Download the audioguide before you start the walk:

• MP3 file: 73 Mb
• MP4 file: 207 Mb

If you are facing the “O Gralha” café, keep to the right-hand edge of the road, and take the first left. Around 120 m farther on, take the narrow street to your left, between the houses, when the road curves to the right.

Follow the road and then turn right, down a narrow path before the ruin. You’ll find Point 1, where an arrow tells you to turn right. Next, turn left, make your way around the ruin and follow a path that runs behind it.

Keep following the track between the houses until you get to a junction with a tarmacked road. Turn right and follow the road, keeping as far to the left as you can. After about 250 m, take the second path on the left. This is where you’ll find Point 2, which will let you know you’re on the right track.

Walk another 500 m down the road. Follow the dirt track to your left, which turns off before a white house, and go down to the tarmacked road. Turn left and then right.

You’ll find Point 3, where an arrow tells you to turn right. At the junction, follow the path on the right.
Along the tarmacked road, turn left and continue along for around 150 m, keeping as far over to the edge as possible. Take the second right.

When you get to the fork in the road, you’ll see a track that heads uphill to your left, and another that goes straight on. Here you can choose whether to take the main track up to the left, which will take you on a 2 km (round trip) detour to a 360º viewpoint with a view over the Arade Dam and the National Iberian Lynx Reproduction Centre. If you’d rather not take the detour, just listen to the information and keep going straight ahead.

On the main path, cross over the stream and follow the main path on the right, up the hill.

When the path meets the stream, take the steep path to your right and keep on it for about 250 m until you reach the tarmacked road. Keep to the edge as you head right. As you follow the road go around eight bends, four to each side. You’ll eventually come to a straight stretch of road longer than the previous stretches, and then the road will curve to the right once again. Just before it does, take the dirt track to your left.

You’ll know you’re on the right path if after around 30 m you see a path to the left that goes down to the dam. Follow the road, crossing the stream once again. At the crossing, turn right towards the tarmacked road and carry on to the right, down to the EM 1080.

Flora

• Carob Tree - Ceratonia siliqua
• Almond Tree - Prunus dulcis
• Mastic Tree - Pistacia lentiscus
• Gum Cistus - Cistus ladanifer
• Fig Tree - Ficus carica
• Oleander - Nerium oleander
• Strawberry Tree - Arbutus unedo
• Olive Tree - Olea europaea
• Wrinkled Rockrose - Cistus crispus
• French Lavender - Lavandula stoechas
• Cork Oak– Quercus suber

Fauna

• Short-toed Snake Eagle - Circaetus gallicus
• Chondrostoma almacai
• Rock Bunting - Emberiza cia
• Rabbit - Oryctolagus cuniculus
• Common Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis
• Wild Boar- Sus scrofa
• Brown Hare - Lepus europaeus

USEFUL INFORMATION 

• Along the route you will be instructed to pause the audio guide until you reach a certain location;
• Even if not instructed to do so, you should pause the audio guide if you have not yet reached the location being described, as there may discrepancies between the audio timings and the time it takes you to get to certain locations; 
• Always keep as close to the edge of the path as you can to stay clear of any passing cars;
• In winter, especially after periods of heavy rain, rivers and streams may be harder than usual to cross.

• Silves Town Hall: (+351) 282 440 800
• São Bartolomeu de Messines Civil Parish Council: (+351) 282 339 136
• Almargem Association: (+351) 289 412 959
• São Bartolomeu de Messines Health Centre: (+351) 282 339 252
• São Bartolomeu de Messines Volunteer Firefighters: (+351) 282 339 633
• National Republican Guard – São Bartolomeu de Messines: (+351) 282 339 246
• If you see a fire, call: 117
• In the event of an emergency, call: 112

Downloads

Download the files below.
And have a nice walk!