Trail do Vale

The Trail do Vale is a trail race in central Portugal, held in the hamlet of Vale Venteiro, in the parish of Além da Ribeira e Pedreira, within the municipality of Tomar. It is organised by ARCAR, the recreational and cultural association of Além da Ribeira, with support from Tomar town council and the local parish council. The start and finish are next to the association's clubhouse, which serves as base camp throughout the morning. Over the years the event has earned its place on the regional trail running calendar, and it is held on a Sunday in mid-May.

Three timed distances are on offer. The long trail, about 34 km with 1,100 m of elevation gain, starts at 8.30 am; it is open to runners aged 20 and over and must be completed within 7 hours. The short trail, about 20 km with 600 m of climbing, starts at 9 am with a 5-hour limit and is open to adults. The mini-trail, about 14 km with 450 m of climbing, sets off at 9.30 am and has a 3-hour limit; it is open from age 16 with parental consent. A walk of around 10 km, with about 250 m of climbing, starts at 9.45 am for those who would rather explore the paths without a stopwatch.

The routes wind along country lanes and footpaths across the whole parish, spill over into neighbouring parishes and even cross into the municipalities of Ourém and Ferreira do Zêzere. The climbing stays moderate, which makes the 14 km a realistic target for newcomers to trail running, while the 34 km calls for genuine endurance over rolling terrain. The race is run on open roads: runners cross them at their own risk and need to take care at junctions.

The rules set out a short list of mandatory kit: a charged mobile phone, a whistle, a survival blanket and a personal cup or bottle, as no cups are provided at aid stations; a windproof jacket is recommended. Kit is checked before the start, and every missing item found during the race carries a one-hour penalty. Wrappers must be carried to the next aid station or to the finish. A team ranking, based on each club's top three runners, sits alongside the individual age-group results.

Race registration is open at the ARCAR clubhouse on Saturday afternoon and again from 7 am on Sunday. After the race, a friendly lunch is available on booking, in the spirit of Portuguese village festivals. Nearby Tomar is well worth a visit for the Convent of Christ, a former Templar stronghold and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and for the banks of the Nabão river running through the town.