DISCLAIMER All the information contained in this website is presented in good faith. The authors have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information. However, they take no responsibility for any errors which may remain,or for problems which may result from such errors. This is a long and complicated walk, and the route will experience frequent changes. Changes and modifications are posted as soon as possible after they are discovered and made on the ground. Those wishing for information on the latest changes should contact the authors by e-mail. Longer distances quoted are accurate to within 1 - 2 km. Intermediate distances are given as accurately as possible, for route-finding and reassurance.

The Algarve Way is a long-distance footpath which runs from the Spanish border at Alcoutim on the Rio Guadiana to Cabo de São Vicente, at the point where Portugal’s southern and western coasts meet.

As a challenge, it stands comparison with most of the long-distance walks in Britain, with the advantage that the weather is usually more pleasant. It is certainly a way of seeing the real Algarve, well away from the central coastal strip, on foot.

The walk should form part of the European footpath network, specifically route GR13/E4, but until very recently, no official organisation had taken responsibility for developing and waymarking it as such. Work has beencarried out between 2006 and 2008 by the environmental group Almargem, with funds from the EU, to create a fully marked route, but it the work is not complete, and waymarking has not yet begun (March 2008). The route described here, and the marking, have been undertaken by British ex-pat and visiting enthusiasts, using the flower of the ubiquitous gum cistus plant as a logo and waymark. We intend to maintain this route, and the website, alongside whatever Almargem produce, since it differs from theirs considerably, and is more of a challenge for walkers as opposed to tourists. Some information about the walk itself, the history behind it and the terrain over which it passes, can be found below, but first a note or two about the way the Algarve Way is being made available to the public.

A Web-Walk.
Walking routes are usually written up and published in leaflet or book form, but for two reasons this is not so with the Algarve Way. Firstly, this route is more likely than many others to need regular updating . The Algarve is in the process of ‘modernisation’ both in terms of property development and infrastructure, leading to the urbanisation of some rural locations and the resurfacing of many of the old dirt roads. From season to season therefore, changes to routes will be needed. Secondly, the process of initial publication, and more importantly of subsequent revisions, is both financially and logistically beyond the means of those who have worked on the project.
Thus the Algarve Way will exist for the time being as words and maps on a web-site, for those with an interest in it to download and use. Please feel free to print off any or all of the material, including this introductory section, but see our copyright notice for restrictions.
All we ask is that if you walk the whole or any part of the route, please write, e-mail or phone us to tell us of any problems you have experienced, any waymarks that may have been obliterated, any changes you feel may be necessary, or indeed anything else that may be of interest or use to those who come after you. We will do our best to act upon your information as necessary.

Organisation of the Site
Finding your way around the site couldn't be easier. At the top of this and every page you will see the various contents headings...simply follow the prompts.Following this introduction there are the pages devoted to the separate sections of the walk. Each of these has on it the relevant walk section navigation sheet, maps and additional notes. Please note that the walk descriptions for each section are available in two different formats. By following the Walks heading at the top of the home page, you will find descriptions of the walking section which will print off in A4 format. Going to the Leaflets heading down the side of the page will take you to a list from which you can download leaflets in PDF in a landscape 3-fold format, with more colour.

The Section Notes.

History of the Algarve Way.
The Algarve Way is not the first attempt at an east-west walking route across The Algarve; in 1988, an EU supported project set out to revive an ancient pilgrim way, under the title The Moçárabe Way. To many experienced walkers, this route seemed rather impractical and not sufficiently varied.
In the walking season 1995/6,a group known as the Algarve Wednesday Walkers was formed, led by Maurice and Esme Clyde, and one of their projects, apart from the strenuous Wednesday walks, was to create a new long-distance path across the region. Much of the early work was carried out with the help and support of the Portuguese environmental group Almargem. The first half of the task was completed in 1997, when a group walked from São Bartholomeu de Messines to the Cabo de São Vicente, after much exploration.
A full Algarve Way route was established by 1998, and the Wednesday Walkers undertook the whole journey in that and the following year, covering the 243km in 11 days. A slightly modified route was traversed on horseback in 2000, and at the same time a joint walk was carried out with a group from Seville, linking the Algarve Way with the European route E4/GR13.
Unfortunately, the next stage in the process, the full waymarking and registration of the route, was never carried out, hence the need for the present project.
Since 2000, the route has been walked twice by soloists, one of them a Spaniard from Barcelona in remission from throat cancer, the other an American academic, Kevin Nawn, who was based in Istanbul. Kevin’s successful crossing in 2002 was something of an epic, and it proved that the Algarve Way, even when done with the assistance of experienced locals, is a challenging and difficult route.
Kevin Nawn’s crossing also revealed a number of problems around the precise route of the Algarve Way, but it was not until the winter of 2004/05 that a new effort was made to establish and describe a route which could be followed by groups and individuals, independent of local assistance. With the help of maps and route suggestions provided by Wednesday Walkers pioneers Maurice Clyde, Rod Frew and Thyl Heyselinck, Terry Ames and David Littlewood walked and recorded most of the route plus two or three alternative sections. During the season 2005/06 this work was completed, and the result, together with subsequent updates, is the basic content of this site. A full revision has been undertaken in the early months of 2008, as the result of the experience of people walking the route.
Much of the delay in reaching the present stage is due to the incapacity of Maurice Clyde. Shortly after Kevin Nawn’s crossing in 2002, Maurice suffered a major stroke which has rendered him permanently hors de combat. He has now returned to the UK. This website and the information it contains is a tribute to his achievements.

