Cycling in The Real Algarve

Mrs Akers, 16/12/2022

This was a lovely holiday with interesting, quiet cycling routes through fabulous coastal scenery. Our only slight disappointment was the hotel in Lagos. While the food was good and the room itself comfortable, in the winter sunshine, it was very dark in our room. This may be great in the summer but a hotel more like the one in Sagres, which has lots of natural light and lovely views, would me much better in the winter. Also my husband had an electric bike. While that was great, we were a bit concerned that the battery might run out on some of the longer routes. It didn’t but got very low. This might be a problem for someone who relies heavily on the battery. So perhaps just something to highlight to future clients who decide to use electric bikes.

Mrs Perkins, 06/11/2022

THE ALGAVE IS A BEAUTIFUL AREA OF PORTUGAL TO VISIT AND THE ITINERY WAS PERFECT AND ACCOMODATION WAS LOVELY. SOME OF THE HILLS WERE QUITE CHALLENGING BUT WORTH IT FOR THE VIEWS AND THE BEACHES WERE STUNNING. BIKES AND GPS MAPS WE WERE GIVEN WERE GREAT.

Mrs Anderson, 23/10/2022

This was a nice tour with lovely scenery and good opportunities for exploring the local area especially on the rest days. The first day is a tough one with a lot of hills and it was hotter than we expected for October. But we enjoyed our day off in Lagos with a boat trip and strolling through the old town. The route options from Lagos to Pedralva give a choice of hilly or less hilly , both were enjoyed by members of our group although the hilly option made for tired legs at the end of the day. Pedralva was a fun place to stay with a nice restaurant and friendly staff. The optional off road cliff top tour was a super ride with great scenery and we spent time on one of the beaches swimming and watching the surfers. The ride back to Sarges was less strenuous and we had plenty of time to see Cabo de Sao Vincente ( most south westerly point in Europe) although it was disappointing that the lighthouse was all in scaffolding with no visits possible. Overall a very good trip.

Mrs Kilpatrick, 22/06/2022

Enjoyed trip. Tough enough cycling for a non cyclist as I am. Fine for my husband. First day especially tough. Lagos 2 night stay was a waste. Too tired after 1,St day to cycle and did not enjoy the experience of town of Lagos. Much too commercial and touristy. Be warned too the staff in hotel in Lagos try to ' upsell' drinks. 27 euro for a g and t. 27 euro for a bottle of very poor wine ....totally opposite of what was asked for.

On the contrary the staff in village were very knowledgeable about their products and we drank delicious wine.

Mr Hanna, 19/05/2022

A very well organised self guided cycle holiday. Great hotels & excellent cycle routes. The Headwater navigation app excellent. Alex the point of contact always available.

Mr WEEKS, 05/05/2022

Cycle routes were good and easy to follow, one bike needed new rear brake pads after first day, this should have been identified before bike was issued. Repair was promptly addressed. Also had a puncture on first day , front tyre had very little tread in the centre, so puncture could have been avoided. All accommodation was very good and food excellent with great advice from restaurant staff.

Ms Turner, 22/11/2021

This is a fantastic cycle route - every day interesting. Super scenery, lovely cycling, lots of places to visit, people everywhere wonderful. We enjoyed it SO much. Highly recommend.

Mrs SMITH, 28/10/2021

Well organised tour with efficient moving of luggage and good standard of accommodation. Wonderful scenery particularly around the coastal areas on the west side of the peninsula. The wind and steep hills on the first day in particular made it pretty tiring. Bikes were really good particularly on off road stretches. The luggage rack and Paniers did make the bikes quite heavy on the hilly areas. The app was excellent for guiding and very quickly indicated if you took a wrong turning. It is good to study the description as the app doesn’t always tell you where the optional stops are. We rode right past one of our planned lunch stops without realising.

Overall a really lovely and varied tour of the south west corner of the Algarve.

Mr BRADISH, 24/10/2021

Helen Hodson at Headwater was very helpful. The bike handover in Sagres was very poor with no arrangements having been made (we just happened to be in our room

when he arrived), no panniers provided, phone holder for one of us only. Trip notes said a mobile would be provided for duration holiday but this did not exist. Similarly on returning bikes no arrangements made.

