Hike to Rasca Valley. Arrábida natural park. Portugal

The forecast gave us no hope of sunshine that day—"Low clouds," it said, period. As we descended into the valley, the world around us seemed somber, damp and gloomy. The air was thick with the smell of wet soil, and even patches of green grass seemed tinted with gray. Soon, however, we began to notice splashes of vibrant color. Nature lured us with the lush green of vine leaves, the bright orange of ripe tangerines, and the delicate pink of almond blossoms. Ahead, gentle babbling of a nearby stream reached our ears. After recent heavy rains and violent storms, the water was cold and too deep to wade through in our boots, so we had to cross it barefoot. We couldn't help but envy mountain bikers gliding effortlessly across the creek while we dried our dirty, wet feet. Using a pair of spare socks for the task felt like a clever invention in the midst of our adventure.

Steep, slippery trails wound through the dense forest, tall trees forming a canopy that seemed to close in on us. Wild boars had tramped the paths the night before, their ubiquitous hoofprints especially visible around the shaded puddles. Those ragged, eroded, skinny tracks led us to the top of the hill, where a real treat awaited. The clouds parted to make way for the sun. In front of us was a ridge with all the majestic peaks of Arrábida and a picturesque village nestled in the fertile land of the Rasca Valley. Suddenly the world around us became bright, shining and glittering in the sun's rays. It was as if percussion had broken into a symphony of faded colors and tones.

The magnificent, solemn peaks accompanied us as we walked further, providing a backdrop for abandoned houses, a canvas for almonds in bloom, or a decoration for fields and pine trees. As we moved away from the hills, our hike became more of a leisurely stroll. We passed a few ruined mills in various stages of preservation and a large abandoned farm with a citrus orchard. In stark contrast to their surroundings, the trees were alive and bearing fruit. We picked a few, which turned out to be more on the sour side, but were still edible. The last stretch of greenery on this lengthy loop brought us back to the Capela das Necessidades, where the route had started earlier in the morning. Since the oranges didn't really fill us up, we paused on the porch to eat some simple sandwiches and drink hot tea from a thermos. What a delicious and well-deserved meal after a 15-kilometer hike!