The crater rim is not the summit

This is the thing to understand before you book anything.

At the top of Pico there's a crater called Pico Grande, roughly 500 m across. Inside it sits a smaller cone, Piquinho (also called Pico Pequeno), which rises another 70 m and still gives off fumaroles. Piquinho is the actual highest point in Portugal.

Plenty of people hike all day, reach the crater rim, take the photo and go home without standing on the summit. Sometimes on purpose, because the final scramble is the hardest part of the day, and sometimes because they didn't know.

The permit is priced accordingly. Broadly: a small fee to the Furna shelter, around €15 to the crater, and around €25 for Piquinho. Overnight camping in the crater is charged separately. Azores residents go free. Check current prices when booking, since these change.

If you want the country high point, buy the Piquinho permit. The crater ticket is a fine day out and a real viewpoint, but it isn't the top.

The permit, and how the system works

Access is regulated and this is unusually well organised, so it's worth knowing the shape of it.

• Everyone checks in at Casa da Montanha, the mountain house at 1,200 m, guided or not. You register, get a safety briefing and are issued a mandatory GPS tracker that reports your position.

• Book online in advance via the official Azores government platform. There are some daily walk-in spots but relying on them in summer is a gamble. I booked mine a week or two ahead.

• Numbers are capped: in the region of 320 hikers a day, with around 160 on the trail at any one time, roughly 32 people camping in the crater, and a limit of about 30 on Piquinho at once with a short time cap at the top.

• The tracker has a deposit structure. You can pay a waiver fee, and there are substantial charges if you lose or damage the unit. Don't leave it in a rucksack pocket.

• Rescue is covered by the permit. The tracker is the mechanism.

A guide isn't required. I didn't use one and didn't need one. It's a scramble rather than a climb. If you're unsure on steep loose ground, the local guides know the mountain extremely well.

The route: 47 poles

The trail is marked with 47 numbered wooden poles from Casa da Montanha to the top. By pole 44 you're in the crater.

This is the best navigation system I've come across on any peak in the project, and it matters here because Pico fogs in fast. The rule if visibility drops: if you can't see the next pole, go back to the last one you could see. Don't push on hoping.

It's only 3.8 km each way, which sounds trivial and isn't. Average gradient is around 30%. It's steep, relentless volcanic rock more or less the whole way.

Look out for the lava tunnels on the way up. Some of the ground is audibly hollow underfoot.

There is no water on the route. None. Carry everything you need.

The descent is the hard part

Everyone who climbs Pico says this and they're right. Loose basalt, steep, and it punishes tired legs far more than the ascent does. It took me longer to come down than to go up.

A lesson from the previous peak that applies here: I rolled my ankle in Andorra descending on empty, and I'm fairly sure low blood sugar was why. I carried far more food on Pico and it made a noticeable difference to my confidence on the way down.

Trekking poles help. Not recommended for people with existing knee or ankle problems.

Camping in the crater

You can sleep inside the crater, and it's one of the few places on Pico where camping is legal, since most of the island is nature park where wild camping is prohibited.

• Tents in the main crater only, not on Piquinho

• Separate reservation, limited spaces

• You set off later in the day, from around 4pm, rather than in the morning

• It gets genuinely cold and windy up there even in summer, so pack for it

Sunset and sunrise from the crater is, by every account I heard, the best version of this mountain.

Getting to Casa da Montanha

There's no bus. I arrived on the island late the night before, couldn't arrange a taxi for a 6am start, and ended up ringing round Azorean taxi firms in the morning until Maria answered and said five minutes.

Sort your transport the day before. And if you're hitching back down, be aware that livestock roam freely on this island. I ended up in a stand-off with a cow with substantial horns who had no interest in letting me past.

While you're on Pico

The vineyards are a UNESCO World Heritage landscape and worth understanding rather than just driving past. The vines are grown woven into low walls of volcanic rock called currais. The rock absorbs heat all day and releases it at night when the temperature drops, which is what keeps the vines alive on an exposed Atlantic island.

Pico's trilogy is mountain, wine and whales. If you've come for the mountain, give a day to the other two.

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest peak in Portugal?

Montanha do Pico, at 2,351 m, on Pico island in the Azores. It's also the highest point on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Is Mount Pico the highest mountain in mainland Portugal?

No. It's the highest in Portugal overall. The highest point on the mainland is in the Serra da Estrela, at around 1,993 m.

Do you need a permit to climb Mount Pico?

Yes, always. Book online through the official Azores government platform, or try for a walk-in slot at Casa da Montanha. Everyone must register and carry a GPS tracker.

How much does it cost to climb Mount Pico?

It's tiered: a small fee to the shelter, around €15 to the crater, and around €25 to Piquinho, the true summit. Crater camping is charged separately. Azores residents go free. Check current rates when booking.

Is the crater the summit of Mount Pico?

No. The true summit is Piquinho, a 70 m cone inside the crater, reached by a short scramble. Make sure your permit covers it if that's what you want.

How long does it take to climb Mount Pico?

Typically 6 to 8 hours return, covering about 3.8 km each way and roughly 1,150 m of ascent from Casa da Montanha at 1,200 m.

How hard is Mount Pico?

Challenging. It's short in distance but very steep, on loose volcanic rock, with hands-on scrambling near the top. Good fitness needed, and it's not recommended if you have knee or ankle problems.

Do you need a guide?

No. Guided and unguided hikers both check in at Casa da Montanha. A guide is worth considering if you're not confident on steep, loose ground.

Can you camp on Mount Pico?

Yes, inside the main crater only, with a separate reservation and limited spaces. Camping starts with a later departure, from around 4pm. Wild camping elsewhere on Pico is generally prohibited.

When did Mount Pico last erupt?

Sources give either 1718 or 1720. It's dormant, not extinct, and there are still fumaroles at the summit cone.

Is there water on the trail?

No. Carry everything.

What's the best time of year?

June to September is the most settled. The weather can turn from clear to thick fog in minutes at any time of year.

Peak 9 of The Peak Project: climbing the highest point in every country in Europe.