The best MTB trails around Cachopo

The trail here follows a cool, tree-lined ravine, plunging into the heart of the Serra do Caldeirão. Among dense cork oak groves and Mediterranean scrubland scented with rosemary, heather, and strawberry tree, the pulse of the mountains can be felt. The cork oak, the symbol of this region, gives life to the landscape and provides sustenance for the people, along with cork, a treasure cultivated here with pride and tradition.

Here, the dirt trail passes the Faranhão mill, almost at the top of Eira de Agosto, over 500 meters above sea level. From here, the view stretches between the mountains and the sea. It's one of those places that calls for a pause and a moment to simply contemplate.

From here, you have a window overlooking the vastness of the Serra do Caldeirão. And on clear days (which are almost all around here), your view reaches all the way to the southern coast. A stunning landscape, ready to take your breath away.

From the top of Cerro da Relva, the horizon opens up in all directions: to the north rise the Montes Novos, to the east lies Parises and, to the west, the gaze reaches Barranco do Velho.

Pleasant view and the beginning of a fabulous descent to the famous iron fountain

Barranco do Velho is a mountain village in the south of the Serra do Caldeirão in the Portuguese Algarve in the municipality of Loulé. The village was merged with the freguesia Salir in the administrative reorganization of 2013. The village is located on the N2, which used to be the main road from Faro to Lisbon. The landscape is dominated by cork oaks, holm oaks and strawberry trees. For many Portuguese it is a popular hunting ground. The main activity of the people in the region is cork extraction. There is a nature trail in the village with the theme of biodiversity. There are also several hiking trails through the village, for example the 300-kilometre long-distance hiking trail (GR trail) Via Algarviana (GR13). The church on a hill above the village is relatively new. It was built in 1944, financed by two brothers from Germany who both owned a house there.

Quiet, hardly any traffic and top asphalt

In the heart of the Serra do Caldeirão, between dirt tracks and winding paths, lies a valley of unmistakable beauty. In the background, the Odeleite river meanders, known far beyond the borders of Portugal. An aerial photograph revealed that the dam's reservoir features the silhouette of a blue dragon, a symbol of strength and good luck in Chinese culture. The image was seen around the world and thus the legend of the “Blue Dragon River” was born.