PR7 PTG-CVD Carreiras

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Starting in Carreiras, the path follows along the western flank of São Paulo hills, the northwest extremity of São Mamede mountain. To the west the landscape is always breath-taking and vast and we can enjoy it with serenity from the Picnic area of the Carvoeiros Fountain or from one of the mountain peaks. Livestock-raising is the main rural activity, so the presence of cattle is usual here, taking advantage of soils that rest on a granite substrate, 500 million years old, much older than the majority of granites in Portugal. The tree cover is dominated by Pyrenean oak and cork oak, sharing its habitat with olive trees, chestnut trees and maritime pines, but the focus is on the agrarian system that takes advantage of this situation, e.g. the montado, a formation that here differs from others in Portugal, by the fact that it is essentially constituted by Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica) or a mixture thereof with cork oak. Among the shrubs you can see Genista falcata, Ling, Rock roses, Portuguese long-stalked lavender and Pterospartum tridentatum. A significant portion of the path is on a medieval stone-paved roadway that, on this side of the mountain, used to connected Portalegre and Castelo Vide. NATURE: in the valley and on the slopes the predominant feature is a montado accompanied by Pyrenean oak. Small birds like the Chaffinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Linnet and the White Wagtail fly on the fields. On the quartzite cliffs we can see the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), the Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius), the Crow (Corvus corax) and the Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros). HERITAGE: Church of São Sebastião (Carreiras). 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; fried hare. Sweets (blancmange, toucinho-do-céu, almond lamprey, candy eggs). Cherry from São Julião (Protected Designation of Origin).