Trilho de São Fagundo

This trail is part of the Mogadouro Municipality’s Municipal Network of Walking Trails. It begins next to the parish council building in Urrós and is approximately 14.4 km long. It heads toward the Bell Tower and the Urrós Rural Museum, which displays a collection of objects related to the cultivation of grains and their transformation into bread. Once outside the village, you can see the Poço da Frágua Waterfall. Further on, we find the ruins of the Chapel of São Fagundo, an ancient medieval temple that still preserves the front portal and the triumphal arch of the chancel intact. Nearby, you can observe several medieval tombs carved into the rock, a complex known as the São Fagundo Necropolis, as well as the “Moorish Footprints”—small indentations and footprints engraved in the granite.The reason for their existence and their purpose are unknown. The route winds through the plateau, passing through traditional olive groves, vineyards, and almond trees, characteristic of the region, until reaching the Miradouro da Cerca viewpoint, which offers views of the cliffs of the Douro River and the steep escarpments separating the Mirandese plateau from Spanish territory. From here, the trail continues to the Castro do Picão da Bouça d’Aires, where you can see the remains of an ancient fortified settlement, and to the viewpoints, which share the same name as the Castro.Along the way, we come across an interesting feature: some steps carved into the rock. The local population calls it Altarico, as it gives the impression of a small altar. They are, however, foundation carvings from a structure, possibly from the Roman or medieval periods. Along the route, you can see various structures of traditional Portuguese architecture, such as corriças, dovecotes, water mills, wells, and the distinctive cegonhas. The latter are devices used to draw water from the well and subsequently irrigate the vegetable garden. At the end of the walking route and very close to the village of Urrós, we find the Bodegas, open galleries carved into the rock, where wine and some food were once stored. Here, the temperature is considerably cooler than outside. In just a few steps, we reach the end of this delightful walk, rich in history, culture, and traditions.