Hiking Trail of Pereira de Selão Mines (Chaves), Hiking, Trekking, Walking Trails, Tracks, Pedestrian Routes, Portugal

Percurso Pedestre das Minas de Pereira de Selão (Chaves)

The hiking trail of Pereira de Selão Mines is a circular route that I did from the Quinta do Olival, in Vilas Boas, Chaves municipality. With just over 7 km on pavement, asphalt, rural roads and forest tracks, leads us to discover the Pereira de Selão Mines and the villages of Vilas Boas, Pereira de Selão and Valverde.
I begin to walk in the “Rua da Fonte” and up the Municipal Road 549 (EM549) connecting Vilas Boas to Vidago. A flock of sheep takes advantage of the pasture land in the village gates. About 600m against the right board with the indication of Pereira de Selão and take this direction on a road with asphalt flanked by pine forests and olive groves. After another 700 m ahead, I saw a glimpse of the first houses of Pereira de Selão.
On the doorstep of “transmontana” village, in the place where once there were the mines of quartz and feldspar, extracted for the ceramics industry, today comes a great lake of natural waters. After the abandonment of mines and without proper spare mandatory soil by law, the “hole” left by mining was filling up with water to underground circulated freely. Unaware the outset the quality of this water for tourist use but imagine here a pond with great potential waiting to be discovered. With some willpower of the authorities I think this can be a tourist attraction pole in the region.
It is a clear example of what the man does not care and forget, nature comes to composing and balance. Why not take this gift?
I leave the lagoon behind, wrapped in native heather however it was taking over its banks and rocky walls.
I enter the village of Pereira de Selão and I walk the cobblestone streets to the core of it. Much of traditional houses is today in ruins waiting some momentum and renewal that may be made by the children of the earth, or even anyone who is not and fall in love at first visit.
Throw “Rua da Paz” come off the chapel and repair a curious inscription on the iron gate: “Offer Manuel Rodrigues and Wife – 1961”. Unaware of what the scope of supply of this couple benefactor, the gate, the chapel, the restoration of the same … surely something important enough to become immortalized on the gate which gives you access.
I leave the village and continue on the main road that connects Pereira SELÃO to Valverde. Descending in altitude, against my ticket vineyards, pine forests and rye crops that paint the landscape with the Oura Valley in the background.
Slightly turning left on a dirt path that runs through the pine forest, come quickly to Santo Amaro Chapel, already in the village of Valverde. Keep to the center of town and outline the Chapel to begin the ascent back to Vilas Boas.
Path on the sidewalk of the EM549 and see, hidden in the valley, the houses of the village ovens. Later, at about 1000 meters Vilas Boas, a rail on clay leads me through the cultivated fields, vineyards, orchards and olive groves, flanked by stone walls and guide me to the entrance in the village.
Finish the route to the sound of the bells of the beautiful Vilas Boas church.