As we bid farewell to Tomar, the road ahead promises a journey through Portugal’s less-traveled, winding byways. For the next couple of hours, we navigate twisty roads that carve through the rugged landscape, offering glimpses of the country’s natural beauty at every turn. The air feels crisp, filled with the scent of pine trees and the occasional whiff of the countryside as we head towards Coja, a small town nestled among the hills.
Upon arriving in Coja, the adventure doesn’t end. We continue our ascent, climbing further up the mountain towards the remote village of Vinho. The road becomes narrower and less forgiving, but the reward is in the scenery—rustic houses dot along the hillside, each with its own story. Along the way, we pass by a familiar sight: the elderly Portuguese woman, Maria, still sitting on her balcony as if frozen in time. Her watchful eyes follow us, a silent witness to the years and the travelers who come and go.
Leaving the comfort of the tarmac, we venture onto a rubbled path, the motorhome jostling over uneven stones as we make our way past houses that have become landmarks in our journey. Each one is a reminder of previous visits, of conversations about how this road only ever gets worse instead of better. As we approach the last house on this rubble track apart from the cutting back of the ecrylupus trees things look just the same.
Returning to Vinho, we settle into the familiar home of Geoff and Anne, where we’ve been entrusted to house-sit once again. The year since our last visit has brought changes. We learn that Prince, one of their beloved dogs, has passed away and that Humphrey, the ever-curious cat, went missing after his unexpected adventure in the back of a delivery van, leaving a small void in the household.
But not all the news is sad. Giota, another of their dogs, seems to have settled in better and there are new faces—two new arrivals that bring fresh energy and life to the home.
We are here just over two weeks and our house-sitting experience this year has been quite different, thanks to the lively duo, Dora and Molly. These two adventurous escape artists kept us on our toes, constantly plotting their great escapes despite our best efforts to keep them within the grounds. Along with keeping track of their antics, we spend our days tending to the plants and trees, ensuring they stayed hydrated, topping up the pond, and keeping the house and grounds in shape.
So, it’s been a busy and at times a challenging stay and the time just flys by but all in all its been a perfect mix of catching up with friends, trying different food, plenty of wild life to keep us entertained and, of course, a little mischief from our four-legged companions.
On our way to Coja we stop off at the Aire in Miranda do Corvo but its not the most inviting place so its a quick cup of tea and we head off again
From Quinta das Castanhas we can hear the bells from the village of Vinho below, and see across the valley, with Coimbra straight a head, Penacova to the right and Cederia to the left its an amazing view what ever the weather
The view at Quinta das Castanhas changes daily
Dinner out with Anne and Geoff and we get to try a local dessert, Taça Veronique( gelado de café com creme de ovos co Veronique Cup (coffee ice cream with egg cream with alcohol and advocate)
The orchard here is full of fruit so we take the opportunity to make and bake
Molly and Dora seem to have taken inspiration from *The Great Escape*. As soon as John put up wire fencing to prevent their latest jailbreak, they were already plotting their next move. Every day with them is an adventure of its own—who knew dog-sitting could be so full of suspense?
And if they aren’t escaping they are trying to catch a snake!!
I don’t manage to get a photo of the snakes this year, however there is evidence everywhere that they are around
We meet up with Reg and Slyv for coffee in Coja and catch up on the years events
Lee and Gabriella invite us for a BBQ where we enjoy sitting outside in the last of the summer sun
On our way back home one evening we had a surprise encounter—wild boar darting across the road in front of us!
I book an appointment with Elsa in Casa Sa Jao to have my haircut, its definitely the place to meet the locals
Whilst we are here this time we witness the breakout of a fire in the village of Coja, which was an unsettling experience at first because it spread so quickly, and the hot, dry conditions heightened our concern. We used the Fogos.pt app for real-time updates, which helps track the fires and stay informed about areas of concern.
The emergency services worked tirelessly to contain the blaze, but the proximity of the flames has everyone alert, but by the early hours of the following morning things have calmed down again
A drive across the mountain to the village of Pardieiros and we stop for a drink
John gets out and about on his bike and stops for a rest and praying for no more hills