This walk starts at high level on the outskirts of the small settlement of Malhao, descending into a deep valley, over a ridge and down to the village of Zambujal, before making the long climb back to the start. Views and countryside are spectacular from start to finish. There are no refreshments on the route, other than at the start/finish. 

From the A22 motorway or the N125, take the IC1 road north to Sao Bartolomeu de Messines. Turn east along the N124, signed to Alte and Salir.  Stay on the road through Alte. Benafim is the next main settlement along the road. At the eastern end of the village, turn left at the roundabout and follow all signs to the small settlement of Sobradinho, just over 6k away. At Sobradinho, turn right towards Cortinhola on the M542. Drive through this scattered settlement and stay left at a main junction, now signed to Malhao (brown sign).  Follow signs to Malhao, passing Pe de Coelho and climbing a steep, winding road. As the road levels out at the top, see the Café Miramar ahead on the right hand side of the road. Park here.  

- From the café, (1) walk along the road to the left of it (on level ground). See a circular building ahead and leave the road to walk up to and past it. Walk downhill towards houses on the left. Immediately after the last small building veer left (2) and very shortly join a track coming in from the right. Ignore a faint track on the left and come to a fork, taking the fainter track to the right after 200m. Stay on this track, walking northwest but gradually turning more northerly and finally due north, with another track coming in from the right. After 670m come to a fork and take the right hand track, which leads down to a junction with a much wider dirt road after a further 720m (3). Turn left. 

- Take the first turn left off this road after 430m (4) on a track going quite steeply downhill, turning left very soon. Descend for 1.25k to meet a track at a T junction going uphill and continue down the valley. (5).  Continue for around 1.12k, always descending, to reach the valley floor. As the track levels out, pass tracks on right and left leading uphill, and continue ahead. Around 180m from the left-hand track, approach a sharpish  curve to the left, and just as you go into this curve, find a narrow track on the right going uphill and turning right very quickly. (6) Follow this track as it then curves left after 100m and climbs steeply, curving round to the left again quite soon. Ignore all turns going downhill on this section. 

- After a long climb, (around 1.33k from 6) the gradient eases, and a T junction is reached. (7) Turn left , walk 190m almost due south to a fork and bear right, now on more or less level ground. The track then begins to descend and at the next junction bear right again (8) (690m)  and descend on this clear track, ignoring a multi-way junction on the way down, to reach a much wider road after 950m. (9 ) Turn left. Descend to the valley floor and pass by the bridge over a stream, leading to the hamlet of Zambujal after 1.17k., now on a tarmac surface. Bear left at the next fork after a further 160m (10) and climb to the small settlement of Corte Bucho. Ignore a turn to the right at the entrance to the hamlet, and swing sharply round to the right past the last houses after 480m (11) to descend to the river south-eastwards and then almost due south on a much smaller track. (370m)

- Cross the river (12) (If the water level is too high, turn right and walk a short distance back to the tarmac road to find a dry crossing. Then turn left on the far bank, back to the original crossing point.)  From the crossing, go up on a track to where two tracks meet and find a faint, narrow track leading up the hill in front, heading south-east. Climb the hill using faint footpaths and come to a line of ruins after around 230m. Walk along in front of the ruins for 100m to reach a bend where a tarmac road gives way to a dirt track. (13) Take the dirt track left as it goes uphill.  This track leads in a winding fashion back up to the road on which the walk began (2.96k). Simply follow the main track and do not take any left or right turns. When you reach the tarmac at the end of the long climb, turn right to walk back to Café Miramar. (240m)

NOTE:

On the photo of the route, you will see two short-cuts marked in yellow. If you wish to use these, you will need to make careful use of Google Earth to locate these for yourself, and take the details out on your walk. 

1	Cafe Miramar	18	05	17		06	04	17
2	Left after houses	18	22	73		06	10	80		600m
3	Main track	18	52	25		05	35	94		1.58k
4	Turn off wide track	19	03	70		05	41	34		430m
5	Track junction	19	04	88		06	23	19		1.25k
6	Turn uphill	19	13	71		07	09	54		1.36k
7	Top of climb	19	41	22		07	34	51		1.33k
8	On descent	19	32	12		08	03	16		850m
9	Track junction	19	19	22		08	28	33		950m
10	Turn to Corte Bucho	18	44	52		08	18	20		1.33k
11	At Corte Bucho	18	52	51		08	03	75		480m
12	River crossing	18	42	37		07	57	44		370m
13	After ruins	18	34	06		07	46	59		430m
	End									3.2k