Trip notes mention

cafes but not that they were closed on Sundays, opening times would be very helpful, particularly cycling to Petralva.

GPS worked well. Busy road section on route to Petralva and better if this could be avoided.

Accommodation and food good on the whole.

Luggage transfer worked well.

Overall we enjoyed the holiday.

Headwater response:
Thank you for your invaluable feedback, we are pleased to learn that overall you enjoyed your self guided cycling experience with us. Your holiday feedback is invaluable to us and we recognise that there are improvements to be made, we will work closely with our locally appointed agent to ensure they fully understand the importance of providing a high level of service and the correct equipment to accompany the bicycles. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to rectify this whilst you were on holiday with us.
Thank you for choosing Headwater.
Headwater Customer Service Team

Mrs Quick, 23/04/2019

Lovely way to visit the real Portugal and experience the incredible friendliness of the local people.

Mr Rose, 28/03/2019

Excellent service from Headwater throughout, representatives Tony and Ludmilla most helpful and ensure that everything is organised and correct for a great experience and a holiday with no worries. Ideal hotels, lovely countryside and coast with options for routes to suit the individual, and with the GPS app you can't go wrong. Highly recommend.

Ms Campbell, 27/02/2019

Wonderful area to cycle in - varied terrain and scenery. Made harder by winds but did anticipate this. Very relaxing few days. Was great to know we had support from Tony and Ludmilla if needed. A lovely way to discover this area of Portugal

Mr Cronin, 05/01/2019

The holidays and accommodation are very good

Mr Murray, 03/12/2018

Having a "winter' cycling holiday is a great idea, and going through the Algarve during off peak season was a wonderful way to see the region. We really enjoyed going off the beaten track, through lanes and villages, and staying in interesting places like Pedralva (but a note of warning - its colder there than anywhere else in the trip so bring warm clothes!). The bikes were excellent! In spite of the sometimes quite rough terrain there was not a single puncture nor any issues! As usual, the trip was well organised, the accommodation and food very good, as we now expect from Headwater. The Ride with GPS is also brilliant and makes navigating a loss less stressful. Thank you for yet another great holiday!

Mr Rugman, 16/11/2018

This was our first Headwater cycling holiday and it was excellent in every way: choice of routes, route guidance (especially Ride with GPS), type and quality of bikes, location and quality of hotels, and transfers to/from the airport and luggage between hotels. Special mention of the local reps, Tony and Ludmilla, who were always friendly, helpful and efficient, with the right amount of advice at the right time. We are both over 70 but had no difficulty with this grade 2 holiday in the 'real' Algarve. We were lucky with the weather in mid October: 20C and sunny during the day but heavy rain at night. Waterproofs essential at that time of year. All in all, a memorable holiday.

Mrs Stevens, 03/06/2018

We loved cycling this part of Portugal. At this time of year wild flowers were everywhere, enhancing our coastal and country rides The 2 headwater reps were really helpful and considerate in ensuring that we 2 technophobe senior citizens were able to fully enjoy the benefits of the Ride with GPS system. ( We had been provided with paper route guidance as back up but thanks to the reps this was not really needed) The rides were slightly challenging for us but we loved the coastal views and villages as well as the countryside - staying in the reclaimed village at Pedralva was a great experience, including the local bread stew We have enjoyed several Headwater cycling holidays in the past and we feel the standard has just continued to improve.

Mrs Payne, 12/05/2018

Fabulous cycling amongst Spring meadows. Fabulous flowers, rugged coastline and interesting villages.

Mrs Smith, 09/04/2018

An excellent introduction to a cycling holiday abroad. Everything was made simple and the bikes provided were superb. Easy to follow notes and fantastic accommodation at the end of each day. Would definitely recommend to others.

