18th April (Saturday)

Vale de Cambra and Trebilhadouro Village

On the slopes of Serra da Freita, the green of the pine and eucalyptus trees dominates and, next to the streams, the terraces that divide small plots of farmland. It won't be difficult to spot species such as woodpeckers, hawks, flocks of partridges or the coppery mountain butterfly.

When you reach the Caima River, a little paradise awaits you on the left bank of the reservoir: the Levada de Santa Cruz develops between leafy forests, favourable to the growth of ferns and fungi and the perfect habitat for the water lizard, the Iberian frog and the otter.

The village of Trebilhadouro, which holds the title of “Village of Portugal”, was uninhabited for decades and has been restored for rural tourism. It is perfectly integrated into the surrounding landscape and retains the Portuguese rural house design in granite stone, a material that extends to the paths. Tradition has it that the name derives from a treasure made up of “three pots of gold”.

About 1 kilometre from the village, on a granite outcrop next to a small stream, are the Trebilhadouro engravings. The engraved motifs include spirals, dimples, lines and weapons (probably a stone axe).

In Rôge we highlight the religious complex made up of the Church of St Saviour and the Cross, classified as a National Monument since 1949. Both monuments show traces of the Baroque style and were built in the mid-18th century. The cross was knocked down in the cyclonic storm of 1945 and restored in 1947.

Estimated time for the start of the walk: 10h30
Level of difficulty of the route: 3.5 (Scale from 1 to 5)
Route length: 11 kilometres
Expected duration: 3h30

Lunch will be in the form of a picnic, which is the responsibility of each participant

After the walk we'll still have time for

Trip to the village of Trebilhadouro
Stroll in Macieira de Cambra
Walk in Vale de Cambra / Burgães River Beach
Restaurant Dinner Suggestion

19th April (Sunday)

Shepherd's Path“ walk”

The village of Lomba is one of the most beautiful villages in Portugal, perched on a promontory and ending on a small peninsula where a church, a cemetery, several houses and more than 15 canastros are jostled together. This particular configuration, which resulted from three faults, frames the village on three sides of the peninsula. The paths from here lead to the abandoned villages of Porqueiras, 1 kilometre away, and Berlengas, 2 kilometres away.

The route “Na Vereda do Pastor” starts in the village of Côvo, the highest in the municipality of Vale de Cambra, located on the southern slopes of the Serra da Freita. From the bottom of the village, you'll head towards Agualva along a narrow path, wedged between the last few houses. This path begins to widen towards the south-east, first descending and then gently rising. Once you reach the headland, you start to descend, then take an old track that leads to a leafy forest path and the Ribeira das Estacas. Here you'll cross an interesting stone bridge, after which you'll take a pleasant muddy path that leads to the village of Agualva. It used to be by this route that people used to reach the Serra, especially Côvo, to take their “cows to the ox”, a tradition that has almost fallen into disuse.

After that, it's on to the village of Lomba, on the way to the school and mass. Here you can't miss the granaries and the Chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Milagres, as well as Porqueiras, a remote village located at the bottom of the Ribeira de Agualva valley, where you can also enjoy the waterfall.

Estimated time for the start of the walk: 9h00
Level of difficulty of the route: 4 (Scale from 1 to 5)
Route length: 11 kilometres
Expected duration: 4h30

13h45 - Lunch suggestion in a local restaurant

15h00 - Walk in the Portuguese village of Felgueira“
15h30 - End of activity and return to Lisbon