It's always raining when I visit Portugals highest mountains at Serra da Estrela. So I'm little surprised this morning, when I hear the first raindrops after the hot portuguese summer. OK, nevertheless time to ride mountains! 8:30 am, I catch the train from Lisbon to Covilha at the foot of Serra da Estrela. Weather cleared up a bit, but anyway the next days will be dominated by a mix out of sun and rain. It's only beginning of September, but in higher locations autumn already arrived with freeze winds. So I decided to keep it literally low this time and discover the self-called “mountainbike center” of Manteigas, east of the peak.
Manteigas is a bit hidden between some lower crests in the east and can easily be reached on a calm asphalt road or by the indicated long distance trail of “Grand Rota do Rio Zezere” coming from Tomar and ending and the source of Rio Zezere in the Serra da Estrela. Manteigas – in compare to Seia in the north and Covilha in the south – is a small and calm village without bigger industry. Anyway it provides us with all we probably need: some bars, coffees and restaurants and a little supermarket and bakery. But not only therefore it is my favourite start point for tours to higher located Penhas de Saude, Nave de Santo Antonio and Torre. Manteigas opt for mountainbiking for touristic development and the surroundings of Manteigas provide several indicated mountainbike trails and a plenty of hiking trails which are great to bike (at least down the mountain!) Even if bottled water from the region is famous, is rare to find some on the way! Fill up your resources down here!
Covilha – Manteigas by road
Covilha – Verdelhos – Manteigas by trail
The other option of course is to leave the asphalt already next to
Covilha. In this case we leave Covilha in the same way but after a
while, on the end of a steep uphill, when a sign shows us the beginning
of the natural resort of Serra da Estrela, we turn left and leave the
asphalt behind after a few meters. Initially we continuer climbing but
after approx 3 km we urgently have to turn right in a sharp corner into
the smaller trail. Otherwise we will keep up climbing and end up
somewhere in the bushes later on. Meanwhile following this trail always
down we have a nice warm up for the upcoming mountaineering days and end
up in The other option of course is to leave the asphalt already next
to Covilha. In this case we leave Covilha in the same way but after a
while, on the end of a steep uphill, when a sign shows us the beginning
of the natural resort of Serra da Estrela, we turn left and leave the
asphalt behind after a few meters. Initially we continuer climbing but
after approx 3 km we urgently have to turn right in a sharp corner into
the smaller trail. Otherwise we will keep up climbing and end up
somewhere in the bushes later on. Meanwhile following this trail always
down we have a nice warm up for the upcoming mountaineering days and end
up in Verdelhos.UPHILL
Manteigas – Covao d'Ametade – Penhas de Saude
The most logic way seems to follow the river to the source up the river.
Where shortly after the village already appears the big grey walls
around the peak. The indicated hiking path along the river, initially is
a wide dirt road, quickly turns into a narrow and blocked singletrail,
which for the average rider means to push the bike a lot and returning
to the road quite soon. To go this most direct way I would advise to go
back to the (also not very busy) main road and following the panorama
zigzag up the mountain. The latest moment to return easily to the road
is when the trail leaves the last buildings behind and a little bridge
crosses the river.
Manteigas – Boca do Inferno – Nave de Santo Antonio
For more trail riding we follow the indicated bike trail to the south
side of the river in direction of Boca do Inferno. Which by the way is
the perfect spot to fill up your bottles. Shortly after we start the
real uphill. Climbs with more than 18-20% are very normal in this area
and almost not to avoid. Get ready for it. The indication makes it easy
to find your way. Once we did the main part of the uphill we find a
little crossroad with an indication sign. If we follow left we go down
south-east to Leandes where we find “Grande Rota do Zezere” (see below)If we turn right on that crossroad instead we continuer climbing a bit. After a long slight uphill we reach the road from Manteigas to Torres near Penhas da Saude. In the summer month, when the ground is dry, after only a few meters up, we can leave the road behind again by turning right. On a tough but beautiful trail we cross Nave Santo Antonio and end up on the plateau.
DOWNHILLS
Be careful on the downhills! All trails are quite steep and even some of the doubletrails are difficult mountain terrain. Be careful with not indicated trails. Even big dirtroads suddently can end up in the middle of nowhere. Thanks to the tough ups and downs that can quickly cause some hard extra work!
Penhas da Saude – Manteigas (direct)
Above the village of Penhas de Saude is located the small water
reservoir Lago do Virato. On both ends of the lake dirt roads leave the
road to the east. After a while this trails come back together and start
to go downwards on a technical singletrail. A little later, we find the
way we climb on the uphill via Boca do Inferno. On the first crossroad
we continuer left to Manteigas. Instead of the bike trail we follow the
yellow-red indication for hiking trails now. Initially this way cross
the beautiful plateau with the characteristic rock formations. Later it
snakes down, sometimes as a narrow singletrail, sometimes wider as a
bumpy and historic rock trail or a classical forest trail. Challenging
steep, but with a lot of flow and fun to ride!
Every couple of minute we cross the bigger dirt road. In case that the
hiking trail is too rough, just follow this unpaved road and you also
reach Manteigas. Otherwise just keep your eyes open and the indication
will show you the most direct way down to Manteigas.Penhas da Saude – Boca do Inferno – Manteigas
An easier way to Manteigas is already described as the uphill passing by
the waterfall Boca de Inferno. On the above mentioned crossroad this
time we follow right now, in direction south. After a long slight uphill
we find a second crossroad where we turn left now and start the real
downhill. From now on we can follow the bike-trail indication again and
after a while where we always decide for the most downhill option, we
find an asphalted road which on the right brings us to Boca do Inferno
and Manteigas and on the left to Vale do Amoreira. www.mountainbiketraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/serra-da-estrela-portugal-high-end.html
