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Walking in Portugal

40 graded short and multi-day walks throughout the country

By Simon Whitmarsh, Andrew Mok

ISBN

9781852848897

Availability

Published

11 Jan 2018

Reprinted

2 Mar 2022

Edition

First

Pages

264

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.80cm

Weight

320g

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More information...

Guidebook describing over 40 walks throughout Portugal. The mainly circular half-day and day routes cover most National and Nature Parks in Portugal including the country's highest peak in Serra da Estrela, as well as visiting traditional stone-built villages and sites of historical interest. Includes background information.

Seasons

With such a variety of micro-climates, it is possible to find pleasant walking weather at any time of the year.

Centres

Peneda-Gerês National Park; Montesinho Nature Park; Alvão Nature Park; Douro International Nature Park; schist villages near Coimbra; Serra da Estrela Nature Park; Lisbon; Tajo and São Mamede Nature Parks; Monsaraz and Évora; the Algarve, Costa Vicentina and Guadiana

Difficulty

The routes allow for differing levels of ability, and range from shorter walks suitable for a relaxing family stroll to strenuous mountain hikes and challenging multi-day long-distance paths.

Must See

Fantastic views from Candeeiros summit; historic Marvão; Odeceixe beach; the dramatic glacial scenery of the Zêzere Valley; solitude and nature in Peneda-Gerês National Park; waterfalls on Rota das Cascatas

ISBN

9781852848897

Availability

Published

11 Jan 2018

Reprinted

2 Mar 2022

Edition

First

Pages

264

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.80cm

Weight

320g

Overview

This guide describes 40 graded walks, ranging from gentle family strolls to strenuous mountain hikes (including Portugal's highest peak Torre). The mainly circular routes range from 5 to 25km, and there are also two longer walks of 2 to 4 days duration. The walks are spread throughout Portugal, with a focus on the country's many natural and national parks, including Peneda-Geres, Serra da Estrela and Costa Vicentina. Clear route description is illustrated with 1:50,000 mapping and a route summary table makes it easy to choose the right walk.

As well as practical travel advice, there is information on Portugal's geology, history, plants, wildlife and agriculture and on numerous local points of interest. From the rugged mountains of the north to the UNESCO-listed Rio Douro river valley, from traditional schist villages to the unique geology of the Algarve coast, the walks have been carefully selected to showcase some of the best Portugal has to offer. They take in granite peaks, wildflower meadows, woodland, waterfalls, castles, churches and archeological remains.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Overview map

