Mata Nacional do Bussaco SIC Dunas de Mira, MORTÁGUA SANTA COMBA DÃO The Great Route of Alva, a 77 km long linear route, Gândara e Gafanhas SIC Carregal do Sal promoted by CIM-RC, passes through the municipalities of EUROVELO Caminho Português , Vila Nova de Poiares, , Tábua and Oliveira de Santiago do Hospital. The river Alva is the identity element of this Monumento Natural do Cabo Mondego region, crossed by the route, marked by plateaus and striking Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela valleys, where the Alva serpentine has shaped the landscape Paisagem Protegida Montes GÓIS da Serra do Açor de Santa Olaia e Ferrestelo and imposed its own model of settlement and development Reserva Natural do Paul de Arzila LOUSÃ that awakens the desire for discovery and justifies the

SIC attentive and enriching visit. Serra da Lousã EUROVELO 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 m Approximately 106 km long, the river Alva is SIC Sicó / Alvaiázere born in the Estrela Mountain and later joins the PEDROGÃO GRANDE ANSIÃO river Mondego, in the village of Porto de Raiva, Alva Great Route in the municipality of Penacova. Its winding

350 300 1 course among the slopes of the Estrela and Açor 250 200 Mountains brings visitors to a place of great 150 100 50 natural beauty and tourist attractions, providing 0 m

0 km 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 many a reason to choose this great route. Beco Winter Detour Livraria do Mondego Winter Detour WETZONES &

Among these attractions are the towns and

80 60 RIVERS villages found along the riverbanks (Côja,

70 50 Ponte das 3 Entradas Vila Cova do Alva, “Sintra das Beiras”, Avô,

60m 40m Mouronho, Moura Morta, among others) and 0 km 0 km 1 51

Poiares Variant Arganil Derivation Gião São · Entradas 3 das Ponte · Côja a number of magnificent river beaches (such

Penacova · Vila nova de Poiares · Arganil · Poiares de nova Vila · Penacova as São Gião, Avô, Caldas de São Paulo, São 120 170 ALVA GREAT ROUTE GREAT ALVA 110 GR 100 160 5 Sebastião da Feira, Côja, Vimieiro, Ponte das 3 90 150 80 Entradas and Ronqueira), most of which have 70m 140 m 0 km 1 0 km 1 been awarded the Blue Flag, attesting to the Tábua Variant quality of the river's crystalline water.

300 275 Notable attractions also include the Fronhas 250 Contacts 225 Dam, in São Martinho da Cortiça, with its reser- 200 175 Sponsor Cultural Center of Poiares Tábua Tourist Office 150 m voir, leisure area and megalithic remains from 0 km 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Largo da República, Rua Dr. Francisco Beirão, 16 Comunidade Intermunicipal the Chalcolithic period found in the village of da Região de Vila Nova de Poiares 3420-325 Tábua Coja River Beach Duration Total ascent/ Poiares - Santo André Secarias, among many others. Extension Height Type of Route Rua do Brasil, N.º 131 Tel. 239 413 990 descent 3030-175 Coimbra SCHEDULE, monday to friday: [email protected] Linear tel. 239 795 200 8h30-18h SCHEDULE: monday to friday, This beautiful natural scenery is adorned by a Total - - 76,8 km + 1042 / - 1293 m 323 / 44 m [email protected] Saturday: 10h - 12h30m 09h00-12h30 / 14h00-17h30 diversity of plant life, typical of watercourses, São Gião [email protected] notably willows (Salix spp.), common alders (Alnus 3h00 1h00 10,6 km + 152 / - 207 m 323 / 237 m Recommended Emergency Ponte 3 Entradas [email protected] season 112 [email protected] Tourist Office glutinousa), narrow-leafed ash trees (Fraxinus

