🥾 Early Bird Hikers: Tapada Nacional de Mafra

For September’s hike, we’re heading to the beautiful Tapada Nacional de Mafra, a protected forest and wildlife park near Mafra. The Tapada is home to deer, fallow deer, wild boar, foxes and numerous species of birds of prey. Although wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed, we’ll have the chance to look for them while exploring this beautiful forest. We’ll follow the marked Yellow Footpath (https://loc.wiki/t/188824583?wa=sc), an 8 km moderate trail through one of the quieter areas of the Tapada. The route passes the forest’s largest cork oak—officially recognised as a Tree of Public Interest—and crosses one of its highest areas, offering views over the “Enchanted Forest.” 🥾 The hike Route: Yellow Footpath Distance: Approximately 8 km Duration: Approximately 3–3½ hours with stops Difficulty: Moderate Terrain: Marked forest paths with hills and uneven ground Expected start: Around 9:45 am Expected finish: Around 1:00–1:15 pm Picnic lunch: Approximately 1:15–2:15 pm 🚌 Getting there from Lisbon We’ll take the 2803 Carris Metropolitana bus from Campo Grande Bus Terminal, travelling towards Ericeira and getting off in Mafra. Meeting point: Stop P23 at Campo Grande Bus Terminal Meeting time: 8:30 am Bus departure: 8:45 am Expected arrival in Mafra: Approximately 9:15 am Please arrive at least 15 minutes before departure so that we can find one another and board together. The bus cannot wait for late arrivals. The journey is included if you have a valid Navegante Metropolitano monthly pass—remember to validate your card when boarding. Anyone without this pass will need to purchase their own ticket. 📍 Meeting us in Mafra? If you’re making your own way to Mafra rather than travelling with us from Lisbon, please meet us at Mafra Taxis at 9:15 am. We’ll meet there as a group, divide into shared Mafritaxi taxis and travel together to the entrance of the Tapada, approximately 13 minutes away. 🚕 Shared taxis A taxi between central Mafra and the Tapada is expected to cost approximately €13–€17 each way. If four people share each taxi, the estimated return cost will be around €6.50–€8.50 per person. Please bring at least €10 in cash, preferably in coins, to cover your share. This is an estimate—the final amount will depend on the meter, weekend tariff and number of passengers sharing each taxi. We’ll arrange with the drivers that morning to collect us again from the Tapada entrance at approximately 2:15 pm, after our hike and picnic lunch. 🎟️ Admission ticket required Entry to the Tapada is not included in your Meetup RSVP. Tickets currently appear to cost approximately €5–€8 per person. There is also a small discount for groups of 10 or more, so rather than purchasing tickets individually in advance, we’ll plan to buy our admission tickets together at the park entrance on the day. 🧺 Picnic lunch in the Tapada Rather than rushing back to Mafra for a restaurant reservation, we’re going to make the most of our surroundings and have a picnic lunch together in the Tapada after the hike. 🌳🥪 We expect to finish hiking at around 1:00–1:15 pm. We’ll then find a suitable picnic area and have approximately an hour to relax, eat and enjoy the forest before our taxis collect us at around 2:15 pm. Please bring your own packed lunch, as well as plenty of water and any snacks you’d like during the hike. Once we’re back in Mafra, there’s no need to head straight back to Lisbon. Anyone who fancies staying a little longer can join us for a coffee, beer or other refreshment before heading home. 🍻☕️ You could also make a full day of it by visiting the magnificent National Palace of Mafra or exploring Jardim do Cerco before returning to Lisbon. 🎒 What to bring A packed lunch Plenty of water Snacks for the trail Comfortable hiking shoes with good grip Sun protection and a hat A light waterproof layer, depending on the forecast At least €10 cash, preferably with some coins, for the shared taxis Money or a payment card for the bus, park admission and any refreshments or additional activities in Mafra Please RSVP only if you genuinely intend to attend, as participant numbers will affect our shared taxi arrangements and group admission. If your plans change, please update your RSVP as soon as possible so that someone else can take your place. Looking forward to exploring the Tapada together! 🌿🦌🥾