Rock & Ride is a wild mix of persons who live for their sport and love nature. We go out to bike in the rain, surf until it gets dark, like to hike in a storm or have to fit in some quick climbing action before work. What we all have in common is our belief that the person with the biggest smile and not the best style, is the winner. Each of us is still stoked by the beauty of our nature and that’s what connects us. Sharing the joy of living through outdoor activities in an exhilarating and unique nature, that’s the idea behind Rock & Ride
We don’t have fixed routes. We can guide you along the rough coast of the Atlantic with its steep cliffs and hidden beaches, or take you to the heart of the Serra de Sintra with its dense and diverse flora, deep valleys and exposed hilltops. Breathtaking views are guaranteed! Whether you’re looking for a relaxing walk or a challenging hike is up to you. Whether you want to see remote beaches or hike narrow foot trails through the forest or on steep cliffs, we will show you the way to what you want to see and experience. If you want to see sights like the Moorish Castle, the Pena Palace, the Capuchos Convent, Sintra’s National Palace, the Palace of Monserrate, Quinta da Regaleira, Peninha or Cabo da Roca, we will be happy to organize it. (But to be honest, you don’t need a guide to visit the known sights). We want to show you what is hard to find by yourself. To us, “off the beaten track“ means that we may have to climb over a fence or jump across a stream. To fill your water bottle at a hidden fountain, eat medlars from the tree or to eat in a small restaurant which is not listed on Trip Advisor and where the old host doesn’t even know what that is. Whether you’re young or old, fit or not, the journey is the reward, and a smile is the prize. Get lost with us.
Hiking in the Sintra /Cascais Natural Park and the steep cliffs of Cabo da Roca (Europe’s westernmost point). From Cascais to Magoito, there are countless little treasures plus the big sights such as Azenhas do Mar, Colares and Sintra with its many castles and palaces (UNESCO World cultural heritage site since 1992). Additionally, there’s the “Serra de Sintra”, a small wonder of nature that’s difficult to describe. A 16 km long ridge with a microclimate that nurtures rain, eucalyptus, pine and mixed forests with over 900 plant species in a very small area. From the 530m high ridge you can view the ocean in three directions. With the westernmost point of continental Europe, its green valleys, dizzying cliffs and the rough Atlantic coast, it’s one of the most diverse areas to discover on the Iberian Peninsula.
Courses with a maximum of 3 participants. A combination of video analysis and direct coaching is particularly effective to get your surfing to the next level. Our surf instructors will analyze your surfing and define new goals together with you.
Our intermediate surf course is for surfers who have general knowledge of safety rules, how to choose and paddle for a whitewater wave and know how to do a takeoff. Our instructors will focus on your goal of surfing “green” waves.
In the beginner course you’ll learn the basics of surfing. Our experienced and certified instructors will patiently accompany all of your steps. Our main goals are safety and feeling comfortable in the water.
In order to provide you with the best possible surfing experience, we choose the best beach for you out of 64 surf spots within a 50km radius. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced surfer, in our surf courses we will cater to your individual needs. Following our motto “smile over style”, we think that surfing should be primarily about having fun. We offer beginner courses in which you quickly and efficiently learn how to catch a wave. Our intermediate courses are about learning to ride a “green wave”. Our private courses give you the opportunity to bring your surfing to the next level. Highly motivated instructors, small groups, the right material and a large selection of beaches will guarantee an excellent learning success.
In our beginner and intermediate climbing courses, our certified and experienced guides will share their profound local knowledge with you and will present you new climbing routes every day, always according to your personal climbing our bouldering level. 100% safety is always guaranteed. In the beginner course a so-called top rope will always guarantee your safety in the beginning. Our instructors will teach you the sports basics like equipment use, safety rules, basic knot, basic climbing techniques and climbing communication, as well as top rope belay knowledge. For some experience with bouldering, we will always bring a crash pad for you to use. In the intermediate course, we will fully cater to your wishes. You know best what you want to improve or what you want to learn. Be it slab climbing, chimneys, overhangs, boulders or cracks, we will do our best to fulfill your wishes. We will find suitable climbing routes with the right cruxes. Crash pads are included.
Discover one of Europe`s lesser known yet more diverse climbing areas. Within a radius of 50 km you have more than 40 climbing spots at your disposal, with the majority of them right at our doorstep. Whether it’s bouldering, sports or trad climbing, here you will find everything you need for a climbing holiday. Granite boulders in a mystic forest, sand stone cliffs or limestone walls by the ocean, what more do you want? The towns of Sintra and Cascais have become a climbing paradise in Portugal and offer countless climbing and boulder routes of every difficulty level and for all tastes. The Cascais/Sintra Natural Park is full of granite blocks prefect for bouldering, or you can practice your friction climbing on one of several granite slabs. Thanks to the noticeably cooler temperatures of Sintra’s microclimate, the climbing spots in this area are perfect for otherwise too hot summer days, and there is a vast number of yet undiscovered boulders. Cascais offers countless climbing routes on good limestone cliffs right above the ocean. Blocks broken off by the ocean also offer bouldering opportunities. Many of the routes are right over the sea. This means that on a hot day, you can take a quick dip in the Atlantic right from your belaying spot. As some of the best spots are well hidden in the forest we advise you to take a guide for some days to get the best out of your time. Whether it is your first steps outside your local indoor climbing gym or you simply want to improve your rock climbing techniques, our climbing and boulder guides will find just the right spot with the best routes for you. We are happy to support you with high-quality material, knowledge of the area and professional guides and instructors.
Come and climb with us on the steep cliffs of the Atlantic and the mystic rocks of the Cascais/ Sintra Natural Park. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a total beginner or a pro, our certified climbing guides and instructors will find the most suitable routes for you. If a climbing spot happens to be crowded, we have a plan B to make sure that you have an amazing climbing day. Breathtaking views and a unique scenery will make this day unforgettable.
You want to ride berms faster and more stylish or jump higher, further and more controlled? We have two bike / dirt parks at our disposal: one with a beginner jumpline and a few mini jumps for practicing. And a full on bike /dirt park for all levels with 6 jumplines, a pumptrack, two wall rides, an enduro run with 7 berms, two mini drops and 4 jumps. All of this with a nice sea view. Everyone can learn something new here or improve their style and then apply it on the trails.
All you want are drops, jumps and stone fields, the steeper the better. We got it, we have it and we’ll show you. But…. only with complete protection gear! This is your holiday and lying injured in a sun lounger while the others are sending is not the plan. The downhill tracks of the Serra de Sintra are rooty and rocky, with narrow passages and very steep sections. All teams and pros who have visited us have been pleasantly surprised by what has been built in this forest. It’s an extensive bike park without lifts but with a shuttle service instead. Come and send it in Sintra!
