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Friday, April 30, 2010

Visit the Caves of Coal - Rio Caldo

The Caves of the region economically favored Coal Valley Cávado, especially Rio Caldo. Construction of rough granite, rounded shape and domed cupola, slightly open to stack the wood, these pits for decades, have ensured the production of charcoal from woody vegetation predominant in the mountains (Carvalho, Strawberry Tree, Heather and Broom, who was sold on the spot to colliers de Braga.

Visit the Dam and Reservoir Caniçada - Rio Caldo

Caniçada Dam is located in the municipalities of Lands and Bouro Vieira do Minho, in the River Basin Cávado. Its construction was completed in 1955. The dam has a height of 76 me a length of 246 m.
Has a volume of 90,000 m³ of concrete, and a maximum discharge capacity of 1700 m³ / s. It is a kind of arch dam. The installed power is 60 MW, producing on average 346 GWh per year.
The lake stretches for miles, is considered one of the most beautiful part of Portugal and marks the southern border of the Peneda-Geres. There, along the Rio Caldo and bridges to the Geres and São Bento da Porta Aberta, pensions and restaurants with terraces overlooking the water, as well as the possibility of boat trips.

Visit the Church of St. Matthew the Ribeira

The Church of St. Matthew's parish of Ribeira has masonry granite staircase, flanked by two crosses to the top. In the main body of the church is engraved the year 1719, referring probably to the date of its reconstruction or transladação since the original was in the place of Young. The interior is ornamented with magnificent carvings and gilded altar, also Johannine, sports figures of seraphim and valuable sculptures.

Visit the Church of São Mamede - Gondoriz

The Church of Gondoriz, as patron of St Mamede, has a high altar reminiscent of Renaissance style and in it there is a chapel dedicated to N. ª Senhora dos Remedios, rebuilt in 1887.

Visit Fraga of Chalcedon - Covide

The Fraga of Chalcedon is an ancient fortified town of the Iron Age, called Chalcedon located in Town of Covide.
Presumably the Roman occupation, this flagship location, which was created by toponym fable of some classical scholars of the century. XVI indicates a classical origin founded by the Argonauts.
This route, part of history and landscape, it develops within the parish of Covide and presents a distinct cultural-historical repertory, its community traditions and archaeological remains.
The area is dominated by the Geres granite, which has a texture made up of medium to coarse grain.
At the site of the Chalcedon Fraga and surrounding area, oak and pear-tree mark a healthy presence in the mountainous landscape.
The shrub and herb layer is characterized in a different way and with high floristic value enhancing to erica, heather, gorse-arnal, gorse-molar, the Torga, violet, thyme, foxglove, and others.

Visit the footpath of the City of Chalcedon - Covide

The footpath in the City of Chalcedon is a footpath known as short route (PR), with an actual distance of 9.3 km to go - the average time is approximately 5 hours - consisting of sloping paths, making it highly difficult .
The Trail runs through the parishes of Covide and Field Gerês, which present a plot historical-cultural landmark, its community traditions and archaeological antiquities.
This circular route, to achieve the mythical archaeological site called "Fraga City," which scholars seiscentistas immortalized with classic toponym of Chalcedon.

Visit the Church of Santa Marinha - Covide

The Church of Covide with patron saint of Santa Marinha, is constructed with about four centuries shows an altar in the Renaissance style.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Visit the village Typical Covide

The typical village of the Municipality of Covide Bouro Land is located 10 km from the seat of County and 40 kilometers from the city of Braga. Is inserted in the rural area of the Peneda-Geres (PNPG), with markedly rural and mountain, where lie the nuclei mountain, fields of culture that serve as their support and pasture land, ie places where all humans is more pronounced.
Covide has a great location landscape, environmental and tourism, can be observed throughout the surrounding of the stream of Man with its green farmland, predominantly designed in terraces, the fruit of man's adaptation to the environment in the practice of traditional agriculture, which still currently keeps a momentum predominantly oriented polyculture, for self-consumption, increasingly sought after by visitors and tourists who prefer traditional products (eg meat barrosã, kid, honey, sausages and smoked medicinal and aromatic plants) much appreciated for a niche urban consumers concerned about food quality and safety.

