We service the vans and drive the two miles to Sagres Fort. The fort has a long history and is significant as the place where Henry the Navigator brought together sciences like cosmography, astronomy, mathematics, geography, navigation and naval architecture,to improve nautical exploration and technology. Eminent sailors such as Vasco da Gama, Bartolimeu Dias and Christopher Columbus all studied here.

We drive into Sagres itself, an attractive but unremarkable town [although it does have a small supermarket where the 2 Nicks are allowed to rest a while in the car park before we set out to Cabo Sao Vincent [Cape St Vincent], Portugal's equivalent of Land's End]. The road takes us over a rock plateau flanked by high, red cliffs. Among the rocks are succulents and ground hugging flowers. Above us kites or kestrels hover before diving at their prey.

Out by the lighthouse we park for lunch opposite the souvenir market stalls. For a while the cloud comes down but it soon lifts to reveal the sparkling blue sea. We've heard Cape St Vincent referred to during Captain's report on cruises, now we sit and watch with ships sailing by in the distance.

After lunch we set off on the N-120 heading north. The countryside is a mass of yellow, from both flowers in the fields and mimosa trees in full blossom. We are also moving into Portugal's cork region, and we see numerous forests of cork oak, some being tended or cropped. In one place we see piles of half-tube sections of bark, newly stripped from the trees.

As we drive along the winding, uneven roads we promise to never again moan about roads at home. Some of the undulations are truly spine-jarring.

Our first intended stop Villa Nova di Milfontes is a lovely spot on a quiet estuary, but there are newly erected 'No Camping' signs. We move onto the beach at Almogarve, but it's the same story.

On the outskirts of Almograve residents are tending the flowers on a roundabout.

Third time lucky at Cabo Sardeo near Cavaleiro. We park between the lighthouse and the sandy football field looking over the Atlantic cliffs. Below us storks are nesting on rocky crags, noisily clattering their bills together. Nick W comes out with a terrible margarine joke; When a stork clatters its bill you only hear the first bit, the second bit is an Echo...

As it gets dark the lighthouse starts up, its lume sweeping over the football pitch with 3 one second flashes and an 11 second pause. Later the clear sky is filled with bright stars.

Ali cooks lasagne and lemon pudding for dinner before we all go to bed quite early.