PR20Moorish Route

The Moorish ridge

This route climbs to the ridge that dominates the southern part of the municipality. It is not a scenic trail with a legend woven in — it is an ascent of the Cerro de Penhas Juntas via the Gruta das Tintas to the remains of a thousand-year-old fortification, with a 360-degree view over the mountain ranges of Portugal and Spain. The ridge is the quartzite crest that separates the Terra Fria from the Terra Quente, and is visible from afar across the whole of southern Vinhais.

The route covers fourteen kilometres, with the village of Falgueiras and well-maintained chestnut grove paths completing the loop, and a public swimming pool at the finish.

Penhas Juntas

The route is circular and begins and ends in Penhas Juntas, beside the Café Atlântico and the trail information board, with the Capela de Saint Sebastian and the Igreja Matriz de Saint Peter in the village. On the eastern side, the trail enters the village through the Charquinha do Funil, a leisure area with a public swimming pool and fountain — a fitting end on a warm day.

The Gruta das Tintas

In the crags on the south-eastern side of the ridge lies the Gruta das Tintas, also known as the Buraco dos Mouros, from which the pigments used to paint the Igreja Matriz de Saint Peter are believed to have been extracted. Access is via tall stone steps that require free hands and footwear with a good sole.

The Moorish castle

At the top of the ridge, at around 830 metres, there are remains of a fortification dating from the end of the first millennium, predating the formation of Portugal, with the wall still discernible along the crest. Between the cave and the castle the path is narrow and the vegetation closes in. The 360-degree view makes it all worthwhile: Serra da Coroa, Manzaneda in Spain, Serra da Nogueira, Serra de Bornes, and Serra do Alvão.

Falgueiras and the chestnut groves

Falgueiras is the second village on the route, on the opposite side of the ridge, and between it and Penhas Juntas the chestnut grove paths are wide and well maintained, with the lowest point of the loop at around 570 metres. Those wishing to tackle another ascent in the southern part of the municipality will find the PR18 · Cascata Cachão da Malhadinha, starting from Negreda.