Mrs Chowienczyk, 29/01/2018

Thoroughly enjoyable relaxing holiday . Ideal for taking away the winter blues. Comfortable, well organised stress free booking travelling holiday. Thanks

Mr Nichols, 17/01/2018

The routes were excellent; a mix of terrain and stunning scenery. We enjoyed the off-road sections particularly the optional coast and river valley route on our free day at Pedralva. We went in January and whilst the roads were very quiet it did mean that many cafes and restaurants were closed and the hotels were quiet. The weather is changeable at this time of year. We had one day of wind and steady rain but we went prepared for variable weather so this didn't spoil an enjoyable day cycling. We would like to do this route again in the Spring when the flora is in bloom and the birds are migrating.

Mr Wahl, 29/10/2017

An excellent cycling holiday which brings you the delights of the western Algarve coast and hills behind Lagos. Fantastic scenery, super hotels with the delights of local food. The sardines in Salema were wonderful. Pedralva is a real find. All well delivered by the Headwater team.

Mr Nicol, 19/10/2017

from the time we landed we were looked after until we got back to the airport.all went very well.welldone headwater

Mr Merryweather, 08/05/2017

'Wonderful holiday! Delightful (and very) varied accommodation, excellent food and terrific sights and smells in some wonderful countryside. But this can be a physically demanding cycle tour, so do ensure you are prepared to cycle - or push - your bike up some stiff hills.



Thanks to all at Headwater and, in particular, to Ludmilla.'

Mr Burrell, 27/04/2017

Quite simply the best holiday we have had in several years. Great food, great scenery, helpful staff, activity and brilliant weather. Just what we needed. Thank you

Mr Turner, 02/04/2017

The toughest Headwater cycling holiday I have been on, due to the preponderance of off road some of which was quite rough and steep, plus the fact that for two and a half days of the three days cycling there was a strong cold headwind, therefore I think the grading should be changed.

Ms Bernard, 26/03/2017

A challenging cycle experience in variable weather, with far reaching views at the end of Europe.

Mr Corlett, 02/01/2017

I was fortunate to have absolutely perfect weather and low wind levels for my cycling trip to southern portugal.. a very enjoyable experience and would definitely do a repeat.

Mr Morgan, 23/10/2016

Cycling is a great way to experience a country

Mr Warren, 21/10/2016

quite challenging cycling on day one for the over70s - entirely our choice made enjoyable by rescue and advice from Tony and Ludmilla - absolute gems throughout - electric bikes would be a good option on this holiday - easy enough to avoid the offroad stuff if that is a worry with them - overall an excellent holiday with spectacular beaches and coastal views

Mrs Harraway, 14/10/2016

Excellent hotels, and food .

Extremely well organised .

Reps very helpful.

Cycling tough !

Mr Daniel, 03/06/2016

First visit to the Algarve and first cycling holiday. Hard work for a couple of days but the rewards matched the effort. Lovely locations and hotels had top quality staff. Our two reps were lovely and incredibly helpful. We have used Headwater only a few times over 20 or so years, but every time the holiday has been special. That is why we have always looked them up when considering a trip overseas.

Mr Milward, 23/05/2016

Extremely well organised , with excellent local representative (Tony) who provided additional information and support without hesitation. Also provided local maps and timetables for my time in Faro which allowed me to enjoy that day, he also informed me about the industrial action at the airport which allowed me to make appropriate arrangements.

Mrs Gibson, 08/05/2016

It was excellent from start to finish. Our reps Tony & Ludmila Lewis made our holiday experience special with their friendliness, humour and knowledge. Please pass on our thanks.I am hoping to book a walking holiday with Headwater next year with my friend please send me a brochure

Dr Davies, 18/04/2016

A very nice holiday. The cycling was generally very good. It is a little hilly so is certainly a grade 2. There was a little bit more off road than we expected and one part of this was a particularly bad track which was slow going. Everything else was fine. The accommodation was good.

