Week 3: Castanheira do Ribatejo → Lisbon | ~48 km
Has your bike been gathering dust? Or perhaps you've been wanting to cycle more but haven't fancied heading out alone?
This autumn we're getting back on our bikes together with a Saturday morning cycling series along the Tejo, starting small and gradually building our confidence and distance together.
You don't need to be a serious cyclist, own an expensive bike or already be capable of riding 80 km. The whole point is to start at an achievable distance and see how far we can get together.
These are social rides, not races — beautiful routes, chatting along the way, planned stops to regroup and, of course, the option of a well-earned beer and some food at the finish. 🍺🚲
🌿 THE AIM
Each week we'll gradually build up the kilometres by taking the train a little further out along the Tejo and Camino route, then cycling back towards Lisbon.
Our Autumn Challenge:
🚲 3 October — ~16 km
🚲 10 October — ~32 km
🚲 17 October — ~48 km ← THIS RIDE
🚲 31 October — ~64 km
🏁 7 November — ~80 km
We'll ride at a comfortable pace, regroup along the way and have planned stops for water, a rest and a chat.
Wherever possible, routes will prioritise cycle paths, riverside trails, tracks and quieter roads, rather than busy traffic.
You don't have to attend every ride or complete the entire challenge. Come for one ride, a few rides, or join us throughout the series and see if you can make it all the way from 16 km to 80 km!
🚲 WEEK 3 — CASTANHEIRA DO RIBATEJO → LISBON
📅 Saturday 17 October
📏 Distance: approximately 48 km
☕ 09:00 — Meet at Baobá Specialty Coffee Roasters, Marvila
We'll meet for coffee, introductions and a quick ride briefing before leaving Baobá at around 09:15 and cycling together to Braço de Prata station, approximately 3 minutes away.
🚆 09:26 — Train departs Braço de Prata
🚉 10:01 — Arrive Castanheira do Ribatejo.
🚲 ~10:10 — Start cycling back towards Lisbon
This week we're stepping things up again to approximately 48 km — our first ride approaching the 50 km mark! 🎉
From Castanheira do Ribatejo, we'll start cycling south towards Lisbon, following the Tejo through Vila Franca de Xira, Alhandra, Alverca, Póvoa de Santa Iria and Sacavém before eventually returning to Marvila.
The route will be a mixture of paved cycle paths, riverside paths, compacted dirt/gravel tracks and some uneven surfaces, with quieter roads used where necessary.
As the distance increases, we'll have three planned stops along the way, roughly every 15–20 km, giving everyone a chance to refill water, grab a snack, regroup and have a chat.
At our relaxed 15–16 km/h moving pace, expect approximately 3–3¼ hours of actual cycling and around 4 hours overall once stops and regrouping are included.
We should arrive back in Marvila at approximately 14:00–14:30, where anyone who wants to can stay for a very well-earned beer and some food. 🍺🍴
☕ GETTING TO THE MEETING POINT
Don't be put off if Marvila isn't particularly close to where you live!
Part of the idea behind these rides is to use Lisbon's train network to make adventures further along the Tejo accessible without needing a car.
If you're coming from elsewhere in Lisbon, one of the easiest options may be to bring your bike on the train to Braço de Prata.
From Braço de Prata station, it's only around a 3-minute cycle to our meeting point at Baobá.
So:
🚆 Train to Braço de Prata
🚲 Cycle ~3 minutes to Baobá
☕ Meet the group at 09:00
🚲 Leave Baobá around 09:15
🚆 Catch the 09:26 train to Castanheira do Ribatejo
🚲 Cycle ~48 km back to Lisbon!
Bikes can be carried free on CP Lisboa Urban trains, subject to available space.
At the end of the ride, you'll be back in Lisbon.
👭 SMALL GROUP — 8 PLACES ONLY
To keep the rides friendly, manageable and safe, these events are limited to 8 cyclists, including the organiser.
We're also travelling together by train with our bikes, and although bicycles can be taken on CP Lisboa Urban trains, bike space is limited and can't be reserved.
For that reason, please only RSVP if you're genuinely planning to come. If your plans change, please update your RSVP as soon as possible so someone on the waiting list can take your place.
The small group is intentional — these aren't big organised cycling events. The idea is to ride together, chat, regroup regularly and get to know each other along the way.
👋 WHO IS THIS FOR?
You don't need to have completed Weeks 1 or 2 to join us.
However, this week's ride is approximately 48 km, so you should already be a reasonably confident cyclist and have enough fitness to spend around 3 hours in the saddle, with breaks along the way.
This is a social, no-drop ride. We're building confidence and endurance, not speed.
We'll aim for a comfortable moving pace of around 15–16 km/h, adjust to the group, regroup at junctions and planned stops, and nobody gets left behind.
🚲 WHAT KIND OF BIKE?
The route will include mixed surfaces, including paved cycle paths, riverside paths, compacted dirt/gravel and potentially some uneven sections.
A hybrid, gravel, trekking or mountain bike should be ideal.
You don't need chunky mountain-bike tyres, but very thin road-bike tyres probably aren't suitable for some sections of the route.
E-bikes are welcome too.
Whatever you're riding, please make sure your bike is in good working order before joining.
🎒 WHAT TO BRING
🚲 A roadworthy bike
⛑️ A helmet — required for all rides
💧 A full water bottle
🛠️ A puncture repair kit and/or spare inner tube
🍌 A small snack
🧥 Weather-appropriate clothing
💶 A little money/card for coffee, food and our post-ride beer!
You should also be comfortable getting your own bike on and off the train.
🚆 THE TRAIN
We'll travel together on the CP Azambuja Line from Braço de Prata → Castanheira do Ribatejo
🚆 Train 16013 — Azambuja Line
🕤 Departure: 09:26
🕙 Arrival: 10:01
⏱️ Journey time:35 minutes
Bikes can travel free of charge on CP Lisboa Urban trains, subject to available space. We'll board together and use the designated bicycle areas where available.
Please be ready to leave Baobá at 09:15 sharp.
We need to catch the 09:26 train and the next service isn't for another hour, so unfortunately we won't be able to wait for late arrivals. 😅
🚴♀️ MY CYCLING BIO
Since getting my dog five years ago, I've done a lot more hiking than cycling, but I'd really like to get back into it — especially now I've discovered just how many beautiful, surprisingly flat and largely off-road routes there are to explore in Portugal.
At the peak of my cycling days, I was a member of the London Beer & Bike Group, taking on rides of around 48–80 km across the UK, as well as joining the monthly iBikeLondon and Critical Mass rides around London.
My favourite kind of cycling has always been away from busy roads and, preferably, flat!
I'm much more interested in exploring somewhere beautiful with good company than racing to the finish.
So if you've been meaning to get back on your bike too, this is a chance for us to build up the distance together, one Saturday at a time.
🏁 THE CHALLENGE
The goal isn't to see who can cycle 80 km fastest.
It's to see whether, by starting together at 16 km, we can gradually build ourselves up to something that might seem a little daunting today.
16 → 32 → 48 → 64 → 80 km
Five Saturdays. Five adventures further along the Tejo.
And hopefully quite a few coffees and beers along the way. ☕🍺
Coffee. Train. Tejo. Bikes. Beer. Repeat. 🚲
