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monchique-cabo são vicente gr13, 98 km

GR13 Via Algarviana, Monchique - Cabo São Vicente
The completing stage for our Via Algarviana crossing takes us from Monchique to Cabo São Vicente. This means from Algarve's highest mountain area to the south west coastal tip, a predominantly down hill stage. However to begin with we continue yesterday's suffering in the steep cobled streets of pretty Monchique up to the Desterro monastery. This is followed by great, not easy, single track almost until the Foía summit. We remain a little lower on the northern side. Unfortunely we are deprived from views for still being closed in by famous Foía fogs. The mountain trails are following out of use agricultural terraces, and in use forestry trails for eucalyptus and cork industry. Slowly we start descending and it is near Marmelete that we get the first magnificent views overlooking the mountain landscape to the south until the Bravura dam and beyond.
We leave the charming mountain town of Marmelete on main road 267 to the west. Soon we turn of left and dip into the dense forest for some serious descending. The wide forestry trails swiftly bring us down and as the terrain is getting flatter the forest opens up into wider fertile valleys with more farms and habitation showing up. The valleys make very comfortable cruising passing the outer tentacles of the Bravura reservoir and idyllic villages such as Romeiras and Pincho. The increasing presence of rosemary, lavender and rock rose witness our return to lower areas. Scenery keeps changing. At the village of Barão de São João we enter a beautiful dense pine tree forest. Summer trekkers will find welcome shade here. The forest makes a romantic reminder of how large parts of Algarve may have looked like before the introduction of eucalyptus. Also a habitat for many species including the big birds of prey circling above us, on whose visits the wind mills from the generator park are brought to a stand still.
Leaving the forest the terrain opens up again, turns rougher, dryer and rockier with lower vegetation. The wide and fast tracks bring Vila do Bispo quickly closer, but before we get there we cross main road 125 to the south side at Raposeira. This is where we enter the Vicentina Natural Park (PNSACV) where the pretty trails make some surprising turns with great views before arriving at Vila do Bispo for a last café stop.
The last stretch to Cabo São Vicente is some 16 km, flat and excellent scenery to finish with. The little used and rocky trails take us cross country through the wide open windswept plains until we bump into the St. Vincent lighthouse where our Via Algarviana comes to an end.

We had 3 tremendous days of mountain biking through Algarve's backyard fom east to west. An experience to strongly recommend and definately to repeat. With just a few improvements in the signposting the Via Algarviana makes a very suitable itinerary for self guided adventures that prepared mountain bikers will truly enjoy.

Distance: 98,48 km.

Accumulated ascent: 1351 m.

Our rating:

• Technical difficulty: 3/5
• Physical difficulty: 3/5
• Scenery: 4/5

Points of interest:

• Monchique, Natura 2000 PTCON0037, http://www.icnb.pt/
• 17th century monastery of Nossa Senhora do Desterro in Monchique
• Syenite geology of volcanic origin at Foía
• Marmelete's 17th century main church
• Fonte dos Namorados spring in Marmelete
• Jurassic lime stone cliffs at Bensafrim
• Barão de São João's 17th century main church
• Boat museum in Barão de São João
• Protected pine tree forest of the perímetro florestal de Barão de São João
• Concentration of menhirs near Vila do Bispo from 8th to 5th century BC
• 14th century romano gothic chapel of Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe at Raposeira
• Rich flora and geological diversity in the Vicentina Natural Park (PNSACV), Natura 2000 PTZPE0015, PTCON0012, http://www.icnb.pt/
• Vila do Bispo's 18th century main church
• Cabo de São Vicente, a strategic and sacred site for many centuries with groups of menhirs dating back to neolithic times, 15th and 16th century fortress and 15th century windrose.

Food & drinks:

Doing this stage trekkers pass through the villages of Marmelete, Romeiras, Pincho, Bensafrim, Barão de São João and Vila do Bispo where it is not difficult to find can find local cafés, restaurants or small supermarkets to get necessary supplies.

