Another beautiful Sunday morning in Cascais, some 25 Kilometres West of the Portuguese capital Lisbon. With the promise of a fine day I find myself yearning for a little gentle exercise. Having recently purchased Martin Sirovs The Cascais Sintra Area a Walkers Guide I decide to try one of its 39 suggested walks. The guide is comprehensive and in some places positively academic. It includes sections on geography, geology, archaeology and history as well as a number of maps and suggested walks. The walks are of various lengths from a little over an hour up to a six hour marathan combining two individual routes.
I decide to follow route number 8 outlined on the map extract to the left. As you can see the map is clear and unambiguous and although it may lack the detail of an Ordance Survey it is fairly accurate and includes all the main features for navigation. At this point it is probably worth explaining that walking in Portugal does not appear to be regarded as a credible hobby. Few comprehensive maps exist and those that do are often dated military maps and hard to reliably source.
This images shows one of a number of restaurants over looking the sea. The route starts easily along the road overlooking the popular Praia Grande do Guincho before turning in land and climbing along Rua da Areia. Still walking on tarmac I turn left at the crest of the hill. After passing a number of dwellings with their compulsory canine guards disturbing the morning silence I finally leave the road and fork left on to a dirt track. The track skirts to the right of a small hill, which obscures a distant view of the sea before descending to a popular picnic area under the pine trees.
From here the route climbs quickly to its highest point, 79 Metres, at the unimpressive Barril Trigpoint. From here it is possible to get an excellent view not only across the Guincho but also of the rocky coastline and inland towards the densely wooded Sintra Hills as this picture shows.
Praia do Abano and the Forte do Guincho, pictured here. After surveying the outside of the largely derelict and locked fort I follow the cliff tops towards the Guincho Beach. I descend a flight of well worn steps on to the soft white sand and walk down to the firmer sand near the shoreline. I dispense with my map as my route is now clearly defined along the beach and I can see the restaruant in the distance close to where I parked.
I decide to follow route number 8 outlined on the map extract to the left. As you can see the map is clear and unambiguous and although it may lack the detail of an Ordance Survey it is fairly accurate and includes all the main features for navigation. At this point it is probably worth explaining that walking in Portugal does not appear to be regarded as a credible hobby. Few comprehensive maps exist and those that do are often dated military maps and hard to reliably source.
I know from experience that the suggested car park at Praia do Abano will be busy and opt to park near the restaurant at Muxacho on the South West of the route.
This images shows one of a number of restaurants over looking the sea. The route starts easily along the road overlooking the popular Praia Grande do Guincho before turning in land and climbing along Rua da Areia. Still walking on tarmac I turn left at the crest of the hill. After passing a number of dwellings with their compulsory canine guards disturbing the morning silence I finally leave the road and fork left on to a dirt track. The track skirts to the right of a small hill, which obscures a distant view of the sea before descending to a popular picnic area under the pine trees.
I turn right along the road towards Cabo da Roca, the most westerly point in mainland Europe. The road is already busy with motorcycles enjoying the sweeping bends along its coastal route. A short but gentle climb leads to a left turn at an obvious track just past a ruin.
From here the route climbs quickly to its highest point, 79 Metres, at the unimpressive Barril Trigpoint. From here it is possible to get an excellent view not only across the Guincho but also of the rocky coastline and inland towards the densely wooded Sintra Hills as this picture shows.
From the Barril Trigpoint my route is on well defined tracks, ever descending towards the sea and the cliffs of the secluded
Praia do Abano and the Forte do Guincho, pictured here. After surveying the outside of the largely derelict and locked fort I follow the cliff tops towards the Guincho Beach. I descend a flight of well worn steps on to the soft white sand and walk down to the firmer sand near the shoreline. I dispense with my map as my route is now clearly defined along the beach and I can see the restaruant in the distance close to where I parked.
The beach abounds with surfers. A combination of warm autumn sunshine, large waves and little wind seems to have brought an abundance of them out. A ten minute walk along the beach finds me climbing the well worn steps up to the road and my trusty steed for the short ride home. In summary a beautiful walk with nothing of any difficulty to note. Perfectly suited for all ages including those with children. Completed in one and a half hours.
I agree and one of the best kept secrets!!!! enjoy