Visit the Sierra casarotas Yellow - Cibões

The Casarotas located at the top of Yellow Mountain, in the Cha Salgueiral, Town of Cibões are about two dozen buildings in stone.
These constructions are reminiscent of the robust dolmens and even old huts of shepherds. However, the construction and use may be associated with the defense of the frontier of human Portela, serving to support the troops. Some of these inscriptions have Casarotas places the current parish, including Cleaver and Gilbarbedo.

Visit the Windmill of Gilbarbedo-Cibões

The windmill, situated in the place of Gilbarbedo, in the parish of Cibões is the end of the nineteenth century, the only county in the Land of Bouro. The visitor will notice, in situ, the entire operation of the windmill and all the grinding device, using a natural resource.
Given the location of the mill in terms of landscape, can be spotted in most of the county.

Visit the Trail Geira - Chorense

The Trail Geira, a small footpath route (PR), part of history and landscape, has a length of 9.5 km, with a duration of four hours, and the average degree of difficulty. This route stretches along the paths of agricultural parishes Chorense and Balance, which contain both historical remains high tourist and cultural interest. This interest stems mainly from the existence of marks of Roman activity, the Geira and Miles: The Town of Chorense goes up for miles along the riverside of seventeenth hut, XVIII Mutatio Saliniana in Chaos Vilar. The set of milestones together in those miles Patent epigraphy to honor the emperors of the time.

The interest in the same region can obviously extend to the architectural environment of the typical villages of granite, which retain a rural atmosphere very welcoming, and the physical and natural environment that is easily noticeable in many places the trail.

Visit the Church of Santa Marinha - Chorense

The church of Santa Marinha, the Town of Chorense presents the main doorway the date 1770. The main altar and four side altars are in gilt, built in the style of the Renaissance. The ceiling of this place is decorated with religious paintings.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Visit the Chapel of S. Sebastian's Geira - Chorense

The Chapel of St. Sebastian's located in the Town of Geira Chorense, is dated 1687. Every year a festival is held in honor of St. Sebastian on the first Sunday following the day on August 15. Along the base of the supporting wall of the chapel becomes Geira Via XVII, linking Braga to Astorga.

Visit the Trail of the Mills and traditional irrigation schemes - Charmoim

The Trail of the Mills Traditional Irrigation and runs through the rural villages of Lagoa, dry and Pergoim belonging to the parish of Chamoim. Presents an extension of 9 km with a time of 4 hours and boasts a musical medium to high difficulty. The altimetry maximum of 590m will be achieved at the site of Spike, identified as a lookout, with lower elevation of 140m on the bank of River Man.


This trail leads to a rural route that gives a recognition of the usefulness and value of the old roads have fallen into disuse, such as foot paths and put the agricultural roads paved. Water lines, the grooves, wells, the irrigation and water-mills, on the whole, are authentic relics of popular architecture of ancient times.

The Trail of the Mills Traditional Irrigation and includes a small section of the Via Romana XVIII Military Itinerary of Antoninus, between miles XXI and XXII. The pavement in excellent condition, is walled granite masonry

Visit the Church of Santiago - Charmoim

The mother church of the Parish of Charmoim, sits in place of Lagoon, between the village housing and its patron the Apostle Santiago. In the square in front of the array are the crosses of the cross and cross and made of a milestone.

Visit the medieval bridge Carvalheira

The medieval bridge Carvalheira looks monumental, is oriented towards southeast-northwest and is the gateway between the neighborhood and Carvalheira Brufe. It consists of a perfect arch back grounded in rocky outcrop, which features short staves and coarse granite stonework.