Track author: Almargem, http://www.almargem.org/, http://www.viaalgarviana.org/

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carrasqueiro-monchique gr13, 104 km

GR13 Via Algarviana, Carrasqueiro - Monchique
It is our second day on the Via Algarviana. After a superb evening meal, warm bed and extensive breakfast at Quinta do Coração in Carrasqueiro we are facing the transition from the Serra do Caldeirão to the Serra the Monchique through Algarve's barrocal area. This stage represents the most variety on the whole Algarviana itinerary. After the vast landscapes of eastern Algarve yesterday, we find constant change in tracks and surface, vegetation and scenery today.
The wider tracks change into many single trails along the limestone walls in the surroundings of Salir and Santa Margarida. The red and rocky trails are dry and well rideable. On wet days you may have difficulties here keeping the bike going while ploughing through the sticky clay. This fertile barrocal area is full of fig, almond, carob and cork trees. There are many farms and small hamlets that further west all seem to be occupied by the citrus culture. We are riding more small tarmac roads through the orange grooves in between Alte and São Bartolomeu de Messines. It makes easy cruising until we climb up a cobled road and descend into a valley. The narrow path along the Meirinho river soon becomes unrideable and we have to do a fair bit of walking next to our bikes crossing the river twice and struggling up the steep path away from the river bed. After Messines we go back to the slate rock mountain tracks along the Funcho reservoir and in the eucalyptus forest of the Serra de Silves.
A difficult section of this stage are the short but steep forestry trails across the hill tops north of Silves. Speeding down from one takes you half way up the next, but full force and small gear is needed to make it all up. This is repeted several times and makes a serious warming up for the Picota climb that's waiting for us on the other side of the Odelouca river. This climb is totally different for being long and steady. It is the longest climb on the whole Via Algarviana and as we move higher up the slate rock changes into grey granite and the nice tracks into steeper tarmac forest roads. After finally but happily having dragged our bicycles on top of the big Picota granite stones unfortunately we are left with almost no view at all. The summit is a misty affair as usual and it is too dark by now to enjoy cruising down the wonderful Picota single tracks through the dense forest to the village of Monchique. Another great day of intense biking on the Via Algarviana comes to an end at Hospedaria Descansa Pernas...

Distance: 103,73 km.

Accumulated ascent: 2396 m.

Our rating:

• Technical difficulty: 3/5
• Physical difficulty: 4/5
• Scenery: 4/5

Points of interest:

• Caldeirão, Natura 2000 PTCON0059, http://www.icnb.pt/
• Old water mill in the Seco river before Salir
• Salir's 16th century main church
• Ruins of the 12th or 13th century Moorish castle and archaeological site in Salir
• Classified site of Rocha da Pena
• Barrocal, Natura 2000 PTCON0049, http://www.icnb.pt/
• Alte's 8th century main church and 15th century chapel
• The springs of Fonte Pequena and Fonte Grande in Alte
• Cascade of Vigário near Alte's cemetery
• 13th century Abóboda water mill at the Alte river
• Casa Memória d'Alte museum
• 16th century main church of São Bartolomeu de Messines
• House of poet João de Deus in Messines
• Menhirs and tombs of megalithic times near Vale Fuzeiros
• Reproduction centre for the endangered Iberian lynx in between Vale Fuzeiros and the Funcho dam, http://www.aguasdoalgarve.pt/, http://www.lpn.pt/, http://www.soslynx.org/
• Silves has an extremely rich historical, cultural, archaeological and natural heritage. The town itself is a little off the Via Algarviana track to include all of it here, but Silves makes an excellent Algarviana overnight location or is worth a separate visit
• Monchique, Natura 2000 PTCON0037, http://www.icnb.pt/
• Syenite geology of volcanic origin at Picota
• Monchique's diversity in vegetation include for example rhododendron, chestnut and the classified Araucaria heterophylla (2), Platanus hybrida (1), Quercus canariensis (1) and Magnólia grandiflora (1)
• Monchique's 15th and 16th century main church

Food & drinks:

• Passing through the towns of Salir, Benafim, Alte and São Bartolomeu de Messines trekkers will find several cafés, restaurants and small supermarkets. Should one go up to Monchique without visiting Silves, then make sure to get sufficient supplies in Messines.

