DELIGHTFUL DOURO

I’d first read about the Douro River many years ago and it had always sounded like the kind of remote place I wanted to explore. Since then it has become popular with river cruise companies but it’s still not an easy place to visit in one’s own boat. Never ones to shirk a challenge, my wife Corinne and I decided that this was to be the highlight of our cruise down to the Algarve from Falmouth. It’s not just a dramatic destination, the river has played an important part in Britain’s history as the source of port from the vineyards lining the upper river valley. The fortified wine was originally brought down the 60 miles to Porto in flat-bottomed wooden craft, braving the dangerous rapids en route, but these days a series of dams and locks have tamed the water making it navigable for 120 miles into Spain. The river is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and the wine is transported by road tankers, leaving the old boats for tourist trips.

Leaving Falmouth, we already knew France’s west coast well, so it took us only a few days to reach Spain and turn west and head for La Coruna. Here we could slow down a bit and visit many of the fascinating fishing villages along the coast as well as cruising the Atlantic Rias before crossing into Portugal at Bayona.

After another overnight stop at Viano de Castello, the fog descended and we motored in 100m visibility to the