A family walk

Sunday morning we woke up to a sunny day. It was time for a family walk from Malveira da Serra to Biscaia.
My wife, my children, who are tewlve and ten and I took two cars, left one at the finish, near the county border between Sintra and Cascais on the N 247 main road near a farm. Then we drove down to Malveira da Serra and left the other car near the church.
We walked in the direction of Sintra along the main road and turned left signed with the official markings PR3 to Biscaia.
The walk took us through the small village of Almoinhas Velhas where a large dog nearly jumped over a gate giving all of us a huge fright. Every home we passed seem to have a barking dog.
We followed the official yellow and red rectangle markings, eventually meeting a single track to go through trees and an array of wild flowers including foxgloves and hottentot figs.
The walk took us through the natural park along the coastline with great views of the Atlantic Ocean , Guincho beach and the fort.
We saw plenty of lizards, flying ducks and fortunately a very flat dead snake on the track. We also passed an old small quarry with very large granite stones, we though they must have used a cart and horses to transport them back up the hill.
We finished the walk in approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes taking our time.
There was enough time left in the morning for a second breakfast down in Colares.
Suggestion: If you do not have the advantage of having two cars you can leave your car in Malveira da Serra, follow the walk all the way to the village of Azoia. (You can walk further along the coast to various beaches - coastal walk GR11, or see the guidebook Lookgofind discover Sintra for more walks).
You can either carry on walking to Cabo da Roca or take lunch at the Bar Moinho Dom Quixote, a restored and extended windmill with a tropical style interior and beautiful landscaped gardens, Sit back, relax, try the Caipirinha and enjoy the view.
Then take the bus (403) back down to Malveira da Serra and your car.

The best lamb chops

I am sorry to say I haven't made the walk to Pedra Amarela yet. I had a hernia operation a little while ago and still have some pain when I run. The doctor told me to take it easy, so I am hoping the next post will be about this walk as I am really looking forward to it and discovering all about the eggy boulder legend.
Last week my family and I visited one of our favourite restaurants, Mariazinha Casa de Pasto in Almoçageme, Sintra. Situated in the centre of the village, close to the typical charming main square. It is a small restaurant frequented by the locals and the interior is decorated with some interesting poems and sketches by the clientele.
The restaurant offers typical Portuguese home cooking accompanied by jugs of wine. Excellent value for money and a very friendly service.
We had the local cheese and bread for starters followed by lamb chops, chips and green beans and plenty of red wine, which never seems gives me a hang over - yet! Always ask what is available and how you want it cooked, they are happy to oblige.
You can't beat it for the price.

A rambler’s ramble!

Walking in the hills of Sintra, Portugal

Welcome to my walking blog.
My name is Dewi Jones and this is a blog about my walks in Sintra, one of the most beautiful, historic and natural places in Portugal.
I live in Azóia near Cabo da Roca, the most westerly point of mainland Europe - “where the land ends and the sea begins”. I can see the farol lighthouse through my window and soon this spring the cliff tops will be covered with a carpet of colour - the hottentot fig (Carpobrotus chilensis), also known as the highway ice plant. It is a sight worth seeing.
I have already completed several walks, some alone and some with my family, my wife Clare and my children Joshua and India.
My intention is to share these walks with you and hope that this could be of some interest to any of you out there? I will supply some of these walks for you with a detailed map and instructions free. Just send me your Email and I will Email the map back.
The first two walks I will supply will be walk 4. Adraga beach to Praia Grande beach and back, and walk 5. Colares to Azemhas do Mar and back to Colares.
The walk to from Praia da Adraga to Praia Grande and back (walk 4) is about 3.5 km in distance, about a 50 minute walk. I have done this walk several times with my family (a good short walk for kids but be careful on the cliff tops) and there are great views from of the Atlantic Ocean. When you reach the steps that go down to Praia Grande beach look on the side of the cliff and you will notice dinosaur footprints imprinted into the cliff face, made about 120 million years ago by Sauropods dinosaurs.
The walk from colares to Azenha do Mar and back (walk5) is 11.7 km and will take about 2 hours and 50 minutes. You will walk through the pine forest, see some of the oldest grape vines in Europe, visit Azenha do Mar (watermills by the sea) cross over Praia da Maças
(apple beach), up the cliffs towards Praia Grande (big beach) and through the pine trees and apple orchards and back to Colares.

My next blog will be about my walk from the Barragem do Rio da Mula to Pedra Amarela and the legend of the Eggy Boulder!