Sections Ponte 3 Entradas Year-round Tel. 239 423 433 Casa da Cultura angustifolia), black poplars (Populus nigra), glossy 4h15 1h15 15,4 km + 170 / - 217 m 258 / 186 m Information Rua do Colégio Coja Some sections may be www.cm-vilanovadepoiares.pt 3400-105 Oliveira do Hospital buckthorn (Frangula alnus), royal ferns (Osmunda closed in times of flood Penacova Tourist Office Coja Largo Alberto Leitão, 5 Tel. 238 605 250 regalis) and wide slopes covered with strawberry 3h45 1h00 12,8 km + 258 / - 267 m 246 / 141 m [email protected] Arganil 3360-191 Penacova trees (Arbutus unedo). The waters of the river Alva Arganil Tel. 239 470 300 also support animal life such as barbels (Lucio- 6h05 2h00 22 km + 264 / - 336 m 195 / 94 m [email protected] Moura Morta 1 2 SCHEDULE: 09h-13h / 14h-18h barbus bocagei), the Iberian nase (Pseudochondros- Moura Morta toma polylepis), European eels (Anguilla anguilla) 4h30 1h30 16 km + 198 / - 266 m 133 / 44 m Closed on Easter Sunday, May 1st, Foz do Rio Alva Christmas Day and January 1st and river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis).

Peculiar granitic geological formations can also Signage further information ® Danger be found along the route, and the weirs and Great Route ® BTT Right way Turn left Right way Turn right morphology of the Alva provide leisure activities ENG Two way in harmony with nature, such as canoeing and

® 3 4 ® some radical sports. ® Fauna 1 Barbel Luciobarbus bocagei GR Mixed Mark Wrong way Turn right ® FCMP Wrong way Turn left Connection 2 European eel Anguilla anguilla

Flora 3 White Willow Salix alba 4 Black poplar Populus Nigra Special cares & Rules of Conduct Sponsored by Sponsored •• Follow only the marked trails •• Respect private property •• Respect the birdlife. Do not touch the nests •• Avoid behaviours that disturbs the local environment

and avoid noise and disturbance •• Do not light fires •• Observe wildlife from a distance, preferably •• Be friendly to local people, clear about your purpose with binoculars and about the waymarks

•• Do not litter, drop the trash at a collection point by Co-financed •• Do not collect or damage the flora registered Route by and approved Entrances / Points of Interest IC 12

EN 230 EN 234 • Source of Alva River EN 334-1 EN 228 IP 3

EN 2 EN 230 1 São Gião Information panel 2 Penalva do Alva Interpretation panel EN 230 10,6 km 10,6

3 Ponte das Três Entradas EN 337 IC 12 Information panel EN 234 EN 234 EN 234

15,4 km 15,4 IP 3 EN 234 EN 228 4 Coja Information panel EN 234-6 EN 230 EN 17 EN 234-6 12,8 km EN 2 5 Arganil Information panel Desvio Tábua IP 3 1 Desvio Serra

22 km Montebelo EN 230-6 EN 230 da Estrela

6 Moura Morta (Vila Nova de Poiares) EN 228 Information panel EN 234-6 EN 17 7 Vimieiro Interpretation panel IP 3 16 km 8 Alva River Mouth EN 17 9 Penacova EN 228 IC 6 Information panel EN 17 Serra EN 17 EN 230 da Estrela IC 6 IC 6 EN 342 EN 230 EN 230 IC 6 EN 338 Key Per. Inter. GR49 Bussaco Linear Livraria do EN 230 Mondego IP 3 EN 17 EN 337 CNE Nature Spirituality Path Desvio Linear Inverno Beco GR48 Mondego Great Route Linear EN 17 IC 6 Variante Alva Tábua Desvio Inverno Alva EN 342 GR51 Alva Great Route Linear Livraria do Mondego EN 342-4 Livraria do Mondego Winter Detour EN 17 Linear EN 2 EN 344

Beco Winter Detour Linear Variante EN 337 EN 342 VNP Montebelo Detour Linear EN 17 Tábua Detour Linear EN 2 Poiares Variant Linear EN 342 Derivação Arganil Derivation Linear Arganil Serra Tábua Variant Linear do Açor EN 17 PILM Livraria do Mondego 5 Interpretative Route EN 2 Linear EN 2

PR3 TBU Pontes Route EN 2 EN 344 EN 17 Linear

PR2 PRS Ribeira de Poiares Route EN 342 Linear EN 17

PR8 GOI Paper Trail EN 17 EN 2 Linear EN 236

PIMM Mata da Margaraça Interpretative Route Linear PIVC Vale do Ceira Interpretative Route EN 2 Linear EN 342 EN 342 Main Roads EN 342 EN 236 Waterlines 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 m Protected Areas EN 2 EN 343 EN 342 EN 2 EN 112 EN 344 EN 236 EN 112