As per yesterday's statement of intent, we gave both the thermal imaging camera and the trail cam a good go last night - and again first thing this morning; but were denied a lynx sighting. Emma did, though, find a fairly recent lynx paw print (pic), so we were at least in the immediate presence of this awesome apex predator.
Close to our overnighting spot was an interpretation centre and viewing spot dedicated to the local lynx re-establishment program. After quitting camp we made a visit to that and - having read the information available - were humbled upon the discovery that even finding field signs like prints or scats is in itself something of a feat: so arbitrarily elusive is the animal itself.
From the interpretation centre we enjoyed a lazy bumble in a generally northerly direction along some extremely quiet, narrow (sometimes unsealed) roads in the east of the country. I'd chosen this route on purpose as it was fairly obvious from map features that things should be comparatively steady hereabouts.
The only pinch-points revolved around a farmer herding his sheep down a main road (good luck with that in the UK), and threading the truck through a couple of villages we encountered that had streets and encroaching buildings which made for a very tight squeeze indeed. Once again, build 'em as small as you can: big trucks do not fit through small spaces.
Tonight's intended overnighting spot was once again chanced upon by following a random track. We seem to be in some state-owned forestry land criss-crossed with dirt tracks that give access to surrounding farmland. Whatever, it's very quiet and peaceful and though there's not a great deal doing bird-wise, there are serins jangling away, azure-winged magpies flitting around, and many bee-eaters overhead adding a splash of tropical colour.
I did a (baking-hot) bike ride from here and the tracks might well prove useful for a run in the morning.
To this point - once away from the touristy and peacocking madness of the Algarve - Portugal is making for a pretty chilled baking hot experience.
This post was composed at 21:00 on Monday 31st March from our intended overnighting spot N 38.21253°, W 07.19566° / http://maps.google.com/maps?q=loc:38.21253%2C-07.19566
PS One of the accompanying random images might seem a little too random but it (poorly) depicts the ground I spoke of that gave way and swallowed the rear offside wheel.