clairedavieswriter

Portugal end-to-end is complete! Since leaving Faro, Team Bernard have pedalled 833.3 kilometres and climbed 8,939 metres in 13 days, to reach the most northerly point in the country.

As international border crossings go, this one is pretty low key: E is for España, P for Portugal.

When such things mattered, the Portuguese customs officer had a perfect view of the bridge from his window. The sign on the other side is in Galicia, Spain.

Today, the old customs office provides accommodation for touring cyclists, among others. Hands up who’s excited to be here:

And did I mention this is the most northerly point in the country?

Our last day of riding in Portugal was as lovely as we’d hoped. Following the course of the river Minho, we started on another old railway line

Before switching to an old road, which wound its way up the river valley through vineyard-covered hillsides. Bernard kept getting distracted by the views

And I really couldn’t blame him

There was no doubt we were in wine country

Specifically, Alvarinho/Albariño (of which, more later)

Aside from achieving our ultimate goal, highlights today included the tiny riverside village of Lapela, which had an impressive collection of hórreos beside its 16th century watch tower (good for keeping an eye on those pesky neighbours across the Minho)

And, older still, these Roman paving slabs, variously re-purposed all along our route today as gateposts, supports for vines and, as below, fencing

Not so much a highlight, as a snack worthy of note: today’s “pain au chocolat / napolitana de chocolate” bore a strong resemblance to the Portuguese croissant I mentioned yesterday – dense, doughy and yellow. It was certainly filling, and on the plus side, the chocolate was delicious

But without doubt this was the best moment of the day

I hope you’ll agree some celebration was in order. We made sure to support a local business: our sparkling Alvarinho is from Melgaço, just up the road

We have another full day of riding in Spain tomorrow, the first part of which might involve scrambling along the riverbank, like smugglers of old:

Stay tuned if you want to hear how that goes, or my thoughts about our time in Portugal. For today, our work is done. In the words of the Two Ronnies, it’s goodnight from me, and it’s goodnight from him