This dune system is considered fairly unique because, as a result of the prevailing northwest winds, the sand from the Guincho and Cresmina beaches eventually returns to the sea 5 km further to the south near Guia, after migrating over the flat, rocky and largely uninhabited area of Cabo Raso.
The work aims at providing maximum protection for the dunes by controlling pedestrian access and enabling local fauna and flora to recover from past damage caused by dogs, walkers, horse riders and cross-country vehicles.
They are of close to 2 km in length and enable visitors to see native plants that are only found in the area, together with the fauna and flora that form a delicate ecological balance with the dunes.
[1] Some damage was caused to the northern part of the walkway as a result of a forest fire in the Sintra-Cascais Park that burned over 600 hectares on 6 October 2018[4] but it was speedily repaired.
Local vegetation recovery actions have also been implemented, namely through the removal of invasive species, such as the weeping Carpobrotus edulis, together with the planting of native species such as Ammophila arenaria (European Marram Grass), Armeria welwitschii (thrift), Juniperus turbinata (beach sabina), Pancratium maritimum, (sea daffodil) and Ononis ramosissima.