PR1 Guadiana – O grande rio do sul

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The route begins in a place known as “O poço dos dois irmãos“ (pit of the two brothers) on the right on Mértola exit on the road to Algarve. Then on a dirt road, goes towards the Forest Perimeter of Mértola. In the distance you can see a vast pine forest essentially formed by stone pines planted 50 years ago. In a tighter curve there are some species of orchids, as the Small-flowered Tongue-orchid (Serapias parviflora), the Green-winged Orchid (Orchis morio ssp champagneuxii), the Dense-flowered Orchid (Neotinea maculata) and the Sawfly orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera). A little bit further, is the former Ranger house, known in the neighborhood as “Casa do Alcario” and, along the river, you can see the natural reservoir of Vau da Pedra where are the ruins of two old water mills. The pine forest landscape gives way to shrubs and you can see a superb view of Mértola village and San Francisco Convent. The river valley widens, and riparian vegetation consisting of poplars, willows and ash, comes to dominate the landscape. This is a good area to observe European Bee-eaters (Merops apiaster), Eurasian Crag-Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris), White Stork (Ciconia ciconia), Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) and Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus). Here, we are in the territory of a Bonelli's Eagle couple. In the vicinity of Herdade da Bombeira you can see the ruins of the old fiscal guard post, witnessing the smuggling past of this area and on the right, three very old olive trees. Further on, the gate of Herdade da Bombeira. The path continues to the mouth of Carreiras river, where the route ends. The return is made by the same path.