useful informations
trail signage
PR 1 Schist Walking Trail
Barroca
FND of
Route of the rock engravings
LIST OF HERITAGE BUILDING
Ribeiro da Bica fountain
Casa Grande
Chapel of Senhora da Rocha
Church
PLACES OF INTEREST
Nossa Senhora de S. Agonia Chapel
S. João Chapel
S. Romão Chapel
Washhouses
Cantinho dos Palermas - Historic Place
PLACES TO EAT
_ Barroca:
“A Esplanada” Restaurant – 275 64 74 07
“Central Cafe” - 275 64 72 67
_ Silvares:
“A Pedra do Lagar” Restaurant- 275 66 23 05
“37” Restaurant- 275 66 27 62
“Mary” Restaurant- 275 66 21 67
“Girassol” Restaurant- 275 66 23 53
“Mundos Bar” Cafe- 275 66 20 29
“Capelo“ Cafe - 275 66 21 47
“Celtic’s“ Bar - 275 10 84 73
_ Janeiro de Cima:
“Fiado Restaurant" - 272 74 50 24/926 87 73 14
right way
wrong way
turn left
turn right
code of conduct
Follow sign-posted trails only; Avoid making unnecessary noise;
Never scare the animals; Do not damage any vegetation;
Do not litter and leave no trace of your visit; Do not light fire;
Do not collect or damage plants or rocks;
Be kind to people you find along the way;
useful contacts
SOS Emergency : 112
SOS Forest Fires: 117
Anti-venom informations: 808 25 01 43
Silvares Police: 275 66 24 53
Fire Department: 275 66 22 31
Health Center: 275 75 05 40
Trail Promoter _ Barroca Parish Council: 937 28 74 39
Fundão Municipality: 275 77 90 60
Tourism Office: 275 77 90 40
Schist Village Network - ADXTUR: 275 647 700; 960 10 18 73
PLACES TO STAY
_ Silvares:
“Blackout” Hostel - 275 66 01 10
_ Cabeço do Pião:
“Pousada de Juventude da Mina“ Hostel- 275 65 76 03; 969 57 05 71
_ Janeiro de Cima:
“Casa da Pedra Rolada“ Rural tourism - 969 33 98 30
“Casa de Janeiro“ Rural tourism - 969 33 98 30
“Casa Cova do Barro“ Rural tourism - 272 10 76 93; 934 10 38 13
"Casa do Quelho" Rural Tourism - 272 74 51 21; 965 32 63 29
_ Fundão:
Hotel Príncipe da Beira - 275 77 99 20
www.aldeiasdoxisto.pt
_promotors
HANDCRAFT
“Casa das Tedeceiras" - 934 10 38 13
GASTRONOMY
Salt cod with bread
Octopus with chestnuts
"Maranhos" - Goat Local recipe
Wood oven baked kid
_support
Mine vestiges
ADXTUR 2009
_walking trail process of registration and approval by
distance
PR 1
FND
duration
9,2 Km
trail type
2h 30min
altitude variation
439 m
205 m
loop
Barroca
altitude máx/min
rise
Located on the slopes of the Gardunha mountains, 30 kilometres from the
county of Fundão, Barroca is hidden on the hillside, from where it looks out over
the left bank of the River Zêzere, which bathes its feet and dominates the
landscape. The parish of Barroca was founded in 1686, and the development of
the village peaked from 1700 to the last century. During this period the main
houses were built. Here, where the rhythm is dictated by agricultural cycles, you
can find the Poço do Caldeirão and the Centre of Animation for the Schist
Villages. The surrounding landscape is framed by the river Zêzere snaking
through pine forests and the pyramid of vestiges from the wash houses of
Cabeço do Pião, which used to belong to the Mines of Panasqueira. The tungsten
here meant these were the main source of income for the region, and small
fortunes were made during the Second World War. The streets of the village are
often paved with round stones and some of the houses have balconies on the
first floor level. The details of their construction give the impression of the desire
to give emotions to the buildings.
