Hiking & Biking
Hiking
Around the Quinta, we have various beautiful hiking routes through the mountains and valley:
- 20-25 minutes to the village of Gandarela de Basto for a cup of coffee/ sandwich/ shopping.
- 30-45 minutes around the grounds of our Quinta!
- 60-90 minutes hike through the forest/ mountain area above our Quinta (Ladario) with beautiful views and varied landscapes.
- 60-90 minutes hike to Igreja de Ribas and along a beautiful forest path through the valley of Ribas.
- 90-120 minutes to Penedo das grades, pointe de Aqua and back through the valley to Quinta Valbom
- 180-240 minutes extensive forest, mountain & valley hike around the Quinta
Within a 15-minute drive, you can hike along waterfalls and ancient mills to an abandoned river beach where you can swim, picnic and/or barbecue.
Natuurpark Alvão & Figas de Ermelo
Towards and around Mondim de Basto, there are beautiful hikes. Along the Rio Tamega or through the nature park Alvão to the waterfalls of Figas de Ermelo (12.5 km).
For more information and routes check also our Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/user/4113789606279
Camino De Santiago
For those who want a real hiking holiday, it is also possible to walk or cycle alternative routes from our Quinta/ Ribas to Santiago de Compostella. These routes are quieter and contain more nature than the Portuguese standard route from Porto. Expect around 60-70 hours of walking to Santiago (250 kilometers). You can choose to walk through the old Portuguese cities of Guimarães, Braga, and Ponte de Lima. Or more rural via the Serra da Cabreira mountains, Peneda-Gerês nature park, and Ourense. We have various options to stay with us in a furnished tent and we always offer hikers fresh vegetable soup with vegetables from our own garden. For a flying start, we also pick up hikers for free at the bus stop in our village and depending on their route, we drop off hikers with our Jeep at a beautiful starting point high up in the mountain.
Biking
There are various opportunities for beautiful cycling in our area. At a distance of 4km, there is an old railway line where a beautiful bike path has been created: 'Ecopista da Linha do Tâmega'. It is reasonably flat, paved, and quiet cycling. You pass authentic Portuguese stations where you can enjoy a drink with some snacks and along the Rio Tamega with beautiful views of vineyards and waterfalls. The entire bike path is 40 kilometers, but you can also get on halfway from Mondim de Basto to Amarante (25 km) or cycle to Arco de Baulhe (15 km). We have 2 mountain bikes for rent or you can rent electric bikes at the Ecopista in Mondim or Celorico.
Note: around our campsite, cycling is challenging due to elevation changes. However, this makes it great for mountain biking. From the campsite, you can go directly into the mountains and forest. A tough climb to Senhora da Graça, the sacred high point of northern Portugal, is also possible.
For more information and routes, ask Thomas and/or check our Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/user/4113789606279
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