Sometimes I feel it … the call of the wild! Another city stroll or walk on the beach just won’t cut it at this point (Yep, I am THAT spoiled!) And yet, despite sometimes being on the brink of it, so far I am not totally ready to leave Lisbon and civilization behind and go into survival mode.
Luckily, I found my personal small wilderness just a 30-minute drive away from Lisbon, at the coast on top of the cliffs just before Fonte da Telha.
Photo by Miriam Thaler
Hiking lonely paths with just my toughts
The route starts at a wooden walkway called Passadiço Mata dos Medos. Despite its scary name (Forest of Fears) it has become one of my favourite spots around Lisbon. It’s there I go when I want to get away from the crowds, be surrounded by trees, enjoy stunning views over the ocean and simply be on my own with my thoughts while hiking on lonely paths.
Depending on my mood, I can choose different routes, making this either a quiet stroll or a more challenging hike. No matter the time of year, no matter the weather conditions, this special place always manages to quieten my mind and lift my spirits.
I am sharing a true jewel here with you!
These paths are true allrounders; they work for everyone, old, young, sporty or not so much, at any time. They are great even for people with mobility issues or for those pushing a stroller. You can go there for a small breather or if you want, you can make this an extended hike of a few hours.
The choice is yours.
Spectacular views of the coastline
Your trip most likely starts with putting Passadiço Mata dos Medos into your GPS. This should lead you to a small parking area shaded by trees. From there you can directly step on a wooden walkway and start your walk. These wooden paths lead you through a light and friendly forest towards the cliffs where at two points you’ll find wooden platforms that grant you spectacular views along the Caparica coastline.
If you want to keep your excursion quick and easy, you simply follow the wooden paths and after about 50 minutes of walking at a relaxed pace – including generous stops to enjoy the views – you will be back at your car. If you are up for more. Then, after turning back from the second platform – called Miradoura da Raposa on Googlemaps – you leave the wooden walkway to continue on a sandy path parallel to the cliffs, which is marked in red and white markers on little wooden sign poles.
Now, the truly solitary part begins!
While on the wooden walkway, you might encounter the occasional hiker. On this part of the route, you barely bump into anyone else. Here it is just you, the pine trees and the ocean glistening below. You can follow this footpath until the small fishing village Fonte da Telha. In summer it is a popular beach spot offering long and sandy beaches for a swim. In the beach bars and restaurants of the village you can sit down all year around and enjoy a snack and drink.
While the views are certainly best at the restaurants along the beach, one secret culinary tip in Fonte da Telha is Café São João. Located inside the village away from the beach, the main selling point of this restaurant is its good traditional Portuguese food. A special treat on the menu in Café São João is Choco Frito, fried cuttlefish, a specialty from this Setúbal area south of Lisbon that you don’t find everywhere.
After regaining your strengths in Fonte da Telha, all that is left is walking back towards your car and driving home carrying the solitude of the wilderness within.
Miriam Thaler is a PhD student in Culture Studies in Lisbon. Exploring foreign places and getting to know different people, their stories, ways of life and worldviews has always been her passion. After finishing school she lived and worked as a volunteer for one year in the South of Chile.
Her B.A. in Cultural Anthropology brought her to Munich and Paris. Iceland called her during her Masters for an ethnographic research stay and the shooting of a documentary.
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