Mrs Roper, 12/04/2016

This was a lovely holiday.The wild flowers were magnificent and the scents of orange blossom and fresh herbs will long remain with us.We enjoyed the variety of different tracks and the headland loop at Amado beach was stunning.The bikes were excellent with especially low gears for those hills,and the tour notes were pretty good. The welcome at all three hotels was genuinely warm and the accommodation very comfortable, except at Pedralva,where the bed felt like a marble slab, and gave us a restless 2 nights. The food and wine was fresh, wholesome and very well prepared.We thoroughly enjoyed this break and came back feeling refreshed and invigorated. We will definitely consider Headwater when choosing our next holiday.

Ms Bronger, 05/04/2016

Fun. We enjoyed our visit to Portugal.

Mrs Maclehose, 25/03/2015

Excellent cycling on wonderful bikes. Tony and Ludmilla were fantastically helpful and we were especially grateful that Tony picked us up from not the usual collection point. The notes were perfect and we were very lucky with the weather. The suggestions for rest days were also very good. Hotels all fine, especially Memmo. Pedralva rooms could do with better heating and much better lighting but the bar and restaurant areas were very good . Food at Pedralva was excellent. Would definitely recommend the holiday and commend highly Tony and Ludmilla who definitely had a 'nothing is too much trouble' attitude and who clearly enjoy their roles. Thank you very much.

Mr Tweed, 16/03/2015

Seamless from start to finish with excellent opportunities to explore and relax in equal measure.

Mr Shrubsole, 04/11/2014

An absolutely fantastic holiday - you see things on a bike that you wouldn't normally see - birds, flora and fauna and of course local villages with delightful local Portuguese people

Ms MacEachern, 25/03/2014

Surprisingly quiet routes, wonderful scenery and sunshine, excellent food. Pacing suited us with a day's cycling followed by hiking on our rest days. Pedralva was a highlight in all respects from accommodation and surroundings to food.

Mrs Stratford, 16/03/2014

Excellent Holiday and very knowledgeable and helpful Representative.

Mr Rudd, 09/03/2014

A great place for a cycling holiday. The routes were good and varied.

Mrs Pogson, 25/02/2014

Cycling through fantastic scenery in mimosa eucalyptus pine scented warm air within a day of leaving flood & storm ravaged UK - wonderful. Tony & Ludmilla are great hosts. Their warm welcome quickly overcame the effects of a long laborious day long journey via Lisbon - Faro & taxi halves the travel time at little if any overall extra cost. The 2 hotels we stayed in are 2 of the best we've had in 20yrs of Headwater holidays. However Pedralva - it no doubt has it's charms but is basically self catering units more suited to summer use. Compared to our 2 previous stops the welcome here was 'grumpy' & our room was cold gloomy & oppressive - more like a cell with 2 v small windows looking straight out at other houses across narrow streets at eye level so no privacy in the bedroom or sitting area without closing little shutters making it even gloomier. The shower room was unheated & there was no hair dryer. A Youth Hostel style kitchen dominated our sitting area - a dirty hot plate, a dustpan & brush in full view as also a slop bucket (ugh) & the upmarket 'coffee making facilities' were of no practical use as no pods - a simple kettle would be much better & more welcoming. The swimming pool is outdoors & was not available so no 'relaxing by the pool' & given the cold location of Pedralva I doubt would be for many of the Headwater months. I was unable to access wifi on my iPad at the designated spot in Reception - I did on the 2nd night with some perseverance find a tiny area in the Bar where I could get a signal. Ah - the Bar! & it's tender & the food he serves in the evenings are the outstanding highlight of Pedralva - make the most of it - the breakfasts are fairly meagre. We felt Pedralva fell short on many of the facilities promised in the Headwater description.

Mr Edwards, 03/12/2013

We were pleasantly surprised by the professional way everything was handled by office staff. The reps who were new to the area were so helpful and were even working on new tracks as alternatives the night before we would use them. It was a lovely relaxing holiday with just the right amount of activity,also the pleasant weather for time of the year helped.

Mis Polkey, 20/11/2013

Lovely holiday. Headwater made all it very easy. Leisurely cycling - nice mixture of exercise and relaxation. Excellent food and accommodation.

Mr Beaven, 12/11/2013

Excellent organisation and welcome / support from local Headwater reps. Interesting terrain and wildlife.