Today we had a look round the small town of Serpa. It is another place with no particularly noteworthy monuments but is just a pretty, whitewashed town worth a wander and wander we did.

Sarah was already an expert in navigating the streets, having seen most of the town already yesterday in her never-ending quest for 10,000 steps. Unfortunately Melek was hors de combat and had to be left behind to guard Basil. He seems to be walking with a bit of a limp so we thought we would leave him to recover.

First we headed to the town’s 11th century aqueduct, which is, rather uniquely, incorporated into the town’s defensive walls. The town’s walls are more or less complete and have been declared a national monument.

We passed the town’s main church, the Igreja Santa Maria, which was closed and with a not particularly notable exterior, on the way to the town’s castle. Because we are travelling fairly close to the Spanish border all of the towns we visit have a castle, usually Moorish in origin and then strengthened to protect the Portuguese border.

Serpa’s castle was partially destroyed in the Wars of the Spanish Succession and uniquely a huge chunk of wall has fallen above the road to the entrance – several tons just wedged above where you have to walk!

Yet another castle which was free to enter and welcomed dogs. We were able to walk around the walls and even along a section of the town walls giving a great view over the pantiled rooftops and the olive groves and cork oaks surrounding the town.

On our meanderings around the cobbled streets we noticed, as I had in Mertola, that many of the house doors are tiny, probably 5’8” (173cm) and the houses equally small. I presume this reflects the general height of inhabitants when these houses were built a hundred years ago or so.

Our walk finished in the small town square with a sandwich featuring the famous local cheese. It was delicious. The cheese is firm and with a strong taste. Unfortunately we don’t eat cheese on a regular basis otherwise I would have bought some.

We were looking forward to tomorrow’s cheese fair, but we have found out that it is held in an exhibition centre and so dogs will not be permitted. Probably just as well since the farmers apparently bring sheep along, although they are kept outside the centre. It was the traditional singing I was most looking forward to. It must be popular outside our immediate area because our campsite tonight has been invaded by a large number of Spanish vans and I can’t see otherwise why they would all have suddenly headed to this sleepy little backwater.