Where the Wildlings Are

Aho Tribe!

In our first Wildlings book we share with you our favorite wild places in the Pinhal Interior Region in Central Portugal. Many waterfalls, paradise pools, rocky rivers and mesmerising mountain views are waiting for you to be discovered. The North border of this region meets another favorite of ours: The Serra da Estrela National park. These “ Star mountains”, which stretch out over more than 88.000 hectare, deserve a book on their own, but for now we share our favorites with you to extend your trip with a few more days.

The beautiful ancient village Piodão with a hiking trail towards the hobbit like hamlet Foz de Égua (mentioned in our book) are the best starting point to enter the Estrela mountains from the Pinhal Interior North region. The windy road (CM1134) takes you to the most northerly waterfall in the region Poço da Broca (see book). Here you can have a refreshing break or park up for the night before continuing your journey higher up in the mountains.

1. Valezim

In the valley below the small town Valezim you find a beautiful paradise pool. From the old mill (GPS: 40.357763, -7.719556) take the small hiking trail down and follow the sound of the water.

2. Lapa dos Dinheiros

A short drive of 10 minutes takes you to the village of Lapa dos Dinheiros. Driving another 1,5km away from the town brings you a lush biodiverse forest dominated by Lapa chestnut trees and the river beach with crystal clear water (GPS: 40.382300, -7.696141). A short hike up the trail brings you to the Buraco da Moura, a natural cave system and various small waterfalls. There is plenty of shaded parking space and enough natural beauty to enjoy for a day or two before you driver higher up into the mountains.

3. Lagoa Comprida

If you only have one or two days to spend in the Serra da Estrela, we recommend to include this one (GPS: 40.365290, -7.644203). The lake is dammed as a reservoir, but once you pass the parking space and cafe/shop you enter a magical landscape of large granite rocks and bright colours. Climb over the rocks towards one of the several smaller beaches before you continue the path towards Covão Dos Conchos, a small lake that has become famous due to the crater that swallows the water

4. Torre

Torre (GPS: 40.321442, -7.614057) forms the highest point in the mountains and provides beautiful 360 views. In winter this is the place where you can spend a day snowboarding, ski-ing or sledding. In summer time it’s worth to have a break here before you continue towards the mountain village Manteigas.

5. Manteigas

From Torre the N338 road takes you through the Gletcher valley, which provides a stunning landscape through all seasons, towards the town of Manteigas. From this village several hiking trails start in all directions. There's plenty to discover here, but one of the places we highly recommend to visit is the waterfall and beautiful nature spot Poço do Inferno (GPS 40.372765, -7.516529)

In the book you find more practical information about driving, camping, shopping and navigating this region of Portugal. To make your adventures a more enjoyable experience we recommend to pack your backpack with a pair of Tanuki Keshi, from the ethical producers Wildling, to protect your feet in the rivers and waterfalls while staying in close contact with nature. We also recommend the 100% all natural Nuud deodorant, which keeps your armpits happy for several days by only applying a tiny amount, even in the hottest summer months. They also use natural sugarcane packaging which eliminates plastic and is therefor a far better alternative which we celebrate. And of course our heroes at Patagonia can supply you with all the gear you need for your mountain adventures, but doing so in an environmental and social responsible way. Their second hand platform allows you to find those unique gems, while supporting the cause to eliminate waste.

We hope you’ll enjoy these additional wild places and we are excitedly awaiting to follow your travel adventures in the coming months. Take us with you by tagging us on Instagram or Facebook.

Photos by Wildlings Amie Galbraith (Style and Still) and Maeve Stam (Halal)