Our planet, our natural environments are really such a wondrous sight. I think it’s important to recognize how much it’s in danger while also being a beautiful place to visit. A great thing Portugal has been doing to take advantage of their vast scenic mountains and natural settings — is to create accessible wooden walking paths. Costing nothing, or sometimes a small amount going towards a donation for forest maintenance, some easy pathways are even nestled within small villages. It such a great way to get everyone to fully immerse themselves into mother nature and its vital beauty.
A long morning walk/slight hike, a Sunday afternoon stroll with the family; these “passadiços” walkways are a wonderful way to see and be one with the natural world. Having quite a few near us in Portugal, we chose to enjoy the scenic drives and walk the Mondego Passadiços. There are two routes, the shorter 2 km path we took, but be forewarned there are quite a bit of stairs we were not expecting, so for anyone with walking issues, keep that in mind. The longer, slightly more strenuous –although based on the entrance we saw, it seemed very much more than we’d be willing to take on — is 12 km.
And as temperatures continue to rise, especially in the summer and in Europe, if you’re planning to take this walk during a warm or hot sunny day; go in the morning hours. There is very little shade along these wooden walkways, and as mentioned feature a bit of stairs that would strain any person. A hot sunny day is not for that, so make sure to bring water, sun protection {sunglasses, hat, sunblock, etc…}, and good walking shoes. If the longer route is your plan, come prepared with items for more of a hike.
It’s such an awe moment whenever simply walking along and being this up close and near the being of mother nature. The infectious melody of birds singing, bees, butterflies and every sort of insect buzzing. The warm wind rustling the dried stems draping up along the cliffside. The serene melodies of the water flowing along the rocks, sights from atop a wooden bridge cast with much desired shade from the majestic sabugeiros.
Along the path you’ll find walkways, suspension bridges with breathtaking landscapes of waterfalls, streams, old mills and stone façades dating back to Roman times. All within and along the Mondego River, as the path starts near the Barragem do Caldeirão and goes along Pêro Soares, Mizarela, Vila Soeiro, Trinta and Videmonte. These wooden walkways are part of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, as well as the UNESCO Estrela World Geopark.
Walk catching up on life, or in silence observing the sights and sounds around you, the Mondego Passadiços are a lovely thing to do. This afternoon walk was a delightful one filled with beautiful supportive and enlightening talks between cousins who are also great friends and lovely women. There were laughs, confusion over directions and fun as we encountered a herd of new friends on our way home It reminded us how wonderful the simple joys of mountain farm life in the Serra da Estrela….
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