This is a walk that can be completed as a whole or divided into two, as it consists of two circuits with a common linking section. Starting from the N124 a short drive out from Barranco do Velho towards Cachopo, it descends into a valley, then up to two small settlements on the hill above, then out into open country, using the linking section to reach the hamlet of Val Luis Neto. The second circuit moves on from there further into the wilds, passing two more hamlets before returning to Val Luis Neto. After repeating the link, the final part involves a long descent into a valley and a climb back out to the start. A varied walk with a couple of challenges, Refreshments at Montes Novos, but a bit close to the start for a long break.

One of the easier starting points to find. From the south take the Faro/ São Brás de Alportel exit from the A22 motorway, and travel north along the N2 up to São Brás. Use the town bypass to resume the trip north up the N2 to Barranco do Velho. Come at last to a junction with a turn left to Loulé/ Salir. Go straight on here, over two large road humps and up the hill. Find a café (Tia Bia – actually a pensão/restaurant, they have rooms) on the right at a junction turning right to Cachopo. Coming from the west, take the N124 from any point from Silves eastwards, and stay on that road to Barranco. Turn left at the junction with the Faro road (N2) to reach the café. Get your caffeine fix here if needed, and then take the Cachopo road, driving for just under 3k. Your parking area is on the left, just a small open area with a track leading off it, immediately before a short cutting on the main road between a shale outcrop. Try not to block the track with your car.

- From (1), walk down the road through the small cutting and take the first track on the right after 100m, descending quite steeply into a valley. At the bottom after 300m, turn left and walk along close to the watercourse on your right. Coming to a junction after a further 430m, go round in a hairpin right, curve gently to the left, climbing, on this new track. Drop down into a dip and cross a stream, climbing briefly again and taking the first turn to the left. (510m) (2) Ignore minor tracks descending on the right, go round left and right hand bends and stay right as a track leads off steeply uphill left after 330m. After a further 170m come to a fork and take the right hand uphill north-eastwards with trees below. The track turns more due east and descends for a while. After 600m swing round in a wide curve to the left and climb again due north to reach a junction after 390m, taking the left-hand hairpin to carry on climbing out of the valley.(3)

- Now walk first  more or less westerly over 360m, veering more north-west to reach a fork after a further 170, going right to walk due north for a further 400m, arriving at a bend at the beginning of a concrete road, with a small washing-place on the corner. (4) These communal clothes washing facilities were in full use by most villages until very recently. The settlement that it served, Bestinheiros, is over on your left. Walk up past it on the concrete and come to a tarmac road after 140m, turning right. Veer right at a junction after less than 100m and follow through a section of open land, coming to the outskirts of a larger village, Montes Novos, around 440m along.

Follow the main road past a row of buildings down to a wide curve to the left (200m) (5) Immediately round the bend turn right and walk for 200m. Stay right at the next two junctions and emerge onto a main road (the N124) after a further 330m. Turn right along the road for 100m and having passed a house on the right, take a track going off to the left  northeastwards through trees, opposite the Montes Novos boundary sign. (6) After 140m, halfway round a right hand curve, take a track on the left which quickly turns right under trees. Pass a minor junction of tracks and come to a clear junction after 200m with four alternatives in front of you. (7) Take the first left starting due west and follow this track (can be a bit wet after rain) as it heads north of west over open land and comes to a junction with a stony track leading off to the left after 620m (8). This is the track you will take on your return leg, point 19. If you wish only to do the first circuit, you can turn left here, following the instructions from that point. 

- To continue, now along the linking section between the two circuits, go straight on, round a right hand bend and due north over an area of open land. As you start to descend on the other side of the small plateau, see the hamlet of Val Luis Neto ahead. Go down to the stream or dry bed in the valley, cross it and veer left up the track. At the first junction turn right. (9) (1k from 8). Walk along for 160m, then turn left uphill towards the ruins at the eastern end of the village. Walk between the ruin foundation to pick up a track leding out of the settlement. At a junction after 190m stay left and walk for a further 270m north-westerly past scattered houses to another junction. Continue northwest along a sandy track for another 800m, to reach a tarmac road. Turn left and walk along for 270m round a shallow left-hand curve to find a track on the right leading uphill almost due north (10). 

