We are not flower experts we are happy to have the support of walking guide Luís of PerNatur guided walks from Olhão. Our walking guide first makes a stop in an almond tree orchard. At least fifty Amendoeiras in full bloom; bees hurrying from flower to flower to collect as much honey as possible  and a sheep family trying to find some protection from the already blazing February sun. 

Walking guide PerNatur

Luís is an expert in flowers, plants and animals from the Algarve. A lifetime of nature love and study ensure an answer on any question you can ever imagine to have. The real walk starts at Porto Carvalhoso and on the way we are treated with blossoming Lithodora Prostata (Heavenly Blue), spring Crocuses, Almond blossom and Catapereiro , the Iberian Pear tree. Bear in mind: the fruit is absolutely inedible and it looks like a tiny apple. Sometimes it is also called a Crap Apple. The tree is related to the Rose plant family.

Cork Oaks

A small part of this short walk finds you in the hills of the Serra do Caldeirão just behind the village of Porto Carvalhoso. This area is still dominated by Cork Oaks. It is very seldom that you find several of these trees together. The reason for this being, that Cork trees are planted for the children. Before a tree offers any cork harvest at all, it has to be minimal 40 years of age which means that possibly the person planting the tree will not taste the pleasure of the produce. Traditionally, the fields were needed to plant crops t+hat could be harvested every year in order for families to survive. Hence Cork trees were planted, but not in large amounts and certainly not in groups because short term revenue could not be expected.

Flores Primavera walk is a short and simple walk through the hills of the Algarve. It is a nice little detour just to stretch the legs and to get a nice feel of the area.