Visit Dam Vilarinho das Furnas - Carvalheira

The barrage of Vilarinho das Furnas (name of the village which was submerged by its construction) is located in the parish of Carvalheira, municipality of Terras de Bouro, fed by the River Man. It was completed in 1972, with a height of 94 m, is situated on the river basin Cávado.
Has a volume of 294 000, a maximum discharge capacity of 280 m³ / s, a capacity of 118 hm 3 located in an area of 346 hectares.
It is a dam of 385 m and is the crowning arc type.
With a truly stunning surroundings.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Visit Trench Campo - Campo do Geres

Medieval period, near mile XXIX, are indelible traces of the Trench Field during that historical period served as a defense of Portuguese streak of hostile invasion. The people of Campo de Geres had an obligation to defend human Portela.
What remained for centuries, and this people serrano successfully resisted all attacks of the invaders, mainly because of his courage and toughness, but also to the exceptional geographical configuration of the territory.
In the vicinity of Trench Field are the ruins of a structure identified as House of parts that served as host of men and war garrisons.

Visit the Cruise Campo - Campo do Geres

The Cross Country maintains like shaft, a cylindrical monolith headed, March notes that Roman mile XXVII and referring to the emperor Decius (249-251). It is a National Monument by Decree of June 16, 1910.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Visit the Eagle's Trail Pedestrian Sarilhão

The Trail of the Eagle Sarilhão, is located in the town of Campo do Geres. This small footpath route, historical and cultural context, has a length of 9 km, about 3 hours in length and has a medium degree of difficulty.
Traverses land flattened a broad valley, through which the Ribeiro de Rodas, among the Ethnographic Museum and the left bank of Bayou Vilarinho das Furnas, this being its northern end. Runs through the rural settlements of this ancient village and reveals, among the narrow row of houses, the houses and granaries with their crosses summits with woodwork and balconies open to the usual street.
Legacy assets are highlights, with distinction, Via Nova XVIII (Geira), passing through miles XXVII, XXVIII and XXIX and the core of Roman standards. Nearby mile XXIX loom indelible traces of the trench to the Field in the Middle Ages, it served to defend the streak in Portuguese hostile invasion.

Housed in a vital area of the Peneda Geres, this trail is close to other points of interest such as the cliff Sarilhão of the National Forest and the extinct village of Albergaria Community Vilarinho das Furnas.

Visit the Ethnographic Museum of Vilarinho das Furnas - Campo do Geres

The Ethnographic Museum is a creation expressed by the ancient inhabitants of the former community village of Vilarinho das Furnas. In 1981, the City Council Land Bouro began the construction embodied in the exploitation of raw materials originating from the village. It was inaugurated on May 14, 1989.
This is a popular architecture in the construction of traditional masonry, whose final design fits with perfection, culture built the village of Campo do Geres.


Characterization of the Ethnographic Museum of the Furna Vilarinho

In an area of 430 square meters, the space is split into two main floors. The ground floor offers a covered atrium, reception, an exhibition hall tables with charcoal drawings by Luís Campos, and two exhibition halls to show the estate's distinctive culture and life of the community of Vilarinho das Furnas. Access to the upper floor is done, optionally, the interior or exterior of the building, and here the space is spread across an auditorium, a hall to display agricultural implements and two rooms that mirrors so artistic and decorative, the village housing in the village, community life agro-pastoral and forest-community organization - the Board - the party and festival - the religious cult - the domestic and read their genuine know-how - the cobbler, the carpenter and craftsman. Still on the top floor is a room with the headquarters of the Association "Furna", founded in 1985 by the natural inhabitants of Vilarinho, which are the organs and founders, governed by the objectives of conservation, protection and enhancement of community ethnographic sui generis.

The surrounding area is an area that represents an annex building project to integrate the museum, with granaries and a lounge which will act as an archive of documentary heritage Vilarinho and the municipality of Terras de Bouro that, taken together, establish the identity culture of this people. This set of buildings, among others to build, will be integrated into the doors of the Park project.

Asset Protection - the Ethnographic Museum of the Furna Vilarinho

In late 1968, the human movement from the village of Vilarinho das Furnas assembled to achieve a single purpose: to collect the ethnographic heritage and safeguard it. Its inventory represented a joint effort, the people of Vilarinho das Furnas. The stock concentrate refers to the agrarian sector, the community traditions, domestic life and the authentic rural life of the village.

