Huge boulders and long horned cattle - Portugal Road Trip Part 3

 Leaving the park to return again.

Three days and two walks were the highlight of our time back in the park, however, before this we needed to do shopping and move on from Lima Escape. Visiting a little town with an historic medieval bridge made for a quick food restocking and getting much needed cash. Ponte de Barco was very quiet but beautiful. A quick lunch of traditional pasties, then we were on our way. The egg filling of the sweet one was not something I would repeat but at least we tried them.

Ponte de Barco

Ponte de Barco

Egg and almond pastel

The drive over the mountain top to the next part of the park was absolutely breathtaking and was the beginning of our hairy drives…they got much worse after this, little was I to know at the time. The landscape was full of boulders and so stunning, and then just around a corner when you least expect it, were big long horned cattle, standing right there and not moving out of the way. The journey was exciting enough without these surprises, but it made it more entertaining. 

Suddenly the road disappeared, well the tarmac did, and became cobbled and up a steep hill as we went through a village, thinking the journey couldn’t get any worse we came to a stop near a cafe on the hill top and decided to take a break. We were so glad we did, as we came upon a sanctuary used to bless animals in the middle of nowhere. Using this as a well needed break, we explored and climbed to the top of the hill. 

Road signs do warn of the cattle!

Igreja de Santo Antonio de Mixoes da Serra

Miradouro Mixoes da Serra

Looks like a whale.

Stunning views all around

This tiny road over the mountains was most rewarding until we came to the last 20 minutes coming down a mountain side, single lane and with a few passing places. The steep drop on the driver’s side was worrying both of us and I could not wait to arrive. It brings the road down to the dam at Vilarinho das Furnas. Arriving a little shaky and after a few scared expletives, the lady welcoming us into Parque Cerdeira campsite assured us there had never been an accident. We were back in the National Park though and that’s all that mattered.

Walking again

With feet bandaged up we did two walks over three days and they were both lovely, one to the village and surrounds with a visit to the ethnological museum in Campo do Gères and one on one part of the Roman road that passes through Campo do Gères, this walk was fantastic. The short village walk took us through the valley and into the village to see the site of some espigueiros. These were my new found obsession. They are granaries made of wood or granite and placed on stilts to keep corn dry inside.

Espigueiros for corn storage

The traditional villages in this part of Portugal have these stores and we would see many more of them. The museum was small and informative about both the way of life and the flora and fauna of the National Park. It also gave us an insight into the Roman influence in this area, particularly the Geira, the Roman walk across the top of Spain and into Portugal. The village itself was believed to be a Roman camp, hence its name.

The area is important as it had preserved milestones, which allegedly had the names of the emperors engraved into them. We saw the milestones but could not make out any writing. I decided to make my own inukshuk, to welcome other weary travellers and hope that it lasts a week at least…I cannot imagine it will outlive the Roman milestones!

Inukshuk

The walk however was brilliant, it followed the line of the reservoir for most of the way out and the Roman road was clearly visible, including marks made by the vehicles that would have used it. It was tough and hot again and involved a very steep climb up a hill through a strawberry tree forest. Another walk that wasn’t that long in miles but took a long time due to the inclines.

Milestone XXX

A sense of the heat from my redness!

Remains of the Roman road

Fruit from the strawberry tree

Milestone markers on the Roman road

Vilarinho da Furna Reservoir

Start of the Via Nova - Geira Romana

A well deserved glass of the specialist green wine of the region as our reward this time…so much for not having a drink every day. Our last night here, nearly stayed longer but the campsite is in the shade and was cold at times, time to move on to Braga our first little city tomorrow.