Track author: Almargem, http://www.almargem.org/, http://www.viaalgarviana.org/

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alcoutim-cachopo gr13, 75km

GR13 Via Algarviana, Alcoutim-Cachopo
The second signposted long distance (foot)path for Algarve is better known as the Via Algarviana. 300 km of tracks through the Algarvian interior linking Cape St. Vincent to Alcoutim and the rest of GR13 and the European network of so called Grande Randonées, or GR routes.
This idea had been cooking for a long time and it is thanks to the efforts of the Almargem organisation that the project was finally realised in 2009 trying to please walkers, mountain bikers, horseback riders and lovers of Algarvian nature and culture in general.
More than curious to find out how bikeable this GR route actually is we impatiently wait to find a free weekend. Obviously there are various ways to tackle a 300 km off road challenge. In order to reduce logistics to a minimum we choose for a 3 day set up, with 2 overnight stays on the route carrying a small back pack with items we think we can not do without.
Plan for the first day is to bike from Alcoutim to Barranco do Velho, doing the Via Algarviana from east to west. For the 4 of us living in central and western Algarve, this is the part of the route we know least. However the Via Algarviana gives us a beautiful introduction to the rural scenery of the east. Hardly any tarmaced roads, well rideable tracks. Away from it all through vast hilly landscapes with olive, almond, cork, oak, reforested pine, rock rose, lavender and arbutus (medronheiro). The ride is highlighted by occasional passages through tiny villages with their communal wood ovens. Houses, haystacks, farm terraces and streets are often entirely made of local slate rock. This also reminds us to be extra careful while descending since these sharp stones can cut through bicycle tires far too easily.
To our relief we found the Via Algarviana fairly well signposted. Bikers have less time than walkers to notice the markings, especially when it's going down hill, but the characteristic red and white markings are there. Those regularly participating in mtb marathons or similar events know that you have to reserve some of your energy for navigation and looking for signs. It took us some searching leaving the village of Balurcos and after crossing the wide Foupana river. To a certain degree this makes a part of self guided biking, but a few improvements could be made. Hopefully the maintenance of the Via Algarviana will be continued and organised in communication and interaction with those who have been exploring it.
Scenerywise GR13 makes a very good mtb route. However it is not an easy trip. There's a few big hills to climb as can easily be seen in the altitude graphic. Future participants better make sure to be well prepared and fit otherwise there is just not enough fun and pleasure in riding it.
This can be illustrated by the fact that after a full day of riding, not that many breaks and no technical problems we find ourselves in the pretty town of Cachopo with 75 km covered. It is mid December and almost 16.00 hrs which tells us that we probably do not have enough time left to make the tough 29 km to Barranco do Velho by daylight. That's a bummer because the Odeleite valley ahead of us is a fantastic area for mountain biking. However the idea of trying to find our way in there in total darkness does not have a lot of support. We decide to make it to Barranco do Velho following main road 124 and all agree that it was a wonderful day of biking on the Via Algarviana.

Distance: 75,04 km.

Acumulated ascent: 1706 m.

Our rating:

• Tecnical difficulty: 2/5
• Physical difficulty: 3/5
• Scenery: 4/5

Points of interest

• Guadiana, Natura 2000 PTCON0036, http://www.icnb.pt/
• Alcoutim's 14th century castle, Castelo da Vila
• 8th century Moorish fortress just outside Alcoutim, Castelo Velho
• Alcoutim's archaeological museum
• Alcoutim's 16th century main church
• Museum of religious art/16th-18th century chapel in Alcoutim
• St. António's Chapel, Alcoutim
• Megalitic menhirs of Lavajo at Cortes Pereiras
• Dolmen of Anta do Malhão at Afonso Vicente
• Old copper mines at Furnazinhas
• Wind mills at Furnazinhas, Azinhosa, Graínho, Alcarias de Baixo and Casas Baixas
• Mining park Cova dos Mouros at Vaqueiros
• Ethnographic and anthropological museum nucleus in Cachopo
• Cachopo's 16th century church.