Walking in the Algarve

Roads, paths and tracks
Long distance off road walking is not yet a popular pastime in the Algarve, but the whole area is honeycombed with paths and tracks large and small. The wider dirt tracks still serve as roadways between the more isolated settlements, but there are also hundreds of forest roads and ridge tracks, used as firebreaks and as routes in and out for logging companies and others. Smaller footpaths are used by hunters and by farmers wishing to access their fields and orchards. Best of all are the old donkey-cart caminhos which linked the villages before the coming of the motor vehicle. All can be used by walkers so long as there is no fence, locked gate or other obstruction. The English notion of rights of way is unknown in Portugal - Scots might feel more at home. The down side of this freedom is that areas large and small can be fenced off, and ‘Privado’ notices erected in the same apparently unregulated fashion. Unfortunately also, there is a steady increase in the number of tracks being covered with tarmac. As time goes on we shall try to find alternatives to these, but there are limits, and some tarmac walking, more than we would like on certain sections, is becoming inevitable.

The Walking Season
There is a definite walking season in this region, largely because of the heat in the summer months. For those not acclimatised, late September to the end of May constitute the outer limits of this season. Within this, very warm to hot conditions can be expected in September, October, late April and May, while the remaining five months are warm by northern European standards, with varying amounts of rain, sometimes heavy and prolonged.

Problems and Hazards
Although the interior of the Algarve is being opened up for tourism, and population numbers in many areas have begun to increase again, sections of this walk are in very remote locations, with little accommodation, intermittent mobile reception and few roads usable by ordinary private cars. Much of the route can be accessed by four-wheel drive if necessary to deposit or collect walkers, or offer support. In addition, there are natural obstacles and dangers of which those attempting the crossing should be aware. There are rivers to be crossed without benefit of bridge, and considerable risk of landslide and flood after heavy rain. The topography of the area and the proliferation of tracks and pathways can make route-finding very difficult - careful attention to the details of the route and to the waymarking provided is essential. On the last section, the walk along the beach has to be timed carefully, to avoid being caught by the tide (see the sectional notes).

Flora and Fauna
Wildlife is not considered an enormous hazard, but there are points to be borne in mind. Wild boar roam the forests, and there are snakes and scorpions, as well as ‘processionary’ caterpillars in the pine woods, along with the more usual ants and mosquitoes. Ticks are another problem to be considered. Some advice on dealing with these creatures can be found in the safety notes. The vegetation of the area can be very unpleasant to walk through if the track is lost, and some sections of the route itself are partly overgrown with prickly and scratchy plants of many varieties. Prepare carefully, and none of these difficulties need be too troublesome.

Waymarking
Much thought has been given to the method and frequency of marking the route. Initially, it was decided to mark minimally, but with the benefit of experience more marks and waypoints have been added, some complete with the cistus logo, some without. In the end it has been decided to mark minimally, and to use several other methods of identifying position and direction on the route.
Find out more

The Maps
In the UK, apart from the very simplest sketches, the normal approach to mapping would be to refer the walker to the relevant O.S. map section. A new edition of the equivalent for Portugal is now available, under the general title Series M888, and these could be very useful. Details of how to obtain them can be found on the Map Index page. Because of the state of the mapping when we began the project,we have relied on a detailed written description, plus sketch maps which try to give an indication of general direction, major landmarks, trends in height and main settlements. We hope that these are of use, and we would welcome any suggestions for improvement. They were constructed using the Portuguese maps, Microsoft Paint and a computer tablet.
Find out more and choose a map

Getting About and Finding a Bed
Travel and accommodation around the Algarve are still not as easy to arrange as one might imagine, especially away from the coastal strip. Sections of the walk are in very remote areas, with little accommodation en route. Providers have been identified in some areas, but getting to them will sometimes involve extra walking. To assist those wishing to walk, we are continuing to research and update our list. Please contact us for the latest information. It is strongly recommended that unless you are the kind of walker who does not mind sleeping under canvas or even the stars, you should walk with a support vehicle or party, so that you can always reach your planned accommodation. Please also see our News section for the latest information.
For drivers, the situation is improving, but road maps are not as good as they might be, and in order to reach some of the most likely pick-up points, quite long detours are needed. Advice is given in the sectional notes.
Find out more