- Take this track as it quickly turns northwesterly and eventually almost due west, to descend to another tarmac road after 1k. Turn right and immediately left to leave the road on a wide track. This crosses more open land and then descends quite steeply down into a valley, curving right at the bottom to go up a short rise to a group of buildings after 1.57k. This is the hamlet of Macheira. (11)

- At the top of the rise turn right.. Find a farm track passing in front of buildings and follow it as it turns to head  off south south east and follow it as it turns due south, winding downhill through trees,, to reach a stream crossing after c380m. (12) Cross and head south east for 460m. At a point where the track starts to turn sharply to the right, turn off left and cut across the valley bottom to reach a rough track on the other side  (13) This may be rather overgrown, so take care..

- Head first southeast, then tend a little north of east, climbing quite steeply, and finally just south of east on more or less level ground to come to a junction with a wider track after 700m. (14) Turn left to walk due north for 180m through the village of Vale da Rosa. Follow the road round to the right, through a left hand curve and then quite sharp right again, then descending on a straight line for 150m to find a narrow road leading off uphill on the right. (15). Walk up here. After 180m keep left at a junction, and follow as the road climbs for a further 380m to reach a main road. 

- Turn left and then first right after 100m (16) to walk down a minor road for less than 100m. Past the first row of buildings, after a dilapidated open shed, turn right along a footpath heading south-east under trees. After 170m the path kinks left and then right to enter more open country and eventually ends at a tarmac road after a further 290m. Turn left. Go past one turn to the left, leading to a farm, and take the second one, a sandy track going uphill after 260m. (17) The track rises gently and then descends equally gently across open land and comes to buildings after 970m – you are back at Vale Luis Neto, having closed the second circuit. Avoid the first turns on the right, to buildings, and take the next one (18), which will lead you down to the stream you crossed earlier, (220m) and back onto the linking track. Climb the short steepish hill onto the plateau and cross it due south (1k). When the track bends sharply to the left, look for the turning on the right - point (8/19) – and take this path to begin the completion of the first circuit.

- Head along this path south-west then due south until you come to a tarmac road after 530m. (20) Turn left and walk up the short rise. Past a track on the left at the crest, find a track forking off to the right after 300m and walk along it south-eastwards. Take the left hand at a fork after 320m (21) and then ignore turns to left and right, heading steadily southeast down a ridge line. When the descent becomes steeper, look for a turn to the right at a fork after 730m (22) and continue to descend on the ridge, now heading south. Arrive at a tarmac road after 760m and go straight across, continuing southwards. Coming to a stream after 330m, (23) you have now closed the first circuit. Take the path to the right uphill, rounding the bend to the right after 430 to return to the road and your car. (830m)

 

1	Start on N124		15	17	28		55	04	45
2	Left turn		15	13	38		54	30	70		1.34k
3	Turn to Bestinheiros		15	30	58		53	51	65		1.49k
4	At Bestinheiros		15	44	37		54	08	58		930m
5	Montes Novos		16	03	40		54	26	98		1.13k
6	Turn off main road		16	12	51		54	45	89		870m
7	Multi junction		16	19	69		54	54	61		340m
8	And 19. Start of link		16	26	18		55	17	84		620m
9	End of link (Vale Luis Neto)		16	56	95		55	26	02		1k
10	Turn off tarmac		17	28	68		56	01	11		1.69k
11	At Macheira		17	32	24		57	20	74		2.57k
12	Stream crossing		17	20	14		57	19	75		420m
13	T Junction		17	05	76		57	14	88		520m
14	Before Vale da Rosa		17	07	53		56	56	12		540m
15	Leave main road		17	12	26		56	42	27		550m
16	Turn to footpath		17	02	25		56	29	74		560m
17	Turn to Vale Luis Neto		16	50	92		56	05	01		720m
18	Vale Luis Neto		16	58	55		55	29	07		970m
19	And 8, end of link		16	26	18		55	17	84		1k
20	Main road		16	13	78		55	26	27		530m
21	Fork on ridge		16	06	07		55	08	82		320m
22	Fork on descent		15	52	99		54	45	17		730m
23	Close of circuit one		15	21	38		54	43	10		1.09k
	End										830m