Terras do Risco

The PR1 SSB – Terras do Risco trail crosses the meadows of Risco along a path lined with the characteristic vegetation of the Arrábida range, continuing toward Roça do Casal do Meio through a narrow, rocky trail that winds through dense scrubland.

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The return to the Calhariz road, the starting point, follows the same section of trail. The route has no major inclines, but in adverse weather conditions the level of difficulty increases. Hikers should be alert for the presence of large animals near the trails. Some physical preparation and adequate food and water supplies are recommended.

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​Throughout this trail, there are several noteworthy features worth pausing to observe:

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Polje – Terras do Risco Meadows

Along the plateau north of the Serra do Risco Ridge, you walk across a depression formed by the dissolution of limestone through the action of water, a typical karst feature known as a polje. These areas often flood seasonally, though in the case of Risco the flooding no longer occurs. The depression is now filled with alluvial sediment and covered in meadows.

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​Serra do Risco Ridge

To the south, the skyline is defined by the ridge of Serra do Risco, whose highest point, Píncaro (382 metres), forms the tallest limestone escarpment in Europe, best appreciated from the sea. The outline of Serra do Risco is iconic of the entire Arrábida range. As poet Sebastião da Gama wrote in 1949:

“The mountain bears the semblance of a wave surging impetuous, hastily stilled and chiselled in the air — a wave of stone and heath, the fossil of a wave"

 

​Roça do Casal do Meio

A false-domed funerary monument built of limestone, with a subcircular chamber coated in clay and an access corridor facing southeast. The structure is surrounded by a stone ring reinforced with large limestone blocks. It is believed to have been built and used for the burial of two men.

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​Flora

The trail passes through extensive herbaceous fields, where in spring it is easy to spot wild orchids. The Arrábida Natural Park is home to about thirty orchid species, including the Ophrys lutea (yellow bee-orchid) and Ophrys speculum (mirror orchid).