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riders and enjoying local food. Accommodation was pricey and options limited, but the riverside setting, with Belver Castle across the water, made it worthwhile.
We left early the next morning, enjoying a stunning dawn over Belver Castle and managing a fuel top-up, though water and coffee had to wait until later. The day began with sandy tracks, not my favourite, but practice makes perfect. Later, the terrain switched to firmer, faster dirt trails, by which I mean a brisk 50 kilometres per hour on the straights! As in the UK, these tracks are used by all sorts, so it ' s important not to rush and to respect the local environment.
We passed dirt bikers clearly adept at handling the sand, and enjoyed a coffee stop in the early afternoon. The route took us past several beautiful castles and over some rocky tracks, challenging for those with less off-road experience or riding larger adventure bikes.
After a stretch of bumpy dirt road, we arrived at Monsaraz Castle. Instead of heading all the way up, we parked below and treated ourselves to ice lollies from a van, relaxing while admiring the vast views.
Today was definitely more like 40 % off-road and proved to be the easiest day so far. Arriving in Moura, we refuelled and passed the Moto Club but missed the turn due to the one-way system. Our hotel room was tiny, challenging us to keep our gear organised and the white linen clean, but we managed. The pool was freezing, so only our feet went in! The air conditioning worked well, and the building had character. The staff spoke English, which was a relief, and the secure parking was a bonus.
After settling in, we explored the town, sampling wine, beer, and Pastel de Nata before stopping at the Moto Club for a lager. Stocking up on water at the supermarket, we then
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