Rocha da Pena

Rocha da Pena (479 m) is one of the summits of the Barrocal and is located in the parishes of Salir and Benafim, in the municipality of Loulé. It features a limestone escarpment roughly 50 metres high, whose plateau extends for approximately 2 kilometres. The erosive action of water on the limestone has given rise to karst formations such as the Algar dos Mouros cave, which, according to legend, served as a refuge for the Moors after the conquest of Salir by D. Paio Peres Correia. Its geological, archaeological, environmental and scenic importance led to its designation as a Local Protected Landscape.

One of the riches of this Protected Landscape is the great diversity of its flora, with over 500 species, some of which are endemic and many others medicinal and aromatic. Due to its geographical location, it also has a great diversity of birdlife — approximately 122 species have been recorded, most of which are resident, although migratory, wintering, nesting and summer visitors are also found. There is much to uncover in the limestone-formed caves, but above all the enigma of the enormous loose-stone wall, forming a kind of rampart some 400 metres long, remains to be solved.

For mountaineering and adventure enthusiasts, there is an interesting cliff face with several well-marked climbing areas.

Rocha da Pena is a vast plateau offering breathtaking views and can be explored via an exciting hiking trail of about 7 km, characterised initially by a somewhat steep and long ascent, with the far side being more accessible (difficulty: easy – level 2).