June-July 2022

Portugal actually has some fantastic rock climbing on the southern and western coasts. Unfortunately, much of it is within the national parks and many crags are officially banned and illegal. If you decide to climb on these crags, it is at your own risk and NOT recommended by me.

Since we climb fairly frequently, I do not usually post on climbing unless we go to a new area or outside of Portugal. However, we really love the climbing in the Algarve and, along with surfing, it’s one of my favorite things to do in the area.

Most of the time, we tend to climb at a cliff that drops down to the ocean. The approach starts out with about a 10-15 minute hike through rocky terrain. When you get to the edge of the cliff, it’s a bit treacherous since you have to down climb and traverse along the cliff to get to the routes. We put Sydney in the backpack for this section since it is impossible for dogs.

Along the edge of the cliff by the ocean there are several caves so we usually setup Sydney in one of the caves to play and relax while we climb.

It is nearly all sport climbing and single pitches ranging from relatively easy to very difficult. The scenery is absolutely spectacular.

Occasionally, when hiking to or from the crag, you may come across a herd of goats roaming the countryside.

In another area, the crag is a short distance from the ocean and the approach is an easy walk right to the base. There is a small bay with a sandy beach nearby that makes for an amazing backdrop.