Food & drinks:

• Several cafés and restaurants in Alcoutim
• Snack bar Tempero, Cortes Pereiras
• Café Nikko, Balurcos de Baixo
• Snack bar Ti Emídio, Corte Velha
• A few cafés in Furnazinhas
• Casa de Pasto Teixeira, Vaqueiros
• Several cafés and restaurants in Cachopo
  

Track author: Almargem, http://www.almargem.org/, http://www.viaalgarviana.org/

To view, compare, rate or download this track, please open: http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=dpezbrslbbwgpdmm

loulé btt e, 29 km

BTT E Santa Margarida
Mountain bike circuit e from the council of Loulé goes from the village of Santa Margarida near Alte. The main road crossings is also the village's square and a good point to start this bike ride. The first part goes slowly up hill on tarmaced road, as is about 50% of this route. The road offers excellent views of the valley deep down and the vast Serra do Caldeirão north of us, until we get to the windmills at the end of the hill range. After a fast descent on tarmac we go off road to turn around the windmills and enter the valley on the other side of the hill range. A beautiful serene valley with comfortable dirt roads, small and quiet tarmaced roads and an occasional hill to climb. All is well until we reach Macheira. We will do a loop from here before returning to Santa Margarida. The climb out of the village is not very long and starts pleasant. However, having left the last houses behind us the pretty little dirt road gets steeper and steeper and on the last bit even the triple is not enough to put us on top of the hill range. Rewarded with a spectacular descent and shaded by huge cork oaks we roll into Sarnadas. Turning south we have the massive limestone rock called Rocha dos Soidos right in front of us. The indication on the road side shows where we have the option to go all the way up or not. First part on tarmac is fairly steep. The road goes down on the other side but there's a single track into the rocky fields. At the first limestone walls it's best to leave the bike and continue for the last bit on foot. The impressive cliff top is at an altitude of 467 m. overlooking great parts of the Serra do Caldeirão until de Serra de Monchique.
The path back to the bikes is easy to find and the down hill continues with a technical off road descent to complete the loop back to Macheira. The last part is mainly up hill and after a couple of surprising turns through some farms we arrive back at the Santa Margarida square and café.

Distance: 28,55 km

Accumulated ascent: 635 m.

Our rating:

• Technical difficulty: 3/5
• Physical difficulty: 3/5
• Scenery: 4/5

Points of interest:

• Cascades of Vigário near Alte's cemetery
• 13th century water mill in the Alte river Moinho de Abóboda
• Alte's 13th century's main church and 15th century chapel
• The springs of Fonte Pequena and Fonte Grande in Alte
• Casa Memória d'Alte museum
• Classified Site of Rocha da Pena

Food & drinks:

• Café Nascer do Sol, Santa Margarida
• Café Pôr do Sol, Santa Margarida

Track author: Prof. Arménio, http://www.cm-loule.pt/

To view, compare, rate or download this track, open: http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=chgadsjfejjormvo

