The “Pequena Rota” (PR) hiking trail in the Cadela Valley is a proposed route for exploring the rich local biodiversity amid the diverse environments surrounding the city of Gouveia, along a 12-kilometer loop.

Starting at Bosque do Curral do Negro, the trail is lined with a series of informational panels that provide a brief overview of the local biodiversity in four distinct sections. After the Tapada de Santa Cruz, the route heads to the bucolic Mata da Câmara, where the chirping of the seasonal birdlife mingles with the murmur of the Ajax stream, which will accompany us until we reach the city limits. Along the way, we catch glimpses of the ruins of old water mills and the Casa da Luz, reminding us of this valley’s important role in the development of Gouveia, linked not only to flour production but also to the generation of energy that powered the bustling local textile industry, which established itself as one of the most important in the country during the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.

Following an old water channel—which still today supplies the farmlands built on the riverbank’s slope—we arrive at

city limits. We continue toward the Mata da Cerca dos Marqueses and cross its amphitheater-like arcade, heading toward the Burrachota area, where the Gouveia Ecological Park and CERVAS, both of which are well worth a leisurely visit, before beginning the technical ascent back to Curral do Negro. Near the top, a lookout point allows you to catch your breath and reflect on the multisensory experience—through observation, introspection, or spiritual contemplation—fostered by the tastes, smells, and sounds of nature, framed by a superb view of the and the Beira Alta region.