Fishermen’s Trail Stage – Aljezur » Odeceixe

Before leaving the village of Odeceixe, do not forget to visit the windmill, one of the few still in working order that can be visited. Around it, wooden walkways and benches invite you to contemplate the village houses, the mouth of the Seixe river and the Mediterranean scrub on the south-facing slopes – a feast for the eyes!

The floodplains are the river’s flood beds, where, on days of heavy rain, the water that spills over the banks deposits everything needed to build deep, fertile soils. For the rest of the year, the advantages of flooding are enjoyed, that is, vigorous crops and pastures grow. Some of these flood beds are still in their wild state, occupied by reed beds and rush beds. These are environments very rich in birds, such as the grey heron and the little egret.

In the dune scrub, aromatic shrubs such as juniper, sea everlasting, camphor thyme (endemic to this coast), French lavender and rosemary are abundant. These plants, despite being especially adapted to the arid environment of the cliff tops, have some difficulty coping with the invasion of exotic species such as acacias and Hottentot fig. In the damper spots, where the water almost reaches the surface, marshy areas covered in rushes appear, the habitat of Europe’s most endangered rodent, the Cabrera vole.

The farmland, dominant on this route, forms a harmonious mosaic with small groves of pine, eucalyptus or cork oak, as well as the marshy areas (wetlands) and watercourses. Temporary pools and farm ponds complete the scene. This mosaic is home to astonishing biodiversity.

Among the birdlife, look out for the meadow pipit and the tree pipit, the carrion crow, the sedge warbler, the shrikes, the woodpecker, the corn bunting, the blue tit, the linnet, the crested tit and the Cirl bunting. Hidden in the groves, birds of prey come out to hunt in the open fields. Such is the case of the short-toed eagle or the lesser kestrel.