tavira gr23, 47 km

GR 23 Cachopo-Mealha-Cachopo
The international network of long distance (foot)paths (Grande Randonnée, Grande Rota, Gran Recorrido, Great Route, or GR) offers endless opportunities to visit rural areas you are not familiar with guided by its characteristic red and white markings. Unlike many other GR trails, GR23 is a circular route. You can pick it up anywhere and it will take you back where you began. We choose the town of Cachopo to start this bike ride for being well accessible, very charming and there's some pleasant cafés and restaurants for necessary refreshments.
From the town centre we take off in southern direction for the first stretch to Feiteira. Soon after Currais we descend deep into the valley to cross the Leitejo river, logically followed by a long hairpinned climb on wide tracks. This is what this route is like, not an easy ride! So far the route has been coinciding with GR13, the Via Algarviana. However, a few kilometers before Feiteira the Via Algarviana decides to dive deep down towards Castelão and the Odeleite river. We remain higher on the hill side until reaching Feiteira and main road 124. We turn right and at leaving Feiteira we cross the 124 to the north side. The second part towards Mealha shows us a vast, wide open, almost empty landscape. Some forestation of cork, eucalyptus an pine. Rock rose growing abundantly and the precious arbutus tree (medronheiro) you find all over, as well as bee boxes. For the first time today we cross the magnificent Foupana river at the abandoned hamlet and picnic area of Estragamantens and follow comfortable tracks until all of a sudden we find ourselves at Mealha. The GR route turns east immediately, but a little tour through Mealha first gives an opportunity to observe the typical slate rock houses and recovered haystacks. Today this pretty village probably does not look a lot different than it would have some 50 years ago. An exeption perhaps for the chickens walking about that by then had a lot more playing children to share the narrow streets with. Migration to the cities is one of the problems interior villages of Algarve are suffering from.
Heading for Casas Baixas we climb up until we are at a site with dolmen from Neolithic times called Anta de Masmorra. Great mountain biking after this descending once more into the Foupana river, follow the rocky river bed for a bit and after crossing there's a big climb to remember. The triple comes in most handy getting up these steep hills. After this all is easy. Moderate ups and down take us to Casas Baixas where we join the itinarary of the Via Algarviana again. To get to Cachopo the mountain tracks lead into a narrow valley where oak trees provide shade and the trail gets smaller. This reminds us that some single track is the only thing that could improve this otherwise fantastic ride. For more experienced riders that enjoy a good workout this is probably the best permanent mountain bike circuit in Algarve looking at distance, difficulty, signposting and scenery.

Distance: 46,54 km.

Accumulated ascent: 1236 m.

Our rating:

• Technical difficulty: 2/5
• Physical difficulty: 4/5
• Scenery: 4/5

Points of interest:

• Ethnographic and anthropologic museum nucleus in Cachopo
• Cachopo's 16th century church
• Neolithic burial site of Antas das Pedras Altas at Mealha
• Neolithic dolmen of Anta de Masmorra at Alcarias Pedro Guerreiro

Track author: In Loco, http://www.in-loco.pt/, Municipality of Tavira, http://www.cm-tavira.pt/

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aljezur btt 1, 17 km

BTT 1 Trail of tides
The mountain bike route at Carrapateira in the council of Aljezur definately shows that the village deserves more visitors than only fishermen, nature lovers or surfers. This is a great opportunity for bikers to appreciate the spectacular scenery of the Vicentina coast.
Starting at the main road that enters Carrapateira coming from Bordeira we follow the road to Bordeira beach. The road starts to climb up to the cliffs of the famous 'Pontal da Carrapateira'. Here the tarmaced road changes into a wide dirt road following the cliff tops south and offering great ocean views. Various well accessible view points have been created to enjoy this rough and wild scenery in safety. Before we get to Amado beach the road passes close to the little fishing port of Zimbreirinha. This amazing creation on the steep cliff sides shows the efforts local people must make in order to make a living out of fishing.
After observing many surfers at Amado beach we turn inland following smaller tracks through forrestal area with pine and eucalyptus. We cross the main road now south of Carrapateira turning north. Soon we go off towards Monte Velho to enjoy a speedy descent. So speedy that we overlook the sharp left turn at the bridge and end up turning around a bit further down at Vilarinha. For the home stretch we follow the comfortable track along pretty valley of the Carrapateira river until it opens up to a wider area again just before the main road and the starting point.

Distance: 17,46 km.

Accumulated ascent: 212 m.

Our rating:

• Technical difficulty: 2/5
• Physical difficulty: 3/5
• Scenery: 4/5

Points of interest:

• Museum of Sea and Land in Carrapateira (Museu do Mar e da Terra)
• Archaeological site of 12th century Moorish fishing settlement (Ponto do Castelo)
• 17th century Christian defensive fortress
• Carrapateira's 16th century church
• Vicentina Natural Park (PNSACV), http://www.vicentina.org/
• Costa Sudoeste, Natura 2000 PTZPE0015, PTCON0012, http://www.icnb.pt/

Track author: Bordeira parish of the municipality of Aljezur, http://www.cm-aljezur.pt/jfbordeira

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http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=nvthvsjbbzhyqiam