From the start at
train station Sintra we first paddle in direction of the historic
city centre. Only a few meters later we reach the historic building
of Camara Municipal and take a small alley left of the building
downhill indicated to parking spots. After the first corner the road
turns left, crossing a small bridge, but we stay on this side if the
bridge and continuer on head-corner stones downhill. Aprox 1 km later
we find the main road from Sintra to Colares (with a small water
source), but only cross this street in direction to Varzea de Sintra.
We follow this street to the next round about, turn left and follow
the road for about 600m. Between the buildings we enter „Caminho
do Torrado“ on our left. This road several times changes the
name and also switches from asphalt to dirt and back several times.
But we always continuer straight forward on a little crest for the
next 4 km. At „Rua do Galego“ we reach Colares from
behind. Following the road we find a another freshwater source and a
small grocery store on the left and the centre. of the village with
some bars and a little supermarket by following the main road.
In Colares we find a
small river and a street cross with indication to Sintra, Praia da
Macas and Cabo da Roca. Direction Praia das Macas we find some bars,
a bakery and a little supermarket straight behind the cross. We
follow the road to Cabo da Roca, only to leave it at the first
possibility to the right. We ride a small country road until a sign
indicates the end of the track. Here we turn left and after a small
uphill we reached the forest on the foot of Serra de Sintra. The next
street cross, where we find some big trash boxes, and turn half
right. From now on we keep up the direction on the biggest road.
Quickly the soil becomes more sandy and after some ups and downs we
reach Praia Grande with an great view.
Time for a break!
Praia Grande is not possible to reach with the most common public
transportations. Most of the year this is enough to prevent from the
masses of beach tourists we got at many other beaches around Lisbon.
Only in the peak season also this beach is overcrowded. But even then
it´s much more comfortable then many others.
Left of Praia Grande
bank up the cliffs of Serra de Sintra. Our next stage finish. Coming
from the beach a tough uphill is waiting for us. We keep ourselves on
the right and climb quickly through the village. Where the road ends
a small trail continues uphill. Now our technical uphill skills are
required, but don´t worry if you´re not tough enough the peak is
already nearby. On the end of the trail we return to a bigger dirt
road. Turning right leads us with an amazing view until Ericeira to
the top of the cliffs we already saw from below. But following this
path after a while we are stocked in the sand. A quite exhausting
option. Therefore maybe it´s more convenient to turn around and
follow the dirt road away from the seaside. That way we quickly
return to the main road to Cabo da Roca.
Reaching this road
we follow to the right and leave the road behind after an historic
bordeaux color school building. After a short down and up we cross an
arc and find ourself in Almocageme keep ourself half left and reach
the centre. of the village with several traditional bars and a small
market square with a freshwater source inside the market stands.
We follow the
indication down to Praia da Adraga. Once we come to the end of the
village the road is bordered with a yellow wall on the right. After a
small house painted traditionally in white and blue (left side) we
turn left. What first looks like the entrance to a bigger private
property quickly turns in a dirt road. Up and down, partly steep and
challenging, we cross over to Cabo da Roca in a beautiful scenery.
Once, right after the first challenging uphill, it looks as we should
go back to the coast, but this is an WEIR and we keep ourself half
right to the interior. After the second tough uphill we reach another
crossroad, but now we turn right along the coastline. Following this
direction only approx 1 km later we reach the road from Azoia to Cabo
da Roca.
Everybody who wants
to ride to most south-western of Europe point follows the asphalt
until the light house. Everybody who wants to go to one of the most
breathtaking spots around Lisbon follows the indication to Praia da
Ursa. However after a short break we have to turn around and climb on
asphalt to !!br0ken!! Up in the village we find several –
and some affordable – bars and another freshwater source on
the left behind some parking spots.
We pass most of the
village, but before we reach the main road again, we turn right into
a big dirt road. Following this road we keep ourself left and
climbing. After a short while we reach a mill which hosts a nice but
costly café with a great view to Guincho Beach.
A short climb later
we switch to an asphalted road, but we leave it to the right only a
few meters later and go off-road again. We follow a dirt road through
a long corner and after a short uphill we are back on the main road
to Cascais. (This is right the spot where the downhill from Santuario
da Peninha comes down to the road, more about that in one of the next
weeks) While following this road for approx 2 km on a slight downhill
we pass Figuera do Guincho on our right and leave the road only in a
corner where a sign indicates to „Mogo“. Now some
downhill action begins. On several trails we can roll down. What
begins as a dirt road, in a corner, where the road enters to a
private property, turns into a single trail left of the main track.
For the next km we
snake downhill, partly rock-blocked and coarse gravel. Not always
easy to ride. The end of the trail is marked by a long gravel field
which ends in a wider dirt road, which we take left uphill. After a
short opposing climb we continuer our way down to the coast, with
some beautiful views. From here we got three option: option one
– and my favourite one – is the small single trail
right after the first downhill part of the dirt road: narrow, but
beside of two or three drops easy to ride we go sightly down on a
very flowing ssingle trail which release us already close to Praia
Abano. Option two is to continuer the dirt road for one more
kilometre. Unfortunately the end of the downhill is badly washed out
and almost impossible to ride down to Praia da Grota. The reason why
to go there is the trail along the coastline or a stop over at
lonesome Praia da Grota.
This are only two
out of several options to go down to the beaches on the south side of
Serra de Sintra. Which ever you go for, some when (hopefully) you
will end at Praia Abano, where a bigger dirt road first leads us to
the asphalt and later to Guincho and Cascais, the end of today tour.
Probably now you´re dusty, sunburned and tired. The first cold beer
in Cascais is well deserved.
