Aveiro Estuary Grand Trail - Green Route - Review
The first adventure of 2022
The days were already getting
longer when we decided to explore one of the newest major trails
in Portugal: the Grande Rota da Ria de Aveiro — Green Route (GR59). The
adventure was planned for one of the first weekends with
to make the most of every hour of sunshine. We were already longing to
get back on our bikes with backpacks on our backs, and we didn’t want to
put off our return to adventure for too long. Since we didn’t have
much time, we chose a route that could easily be completed in two days and started and ended in the same place. This makes logistics
much easier, since we don’t have to rely on rides from others or on the
stricter schedules of public transportation
The Grande Rota da Ria de Aveiro
Our route
While planning
the route, we decided to start in Albergaria-a-Velha and finish in Águeda.
This option meant a longer first day covering 110 km, but with little elevation gain, about 1,000 m+. The second day, which traversed the
more mountainous area of Sever do Vouga, was nearly 83 km long, but had a considerable 2,200 meters of elevation gain.
This division of the route worked out quite well, as it allowed us to reach the end by mid-afternoon on Sunday.
The Route — Opinion
The GR59 route is entirely bike-friendly, mostly on paved roads. We didn’t encounter any major technical difficulties since we were mostly riding on secondary roads. Anyone accustomed to cycling can comfortably complete this route, whether in two or three days, depending on their physical fitness.
From a personal standpoint, this route left a little to be desired. We had hoped for a route with fewer roads, featuring bike paths that would keep us away from the asphalt. There were some somewhat monotonous stretches, always on secondary roads from village to village, which became a bit tedious. The national highway after Sever do Vouga, despite having the river alongside it, was also a bit of a drag to ride. Even some sections that were on trails through forest roads are far from the beauty seen elsewhere. Here in the interior of the Aveiro district, the eucalyptus is the king and master of the forest. These eucalyptus groves aren’t the most pleasant places to ride a bike.
But it wasn’t all bad. We loved the route between Albergaria and Aveiro, initially along a trail through farmland, surrounded by storks, herons, and birds of prey (which we couldn’t identify), and then along a boardwalk in Madeira right next to the Ria de Aveiro. We especially liked the biodiversity we encountered, quite different from the inhospitable eucalyptus groves. Another area we really enjoyed was the route between Sever do Vouga and Albergaria.
In short, it was a weekend well spent; even though the route wasn’t the most pleasant, it was well worth
leaving home. We were left wanting to explore the area closer to the
Aveiro Estuary more thoroughly. Perhaps we’ll return one day to hike the blue trail—GR58.
It’s 130 km with only 331 meters of elevation gain, always right next to the estuary. Until then!
More information:
Em torno do principal canal da Ria de Aveiro, cruzando o território dos concelhos de Ovar, Murtosa, Estarreja, Aveiro, Ílhavo e Vagos (e Albergaria-a-Velha, parcialmente).
A GR59 é
a qu...
GR59 - Grande Rota da Ria de Aveiro - Percurso Verde
