This day will be marked by the discovery of the magical stretch of the Rio Zêzere and also by the Malha (traditional Horseshoes style game) Tournament.
The Schist Walking Trail of Porto de Vacas begins in the Largo das Festas square and goes on to tackle the steep cliffs of Vale Fragoso, Vale dos Pássaros and Vale da Casa. At the top, you arrive at the Miradouro da Malhada viewpoint: below the village surrounded by the river with its abundant dams; in the background, the sky is framed by quartzite ridges. Further on, the old Ball Field can be seen, the only open space in the middle of a green forest.
Another unique place is Vale de Muro, a must see, where you can witness human ingenuity in the arduous conquest of the most schistose of soils. Arriving at Ereira you reencounter the Zêzere. In its gorge, on the way to the sting, we discover one of the river's sharpest bends. Following silently alongside the river, listening to the many birds that have chosen this piece of paradise as their habitat, all the way to the Mini-Hydro dam. Past Malhada Esteveira and Tapada, you arrive at one of the village's proudest points - the bridge built by the village’s collective labour. The old Primary School - future "Casa do Barqueiro" - and the Community Oven bring the Porto de Vacas Schist Walking Trail to an end.
PROGRAMME
8:30am - Reception at the Porto de Vacas largo de festas square
9am - Food drive distribution
9:30am – Start of the Walking Trail
12.30pm - Lunch
2pm - Malha tournament (traditional horseshoe style game)
7pm - Snack
