Initially, for this blog post, I had started by describing 1 hike through the mountains in northern Portugal. But while writing it, it occurred to me that in doing so I would be shortchanging the diverse area where we spent 1 of our 2-week holidays in Portugal at the end of September. So 'select all and delete' and start again :-).
Our regular 'base' during this week was Quinta dos Moinhos near the village of Arco de Baúlhe e Vila Nune, just under an hour's drive from Porto airport. The Quinta is in a beautiful spot in the middle of nature and here we had a nice little house with a wood-burning stove. The latter came in handy as the evenings were already quite chilly.
Moinhos de Rei
After a nice car route through small villages (with sometimes very narrow streets) and beautiful forests and plains, you arrive at the starting point of the walk. Here, besides many picnic benches and parking places, you have a number of small buildings with the levada, a canalised mountain stream, running alongside. According to the very short description, getting lost is impossible because you follow the levada. Only whether you have to go up or downhill is nowhere mentioned. We decide to walk uphill and that turns out to be the right choice. The route goes up very gradually and is therefore easy to walk. Halfway through the walk, the vegetation becomes denser and after some bending and sometimes crawling, there is suddenly a small waterfall; the beginning of the levada. How enchantingly beautiful this is! After enjoying this spot (and the delicious cake we had taken with us) we turn around and walk the same route back to the car. The total distance is about 7 kilometres and, because you follow the levada, easy to walk.
Fisgas de Ermelo
This hike to Portugal's biggest waterfall starts in the mountain village of Ermelo. Drive through the village until you see all the colourful flags and shields on the valley side. From here, the path first goes a bit into the valley to a stream and from there it's up.... very long uphill. But what wonderful views we have towards the valley but also to the mountains around us. In the distance, a shepherd walks with goats and some sheep and behind them we see the waterfall for the first time. We pass the goats and arrive at the viewpoint. Here you can actually see just how high the waterfall is. Then on again and we arrive at a wide stream. The path actually goes on a bit further but we decide to cross the stream and cut a small piece off. After this, the path goes down again between large heather plants and other flowers and bushes, before returning to the village of Ermelo via trees covered in moss. After more than 14 kilometres and quite a few metres in altitude, we deserved a snack on the terrace. What a tough but beautiful hike this was!
Porto
Porto is an old acquaintance for us. A few years ago, we had already had the opportunity to spend a few days here, which we really liked. Back then, we visited one of the many Port wineries and also had an extensive look at the beach, fishing port and city centre. This time, we decided to mainly enjoy the atmosphere of this special city. Because special Porto is. Although it is in full (tourist) development, it also still has a kind of raw beauty and a pleasant atmosphere.
Varzea Cova
In northern Portugal, you will come across many granaries (espigueiros). These are not granaries as you would expect but more like stone structures high above the ground. The brochure of the circular walk (12 kilometres) from Varzea Cova promised many of these granaries during the walk. At first, we walked a sort of loop through the village and indeed saw many granaries. Then the trail went up through the mountains to the small mountain village of Bastelo. From here we were joined by a very large dog who funnily enough knew exactly the route. It took some effort to get him back home but we eventually succeeded. Despite the rain, it was a nice walk. A little less view all around though because you walked through the forest a lot.
Riverside beaches
Near the quinta flows a small river with nice beaches. A great place to relax. As a bonus, we got to see a kingfisher and (I think) an otter.
Douro valley
On our way to our next destination within Portugal, we drove through the Douro valley. Something that is also doable as a day trip but for us it worked out better in the schedule this way. Through mountains with wine terraces, we drove towards the Douro River. We then followed the N222 along the river. The Douro valley is a region recognised by UNESCO as a Cultural World Heritage Site where, among other things, the grapes for the famous Port wines grow. What is special is how the terraces seem to be stuck against the hills.
To conclude
A week in this area actually turned out to be too short and definitely tastes like more for us. And that taste can be read literally as the food and cakes are also very good. The friendly locals make it complete. I hope reading this blog has given you at least a little impression of this beautiful area.
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3 comments
Hi Andy, leuke post weer en prachtige foto’s. Mooi gebied. Dankjewel.
Hoi Andy, wat een mooie foto’s weer! En het klinkt inderdaad als een prachtig gebied en een aanrader om naar toe te gaan om lekker te wandelen en te eten. Wie weet, ik zet hem op m’n lijstje… 😉 Groetjes, Yvonne
Prachtige natuur❣️❣️