Woman selling canned sardines. Lisboa, Portugal.

Two local men returning home after having collected two bags full of clamps at Amoreira beach. Amoreira, Costa Vicentina, Portugal, 2014.

The beach of Praia do monte Clérigo is inside the Vicentine Coast Natural Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty. The beach is near the village of Aljezur and is totally unspoilt by the ravages of tourism. The beach has good access points from the road and car park to the rear of the main beach area. There is a timber ramp and stairways down to the sand. The beach is of fine gold sand and is very clean. The southern end of the beach has unusual and extensive rock formations, amongst which visitors can observe a diverse marine life in the pools and gullies between the rocks. There is an abundance of starfish, crabs, Shrimps and Barnacles. Within the rock crevices at the tide line Octopus can be seen and in the deeper rock pools there are shoals of juvenile fish such as Sea Bream. When the tide is out a shallow lagoon is left on the beach. The lagoon is a safe popular stretch of water both for children and there parents, although in the lagoon visitors should take care as Weever fish can sometimes be found in these waters. These fish sting unaware swimmers if trod on, but the risk is minimal. Monte Clerigo, Portugal, 2014.