The best walks and hikes around Palhaça

30 km circular tour (1.30h) with spectacular landscapes and fauna!!!

Pateira de Fermentelos is the largest natural lagoon in the Iberian Peninsula, a paradise of biodiversity, home to more than 150 species of birds.

This is one of the most important tributaries of the River Águeda, running 43km from its source in Casal de Camba and crossing four municipalities in the district of Aveiro: Mealhada, Anadia, Oliveira do Bairro and Águeda. Initially, the river is narrower, with marginal trees – Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia), Willow (Salix spp.), Poplar (Populus sp.), among others – frequently forming riparian galleries. Its final half, between Aguada de Baixo (Oliveira do Bairro) and its mouth, in Requeixo (Aveiro), takes place at lower elevations and flat terrain, forming long floodplains on its banks. Source: https://granderota.riadeaveiro.pt/pois/rio-certima/

Espinhel Park offers walkways and viewpoints to enjoy the lagoon and the village of Fermentelos. It is an area rich in biodiversity. and habitat for aquatic and migratory birds, close to the geological formation of Eirol sandstones.

Viewpoint that offers a stunning panorama of Pateira de Fermentelos and the nature of the region. Leave the bike and access the platform to admire the view.

Pateira de Fermentelos, located between the municipalities of Águeda, Aveiro and Oliveira do Bairro, is one of the largest natural lagoons on the Iberian Peninsula and part of the list of Ramsar sites. Surrounded by the parishes of Óis da Ribeira, Fermentelos, Espinhel and Requeixo, it stands out for its rich biodiversity, including a variety of birds, aquatic plants and various fish.

Pateira de Fermentelos is the largest natural lagoon in the Iberian Peninsula, a haven of biodiversity and home to over 150 species of birds. It is located between the municipalities of Águeda, Aveiro and Oliveira do Bairro, before the confluence of the River Cértima with the River Águeda. There are several trails and paths around the lagoon that can be explored on foot or by bike, especially during the dry season.

In the well-equipped Parque de Espinhel, there are walkways over the waters of Pateira de Fermentelos that lead us to two wooden viewpoints, whose structures are reminiscent of a bandstand. From here we can enjoy wide views over Pateira, as well as the village that gives it its name, Fermentelos, on the opposite bank. On the edge of the lagoon, in addition to reeds and bunho, we find dense swampy willows, a refuge and habitat for numerous species of fauna, among which the avifauna stands out. In this place it is common to observe Moorhens (Galinula chloropus) and Coots (Fulica atra). The attentive observer finds an abundant and diversified biological diversity throughout the year, partly due to the occurrence of summer and winter migratory species, such as: Garçote (Ixobrychus minutus), Red Heron (Ardea purpurea), Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), Black (Nycticorax nycticorax), Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Saffron Eagle (Circus aeruginosus), Black Ibis (Plagadis falcinellus), Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), as well as dozens of passerines! In the vicinity of the park, red sandstones from the tertiary period (Eirol sandstones) can be seen in the disused quarry. Source: Great Route of Ria de Aveiro