Visit the medieval bridge axis - Campo do Geres

The medieval bridge axis, located in the Town of Campo do Geres, on the Ribeira de Rodas, has two round arches formed by staves narrow, built on the solid foundations of well-equipped walls anchored into the bedrock and at the margins.
Despite the entry of the 1745 patent on the arches, is considered to be evidence for their existence back to earlier times.

Visit the Church of Campo do Geres

The Mother Church Campo do Geres, which would have been built with materials remaining from the previous temple, presents a sober façade, center, has a small bell tower and gables have crosses florets of the cross. Inside, beyond the altar, has the side of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Crucified and Our Lady of Lourdes.

Visit the Castro of Chalcedon - Campo do Geres

The Castro of Chalcedon is diluted in a landscape intensively granite. But this was a fortified settlement at other times extraordinary importance, because in addition to its large size, was built in a place of difficult access, wrapped in labyrinthine tunnels, trying to confuse and disrupt the enemy.
Are known, even today, many remnants of this fort, covering the area of Chalcedon is still remains of walls and even some Roman construction ceramic fragment.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Visit the ruins of adeia Vilarinho das Furnas - Campo do Geres

Vilarinho the Furna was a small village in the parish of Field gerês.

According to oral tradition would have begun its existence at the opening of the road "Geira. We would be the year of 75 d.C..
A group of seven workers, and according to legend, decided to settle with the current Portela Field. Shortly thereafter, on grounds of disagreement that four men left their colleagues and were installed just a few meters from the right bank of the river Man, giving thus the beginning of the village of Vilarinho Furna.
Evidence of Roman presence is in the two cobbled roads that gave access to the south side of town and above all, the three bridges of solid architecture.
Like most mountain villages of northern Portugal, Vilarinho Furna comprised of a cluster of granite houses, aligned to each other, forming winding alleys. The family homes are generally composed of two overlapping and independent floors - one-story store, designed to guard herds and farmers tools and products, and a first floor dwelling itself, where were the kitchen and bedrooms.
The furniture was simple and modest. Some objects such as dishes, lamps, tableware, lamps, etc.., Were bought at the fair or the vendors that passed through the village more or less regularly.
Others were homemade as the cabinets, wooden beds, rarely ornamented with religious, tables and benches, as well as virtually all clothing.
The night lighting was done with a variety of lamps and chandeliers closed container, which operated the oil, animal fat or oil, when that was scarce in times of war.
All the inhabitants of the Furna Vilarinho, ai residents, practicing the Catholic religion, which causes severe criticism from others and the length of any non-religious duties.
The people of Vilarinho, besides the observance of the laws of his country, had also their domestic laws that were respected and scrupulously observed. For this there was a panel that consisted of a Custodian (formerly Judge), accompanied by six members.
To this assembly could be elected from the six heads of families, both men and women, who in that capacity, when in a state of widowhood or absence of the husband, due to emigration. The women could vote and attend meetings of the Board, however, could never be chosen for the high office of Keeper, because this appointment was made among married men, in chronological order of the consortium.

The elections for the choice and replacement of the Six-Porter were held every six months. The Six that ceased to function, would pass to the successors in the presence of the new Custodian and Custodian outgoing, outstanding issues and money in a safe.
At times, the Custodian prior to the start of the meeting, swore on the holy Evengelhos and, at the time of his inauguration, wielding the stick of the five wounds, swearing, thus keeping all the neighbors.

The Board meeting, usually every Thursday. For this, the Custodian, at the break of dawn, blew a horn (Buzios) or a bull's horn, calling the components of the Board. At the end of the third ring, spacing, heading toward the coast of Vilarinho, carrying a box where they were the leaves of the law. It then proceeded to call the Janitor, applying to a faulty "condemns" of 50 cents, unless a family member appear for justifying the reason for absence. However, those who lacked all day without giving any justification, were ordered to pay $ 5 00. The meeting in the afternoon it was not in the village square, but, yes, next to fields, the Roman bridge over the River Man. It was in these meetings that determined the future work and the "sentences" to be applied.
After everyone has discussed various issues relating to village life, the six gathered to deliberate, always winning the majority and having the Custodian casting vote. The main issues focused on the construction and repair of roads, walls and bridges of common usefulness, the pastoral organization (vezeiras and feirio), organization of agricultural work (looped, trimmed, harvesting, mowing, etc.). And also the distribution of irrigation water, etc..
The duties of the Custodian was such, that could, in very severe case, expel the neighbor, ie, margin it fully in social life and the Community system. He was also the Judge of all crimes except for homicide to be a matter for the courts.

