BTT01Barragem de Prada Route

The gateway

This is the route to start with. It is not a lesser version of the others — it is the gateway: 8.2 kilometres around the Parque Biológico de Vinhais, with around 150 metres of accumulated ascent, wide tracks and almost constant shade. It is a green route, to be ridden at a leisurely pace with the family, and yet it combines a pond full of birds, a dam, a mill and the oak and chestnut woodlands of the Parque Natural de Montesinho.

Above the canopy, birds of prey from Montesinho — from eagles to red kites — are a frequent sight. It is worth looking up.

Start and finish at the Parque Biológico

The route is circular and begins and ends at the entrance gate of the Parque Biológico de Vinhais, at around 940 metres above sea level. The main climb comes in the first few kilometres — gentle — up to the highest point on the route, just above 1,000 metres, at kilometre 1.5.

A Charca do Vidoeiro

In the opening kilometres, a short detour leads to the Charca do Vidoeiro, a pond with a birdwatching hide where patience is rewarded. It is a good place to stop with children: those who speak quietly see more.

A Barragem de Prada

At kilometre 3.8, the Barragem de Prada dominates the ride with its expanse of water, which supplies irrigation to the agricultural holdings in the municipality. It is a place to linger and appreciate how water shapes life in this land, with waterfowl, insects and amphibians making it a hub of biodiversity.

O Moinho da Ribeira do Vidoeiro

In the second half, beside an old irrigation channel, stands the Moinho da Ribeira do Vidoeiro. Disused for decades but well preserved, it allows one to imagine the mechanisms that once ground grain — a quiet testament to the agricultural daily life of Vinhais. The final kilometres, between 905 and 935 metres, are almost flat all the way back to the Parque Biológico, where there are toilets, accommodation and the wildlife of the Parque Natural to observe at close quarters.