Rota das Bétulas

This is an idyllic route for lovers of the mountains and their nuances, where beauty often contrasts with austerity. It starts at Retiro da Fraguinha, very close to the birch grove that gives it its name, and climbs to the summit of Serra da Arada, one of the ranges that make up the impressive Gralheira Massif , which in this region forms a natural border between Beira Alta and the Litoral regions.

At the top of the mountain range, you are very likely to find yourself accompanied by wandering cattle, which seem to know no bounds in their daily exploration of these isolated corners. At the Ribª Escura viewpoint, the horizons stretch as far as the eye can see. Bare mountain ranges, with low-lying and rugged, each with its own color, interrupted here and there by deep encauched valleys. The descent to Candal is long and winding, along an ancient path carved into
granite. In both villages, marvel at the vernacular architecture and the many water troughs still in use today. The return trip to Lagoa da Fraguinha follows, just outside Povoa das Leiras, an extensive irrigation channel that has fed these settlements for centuries. Be careful on this stretch! The path is narrow and the slope very steep.