There was a neat feeling of solidarity that enveloped this people and their strength of unity, reflected in the motto of everyone by everyone.
Much would say the EU regime for Vilarinho, a people who left us all a story and an example.
The spectrum of the dam began to hover over the population as a ravenous vulture. The dam construction company arrived, rode sues the camp and put to work. This appears progressive and relentless.
The exodus of the people of Vilarinho may find themselves between September 1969 and October 1970 in the village when the notices were posted to mark the tapamento the dam. Have had a year since, the inhabitants of Vilarinho to make your plans, look for new land and make the transfer of their furniture.

The 57 families living in this village, are now scattered in many different lands of the districts of Braga.

Of life and corners of the village community there is no longer a dream.
Dream that is continued in the Ethnographic Museum of the Furna Vilarinho, built with the stones of the village.

The dam of the Furna Vilarinho was inaugurated on May 21, 1972

Friday, April 16, 2010

Visit the Wolf Fojo Brufe

Wolf hunting was an activity associated with grazing, has been modeling in mountain villages, as referred to in historical documents from various eras. Structures conducive to horses, called Fojo lobe structures and formats are appropriate to the activity. For wolves, startled by the noise of the beaters and chased by dogs, the summit of the hill was like a line of no return, since its passage meant the descent towards the pit Fojo, where they would be arrested. The structure of the Wolf Fojo Brufe is one that remains.

Visit the Village Typical Brufe

Typical Brufe village is located on the right bank of Bayou Vilarinho das Furnas northwest of Campo do Geres. It saves the streets and traditional homes.
Its position, the half-slope, the Village transforms into a belvedere. The recent road which crosses the wall of the dam allows the direct connection between the two towns, allowing then to Ponte da Barca or the Lindoso.

Visit the Church of the Holy Spirit - Brufe

The Church of Brufe is among the only two places in the parish: Cortinhas Brufe and rebuilt in 1881/82, and as the patron saint of the Holy Spirit.

Visit the granaries in Brufe

There are several granaries in the parish of Brufe. Structures are built of granite used to store corn. Today in many cases are recovered, although there are still old.

Visit the Trail Geira Romana in St. John's Balance

The Trail Geira, a small footpath route (PR), part of history and landscape, has a length of 9.5 km, with a duration of 4 hours, and the average degree of difficulty. This route stretches along the paths of agricultural parishes Chorense and Balance, which contain both historical remains high tourist and cultural interest. This interest stems mainly from the existence of marks of Roman activity, the Geira and Miles in the Parish of St. John's Balance are the miles: XV, the site of Bico's Cantos or Geira, XVI in place of the Teixugos Penedo.
The same region of interest extends to the architectural environment of the typical villages of granite, where there is still a rural environment and welcoming, and the physical and natural environment that is easily noticeable in many places the trail.



Fauna

In this way one can see a diversity of animals, from amphibians, reptiles, birds and livestock in their natural habitats. In areas most exposed to sunlight appear reptiles such as lizard (Lacerta schreiberi), the Bocage's wall lizard (Podarcis bocagei) and lizard-do-mato (Psammodromus algirus). Much like the snake-ratter (Malpolon monspessulanus).
Sight can be the eagle-winged-round (buteo Buteo), the crow (Corvus corone) the CIA (Emberiza cia), a robin (Carduelis cannabina) and White Wagtail (Motacilla alba).
The route of the trail crossed the Roman road, has habitats frequented by the wolf (Canis lupus), fox (Vulpes vulpes), fisher (Martes foina), squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), horse (Equus caballus).

Amphibians such as the Iberian Frog (Rana iberica), the newt-bellied orange (Triturus boscai), the Marbled Newt (Triturus marmoratus), there are places with water like ponds, streams, etc..

