The group will meet at our accommodation just north of Sagres, on the very tip of the Algarve. A single time transfer from Faro Airport is provided. We have a late buffet lunch at the lodge before exploring the delightful property and surroundings, including its fresh water lake. This evening we will settle in and have the first of our delicious home cooked dinners on the veranda overlooking the surrounding cork forest.

Today's walk will be the perfect introduction to the varied terrain and landscapes of this beautiful region, as we will begin on the green and peaceful trails of the inner Algarve and end on the sea cliffs of the rugged west coast and the stunning golden beach of Praia da Amado. After a relaxed breakfast, we walk out straight from our doorstep with a short climb out of the valley, where we can enjoy the emerging views of the surrounding hills. In spring the hillside is coloured white and pink, and the air sweetly scented, by the flowering rock roses (cistus) for which the Algarve is famous. It won't be long until we reach our high point for the day and are rewarded with our first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean way in the distance. As we leave the rolling hills and valleys behind us our track winds gently down towards the west coast, passing through pine forests, cow meadows and eventually eucalyptus forest, before the valley opens up before us to present the beautiful long white sanded beach of Praia da Amado; the perfect spot to relax and enjoy our picnic lunch and take our first refreshing dip in the wild Atlantic. After lunch we climb from the beach up onto the sea cliffs, offering breath-taking coastal views in all directions, and continue on to Carrapateira, a small fishing village where we can stop in one of the traditional cafes for a coffee and a delicious Pasteis de Nata. We have time to wander around pretty Carrapateria, before making the short 10 min drive back to the lodge with time to relax before dinner. We can kick back in a hammock and read, relax over a coffee in the lounge or with a chilled glass of Vinho Verde on the deck. After dinner if we wish we can take a stroll into the small hamlet of Pedralva, to take a look around or enjoy an after dinner drink.

A day exploring the coastal trails of the south coast. Our walk begins at Zavial, a famous hotspot for surfers and just a 20min drive from the lodge. Our route climbs up from the beach onto the sea cliffs, from where we will get a fantastic view of the surfers enjoying the waves. The south coast is far less rugged then the west coast, with calm turquoise seas, prolific colourful flora and pretty white fishing villages. Our path follows the coastline, leading up onto the eroded sea cliffs and ambling down onto the sandy white beaches, which are dotted with large rock formations. It is advisable to carry our swimwear today as there will be time to enjoy one or two quick dips in the calm south coast sea. We will stop to take lunch in a hidden cove with a light offshore wind cooling us from the midday sun. After lunch and sometime to wander around the impressive sea cliff fortress around our lunch spot, the walk turns inland to the small town of Figuera, a sleepy Portuguese village with plenty of cafes and bakeries to tempt those looking for some additional post lunch refreshment. We leave Figuera via a small village road which takes us through authentic Portuguese farmland. The trail winds its way back to Zavial beach following an inland paths with great views of the magical and historic Cabo St Vincente. From Zavial we transfer back to the lodge, stopping en route at artesian Portuguese pottery shop; Portugal is famous for its high quality ceramics and here we will find a great display of traditionally decorated, hand painted tiles and pots. Arriving back to the lodge we've time to freshen up before dinner. Tonight we can enjoy sampling some local cheese and tasting some Portuguese wines before dinner.

Our walk today begins just a 15 minute drive from the lodge at Praia da Ingrina , a small south coast hamlet with a beautiful beach. Our trail runs adjacent to the stunning windswept cliff tops and along stretches of long white beaches all the way to Sagres. This beautiful, but barren and windswept landscape is the most south western point of mainland Europe. The town of Sagres has a rich nautical past; famous explorers such as Christopher Columbus knew this site as "the end of world", as it was the place from where they launched many of their expeditions. In Portuguese Sagres means 'sacred' and this is also an area with a stong celtic history; along our path today we will have encountered one of the largest concentrations of Menhirs (standing stones) in the whole Algarve. Dating from around 3000BC, these standing stones are signs of presence of humans in the area since Neolitiic times. As we wander around Sagres town the areas more recent cultural history is also clear to see, in its abandoned cliff top fortress and ancient monastery. We'll have an unforgettable end to our walk at 'Alice's', the best gelateria in the Algarve, famous for its incredible homemade ice cream made from only natural ingredients! We'll have some time to explore the town or head down to the beach to enjoy the calm sea and the warm afternoon sun. We return to our accommodation in the late afternoon.

