Mesão Frio. Rucksack off, boots off, and only then do you feel the day in your legs. You were on the move for more than 9 hours, and almost the whole time it was either up or down.
From Lamego you drop into the Douro valley, winding between the vineyard terraces. You cross the river and climb back up the other side. Then it happens again. There’s over 800 metres of climbing, and even more descending. It’s the descents you feel most in your knees. There’s no easy stretch where you can just roll along, so you go from one slope to the next. But the view over the valley makes up for a lot. Eat well tonight, you’ve earned it. Tomorrow will look different again.