Outdoor Adventures In Peniche In Portugal

Fun Outdoor Adventures In Peniche In Portugal

On our stay on the west coast of Portugal we found so many fun outdoor adventures in Peniche in Portugal.  

In the port area of Peniche we found lots of places to eat and drink.  And around the peninsula, we saw the remains of the walled town and the old fort.

But the real draw for us was the amazing outdoor scenery.  The Peniche peninsula showed the succession of sedimentary rocks back to the Jurassic Age (200 million years ago).  At one point, this part of the Iberian Peninsula was actually an island.  This unique geology provided us with some amazing landscapes.  We were amazed when we explored the Ilheu da Papôa, Cape Carvoeiro and the Gruta da Furninha.

Exploring Papôa

On the north coast of Peniche we found the small limestone peninsula and a volcanic gap known as the islet of Papôa (Ilheu da Papôa).  We saw lots of prior volcanic activity when we visited the Azores Islands of Portugal.  But Papôa was the only place on the Portugal mainland with evidence of volcanism.

We easily navigated to a parking spot on the rocks at Papôa.  When we left the hotel on our stay in this western region of Portugal, the rain poured down.  Luckily by the time we reached Papôa, the rain stopped and the sun came out.  But we found the muddy paths at Papôa quite slippery.  As we found when we explored the cliffs along the Algarve Coast, outdoor spots like this had few if any guardrails to the edge of the rocks.  So we were very careful when we headed out along Papôa.

The waves crashed below us as we walked.  The red rock cliffs were beautiful as the sun came out.  This was a great spot for bird watching and fishing.  And we learned there were shipwrecks in the water that must make the scuba diving great.

We walked towards the point and found a series of bridges.  It was a great spot for another view of Papôa.

Our stop at Papôa gave us our first taste of the outdoor adventures in Peniche.

Volcanic Rocks At Varanda De Pilatos

From Papôa we headed in the direction of Cape Carvoeiro on the Peniche peninsula.  Off in the distance we saw the Cape Carvoeiro Lighthouse.  But we were drawn to stop the car and explore the vast volcanic rock field at Varanda De Pilatos. We were drawn towards the water and watched the waves as they crashed on the shore.

But we were intrigued when we saw a steep ladder that took us down into a cave.  From below we got a different perspective on the crashing waves.

A stop at Varanda De Pilatos gave us another view of the outdoor adventures in Peniche.  And it taught us to look for ways to get down the side of the cliffs.

Portugal’s Furthest West Spot At Cape Carvoeiro

Cape Carvoeiro (Cabo Carvoeiro) was located on the far western corner of the peninsular of Peniche.  From Varanda De Pilatos we got our first view of the Cape Carvoeiro Lighthouse.  As we approached, we got a closer view of the large boulder which was said to resemble a giant, half-shipwrecked vessel from some angles.  

When we reached the point at Cape Carvoeiro, we found an information sign and a window frame for a view out.  In clear weather, this spot offered views over the sea and the Berlenga islands.  And Cape Carvoeiro was known as a great spot for perfect sunsets!

But we were not done yet!  Beside the boarded up viewing platform, we saw a steep set of rock stairs that went down.  It was a perilous path down with missing stairs at many points.  But after a slow descent, the views of the pounding surf were worth the effort.

We found lots of outdoor adventures in Peniche when we stopped at Cape Carvoeiro. 

Exploring Gruta da Furninha

The next stop on our travels around Peniche was the Gruta da Furninha (Furninha Cave).  This natural cavity in the rock was once inhabited in the pre-historic period.  Bones, utensils and Neolithic ceramics were found in the cave and could be viewed at the Peniche Municipal Museum.  

When we parked, it was not immediately obvious where the cave was.  But we knew to look for another set of steep stairs down the cliff side.  We found another set of steep stone stairs with no railings.  When we got to the lower platform, there was another set of stairs carved into the rock.  But high splashing water made progressing further dangerous on the wet, slippery stairs.

At the bottom platform we got a great view of the splashing waves.  And the fisherman settled in for the afternoon.

The Gruta da Furninha cave entrance was easy to find.  But a bit slippery to enter.  Slowly moving into the cave, we found dark caverns that sparkled with colour when lit up.  We were sure we did not travel to the furthest reached of the cave system but were glad we got a look inside.

Exploring the Gruta da Furninha was an amazing one of the outdoor adventures in Peniche.

Watch The Waves Crashing At Praia Do Carreiro de Joanes

From the Gruta da Furninha we continued along the coast.  The dirt road around the Passos De D. Leonor provided us with several spots to stop and view the steep cliffs.  Below we saw more of the caves carved into the steep rock faces. At one point, we found a spot and watched the waves crashing.  They moved into an inlet and crashed high in the air.

We kept walking along the shoreline and saw the Carreiro de Joanes beach at the point of the inlet.  We took a set of stairs down – again!  At the Praia do Carreiro de Joanes, we were rewarded with a sand beach and a close up view of the waves as they rushed through the inlet.

We kept moving around the point and stopped on the cliff at Porto Da Areia Sul.  From there we got a view of Peniche over the cliff and coloured buildings.  We learned that the stone used to build the Peniche fortifications was extracted from here.

We loved all the pounding surf views we got chasing outdoor adventures in Peniche.

Sunsets And Surfers At Baleal

The first time we passed by Baleal just outside Peniche, we saw surfers everywhere.  We had just enjoyed the surfing scene on a visit to Nazaré so we did not stop.  But when we returned to Baleal one evening to catch the sunset we saw why this was such a favourite surfing spot.  It reminded us of the great surfing views we got on our road trip around Oahu in Hawaii. 

We followed the road out to the point and kept our eyes peeled for the rare parking spot. The busy restaurant area was full.  But when we arrived at the small Chapel of Santo Estêvão Baleal we found a perfect parking spot.  It was the advantage of arriving a few hours before sunset. 

The small church was over 400 years old.  It was not open when we visited but was open for special events and the Easter celebration. We perched on the rocks and looked back at the surfers.  Locals clambered over the rocks for good fishing spots.  We just settled in and enjoyed the view. 

When we headed off to the point, the path was a bit more challenging.  But worth it for the views and to see what remained of the fort ruins.

As sunset approached, we looked for the perfect spot for sunset.  We were told that the sunset over the crashing waves made the perfect image.  It was wild to watch the spray high in the air.  We got the image we wanted over the crashing waves.  And saw the rocks on the point painted in colour. 

Continuing our walk around Baleal peninsula we found another spot and watched the waves and sunset in Baleal.  It was a great way to finish our outdoor adventures in Peniche.

We Found So Many Outdoor Adventures In Peniche In Portugal

We were happy we found so many great spots for outdoor adventures in Peniche on our stay on the west coast of Portugal.  The geology of this peninsula gave us amazing views around the coast at Ilheu da Papôa, Cape Carvoeiro and the Gruta da Furninha.  Heading to Baleal gave us more amazing rocks with waves and sunsets too!

From many spots we saw the Berlengas Islands offshore and we were sure sad we missed a boat trip to these islands.  The weather kept the sea rougher than the boats could handle.  We knew there was lots to see on a boat tour to the islands.  And on a return trip, we might think about scuba diving here!

Did you find outdoor adventures in Peniche?  What was your favourite? 

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