Guincho

These shale slabs were among the first climbing spots around Lisbon. In the 1970s, some training courses took place here. Back then, climbers lacked proper protection equipment, relying instead on rudimentary gear like bicoins and pegs to protect themselves on these loose, chossy faces. Due to the poor quality of the rock and a major rockfall on the cliff’s right side, climbers gradually abandoned these slabs in favor of more solid cliffs such as Guia, Penedo da Amizade, Fojo, or Espinhaço.

Near Forte do Guincho, you can also find some boulders with problems established by Ricardo Alves and by João Pedro Pena.

IN the 80's Henrique Cabreira started working on the topo of Cinzentos, but to this date we could only find the cover and the handdrawn map of the area.

Location

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HOW TO GET THERE

Drive and park at Forte do Guincho and follow the obvious trail heading north. Alternatively, you can park at Biscaia and access the cliffs from that side — the best option during summer when Praia do Guincho gets crowded.

APPROACH

Follow the main trail and then descend to the beach below the slabs to reach the base of the crag.

COMMENTS

Bolts condition No bolts on the routes except for some recent additions in 2024: M12 bolts with rings were installed as lower-off anchors on Via Diagonal and Via do Canto / Escoteiros. For Via da Lagoa dos Ouriços and Via dos Tectos, bring large slings (minimum 3 meters) to wrap around natural features at the top of the wall for your anchors. Route height 20-50 m aprox. Restrictions No restrictions. Other comments Despite the low grades, these routes should not be underestimated in terms of difficulty. The rock is very chossy, and protection with cams and nuts is scarce, spaced far apart, demanding a high level of skill. A hammer and pegs may offer some additional protection options, though the rock quality remains poor. Because of these factors, the sense of exposure on this cliff is significant. No topo has ever been created for this sector. Some information about the routes and their names was provided by Rogério Morais and Paulo Alves. Paulo Alves’s personal climbing journal includes records of some ascents, often with vague descriptions of the lines climbed. It’s possible that the more obvious routes were established even before the dates mentioned.