Walk Ninety One.   18k.  Ascent 820m   GPS: 37/ 11.33.88  8/ 28.27.25

The small village of Falacho lies just over 3k west of Silves, the Moorish capital of the Algarve. It has no facilities for visitors, for our purposes serving merely as the jumping-off point for a walk in the hills to the north. The walk is quite demanding, taking in a number of climbs as well as some exhilarating ridge walking and gentle valley sections. There are also views towards Silves and its historic castle. If you want refreshment before you start the walk, there are many cafes along the riverside in Silves, and a couple of places on the 124 from Portimao.

Getting to Falacho.

From the A22 Motorway, take the exit for Lagoa and Silves, and drive towards Silves. In sight of the town across the valley, turn left and cross the river, turning left at the traffic lights. Drive along this road, the N124, for 3.3k to Falacho. Go past the road leading up to the village and park on the right about 130m further on, where the main road curves to the left. 

Coming from Portimao and the west, follow signs to Monchique from the motorway. Go through Porto de Lagos and at the roundabout turn right for Silves. Drive for almost 8k along the N124. Look for a turn to the left as the road goes round a right-hand curve, with a bank of post boxes at the entrance to the side road. Park on the left past the turn. 

The Walk

Take the narrow side road leading off from your parking place, (1) with post boxes on the right, and walk on level ground along it for 1.34k. Come to a point where three tracks lead off to the right in close proximity, and take the third, very clear one, (2) heading uphill northeastwards. Climb steeply for 600m to a high point. The track now runs along an undulating ridge for 1.32k to reach a junction with a track coming in from the left (3). Bear right and continue along the ridge. After 960m, it starts to climb, reaching another junction with a track from the left after another 530m. (4)

Turn right and follow the ridge for another 930m, first almost due west, then turning due north towards the end. Come to yet another T junction (5) and turn right. After 200m bear left to avoid going over the hill to the right, and after another 170m, stay right at a fork. Soon after, go round a curve to the right and join a track coming in from the left after a further 140m. Stay right at a fork and walk for 300m to join another track at a T junction (6). Now head more or less due south on a winding ridge track, descending, for 660m After this the track turns southwest and starts to rise again to a junction with a track going down to the left after 220m (7)

Take this track and descend. After 240m, ignore a track on the right heading southwest, go ahead and curve right to continue to descend, not quite southeasterly. After 390m, go up a short rise and at the top take the left hand at a fork (8). Continue to descend, and after 500m  turn right at a junction. Shortly afterwards stay left at a fork, and 380m from the right turn take the right at another fork (9). Walking now southwestwards, stay on the ridge. After 260m, stay left at a fork, and after a further 260m stay right at another fork. (10). The track heads south for c200m before joining a wider track and turning east, then southeast over 240m, and finally turning due south at a junction.  Over the next 120m, stay right at the first fork, then go right at the second (11), and continue, first southwest and then due south, over the next 400m.

Arrive at a point with a house on the left, and take the right hand at the fork (12). Now heading more southwest, follow this track for the next 820m, ending at a wide dirt road. (13). Turn right, and after 100m find a narrow farm track on the left, heading off southwest. This climbs gently over 1.14k. Pass a turn to the right after 130m, one to the left towards houses after another 300m, and a cross tracks after 290m more. Finally after another 400m, after the track has turned due north, come to a fork and take the left, and then immediately turn sharp left onto another track, heading southwest (14)

Now follow this track for almost 800m, over a rise and then down a long slope. Arrive at junction with a track running north/south, and turn right. (NOTE: If at this point you have had enough of climbing for the day, you can turn left and follow the track down to the main road. Turn right here to walk back to Falacho and your car, about 1.8k.) To continue, turn right and head north, rising very gently, for almost 500m, to see a farm and surroundings ahead. (15) You can turn either left or right here at walk past this area, left being a bit rougher underfoot but a little more direct. After the paths rejoin beyond the farm, walk further to the north, for 370m, passing a small barragem on the left, and coming to a much larger one at a junction.

Turn right here and walk generally northwards for another 1k, once more on a ridge line, ignoring all turns to left and right. Climb steadily to reach a junction at a high point. (16). Turn left. Looking ahead now, you can see the ridge you walked on your outward trail, across the valley. Now swing round to face more or less south, and head back along an undulating ridge for 1.14k. Come to a junction with a wide track, and fork left. (17). After 130m, turn  right and walk almost due south for 180m to another fork. (18). Take the left hand and descend steeply towards and through Falacho village, to reach the main road after 750m. Turn right to walk the few metres to your car