Flora

At the beginning and along the stretch of Roman road (Geira), topping a field of weeds typically comprising Ericaceas, Legumes and Cistaceas.

In the most waterlogged by the end of the section of Geira, appear several species, like the buttercup (Ranunculus repens) and paw (peplos Portula).

After Chaos Vilar, appear shrub species such as oaks (Quercus suber) and the herbaceous Troviscais-female (Daphne Gnidium) and honeysuckle-of-apothecaries (Lonicera periclymenum). Church of the river, there is a gallery of fine specimens of ash, willows, oaks, alders and escalheiros. Associated with tree species, there are the accompanying riparian, as the fetus Royal (Osmunda regalis) and five-in-rama (Potentilla erecta). Continuing up, as in rural villages, predominantly an agricultural environment with a tree layer implanted by man.

Returning to the Roman road looms large area of woods Atlantic, including tojais (Ulex europaeus and Ulex minor), white-Giesteira (Cytisus scoparius) and owl-eye (Tolpis barbata). By the end of the trail, the route is accompanied by the kind Daboecia Cantabrian, emerging flax (Linum biennis), sage-bastard (Teucrium scorodonia) and-the-Geres hypericum (Hypericum androsaemum.)

Visit the River Valley Man - St. John's Balance

The valley of the River Man in the Peneda-Geres is one of the places where nature left the grandeur and beauty in a single space. It is worth visiting.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Visit the Peneda-Geres in the Land of Bouro

The Peneda-Geres is presented as the first protected area to be created in Portugal (1971), by Decree-Law No. 187/71 of May 8, the only one with the status of National Park. It is located in northern Portugal, sharing border with Galicia, which form a continuous landscape of the Natural Park of Sierra Low-Limia Xurés, lobbying the city in Spain. The set of two parks form the Transfrontier Park Xurés-Geres. In addition to the catchment areas of rivers Minho, Lima, Cávado and Man, the PNPG is part of the granitic massifs Peneda, Yellow and Gerês. It occupies an area of 69 693 hectares, covering five Municipalities: Ponte da Barca, Melgaço, Montalegre, Ponte da Barca and Lands Bouro. In the latter, occupying 55.7% of the total area municipality.
The region that is part of the predominantly granitic, mountainous with altitudes reaching the 1545m in the Snowy Peak, in the Land of Bouro. Part of the hills that constitute the human interventions were, in continuity from the Neolithic time.

Flora

The main species found in the Peneda-Geres National Park are: alvarinho oak, Pyrenean oak, gilbardeira, arbutus, padreiro, laurel cherry, blueberry or "grape bunch", Holly.

Fauna

It is remarkable the amount and diversity of animals worthy of interest. Despite the Grizzly to have disappeared from the park, even today there are several species, as is the case of wild garranos, eight species of bats, of which the most important in terms of conservation is the Bat-arboreal-small, shrew-of- teeth-red, Martha, the wild cat, the Gold-Striped Salamander, the Squirrel, the vipers, the roe deer, wild boar and the Wolf.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Visit the Bridge of San Miguel - Land Bouro

This wooden bridge is an alternative to one of the bridges over the Man River were destroyed in the seventeenth century, soon after the regaining of independence of Portugal from the yoke Filipino.

That infrastructure was already part of the route of Geira (XVIII Via the Antonine Itinerary), allowing to overcome the last major obstacle of the Serra do Geres towards Astorga, continuing for centuries to be the runner military road to Santiago, line economic transactions and gateway to the interior of Spain.

Visit the Roman Bridge Ribeira da Maceira - Land Bouro

Today, with a wooden structure, only vestiges of the Roman Bridge Ribeira da Maceira.

Visit Geira (XVIII Via Antonino di Itinerary) - Land Bouro

Via Nova known Geira XVIII or via the Itinerary of Antoninus, is a Roman Road linking two major cities in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula (the former Bracara Augusta, now the city of Braga, and the ancient city of Augusta Asturica today Astorga, in Spain.) This road connected the two major cities in a journey of 215 miles, about 318 km. The Geira or Via Nova opened, probably in the late first century AD, around the year 80, under the auspices of Titus and Dominiciano. It is believed that construction of the Via Nova reinforced the Roman road network, has given most mobile armies, led a reorganization of the territory and led to increased mining activity and transition of these assets (especially the movement of the gold mines of Las Medulas, set World Heritage of Humanity).

