After 2 days of cycling at the top of the Serra da Estrela, at 2,000 meters, surrounded by snow and yesterday we took a tour at the foot of this huge mountain, today it was a day to cycle on one of the slopes, about 1,000 - 1,200 meters above sea level.
Even though it was winter, it was a beautiful day, in the morning there was no wind, the sun was shining brightly and the sky was a very beautiful shade of blue. It was in these conditions, with the intention of not crossing paths with many people, to avoid contacts (COVID-19), that we started our journey near the small Carvalho village.
The most difficult part was the initial one, we had a huge climb ahead of us, with places where the slope was over 12%. We started cycling at 520 meters and after a short distance we were already 1,200 meters above sea level.
We passed close to small farms, where some people were visible at work and many sheep to graze, all with great tranquility, relaxed and delighted with the abundant and nutritious green herbs of this region. As we climbed the mountain, the landscape changed. Small farms and vegetable gardens gave way to huge pine forests.
In places with more shade, mixed with the pine cones that were on the ground, some splashes of snow were visible. Because we were now at a higher place, the views were more impressive.
We began to see dozens of mountains on the horizon and far below our feet, we saw the outline of the Zêzere River, some small villages and towns. We feel like we are flying on a drone, seeing a large area of Portugal and also some Spanish mountains, such as Serra da Gata.
Near a fountain with natural water (Fonte Serra), decorated with a tile panel alluding to Our Lady of Conceição, we took a short break to rest our legs, eat a sandwich with the delicious regional cheese, the famous Queijo da Serra, and some local fruits.
With our stomach happier and energy recovered, we started pedaling again. Now, we had about 15 km ahead, on a flat, unpaved road and always along the slope. We haven't seen a single person in a long time and we continued our route without crossing anyone. Only us, immersed in nature, just enjoying the views, the pleasant scents of nature and breathing good air.
To end this journey, we had to make a big downhill, where our bikes rolled very quickly, more than 50 km/h, until we reached the Our Lady of Carmo Chapel, which is very close to Vila do Teixoso, the place where we ended our today’s bike tour.
Tomorrow we’ll have an even more rested day, with more to tell you. We’ll visit a farm and also, with more attention, the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Carmo.
