The Algarve is also a pleasure to explore on foot, more popular routes taking in the coastal paths to Sagres – with its highly regarded harbour side restaurants – the Monchique hills, the National Forest, the historical town of Lagos, and the Cape St. Vincent Natural Park, which remains undeveloped, maintaining the unique flora and fauna of the region.
Closer to home, there are a number of pleasant walks from Rocha Brava. For instance, to Benagil, via the Praia Do Carvalho (which takes approximately two and a half hours at a leisurely pace) and across the cliffs to the close-by seaside town of Carvoeiro.
The latter route – which takes approximately an hour and a quarter, offers attractive scenery, and provides a pleasing alternative to the more direct three-mile roadside path. The walk culminates in the heart of the bustling little coastal community, with its selection of bars, restaurants, shops and regular market.
Copies of local walks are available in the clubhouse.
Click here to download a pack of local walking routes.
There are also GPS files to go with the walk pack which can be downloaded below.
Download the GPS walk pack from the following links
Each GPS walk folder contains
A .txt file which gives a brief description of the walk.
A .gpx file for loading into your GPS unit.
A .kml file which you can load into Google Earth and which will show the route along with positions of the various waypoints.
A .bmp file which opens as a picture (photo) and shows a plot of height against route distance.(ie a height profile graphic)
If you cannot use GPS files, the .kml and the .bmp files do not require any special GPS programme to open and provide useful information about the walk.
See the post in the GPS section of the Your Holiday Hints titled How to Create Your Own Walk Routes for tips on using the .gpx files provided.