PR3-MAC-CARVOEIRO PATH

Approved Path - Camping and Mountaineering Federation of Portugal

Extreme heat in summer is recommended

GEOCACHING POINT - START/END PR3

The Place

Route

🌲 Carvoeiro Trail — Nature, Authenticity and Tranquillity in Mação

Situated in the parish that shares its name, the Carvoeiro Trail crosses the northern plateau of the municipality of Mação, revealing peaceful landscapes, rural heritage and the unmistakable beauty of its river beach. It is the perfect route for those seeking tranquillity, introspection and a genuine connection with nature. By the end, you’ll most likely want to return.

The trail begins at the magnificent Carvoeiro River Beach, the most awarded in the Médio Tejo region, distinguished with the Blue Flag, the Accessible Beach Flag, and the Gold Quality Award from Quercus. From this idyllic setting, the path continues towards the picturesque villages of Capela and Balancho, where green fields and fertile gardens keep agricultural traditions alive throughout the year.

Midway through the route, visitors can choose between two options:

Short route, which leads from the Frei João lagoon directly back to Carvoeiro.
Long route, which extends the experience across the wider plateau, passing the GEOSITE of the Fragas de Degolados and the village of Degolados.

Following the short route, after reaching the westernmost point of the trail, the path continues towards Frei João, a place marked by memories, traditions and a deep connection to the forest and rural life, before returning to Carvoeiro.

Choosing the long route, the additional effort is richly rewarded by the impressive Fragas de Degolados, a striking rock formation offering a superb view over the Aziral Valley — one of the most breathtaking panoramas in the region.

Entirely suitable for cycling, this trail is also highly appreciated by mountain biking enthusiasts.

Pure nature, inspiring landscapes and an authentic experience: that is the Carvoeiro Trail.

Natural Heritage

In terms of native flora, on the Carvoeiro route you can find a rare forest of holm-oaks, a tree that dates back to the time of the laurel forests in Europe and also species such as willows, myrtle, purple heather, Lusitanian heather, alder, puff pastry and cork oak, among others. Already on the banks of the streams, and there are several watercourses in this area of the municipality, you can find the royal fern which, when in favourable conditions, can measure up to 3m high.

As for the fauna, it is common to find in these mountain streams the famous Iberian frog, an endemic species from the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, an illustrious inhabitant of springs and rivers, especially those with clear, cold and fast waters.

Already in the air you can find the 3 species of woodpecker that exist in Portugal: the green pectoral, the lesser spotted woodpecker and the greater spotted woodpecker. The walker can also be surprised here by the rare black stork or by more common species like the blackheaded warbler. With luck, you may also spot animals such as the doe, the squirrel or, on top of any rock, the lonely bluebird.

Finally, there is a diverse geology with the presence of the Aziral folds and the sedimentary structures in Balancho ball. These structures have been related to the movement of glaciers when this region was located near the South Pole. According to the experts, also the Beheaded Fragas will have formed when this entire region still belonged to the southern hemisphere.

Cultural Heritage

The traditional buildings in the villages that make up the route and the ruins of the small village of Laje are worth mentioning here. Built on a huge lage, the village has even had several residents, who long ago abandoned the field and the houses. When observing the walls and walls of the houses carefully, it can be seen that most of the blocks are characteristic of the geological unit that supports their construction. The popular memory tells that at one time the property belonged to a single family, however it was disavowed by questions of inheritance after the death of the patriarch. The locals say that the solution passed through the division of the property, which is why even today we can see two houses in ruins of larger dimensions.

Around them, depending on the season, you can see fields cultivated with green maize, which the locals use for grazing, the great source of food for the cattle during the colder months. The irrigation is done with water from a large lagoon nearby. Whoever ventures into the interior of the ruins will discover, besides ovens, several support structures for agriculture, probably the main source of income of this family, such as tanks and threshing floors.