Day Two of the Algarve Way begins in very much the same way as Day One, with walking across the eastern plateau, but the trail becomes rather more challenging in the later stages, after the small town of Vacqueiros, which is the largest settlement you will have seen so far since Alcoutim. You could break the stage at Vaqueiros if you wish. There is limited accommodation. As far as the route is concerned, you could walk along the tarmac road from Soudes to Zambujal and save a little time, but the prescribed path avoids the road as far as possible, which so many walkers seem to prefer, even though the road is very quiet. Direction of march varies a good deal on this section. Starting off due west, after Zambujal the trail goes forst northwest and then southwest. After Vaqueiros, the trend is sue south to Monte de Ribeira.

 

 

 With your back to the Soudes windmill,(SR1) turn right and walk along the tarmac for just under 500m, to find a track heading off at an acute angle on the right. (SR2). After 530m, the track joins another coming in from the left, and immediately after that,take the left at a fork. After another 460m, fork right (SR3). Walk 210m just west of north, and then turn sharply left to walk now southwest for just over 600m to a cross-tracks.(SR4). Go straight across, and walk west and then more south of west to come back to the tarmac road at (SR5). Turn right and take the next turn on the right, a dirt track heading gently uphill. After almost 650m, make a hairpin turn left (SR6), and head almost due south. Turn to the west after 370m, and soon after go right at a fork, to arrive at a junction with another track on a bend.(SR7).

 

Turn right here and go northwest for 500m, turning left at a junction. Now follow this track as it turns through a wide arc and heads for the hamlet of Zambujal, arriving there after just under another kilometre. Turn right after the first house, and make your way west along the edge of the hamlet, avoiding turns to the right. Come to a wider junction, and turn left to walk the short distance back to the main tarmac road. Turn right and after 140m, bear right along a track leaving the main road at an acute angle. (SR8). Walk for 600m to a junction (SR9) and bear right. Take the left hand at a fork after 130m, and continue northwest for another 1k. Just after turning west, take the left hand at a fork (SR10). From here, follow this main track (there are no obvious turns) for 1.86k, northwest, to reach a deserted hamlet.

 

Walk between the ruins, and at a fork on the far side take the left hand. (SR11). the track now makes a wide swing to head south over the next 1.17k to arrive at a cross-tracks (SR12). Go straight across, and straight across again at a second cross tracks after 400m. Follow this main track for another 400m to come to a junction. (SR13). Turn left and head southwest for around 900m, ignoring various minor tracks on the right. At a fork (SR14), take the right hand and head for the small town of Vaqueiros, clearly visible ahead. Walk up out of the shallow valley and cross the main road to reach the centre. Turn first left and walk up to the church. There are refreshments to be had here if you will.

 

Cross the square diagonally into Rua da Boavista and walk uphill.  Bear right at the fork and continue in the same direction, roughly southwest. Dogleg right and left to go up the Travessa do Canto. Turn left at the top and then very shortly turn right into a lane taking you southwest away from the town. (SR15). At a junction after 230m, bear left, and walk due south. At a further junction after another 230m, climbing all the way, stay right and walk south for 560m, now descending. Hit a valley floor here (SR16), and start to climb again, still heading south. After 720m, pass a track going back autely on the right, and soon after pass another one on the left. A further 410m on, come to a staggered cross-tracks and turn left. (SR17). Walk southeast for 350m to join a tarmac road, then turn off it again immediately to the left.

 

After 300m, pass a small barragem, with a house beyond it. Pass a track on the left going north soon after the house, and another one similarly after another 300m. After 180m, pass a track heading southwest on the right, and 660m further on, come to tarmac again. (SR18). Cross over and after 100m come to a track junction. Turn right and after just over 200m, turn right again. Now heading south again, descend steadily over 840m to a fork at (SR19). Take the right hand and continue to descend south-west over 930m, then hairpin left to turn south again. Pass a rough track on the left after 250m, and soon after join a track coming in from the right. (SR20). continue southwards and join a tarmac road again after 330m.

 

Turn left and pass a small settlement (Madeiras) up on the left. Cross the river at the junction on the low concrete bridge, and stay right at a fork immediately afterwards (SR21). Walk south once again, with the river on the left, to reach a junction after 620m. (SR22). Fork right here, and after 210m, turn left at a cross tracks. After 460m, go left at a fork. At the next junction, after 260m, go straight across, heading roughly southwest, and then south again over undulating ground, for 650m, reaching a turn on the right heading northwest.(SR23). Turn here and after 240m, turn sharp left at a junction. Walk steadily downhill over the next 500m, first southwest then due south to reach a junction.(SR24). Turn left and walk uphill for 520m to a fork, with the village of Azinhosa up on the right. (SR25).

 

Stay left, and bear right at a junction almost immediately. Walk south through a small group of houses, and continue due south for 310m, ignoring turns to left and right. The broad track now turns more southwesterly. Pass a track on the left after 350m, and at a fork after another 250m, take the left hand. follow a winding track with a hill to the left and a view down to a river on the right. At the end of 800m, descend to a valley with a stream (or dry bed), and cross at the concrete ford. (SR26).Climb steadily from here for 520m, then hairpin left. Pass a turn to the left and after 200m, with houses above, go right at a fork (SR27) and start to descend quickly. Come to a junction in a valley after 650m, and turn right (SR28), to walk down to a main tarmac road. This is Monte de Ribeira, and the end of the stage.

 

1	Soudes	23	04	28		37	11	31
2	Turn off right	22	55	43		37	26	57		480m
3	Fork right	22	57	41		38	02	92		1k
4	Cross tracks	22	50	85		38	27	80		830m
5	Turn right	22	37	91		38	57	59		930m
6	T junction	22	57	97		39	20	43		850m
7	Bear right	22	45	53		39	32	51		670m
8	Turn right	22	45	79		40	22	25		1.8k
9	Bear right	22	54	31		40	41	66		610m
10	Stay left	23	17	99		41	10	78		1.15k
11	Stay left	23	55	31		41	51	14		1.86k
12	Cross tracks	23	39	09		42	23	40		1.17k
13	T junction	23	39	27		42	52	45		860m
14	Fork right	23	16	38		43	14	36		910m
15	Turn right	22	58	25		43	47	23		1.19k
16	Turn right	22	21	83		43	50	27		1.38k
17	Fork left	21	50	35		44	05	77		1.23k
18	Cross tarmac	21	29	81		43	03	31		1.92k
19	FORK RIGHT	21	00	52		43	08	66		1.1K
20	Bear left	20	35	04		43	41	38		1.45k
21	Fork right	20	20	61		43	31	87		580m
22	Fork right	20	01	92		43	33	04		630m
23	Turn right	19	19	43		43	56	93		1.6k
24	Turn left	19	10	77		44	15	56		740m
25	Fork left	18	55	52		44	07	71		520m
26	Stay left	18	07	25		44	29	50		1.95k
27	Fork right	17	50	51		44	40	72		740m
28	Hairpin right	17	37	57		44	55	92		660m
	End/Ribeira	17	50	78		45	06	01		490m