travel
GET FIT WITH SPORTS HEROES AT THE CAMPUS IN QUINTA DO LAGO
By Yves de Contades
Set amongst 2,000 acres of the picturesque Ria Formosa National Park, the Campus at Quinta do Lago, in Southern Portugal, is a multi-sport academy hub, designed as a sport and well-being destination and elite performance venue only 15 minutes south of Faro airport. The Ria Formosa is a stunning protected wildlife nature reserve, a unique coastal lagoon of outstanding natural beauty of about 18,000 hectares, protected from the sea by 5 barrier-islands and 2 peninsulas. The Algarve boasts 300 days of sunshine a year, which when you consider it’s only three hours flight from London, make it a natural destination for sportsman, golfers, families and holidaymakers alike.
T
he Campus is the latest addition to this luxury resort, a purpose-built sports facility aimed at training everyone from the highest athletes and sportsmen to the casual holidaymaker who would like to get fit or play better tennis or padel. The Campus consists of a stylish Campus Pavilion for drinks and snacks, alongside The Bike Shed where you can rent the latest high-tech mountain bikes, all overlooking superb tennis and padel courts. The courts are all of the highest quality, built to professional standards, and they employ top level athletes to train and teach guests, so you can benefit from the same instruction that professional sportsmen would enjoy.
Essentially The Campus is offering people of all levels the best teaching that money can buy, but at great value, and all in superb sunshine. The likes of Burnley football, the GB Para Olympic team, Chinese soccer team Beijing Guoan FC and many other top-level sportsman come here to train and warm-up before a professional game or event. They also offer high-level football training for children with regular football camps led by Rio Ferdinand, Teddy Sheringham, and Bobby Zamora. The ideal family holiday to improve your tan and raise your fitness level so you can sail through the winter without having to worry about the long business lunches ahead. Think of it as paunch protection.
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There are many places to stay at Quinta Do Lago, but if you’re looking for comfortable, relaxed surroundings the Magnolia Hotel is the perfect choice. It’s also great value for money as you’re paying four star rates whilst staying in a five star resort with five star service and all the amenities. The Magnolia is just next to The Campus, so it’s an ideal base to warm up in the morning with a swim in the pool, before setting out for a round of golf, tennis or cycling round the majestic nature reserve.
I spent a day with one of their charming and friendly tennis pros, Zé, who carefully observed and analysed my distinctly poor tennis skills, then clearly and succinctly showed me how to get each move right. He patiently took me through my backhand, forehand, and serve, explaining in great detail how I should be doing it. It was quite a revelation to be taught so precisely and extraordinary how quickly my tennis progressed. He teaches top professionals as well as beginners, so all levels can enhance their game at The Campus. I played using a Mantis tennis racket that was light and responsive, improving my game, which after a long winter of little exercise needed all the help it could get.
I had lunch at Koko’s Bistro overlooking the golf course, with its own driving range in the garden, so you don’t have to go far to keep your hand in. I was joined
by Michael Breen, project coordinator for The Campus, responsible for delivery of concept, vision, equipment and quality. His philosophy was to design an environment for high performance athletes, then offer this
level of equipment and service to
all. Superior quality tennis courts and training, but without the superior price tag. No membership, just a pay and play system in place, so no barrier to entry for affordability and commitment. Easy and simple to play when you want to.
After the tennis we were introduced to the very charming and helpful Mark Rohan, the double Paralympic gold medal cyclist, who is in charge of the Bike Shed at The Campus and has stocked it with expensive, high quality mountain bikes. We cycled out across the golf course, lead by a marine biologist from Greece, who could name all the wildlife and shared the wonders of this marvellous nature reserve in great detail. The route lead us down to the lake, over green hillocks by the beach, along the salt flats, past shimmering lagoons, and over sun bleached causeways. These all afforded mesmerising views of the landscape and the sea beyond, including the charming island that stretches along this coastline up to Faro, reached by a charming two hundred metre wooden pontoon. The Bike Shed offer a wide variety of these aesthetic routes and even longer cycle tours around the Algarve, for those looking for a greater challenge.
We ended the day at The Shack for dinner, a bar and grill with a wooden balcony overlooking the freshwater lake. A few beers and glasses of fizz went down well, accompanied by a range of tapas, from spicy chicken to burgers, while the sun set over the tiny causeway that separated us
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