Via Nova knows a diagonal route that links the triangle of administrative policy and road established by Augustus, with vertices in the three cities: Bracara Augusta, Lucus Augusti and Asturica Augusta.

In the Land of Bouro Geira covers the parishes of Souto, Libra, Chorense, Vilar, Charmoim, Covide, Campo do Geres and arrives finally at Portela do Homem, thence into Spanish territory.

The archaeological remains in the Land of Bouro are impressive: there are over 150 miliaris, which marked the miles on Via and gave to it, the traveler, the distance to the nearest town. In addition to the milestones in Land Bouro is possible to discern traces of Roman Bridges (on the Ribeiro da Maceira, Ribeira do Forno, Ribeiro Monsoon and Ponte de S. Miguel, Man of the River), shod with run-marks, quarries where milestones were extracted and stone blocks to build bridges. Start also to be discovered archaeological remains of small indigenous settlements or support the construction of Via, which attest to the importance of Via.

Visit the Forest of Albergaria - Land Bouro

The forest of Hostels is located between the Caldas do Geres and Portela of Man. As one of the most important woods of the Natural Park of Gerês is considered a botanical reserve by hosting a major oak in its natural state, which includes typical species of fauna and flora geresianas, so that, although it can be navigated on foot, subject special measures of protection.
The road that runs through the forest and follows the Roman road stretches along the left bank of Bayou Vilarinho das Furnas, and ends at the Campo do Geres. Besides its ecological value, has important historical value, because they are visible on this site remains of a Roman Geira with its milestones.

Visit the Cavado River - Land Bouro

The river crosses the Cávado County Land Bouro delimiting the south. As regards the fauna of the river, along the way, may be observed several species of waterfowl such as the European Magpie (Pica Pica), the cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), Gull (Larus cachinans), or the duck real ( Anas platyrhynchus)
In Plant, along the route, it may be observed countless riparian vegetation where stand ash (Fraxinus angustifolia), alder (Alnus glutinosa), poplars (Populus nigra), oaks (Quercus robur) or willows (Salix atrocinera) beyond some Atlantic salt meadows habitats with Juncos (Juncus acutus). The river also has a very large range of "life, from fish, ducks, and at the time, the lamprey, the cyclostomes looking sweet waters between January and April.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Visit the River Man - Land Bouro

The River Man is a tributary of the right bank of the river Cávado, with a length of 37 kilometers, originates in human Portela - Serra do Geres, covers the entire mountain yellow has a total area of 257 km2. The annual runoff at the mouth is 399 hm 3, with the tributary that contributes most to the total flow of the river Cávado.
In Rio is situated in the County Land Bouro, the dam of Vilarinho das Furnas, a reservoir with a capacity of 69.7 hm 3. The journey along the river valley is mainly composed of fast, areas where the water reaches high speeds.

The River Man has a great variety of fish that stands out the boga (Chondrostoma polylepis Steindachner), the climb (Leuciscus sp.), The eel (Anguilla anguilla), the Rainbow-Trout (Onchorynchus mykiss) and trout-de -Rio (Salmo trutta). In Vilarinho das Furnas Bayou is the carp (Cyprinus carpio), as the temperature in the deep waters never reach below 12 degrees Celsius, in which the carp would not be able to survive.



The flora is also very rich. There is the Lentil-of-Water (Lemna sp.) Which is a plant that "spontaneously" appear in any watercourse in Portugal. It is a plant which, besides good oxygenating, removes excess nutrients from the water so it is very nutritious for birds and some fish. As its common English name "duckweed" or "Duck's Meat" indicates, is a plant widely used in the feeding of ducks. It is quite vigorous in their growth, rapidly colonizing areas where it is installed, in fact, ideally the area occupied by plants can double in just a few days. Man appears in the river in areas of standing water, especially in "pools" formed after the rains and flooding river. The frogs and aquatic insects use it as refuge from predators.