This walk starts in the village of Pedreiras, where we follow one of the beautiful valleys of Arrábida, surrounded by the typical vegetation of the mountains.
As we progress, we come to the Marmitas de Gigante, geological formations resulting from fluvial erosion of the Ribeira do Risco riverbed, which invite us to stop and enjoy the surrounding landscape. We continue our journey towards the quarries, a site of limestone extraction activity in the region.
The next stop is the Varanda do Cabo de Ares, from where you can enjoy a spectacular view over the sea and the cliffs. Then we continue with a view over Sesimbra and the landscape that stretches out over the blue sea, at Alto da Achada, where the panorama over the city and the coast is breathtaking. Finally, the walk returns to Aldeia das Pedreiras, concluding a route that combines history, nature and breathtaking views in one of Arrábida's magical settings. Another event not to be missed!

Arrábida Natural Park:

The Arrábida Natural Park owes its name to the main geomorphological unit of the whole area, the so-called Arrábida mountain range, made up of 3 axes:

• The 1st is made up of small elevations on the outskirts of Sesimbra, the Risco and Arrábida mountains and the hills between Outão and Setúbal;
• the 2nd is formed by the Sierras de S. Luís and dos Gaiteiros; and
• the 3rd formed by the Serra do Louro and Serra de São Francisco.

The orientation of the mountain range is ENE-OSO (alpine orientation) with a length of around 35 kilometres and an average width of 6 kilometres. The maximum altitude is 501 metres at the Formosinho anticline.

The Arrábida mountain range, and the area of plain that surrounds it, has a great diversity of soils, due to the multivariate constitution of the rocky materials that make up the parent rock. The vast majority of the soils are of sedimentary origin, although there are some eruptive intrusions. All the modelling visible in Arrábida today depends not only on aspects linked to tectonics and erosion, but also on the geology of the area, which is largely made up of limestone and dolomitic or detrital rocks.

As is characteristic of regions whose geology is predominantly made up of limestone, the hydrography has aspects specific to this type of constitution, such as the non-perenniality and smallness of the watercourses.

Serra do Risco and Terras do Risco

Legend has it that it was in this Vale do Risco that King Afonso Henriques "risked" dividing his troops, thus creating a death trap for the Moorish troops based at Sesimbra Castle. On the other hand, the presence of the skyline of the highest cliff above the sea on the Portuguese mainland presents itself as a perfect "risk" on the horizon. What is the reason for this name? We may not have an answer on this tour of a mysterious, unexplored area with unique treasures and views, accessing balconies overlooking the sea and travelling along old paths used by smugglers, climbers and, for a long time, the training ground for Portuguese soldiers going off to war overseas.

- Aldeia das Pedreiras - Marmitas do Gigante - Varanda do Cabo de Ares - Panoramic views and balconies over Sesimbra - Quinta do Calhariz - Natural landscapes -