portugals-adventure-coast travel destinations Virgin Media

One minute you can be clinging to a rockface being battered by coastal spray, the next bantering competitively with your mates on lush, olive tree-lined fairways. Virgin Media journeyed to Portugal's Western Algarve and found it offers everything for the ultimate alpha-male long weekend.

Just an hour from Faro airport is the Parque de Floresta Golf and Leisure resort. Set on the boundary of the Costa Vincentina Nature Reserve, it provides the perfect base for a weekend of adrenaline-fuelled action. Drop your bags at one of the resort's luxury golf village houses and you can be heading straight out to play 18 holes as soon as you arrive.

This has got to be one of Europe's most picturesque golf courses and even the most reluctant of golfers could hardly fail to be won over by the stunning vistas. The course is creatively designed and there is a complete contrast between front and back nine. Uncompromising gradients demand focussed accuracy off the tee; fail, and you will find yourself screaming for mercy at the base of one of the resort's eucalyptus-covered ravines.

Make one misjudged slice and you could find yourself performing like Tiger one moment and playing like a Tabby the next. The course offers fitting rewards to brave golfers. Finish up your round by taking in the marvellous view from the clubhouse terrace with a cold beer or three and a bowl of the excellent local fish soup.

Next, it's time for something involving a bit more peril. One of the most recognisable and popular sights on the West Algarve is its dramatic coastline, which boasts a combination of secluded beaches and jagged rock formations, pounded by wild Atlantic swells. The area is a haven for adrenaline junkies. The guys at Extreme Algarve offer an impressive array of ways to get that rush, including surfing, rock climbing, sea kayaking, mountain biking and even skydiving.

Speaking as someone who has about as much fondness for heights as BA Baracus does for planes, the prospect of rock-climbing didn't initially fill me with too much excitement.

My previous knowledge of this activity extended only as far as watching Sylvester Stallone in Cliffhanger, which had left me under the illusion that upper-body strength is the key to rock-climbing success. But climbing instructor Pete informed me straight away that "it's all about the legs". While climbing the rock face I discovered that by focusing on the mental puzzle of where next to put my hands and feet, I was able to push away my fears and reached the summit in no time.

Next up on the agenda was some sea kayak exploration of the beach area around the historic coastal town of Lagos. With a bit of elbow grease and some barking at your fellow kayaker in the seat behind or in-front, you can spend a whole afternoon following the impressive limestone formations. Pluckier adventurers can paddle further, to investigate wave-beaten caves and grottos.

Surfing is the main draw of all the extreme pursuits offered in the Western Algarve and, as Europe's most westerly point, the area can guarantee impressive swells all year round. No trip would be complete without a day at one of the coast's amazing surf spots. Ariffana beach is the place for beginners to go, thanks to the protection from wind that its high rocks provide. One day of trying to catch waves will give you a taste for surfing, but you will need to dedicate a few more days if you are to even think about becoming good at it.

After all that exhilaration it's time to experience the region's bonus prize: the fantastic food and wine. Unsurprisingly enough, Atlantic seafood is the order of the day. Try it prepared in traditional cataplanas (copper pots) at a character-ful local place like the beautifully rustic A Eira Do Mel restaurant in Vila do Bispo.

Mixed fish cataplana, Atlantic prawns and rabbit are all prepared using fresh, local produce. Wash this down with one of the hugely-impressive yet little-known Portuguese wines such as Barranco Longo or Dom Rafael Mouchao, finished off with a glass of the local port like Niepoort (2001).

The writer travelled to Faro on Monarch Airlines, which flies to Faro from Birmingham, Gatwick, Luton and Manchester airports from £40.99 one way (inc. taxes). Visit www.flymonarch.com or call 0871 225 3884 for information.

Activities were provided by Extreme Algarve.

For more on the Parque da Floresta Golf and Leisure Resort and The View - Salema Beach, visit www.vigia-resorts.com or call 01223 307 088.