Today's walk is designed to showcase the unspoilt nature of this wild region. Our route runs parallel to the river, through forests of cork oak where the tree tops are alive with birdlife. Our path is flanked by a flowing backdrop of impressive hills, part of the unspoilt nature reserve of Cabo St Vicente. The trail passes through Villarinha, a hamlet lost in time, surrounded by countryside sculpted by timeworn Portuguese famers, who still live here in quaint white houses encircled by rolling cow meadows. Here our trail departs from the river, heading up towards the hilltops from where we will have a great view of the valley behind and the west coast and the ocean ahead. We take the zigzagging path down the hill to the village of Carrapateira below. We will stop here to take lunch in an authentic Portuguese Bistro\cafe where we can sample something local and truly delicious in the shade away from the midday sun. After lunch the route passes through large sand dunes eventually arriving at the long beach Praia da Bordeira where we have option of taking a dip in the wild west coast sea, or we may just want to enjoy wandering among the sand dunes or watching the local fisherman looking for oysters in the shallows. We'll end the walk just off the beach at a local café, which has a variety of exotic freshly made juices for us to enjoy. We'll then head back to the lodge (just a 5min drive) for an early dinner, as tonight we will drive out to Cabo Sao Vincente to watch the dramatic sunset on the most south western point of Europe.

Today is free to relax at the lodge, to take part in some optional outdoor activities or to enjoy a cultural day trip to Lagos. Lagos is one of the Algarve's most scenic and historic towns. Surrounded by 16th century walls, the interior of the old town is a maze of cobbled streets, churches and pretty piazzas. Within walking distance are some of the Algarve's best beaches, and beautiful rocky coves where we can also spend the day relaxing or exploring. For those wishing to visit Lagos our hosts will provide a complimentary transfer after breakfast and a pick up to return to our accommodation in the late afternoon. There are also optional outdoor activities on offer for those wishing to do something a little more energetic. You might want to try your hand at kayaking on the estuary, or enjoy a surf lesson with a local expert. Our hosts will be on hand during the week to discuss the possibilities and help you arrange your activities for this day. This evening we will wander into nearby Pedralva to enjoy dinner at an authentic Portuguese restaurant. Tonight's dinner is not included so that we can have our own choice of menu/budget.

On our final walking day we will head out to explore the coastal trails of the wild west coast, including some of the most impressive scenery on the Portuguese coast. We will pass through hidden white coves, following meandering fisherman's trails through the unspoilt natural coast line, beneath us we can watch the crashing of huge Atlantic swells against the imposing black sea cliffs. We start in the nearby local village of Villa do Bispo, at the beach of Castellejo. From here our path follows the sea cliffs and beaches for several kilometres before turning inland for a short while until lunch, which we will take on a completely hidden beach only accessible by foot. There is the option of taking a swim in the beautiful bay, or we can just sit in the shadow of the cliffs enjoying the views. After lunch our week of walking culminates amongst some of the most spectacular scenery in the Algarve. We will cross a series of four unspoilt coastal valleys, requiring a reasonable amount of ascent and descent! Our walking efforts will be rewarded with the most impressive views of the week and of course the accomplishment of completing a challenging route through this breath-taking landscapes. We finish at Amado beach, where we can relax in a café and reminisce over the week gone by. In the evening, back at the lodge, we will celebrate with a delicious sea food dinner freshly prepared by our hosts and accompanied by good wine and good company.

After and early breakfast we say our goodbyes. A single timed transfer to Faro Airport is provided.