This stage links Lindoso to the village of Ermida by a route of about 12 kilometres that crosses part of the Serra Amarela. Although it does reach above 1000 meters of altitude, the route is mostly set in a mountain environment without any support facilities between the two villages, so it is essential to be properly provisioned before starting out. The Serra Amarela mountain range is also notorious for its fogs that sometimes form very quickly. If the weather is not settled it is best to wait for another day!
The route provides an extremely rich mountain experience, taking one into the very heart of the Serra Amarela and making contact with the culture of the upland communities. Along the traverse there is a succession of mountain pastures and shepherd's shelters linked by old granite pavements and clapper bridges that facilitated access to the mountains and the crossing of streams and ravines. A mandatory stop is in Branda de Bilhares, an ancient temporary summer village, which still contains traces of the Roman occupation of the area. Then follows the last section along the slopes of the deep valley of the River Froufe, soon after which the village of Ermida is reached.
This stage links Lindoso to the village of Ermida by a route of about 12 kilometres that crosses part of the Serra Amarela. Although it does reach above 1000 meters of altitude, the route is mostly set in a mountain environment without any support facilities between the two villages, so it is essential to be properly provisioned before starting out. The Serra Amarela mountain range is also notorious for its fogs that sometimes form very quickly. If the weather is not settled it is best to wait for another day!
The route provides an extremely rich mountain experience, taking one into the very heart of the Serra Amarela and making contact with the culture of the upland communities. Along the traverse there is a succession of mountain pastures and shepherd's shelters linked by old granite pavements and clapper bridges that facilitated access to the mountains and the crossing of streams and ravines. A mandatory stop is in Branda de Bilhares, an ancient temporary summer village, which still contains traces of the Roman occupation of the area. Then follows the last section along the slopes of the deep valley of the River Froufe, soon after which the village of Ermida is reached.
