Salgueirinho

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The route is in the southern part of Serra da Malcata Nature Reserve, taking advantage of rural roads and passing through areas, somehow abandoned, of pine forest, woods and Bazaguedinha farm. The route allows you to know the characteristic topography of Malcata mountain central area. The rounded summits and steep slopes are covered by water lines carved in schist. The Labdanum (Cistus ladanifer) is predominant in poorer soils, while Erica umbellate, whose flowers are much sought by bees to honey production or Pterospartum tridentatum seeking deeper soils. The steepest slopes are covered exuberantly by the Mediterranean scrub with Strawberry trees, Sweet Acorn Oak and a huge group of shrubs, such as Laurustinus, Mastic Tree, Tree Heath and other plants. It is this dense vegetation takes refuge the Lataste's Viper, easily identified by the number of lozenges or dark spots on either side of its back, the Eurasian Green Woodpecker and the Great Tit, while the Otter and the Schreiber's Green Lizard are restricted to water lines in which banks grow leafy ash trees and alders, interspersed with willows (Salix atrocinerea and S. salviifolia). In hot weather is easy to find cold-blooded animals, warming up in the sun, like the Iberian Wall Lizard and the Algerian Psammodromus. Near Bazaguedinha farm, the river, the dam and the mill quietness is rewarding. Orlando Ribeiro (a very known Portuguese geographer) have been here searching for explanations about the river capture geological phenomenon, while the Romans sought gold in Presa ancient mines, near the route next to the shooting ground (Carreira de tiro).