PR1 PTG Percurso da Sra. da Lapa

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Beginning and ending at the village of Besteiros, the path heads eastwards towards the border with Spain, going up and down hills covered with montados and steppes, with a more marked presence of eucalyptus and pine. In the valley of Soverete river the quartzite cliffs are home to a small colony of vultures, the griffons. During the morning you can see them in low circular flights over the valley, trying to gain altitude. At the end of the path, almost with a foot in Spain, is its ex-libris, the Chapel of N. Sra. da Lapa. Protected by the escarpment where it was built, this ancient temple has hidden behind the altar a secret passage to a cave where you can see on the walls the paintings left by primitive humans several thousand years ago. The path continues on in the same way, going up and down hills, through pine and eucalyptus woods until, in a last descent, we are transported to Vale of Mouro, a magnificent montado. Further ahead in the pathway, the cork oaks give way to pastures where herds of goats graze and soon afterwards we arrive to the end of this path. NATURE: colony of griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) in the valley of the Soverete River near the Chapel of N. Sra. da Lapa. Landscape with woods of maritime pine and eucalyptus. It is worth mentioning the montado found in some sections with pastures under extensive regime. HANDICRAFT: rag dolls; tapestries (Portalegre stitch), basketry and adufe from Portalegre. GASTRONOMY: grain baked with pods - Alentejo's way; cod albardado; cachola; rabbit in wine and garlic; and fried hare. Sweets (blancmange, toucinho-do-céu, almond lamprey, candy eggs). Cherry from São Julião (Protected Designation of Origin).