Pump Track de Casal de Cambra

The Pump Track de Casal de Cambra opened on 10 February 2025 inside the Parque Urbano Oriental, a newer park on the eastern edge of Sintra municipality, close to the borders with Odivelas and Loures. The Câmara Municipal de Sintra paid about €163,000 for it. At 212 metres long, the council describes it as the second-longest pump track in Portugal when it opened.

It’s a free, open-air council facility. The parish council (Junta de Freguesia) says the track is certified by the Portuguese Cycling Federation and the UCI, the international cycling body, which means it can host national and international races.

A pump track is a closed loop of rounded bumps (rollers) and banked corners (berms). The idea is that you don’t pedal or push. Instead you press down with your arms and legs as the wheels go over the far side of each bump, and lean into the banked turns, and the track gives you speed. The council’s own description puts it this way: acceleration comes from the obstacles and from the rider’s body movement, known as the “pump”.

For children it has an obvious appeal. There are no tricks to learn before it becomes fun, and a slow first lap is still a lap. Over a few visits most riders start to feel the moment when pushing down on a roller makes them go faster, and that is when they stop pedalling.

The track was built by Velosolutions, a Swiss company that designs pump tracks around the world, and the Trucks and Fins skate park directory describes it as a smooth asphalt track with a compact layout for bikes and skateboards. Sintra council says the layout offers several circuit options, and when construction started the parish said the design was meant for a wide range of riders, from beginners to competitive athletes.

That layout matters for families. A smaller child can stick to a shorter line while an older sibling or a parent on a bike takes the full loop. Everyone rides in the same direction, so teach younger children to look behind before joining.

The council lists bicycles, roller skates, scooters and other wheeled sports equipment, and the Trucks and Fins directory adds skateboards. In practice:

• Small bikes and balance bikes: A confident little rider can roll the loop slowly, though 212 metres is a long way for short legs.
• Scooters: Scooters handle rollers well once a child learns to bend the knees and push down on each bump.
• BMX and mountain bikes: Bikes carry the most speed, so expect older riders to come round quickly.
• Skateboards and skates: Allowed on the asphalt, but harder for a beginner than a flat surface.

No written rule about helmets was published for this track when we checked. Put one on your child anyway, plus knee and elbow pads for scooters and skates, because falls on asphalt graze.

The pump track sits inside a park of roughly 26,000 square metres that Sintra council opened in January 2022 (the park cost €895,000). According to the local paper A Nação, the works created a children’s playground, a street workout area, a fitness circuit, an informal games pitch and walking paths, as well as car parking bays. The parish lists the games pitch as suitable for five-a-side or seven-a-side football. So a younger sibling who doesn’t want to ride has somewhere to go, and parents can take turns.

Casal de Cambra has a second, older park, the Parque Urbano Casal de Cambra, about 5 hectares of lawns with an artificial lake, a small wood and another playground, on Av. de Moçambique. It’s a separate park, so check which one your map is taking you to.

• Busy times: Like most free tracks, expect more riders after school and at weekends. A beginner will find it easier when it’s quiet.
• Shade and water: Asphalt gets hot in summer. Bring water and aim for the morning or early evening.
• Hours and lighting: We couldn’t find published opening hours or confirmation of floodlighting for the track, so plan daylight visits.
• Getting there: The park works included parking bays. If you’re coming by bus, check routes to Av. de Angola before you set off.

In the same municipality, UpUp Park in Rio de Mouro is an indoor option for a wet day, and the Museu do Ar at Pêro Pinheiro is good for plane-mad children. If your family gets hooked on pump tracks, the Expo pump track in Parque das Nações is another long asphalt loop on the Lisbon side.

Is the Casal de Cambra pump track free?

Yes. It’s a public council facility with no entry charge.

Can children ride scooters on it?

Yes. Sintra council lists scooters (trotinetes) alongside bikes, skates and other wheeled equipment.

What age is it suitable for?

There’s no official minimum age. Children who can ride a bike or scooter confidently, usually from about 5, will get the most out of it. Toddlers are better off in the playground in the same park.

Do you need a helmet?

No helmet rule was published for this track when we checked, but a helmet is sensible for every rider, and pads help on scooters and skates.

How long is the track?

212 metres, with several circuit options inside the main loop.