying a beer in a charming bar that served as restaurant and deli. We requisitioned extra chairs from the restaurant as more Peak Tourists arrived. Later, we strolled down to a restaurant overlooking the plain for another convivial evening. After five days, this group has gelled in a way I can’t remember from previous tours.

As I walked back up to the hotel, I took a few night shots to try to capture the essence of this unique place.

Read Day 6: Monsanto to Alcántara

The day’s stats

49.6 miles, 5,086 feet climbing, 4 hours 53 mins cycling, average speed 10.2mph.

The day’s highlights video