Peak 9 | Torre, Portugal | 1993m | 27th April 2019
- Adam Stevenson
- Apr 27, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 12, 2019
The highest point on mainland Portugal, but despite its height, it is actually one of the more unadventurous ones on the list. There is a distinct lack of trails to encourage any hike up. The only feasible option is to drive on the narrow winding roads all the way to the summit.
Quick Summary
• Starting point - Serra da Estrela
• Route taken - None
• Total ascent - Minimal
• Total length - Minimal
• Total time - 1 hour (Exploring)
• Expense category - #VeryLow
• Equipment - #None
• Difficulty - #Level1 of 5
• Enjoyment - #1star of 5*
After a failed attempt to summit Andorra's highest peak due to bad weather we then drove to Portugal. Spending a night at Burgos and then Salamanca on route.
The area is actually quite unfriendly for hikers. At least for the purpose of climbing Monte Torre. There are no proper trails or routes that you can take to get from the near the base to the summit. The only real access is to take a long winding drive up. We did, however, stop at various viewpoints along the road that offered better places to explore and more scenic views than the summit itself.
The day we went was particularly busy for some reason. It may have been because it was a Saturday and it looked like a lot of families were there to ski or sledge down the last of the remaining snow. But we found it hard and stressful to even park anywhere.
We had a bit of a walk around, checked out a shop on the summit that was packed to the brim full of cheese, souvenirs and tourists then got off pretty quickly with a new destination towards the south of Portugal.
It's not one that thrilled me with excitement but this peak could well have been the highest bit of earth that I had walked upon up until this point...
*Dispute
Torre is the tallest peak of mainland Portugal. But Portugal's high point could also technically be claimed to be Mount Pico (2351m) on Pico Island in the North Atlantic ocean. However, Pico Island within the archipelago of the Azores has an independent government. So for the purpose of this challenge, I will not be regarding Mount Pico as Portugal's high point but it may be something I summit at a later stage.
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