This trail begins at the S. Lourenço hill fort and leads to the discovery of other ancient monuments, evidence of human presence from times predating the hill forts, located on the Vila Chã plateau.
The monuments are not the only reason for this walk, as there is much more to appreciate in terms of landscape, nature, and ethnography. Heading in any direction, this route—marked in both directions—will take you through the diverse landscapes surrounding the parish of Vila Chã. Amid the woods and forests of maritime pine, broom, and heather, farmlands and vineyards, and also along the fossil cliff, one can appreciate the diversity of wildlife, where foxes, wildcats, and wild boars coexist, along with jays, the , the hare, and the squirrel, which delight those who walk its 10 km. The secret is to take this trail at a pace dictated by your observation and luck.
From time to time, archaeology will present you with some of the most iconic examples of funerary monuments, such as the dolmens of Portelagem, Rapido, and Cruzinha, the latter being one of the most rare and interesting, as it features two stone structures beneath the same burial mound. As it is one of the most interesting sites, you should spend more time at the S. Lourenço hillfort. Once there, you can visit the millennia-old ruins and imagine, through the reconstructed settlements, the daily life of the hillfort communities. But if you’re more interested in the scenery, near the chapel dedicated to the martyr St. Lawrence, you can enjoy the scenic beauty of the Atlantic coastline and nearly the entire coastline of the municipality of Esposende, with special attention to the North Coast Natural Park and the mouth of the Cávado River.
Once in Abelheira, you can extend your visit a bit further and admire the windmills and watermills that once ground corn.
As for the many legends that populate the popular imagination, you may not be able to see the “enchanted Moorish women” hiding in the burial mounds, but if you’re lucky, you’ll find on a large granite slab (the Pata do Cavalo rock) the hoofprints of the horse that carried Our Lady and the Child as they fled from the Romans to Egypt, or even the “Fonte da Virtude,” which will free you from the “ailments” of time’s heavy burden with the water of eternal youth. Perhaps that is precisely the secret of this hike!?