Map key

Preface

Introduction

About Portugal

Geology

History

Wildlife

Plants and flowers

Agriculture

Weather

When to go

Getting there

Travelling around

Where to stay

Food and drink

Equipment

Waymarking

Maps

Water

Emergencies and safety

Using this guide

Northern Portugal

Peneda-Gerês National Park

Walk 1 Caminho dos Mortos, Real

Walk 2 Trilho Castrejo, Castro Laboreiro

Walk 3 Peneda circuit

Walk 4 Pertinho do Ceu, Gavieira

Walk 5 Bicos and Pedrada

Walk 6 Pitões das Júnias and Capela de São João da Fraga

Walk 7 Minas dos Carris, Portela de Homem

Walk 8 Gerês circuit

Walk 9 Águia do Sarilhão and Via Nova, Campo do Gerês

Walk 10 Trilho dos Currais, Vila do Gerês

Montesinho Nature Park

Walk 11 Trilho da Calçada, Moimenta

Walk 12 Montesinho summits

Around Alvão Nature Park

Walk 13 Senhora da Graça, Mondim de Basto

Walk 14 Marão summit

Douro International Nature Park

Walk 15 Azeite, Bruçó

Walk 16 Ribeira do Mosteiro

Central Portugal and Lisbon

Schist villages

Walk 17 Schist villages of Lousã

Walk 18 Caminho do Xisto das Aldeias de Góis and Lousã summit

Walk 19 Trilho do Vale do Ceira, Cabreira

Serra da Estrela Nature Park

Walk 20 Sol and Rota das Faias, Manteigas

Walk 21 Rota do Carvão, Manteigas

Walk 22 Javali and Poço do Inferno, Manteigas

Walk 23 Rota do Glaciar, Torre–Manteigas

Walk 24 Poios Brancos, Manteigas

Around Lisbon

Walk 25 Castelejo, Alvados

Walk 26 Chãos

Walk 27 Peninha, Sintra

Walk 28 Cabo Espichel, Arrábida

Tejo and São Mamede Nature Parks

Walk 29 Rota dos Abutres, Salvaterra do Extremo

Walk 30 GR29 Rota dos Veados

Walk 31 Marvão

Monsaraz and Évora

Walk 32 Évora aqueduct and Ecopista

Walk 33 Monsaraz

Southern Portugal

The Algarve, Costa Vicentina and Guadiana

Walk 34 Odeceixe beach circuit

Walk 35 Cabo de São Vicente

Walk 36 Rota das Cascatas, Monchique

Walk 37 Trilho da Fóia, Monchique

Walk 38 Pulo do Lobo, Guadiana

Walk 39 GR23

Walk 40 Serra do Caldeirão, Parizes

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Useful contacts

Appendix C Language

Maps

Maps

For Serra da Estrela, Sintra-Cascais, Arrábida and Peneda-Gerês, use Adventure Maps (www.adventuremaps.pt). They are also available from Stanfords (www.stanfords.co.uk).

For other areas the best map is the Carta Militar de Portugal, published by Instituto Geográphico do Exército (www.igeoe.pt), but footpaths and rights of way are not included. The 1:25,000 version is only available online or direct from IGeoE. The 1:50,000 versions are available from retailers such as Stanfords.

There is reasonable coverage using m@pas online (mapas.dgterritorio.pt) at ‘zoom level 8’, but it is significantly more dated than the Carta Militar. Opencycle (www.opencyclemap.org) is useful and has some but not all footpaths, however some footpaths on the map do not exist.

Updates

August 2023

Maps

Cartas Militaire mapping is available (paid for) on their own Android app, and on OutdoorActive website and app.

August 2023

Walks 7 and 8

Walk 7

Having reached the mines, the authors state: “From here, Pico da Nervosa is visible to the NNE … but it has no accessible path and attempts are not permitted”. The authors do not explain why attempts are not permitted, nor by whom. We naturally assumed that this was because of the TPZ, but this does not extend E of the mines, which are excluded and can’t be the reason.

Walk 8

The portion from Albergaria to Prado da Messe now falls within the Total Protection Zone and a permit is required (free) from the ICNF (Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e Florestas). Details are in Walk 7.

January 2022

2022 reprint route updates

889 Walking in Portugal 1st Ed 2022 rpt (138.224 KB)

November 2020

Book updates

Walk 17 Schist villages of Lousã

UPDATE

P124 Paragraph 1 The route has been diverted at the cart track: just go straight over onto the new and well waymarked path.

Walk 21 RotadoCarvão

UPDATES

The waymarking is much better than before, plus they have cleared the route of vegetation.

Page 145 1st and 2nd paragraphs

The dead end sign on the plateau has been knocked over, and the wolfram pits later are completely hidden by vegetation.

Page 146 1st paragraph (After the cairn-festooned projection of rock)

The way to an incredibly narrow gap (with steps) between two massive boulders progressing directly to the nave, known locally as 'the eye of the needle' was previously blocked but is now open and waymarked, therefore the GPX has been updated, and is well worth doing. It leads to the Nave da Mestra.

ERROR

Page 147 1st paragraph

Should end 'turn left and go downhill'

Walk 22 Javali and Poço do Inferno

UPDATE

The route is much better waymarked than before. Some of the forks (to be ignored) mentioned in the description are so overgrown that they are obscured, leaving the main path easier to follow

Walk 24 PoiosBrancos

UPDATE

The waymarking on the first part of the trail is clearer than before, but once past the trig point the path is quite difficult to follow, GPS even more useful than usual.