350 m
Schist WalkingTrail of Barroca
3
_Walk direction: clockwise
Following this Schist trail you will be able to discover surprising places along
the Zêzere, both seen from above at the high point of Senhora da Rocha and
from the water level by the river, you will pass rock engravings that adorn the
rocks on both banks of the river. Start by filling your water bottle at the
Ribeiro da Bica fountain and prepare yourself for the biggest challenge of the
route: the climb to the Chapel of Senhora da Rocha, from where you will be
able to enjoy a different perspective of the village and the river. Alternatively
you can follow the way marked option PR1.1, which will take you straight to
the pontoon on the Zêzere past the beautiful houses of the village. But if you
accept the challenge of the climb, and you have made it up the the Chapel you
now have to descend carefully down the steep slope to the banks of the river.
Once you have passed the pontoon you will be able to visit the rock engravings following to your left and then coming back to the pontoon. Now follow
the river upstream on a path that cuts through the vegetation. The terrain on
this section is somewhat technical and you will need to be careful. When you
reach the bridge, take the road, cross the bridge and climb a bit until you
regain the river bank, this time heading downstream. This route is way
marked as the Miner’s route, passing the vestiges of the old wash house of
the mines of Cabeço do Pião. The route is easy and pleasant now, retracing
the same paths many miners took to Barroca. On arriving on the edge of the
village, a small detour will take you to a bridge near which you can see and
visit a series of ancient water mills built in stone.
4
Barroca
Rio Zêzere
7
PR 1.1
2
1
6
Cabeço do Pião
Porto
Coimbra
Castelo Branco
Lisboa
MAPS: Millitary map 1/25.000, n.º 245 e 255
0
Points of interest and distance to the starting point:
1 _ Ribeira da Bica _ Início do percurso
2 _ Centro Dinamizador das AX e Igreja _ 250m
3 _ Capela N. S. da Rocha _ 950m
4 _ Gravura Rupestre _ 2800m
5 _ Escombreiras _ 6400m
6 _ Moinhos _ 8700m
7 _ Miradouro e Capela _ 200m na variante
400
400
380
380
360
360
altitude
variation (m)
2,5
3
3,5
4
distance (m )
4,5
5
5,5
natural heritage
6
6,5
7
7,5
8
8,5
2
physical difficulty
2
type of terrain
2
orietation
overall difficulty
440
420
2
PR 1.1
PR 1
the difficulty level is determined according to 4 diferent factors, each of which is
assessed on a scale of 1 to 5 (from easiest to most difficult).
PR1
1,5
800 1000 m
Ribeira da Bica fountain
420
1
600
difficulty level
altimetry
0,5
400
Casa Grande
walking trail
paved road
dirt road
water course
Departure and arrival point:
0
200
caption
_Ribeiro da Bica fountain (40º 6' 25'' N 7º 43' 2'' W )
440
5
PR1
2
when to go
9
Zêzere River
All year. Beware of high temperatures in the summer and
slippery terrain in the winter.
On the right hand bank of the river Zêzere, flanking the site known as the Poço
do Caldeirão, there are two schist rocks decorated with engravings that are
clearly of the Paleolithic type. They represent horses and goats. They have been
dated as being from 20,000 to 15,000 years BC. These figures are from the early
phases of the cycle of rock engraving of the valley of Côa, where there are clear
similarities and comparable designs. But there are other engravings, like for
example a horizontal rock surface where three horse figures, all facing the right,
have been engraved by chipping at the rock. The shapes and characteristics of
the rock have been used creatively by the Paleolithic artist, who has integrated
the figures as part of a harmonious whole where the rock is part of the work of
art. This is even more pronounced in the other decorated panel of the Poço do
Caldeirão, where two representations of goats are engraved by careful chipping
on the extremely eroded vertical surface. Typically of the aesthetics of Upper
Paleolithic hunters, the goats are represented in a position of confrontation and
their heads are almost touching. The two animals are of different sizes, to fit the
available space.