Peniche, Baleal and Ferrel through my eyes
Today I find myself enjoying an atypically sunny morning next to the pool here at Shark’s Lodge. It’s a quiet day at work, Saturday. All the planning for next week is done, the rooms for check-ins are ready and the yoga class I’m teaching isn’t until later in the evening. So I’m happily grabbing this moment to sit down with my laptop and pass to you my favourite places and experiences of the area. It’s been one month and a half since I arrived at the Peniche bus stop myself and s started my adventures here. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I am and that the tips below will be your trusty guide.
Best decision – buying a bicycle
I know, I know… If you are coming to Shark’s Lodge for a week, it doesn’t make sense to buy a bike. But for me, a bike has been my dearest mode of transportation. The distance between the Lodge and nearby towns is just perfect for a chill bike ride. I enjoyed every time I went through the authentic town of Peniche, discovering colourful houses or walls with street art. Sometimes even abandoned buildings that looked like castles. The bike ride to the other side (towards Ferrel) is stretched along the dunes, which display themselves in new colours depending on the weather. The most beautiful ones – for sure during the golden hour. Start cycling around 8 pm and you’ll be able to witness the magic yourself and might even be on time for a glass of sangria or your favourite cocktail at the best sunset spots – Bar do Bruno or Tribo da Praia. And of course consider renting a bike, even if for a day.
Best food walking distance from Shark's Lodge - Bar do Cerro
If you’re relying only on yourself in terms of transportation and want to go for a bite after that exhausting morning surf class – take a quick walk to Bar do Cerro. It’s a relatively hidden spot but has a great menu for a beach bar. It’s terrace is protected with a big glass so even on the windy days you can relax with a marvellous view. I’ve spent several evenings and almost one entire of my day offs there chatting with my friends and family on the phone. They have wifi and the staff are lovely.
Hike route - around the Peniche peninsula
Okay, let’s take a side step from the hedonistic experiences for a short while. Obviously, something I havn’t been excellent at given that this hike is still on my to-do list… But I did hear that the perimeter of the Peniche peninsula is full of beautifull rock formation and hidden beach spots. Some places to navigate to are:
– Ilhéu da Papôa
– Forte da Luz
– Ponta do Trovão
– Cape Carvoeiro
Favourite beach spot – Praia Lagide
Maybe it’s just my feeling, but I feel like on that side of Baleal, the beach is a bit more protected from the ever present wind. If you go around the Baleal peninsula (takes only couple minutes, it’s tiny) – you’ll also find some hidden beach spots. If you are down to explore a bit further, for sure go check out Gigi’s and Almagreira. They are advanced surfing spots and are famous for their terracotta hanging cliffs.
Hidden gem – Consolaçao
The little neighbouring village next to Peniche has at least two restaurants worth sidetracking from the regular destinations: UMAMI and Sol é Vida. Little birdy has also sang in my ear something about good burger joint and live music venue. I’ll leave the rest of the investigation up to you though. There is some thrill in that too.
After sunsent spot – Boske Ferrel
An outside venue located a little bit in the middle of nowehere but also in a forest, which at first glance isn’t even that obvious exists around Ferrel. On some nights they have live music and the spot has that mystical forest and fairy lights vibe. Find them on Instagram to stay on top of their events schedule.
The only natural wine bar - Sol Ferrel
https://www.instagram.com/sol.ferrel/
At the moment that I’m writing this text – the presence of natural wine in a bar in Amsterdam (where I reside) is like the litmus test for a hip place that’s going to attract funky dressed people, have good coffee and even better food. So when I saw Sol was the only natural wine bar in the Ferrel area, of course I dashed there on my very first day off. It has delivered on all the promises it indirectly gave me. They probably have the best coffee with the choice between aero-press, espresso and pour-overs. They make iced-matcha, their own brioche and source kombucha from a local mini-kombucha project (@kombuchadodaniel – if you’re interested). As a bonus – if you still need one – they play tapes on an old music player – and you can ask for a tape to play choosing from their vast selection.
