Megalithic monuments loop

Happy Mothers’ Day! Nice to get a call from Dave just as we were setting off on our ride.

Today: a cycling loop to see the Almendres megalithic monuments - AND to test the bikes laden with paniers.

We get away later than expected as we slept in a bit - plus did the usual mucking around that happens when setting off bike touring on the first day; today is expected to be hot: 27 deg C.

We walk the bikes up to the main square along the cobblestoned streets and then to the 1st century Temple of Diana (built during the time of Caesar Augustus): it is one of the best preserved Roman temples in the Iberian Peninsula which is why it was considered World Heritage by UNESCO in 1986.

It was rural riding on mostly quiet back roads exiting Évora alongside the enormously long aqueduct (18 kms); first stop: a stiff climb up to the granite Alto de São Bento with its four old windmills and tremendous views back over Évora. This was the original site of Évora during the Neolithic and Copper Age (6000 to 3000 BC).

Contining on, we saw storks up in a huge nest on top of a power pole. One mis-step at Guadelupe meant unnecessarily re-climbing a hill whilst Google Maps re-oriented - grrr!!

To access the megalithic monuments at Almendres, the oldest in Europe, required a tough 4 kms climb up from Guadalupe - hot, sandy and tested every gear (and the brakes!) on the bikes. The strong coffee filled with sugar (not by us) from the information centre at the bottom fortified us on the climb; ice-cream and another coffee (with sugar - added by us!) on our return enjoyed in the shade of cork trees was pretty much the best bit! 

It was very hot and we got quite dehydrated today.

These dolmens occurred here because the plains in Alentejo were perfect for the last communities of hunter-gatherers to practise their way of living and the proximity to several river systems.

We returned to Évora via the Anta Grande do Zambujeiro which really WAS interesting; another sandy, bumpy road to get in. This dolmen structure is dated 4000-3000 BC and is a funerary chamber of huge granite slabs.

Called into Lidl back in Évora for water (!!) and breakfast supplies; and the credit card took a hit at Decathlon. Happened to go past the railway station too which is useful to note for our departure here on Friday.

We had tapas and sangria and beer at a popular bar nearby our hotel (Happy Mother’s Day text from Kathryn; Alison had already spoken to me with early wishes in Portalegre), then packed ready to leave the suitcases here tomorrow until we return on Thursday. MF put mirror purchased from Decathlon on his bike plus handlebar bag for my camera on my bike.

We rode from 219 m to 411 m in height today, and a total of 52 kms. Hot!!