Solo traveling, hardly anyone around these days, not speaking the local language, no plan besides just going up. Sounds fun? Some people might skip, when this will be the story. But the thing is, as soon as you get out of your comfort zone...you'll get the best. I did not expect anything special this day during the end of October. 26 hours of non-stop intense rain along the empty coast at the Northern tip of Portugal.

Praia do Forte do Cão

Forte do Cão

Patience is the key
I wasn't sure when to cross the border between Portugal and Spain. I arrived at one of the last beaches before the Spanish border, called 'Praia do Forte do Cão'. It's along the route of 'Camino de Santiago'. It should have stunning views at this little beach with a tiny fortress. It should... I went outside, but the showers outside were a bit intense. A little climb around the fortress and for a minute there was a winking sun through the deck of clouds. The rain lasted for 26 hours, I was actually a bit done. Should I stay or should I go? I posted something online with the message "There will be sunshine from now on." Well, someone got the message...the loud noise on the roof stopped within a minute, I looked outside and YES! It cleared up. The first thing I did when I went outside? Yes, taking an outdoor shower at this shower pole next to the beach. How can you come up with that, after having the opportunity to walk outside and get wet for 26 hours?! It was worth the day of waiting at this empty parking lot. Finally it was there: the pointy mountain further on along the coast.

There it came, after 26 hours of hiding

The mountain that was covered in clouds, became visible

Crossing borders to the unknown
After a freshly grinded early morning coffee, it was time to let the other energizing liquid do the job: Diesel Power! Driving to Spain and stop one more time at a Portuguese beach: 'Praia de Moledo'. The best view is actually from the highway N13. I parked somewhere where it was safe and walked on the emergency lane for a good shot. What a view! I also drove down to the beach and had a closer look at the fortress in the middle of the rough ocean. Not knowing that this was nothing yet...

Praia de Moledo, with the fortress in the ocean on the left

I guess after the huge amount of rain last night, it would be a great idea to find a waterfall or something. As I zoomed in Google Maps, I found a creek with some falls just a bit uphill after crossing the border. I parked the car on a spot along the road PO-354 and climbed down the bush. Please keep in mind, when you hike in the North of Portugal and in Galicia, to wear long sturdy pants. These bushes here are stingy. It was slippery and stingy. But hey, the sun started to burn through the wet forest. This creek has turned into a rushing wild river. I decided to climb back and follow up the track further up the creek. It was just getting better and better. Although I had to change the route. The normal trail along the levada was flooded. And this flood was not a little one. There were no signs and the trails that I followed were more like a spiderweb of muddy paths. I managed to reach the point of where I wanted to be and it was superb! I climbed up the highest possible rock to get this astonishing view. It's hard to get a similar image of this insane view on a smartphone picture, but I tried. And when you look into the wild, you might spot a 'monster'...

The hike up to Pozas de Loureza

Looking in the eye of the monster

More views along the hike of Pozas de Loureza

Days are getting dark early
I looked at the time and realized that the sun would not be out that long anymore. I wanted to camp along the coast again and looked on the map for another stop before I went back to the coast. I saw some signs on the road, mentioning 'Muiños do Folón' and 'Muiños do Picón'. First I followed the instructions of Google Maps...wrong choice. It lead me to a parking lot, but the amount of water there was already a bit too much. I started the hike and followed the official hiking trail. I tried to continu the trail, but the trail has turned into a waterfall after the huge amount of rain the last 2 days. Ok, plan B...follow the signs on the road. It led me to a dead end street, with no parking options. But the start of another trail was here. I decided to put my van against a shed, so the locals had space to drive and turn around. I walked again on a muddy and wet trail, my hiking shoes were soaked. I arrived at the first 'Muiños'. It are actually watermills, around 60 of these stone mills are build along this area. Hiking around will take around max. 2 hours. Also here, parts of the trail had turned into a big stream of water. As soon as I got higher, my feet got dryer. And the views? I've seen a lot of beautiful places around the world and I am spoild with that. But I had a few moments of goosebumps here. Don't go for the viewpoints on Google Maps, there are plenty of spots that could perfectly fit on a postcard. Try to find your own track and climb one of the big rocks. When I reached the point of the view over the valley and the mills, my jaw dropped 100 meters down I guess.

No matter what bush or rock you pick, amazing views every time

It was the combination of the clouds, rain, sunset during Golden Hour, peaking mountain tops, fresh green fields, the trees and the mills. It was just perfect. I did not expect another astonishing surprise this day. Some would say, you should buy a lottery ticket. I guess today was like winning the lottery. Incredible. Even the wet walk down was full of extra lottery prizes. This was truly a GOLDEN HOUR.

One the way back, your feet get more wet when you are distracted by the Golden Hour

A silent day full of memories
Normally I would say, not talking with anyone on a day...would be boring. But this day, was one of the best during this road trip. It was a proof that the beauty of nature and the unknown could give a huge boost in happiness and energy. I looked for a Park4Night spot along the coast of A Guarda. I found one at an old lobster farm in the ocean, created at the end of the 19th century: 'Cetárea da Redonda'. It was dark when I arrived, but that didn't change the fact that this place felt like magic as well. On the reviews on the Park4Night-app, it was mentioned that the little road to this spot was closed for vehicles, but it wasn't. I climbed the rock, enjoyed the views and realized how good the structure looked for something build in 1895. I looked back at this day without talking and getting distracted by modern stuff of the stressed world these days. No deep conversations, laugh until you cry, sharing the same adventures, love...but the rough noises of nature today could fill the gap of silence. The song of Simon and Garfunkel came in my mind when I watched the darkness scenery. 'Sound of Silence'. The ability to communicate: A smart device to post and communicatie with others on a distance, is nothing more than a Neon God... Simon and Garfunkel were way ahead of time when they wrote that song.

Magic vibes during the evening chill-out at Cetárea Redonda

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Solo, couple, family, group or traveling with your pet?