PR1 GVA Rota dos Galhardos

Hello, everyone!

Welcome to my post on the Pinmapple Community 🗺 📸

PR1 GVA Rota dos Galhardos.jpg

Today I want to share with you a route I took when I was in Folgosinho. This route, called "Rota dos Galhardos" or “Calçada dos Cantarinhos” PR1 GVA, is set in the beautiful landscape of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park. A small circular route of 11 kilometers, of medium difficulty, it takes you up to a maximum height of 1340 meters. Designed as an environmental mountain trail, it has a unique beauty. This is due to the fact that it begins with the Roman Calçada dos Galhardos, which also includes the medieval "Calçada da Serra de Baixo" or "Calçada dos Cantarinhos". Among the paths flanked by mountainous forestation, and among broom and small clusters, we are presented with granite models of considerable size, which, due to their anthropomorphic peculiarity, were appropriated by communities with names as peculiar as Cabeço do Faraó. Born out of the natural erosion produced by the elements and the cleavages resulting from cyclical periods of ice and heat, they led to the point we can now appreciate.

On this route we can also appreciate the presence of two Forest Shelter houses. Built in 1940 by João de Vasconcelos, they served as a shelter for those who crossed the hills and needed a place to stay in safety and comfort. Nowadays, they are just crossing points.

The very pleasant trails, flanked by small streams, invite introspection and relaxation. It's amazing that I walked this 10-kilometer route and didn't come across a single person! It turned out to be a very pleasant afternoon, followed by a very typical lunch, with typical local food, and in good company. A perfect day! 🌳

^{Starting point🏁}

^{The ancient Roman road!}

^{One of the many streams of clear water I came across on this short route}

^{All the verdant bloom of a nature full of vitality}

^{Another watercourse... I stopped for a few seconds to listen to the gurgling of the water... so restful😇}

^{The village of Folgosinho in the distance. A fantastic view!}

^{And this abandoned house or shelter... Can you imagine having your home here? With this fantastic, verdant view}

^{Here is a section with a more arid landscape. The golden colors of the bare rocks were the motto in those surroundings}

^{A point of intersection between two routes}

^{And this little pond, is it used by the animals that pass through here?}

^{The famous granite massif in anthropometric form!}

^{In fact, it resembles the head of a pharaoh or other human figure}

^{Fantastic unobstructed view, don't you think? What other words would you use to describe it?}

^{And lo and behold, a few meters later, I arrived at the famous and instagrammable point... Pharaoh's swing! Ahahah

Despite the fact that I don't have any other social network than Hive, it was well worth a visit!}

^{An impressive view from the swing}

^{Part of the route that is not so “natural”, and which is being worked on by a local council company. Let's see what comes of it...}

^{"Nas sombras que aqui vão crescer, vive a alma dos filhos da terra que as ajudaram a nascer"

“In the shadows that will grow here, lives the soul of the children of the land who helped them to be born”}

^{And unexpectedly, my little walk was just over two kilometers from its end...}

^{One of the two shelters built in 1940 to give shelter to those who passed through these courses and found themselves trapped at night or in the middle of a storm}

^{A small fountain}

^{Another old shelter, I love these lost and abandoned houses in the middle of nature... as if time stops... and I stop too!}

^{A tree stump that was probably caught in a fire. I like the way it's been turned into a small seat}

^{Diagram of the route. As you can see, it's very pleasant, and we always have the village of Folgosinho in our sights

Image source: https://www.cm-gouveia.pt/espaco/rede-municipal-de-percursos-pedestres/rota-dos-galhardos/}