recommended route
Watermills Route
Hiking trail
· Portugal
-
Ribeira da MagueijaPhoto: Catarina Almeida - ADXTUR, Aldeias do Xisto
The Watermills Route begins and ends at the Aldeia do Xisto of Martim Branco, and passes through the villages of Camões and Malhada do Cervo, following along a stretch of the Magueija Stream.
moderate
Distance 15.2 km
6:00 h
424 m
399 m
344 m
233 m
We are now back in Martim Branco, the start of our route. The Watermills Route begins and ends in the Aldeia do Xisto of Martim Branco, where wood ovens and schist dwellings with ostentatious metalwork are worth a visit. The route passes through the villages of Camões and Malhada do Cervo and follows a stretch of the Magueija Stream. Traveling along the ancient levadas that once brought water to the cultivated land, it is still possible to see several caster mills as well as the “passadouras” [passageways] used to cross the waterway.
Author’s recommendation
Stroll through the streets of Martim Branco upon departure or on arrival. Along the way, keep an eye out for remnants of the past, and enjoy the best of what nature has to offer.
Book your stay, experience or meal at Book in Xisto.
Difficulty
moderate
Technique
Stamina
Highest point
344 m
Lowest point
233 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Track types
Show elevation profileSafety information
Be careful as it can be warm in the summer and slippery in the winter.Useful Contacts
SOS Emergency – 112
SOS Forest - 117
GNR (Police) - 272 340 900
ADXTUR - Schist Village Network - 275 647 700 | 960 101 873
Tips and hints
The communal oven still scents the air with newly baked bread. The ovens are the most interesting elements in Martim Branco. You just need to taste the bread to understand why.Every house is a modest building, but genuine. A number of houses showcase a rare marriage of schist and granite, a union of materials that guarantees the quality and permanence of the buildings. The doors display beautiful, eye-catching ironmongery.In the most representative urban nucleus of the charming rural architecture, there is a restored building to receive the Aldeias do Xisto Shop and the House of Arts and Crafts.Over the entire course, one sees various species of plants that are characteristic of Mediterranean flora, among which are olive trees, holm oaks (cork trees), oaks, strawberry trees, vineyards, broom heath, rosemary and rockrose, as well as small herbaceous plants. There is a great variety of wild mushrooms to be found, both in autumn and in the spring. The route passes through a rural area where vegetable gardens and cultivated farm lands are common, especially close to the villages. The fauna we may frequently encounter includes some game species, such as the fox, partridge, wild boar and rabbit. Birds of prey are also common, and one frequently sees the black kite and the black-winged kite.Also noteworthy is the caster mill, formerly used for the milling of cereals.
Gastronomy
- Roast kid
- Queijo à cabreira (cured goat’s or ewe’s milk cheese)
- Maranhos (stuffed pig’s stomach)
- Filhós (deep fried dough balls)
- Tigelada (egg custard)
- Olive oil and sausages
Start
"Square at the entrance to the village of Martim Branco N 39º 56' 51.936'' W 007º 37' 38.115'' " (338 m)
Coordinates:
DD
40.007076, -7.661587
DMS
40°00'25.5"N 7°39'41.7"W
UTM
29T 614236 4429400
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Destination
"Square at the entrance to the village of Martim Branco N 39º 56' 51.936'' W 007º 37' 38.115'' "
Turn-by-turn directions
This circular Watermills Route starts in Martim Branco, an interesting village of traditional schist houses that is part of the Castelo Branco network of Schist Villages.We make our way from Martim Branco to the village of Camões. To begin with we pass through pine forests but we soon arrive at a place where the human influence on the landscape, with its newly planted olive groves, is evidence of new investment and of the resistance to the abandonment of rural areas. Even before reaching Camões we plunge once again into the pine forest and the typical forested landscape of this region. We leave behind the stepping stones of the Magueija brook near the village of Camões and head towards Malhada do Cervo along the ancient irrigation channels that in former times carried water to the cultivated fields.Arriving at Malhada do Cervo, we continue to the Magueija brook. Here we can see another of the watermills on our route, beside the bridge that takes us over to the right bank of the Magueija. This watermill with its schist tile roof, although it is now clad with cement, is an example of the type of local construction that used naturally available materials.Back in Martim Branco our route continues through pine forest and brings us to the Goulo brook, where we can still see centuries-old olive trees. The final part of the route is on forest tracks flanked by woodland and farmland that bring us back to the starting point of our walk.
Coordinates
DD
40.007076, -7.661587
DMS
40°00'25.5"N 7°39'41.7"W
UTM
29T 614236 4429400
w3w
///oatmeal.querying.escapades
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike
Difficulty
moderate
Distance
15.2 km
Duration
6:00 h
Ascent
424 m
Descent
399 m
Highest point
344 m
Lowest point
233 m
Statistics
2D
3D
Maps and trails
Distance
km
Duration
: h
Ascent
m
Descent
m
Highest point
m
Lowest point
m
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