Walk 33 Monsaraz

ERROR

Page 207 The first sentence of paragraph 2 should read:

Ignore a dead end on the left of the first fork and go right at the next fork, which is steeply downhill…

UPDATE

The Hotel Monte Saraz has closed therefore there are no signs but the directions remain the same

Reviews

The perfect accompaniment for an adventurous holiday in the country

Portugal may be best known for its coastal resorts and easy-access holidays, but get away from the swathes of holidaymakers and you'll be in for a treat. The terrain is incredibly varied, with rugged coastline, beautiful national parks and rocky mountains scattered across the country.

Walking in Portugal is a handy little guide that is the perfect accompaniment for an adventurous holiday in the country, with 40 walks of varying lengths and difficulties outlined in detail. Among them, you'll find multi-day long-distance paths and shorter day walks.

Adventure Travel magazine

This excellent book opens up another side of the country and makes it accessible

You know some travel guide books are going to be good as soon as you open them and skim through a few pages. Walking in Portugal: 40 graded short and multi-day walks throughout the country by keen world hikers Andrew Mok and Simon Whitmarsh is one of those books.

For any travel guide to be a success, especially a walking guide, it needs to answer certain questions. Among these are: does the book have easy to understand and follow maps? Walking in Portugal certainly does. Is the book well organized into sections by area? Check. Do the photographs add to the understanding of the text? Check. Are there sections on what to take and where to purchase maps of the walks? Check again.

In addition the first part of the book is full of useful information on what to expect and how to prepare to walk and hike one of Europe's most beautiful countries. There is useful information on Portugal's geology, flora and fauna, weather, food and drink and where to stay. The appendix also has a summary of the 40 walks covered in the book and listed at the beginning. These walks range from mountain hikes in the Peneda-Gerês National Park in the north of the country to walks in the Algarve region in the south. There is also a list of useful contacts (airlines, maps, accommodation) and a short language section.

The description of the walks themselves is, of course, mostly directions, (very, very detailed directions) and this book is meant to be taken out into the field. It is thus small enough to fit snugly in a pocket or rucksack. However, the text is enlivened by the authors' asides on the history, plants, animals and legends walkers following in their footsteps will be thrilled to discover. Portugal is well-known to visitors for its historic cities and glorious beaches. This excellent book opens up another side of the country and makes it accessible: Portugal's rich and diverse landscapes, the empty spaces and wonderful scenery.

Portugal Visitor

Downloads

Walking in Portugal - GPX File

Simon Whitmarsh

Andrew Mok and Simon Whitmarsh are both keen walkers, covering over 2000km a year. They have walked extensively in Britain, doing (at least part) of all the major trails, have hiked across England twice, and have walked in most countries in Europe. More recently they have enjoyed mountain treks in the US (including many parts of the Appalachian trail), Australia, New Zealand, Andrew’s native Hong Kong, and Nepal (Everest Base Camp).

They are both doctors, a General Practitioner and a Consultant Paediatrician. When not travelling, they enjoy finding new routes near their village in Snowdonia.

View author profile

Andrew Mok

Andrew Mok and Simon Whitmarsh are both keen walkers, covering over 2000km a year. They have walked extensively in Britain, doing (at least part) of all the major trails, have hiked across England twice, and have walked in most countries in Europe. More recently their addiction to mountains has increased, with treks in the US (including many parts of the Appalachian trail), Australia, New Zealand, Andrew’s native Hong Kong, and Nepal (Everest Base Camp).
They are both doctors, a General Practitioner and a Consultant Paediatrician, who decided to write this book after being delighted and astounded by the walking opportunities of Portugal.
When not travelling, they enjoy finding new routes near their village in Snowdonia.

View author profile