Carrapateira is around 15km south of Aljezur town. Even if you could hook up on public transport to get to Lisbon I would imagine it's quite a jaunt.

Should have mentioned. If you intend going onto the nearby Praia da Bordeira (beach) make sure you take any food or drink you may need.

It's a very large beach and whilst it does have a tiny snack 'hut' it is often closed and ridiculously expensive.

Basically, unless you are extremely brave, it is 'car essential' in that area.

Carrapateira has two buses a week, from Vila do Bispo not Sagres.

These run on Mondays and Fridays, leaving Vila do Bispo at 0805am on their way to Aljezur. You would have to get the 0740 bus from Sagres to Vila do Bispo to connect with it.

The return journey from Aljezur leaves also on Mondays and Fridays at 1330 if you want to to the long way way via Lagos.

Bus times Sagres - Lagos at http://www.algarvebus.info/012.htm

Bus times Lagos - Aljezur at http://www.algarvebus.info/036.htm

There is also a Rede-Expressos coach from Sagres to Lisbon via Carrapateira in summer but I believe it does not take local passengers.

That same coach runs every day from Carrapateira to Lisbon but where it stops there I don't know. It leaves at 1625 arriving in Lisbon at 2110. Rede Expressos has no sales office in Carrapateira so you would possibly have to book on line (http://www.rede-expressos.pt) in which case you need to have access to a printer. The nearest Rede Expressos ticket agent to Sagres is in Lagos.

I hope that helps. It is a very remote but very beautiful area.

hi everyone, thank you all so much for the advice. we are going to be extremely brave and bus it, as the car hire is not an option for us at the moment. wish me luck!

Please let us know how you get on. I do not drive and I have only managed to get to Aljezur from Albuefeira in a day trip!

Have you checked exactly where the horse riding place is? Perhaps you should contact them directly as it may be some way from a bus stop. I'm sure they would be happy to help.