Dunas de São Jacinto
Trail description
The loop starts at the Reserva Natural das Dunas de São Jacinto information board and follows the reserve's sandy hiking paths north through the dunes and pine woods before coming back south. Created in 1979 at the tip of the sandy peninsula between the Atlantic and the Ria de Aveiro, the reserve protects a well-preserved dune ridge backed by pine forest planted from the late 19th century to hold the sand. Ponds dug in the 1980s as a refuge for the lagoon's ducks now hold some of the largest numbers of wintering ducks in Portugal. Access is regulated: ICNF asks walkers to check in at the interpretive centre before entering and allows entry to the trails only at set hours, so it is worth contacting the reserve before travelling. The loop is about 5.3 km, with some 30 m of climbing.