Three days of amazing waterfalls in Gerês

The first time I went to Gerês was at the beginning of the summer of 2019. It was about a month ago that I had returned to Portugal after 3 years abroad. Among other things, I missed being in the middle of wild nature and Gerês came with everything! So, when Marta suggested we spend a few days exploring the waterfalls in Gerês, it seemed like the perfect post-quarantine plan!

The Peneda-Gerês National Park also known simply as Gerês is located in the north of Portugal. This is the place where you can find little villages where the time looks like it stopped long, long time ago. And where you can find hidden waterfalls and reconnect yourself with the abundant nature around you.

We have a tend to not give much value to what we have so close to us or what is so easily accessed as if this facility would take away the desire to explore. It’s a failure, mine at least because lately I’ve been “biting my tongue” with every waterfall I discover in Portugal.

Since I came out of quarantine and I realized that I can’t do anything about my life plans right now, at least I can become an explorer of Portuguese waterfalls. And I can tell you, by experience, that so far Portuguese waterfalls has been so surprising as Asian or Australian waterfalls.

GERÊS

Let’s explore waterfalls in Gerês !!!

The only plan outlined was to relax and swim in waterfalls. If this is your plan too, read on because here you will find a tested and approved “roadmap” about exploring waterfalls in Gerês 😁 It is worth mentioning that Gerês is a very large area and there are many things to discover depending on the area where stay hosted.

STRATEGIC BASE – LINDOSO

We stayed in Lindoso, we rolled up to book the house and the ones we wanted were already booked. The options started to run out due to the holidays so, practically the day before, after a few phone calls Marta managed to book a very cute little house in the center of Lindoso.

Do you know those moments that work better than planned? We ended up in Lindoso like that.

This is a village forgotten in time, doesn´t have even an ATM! Lindoso is made up of houses made of large blocks of granite, narrow alleys covered with vines, and several fountains of pure water scattered in hidden corners. And to culminate it also has a castle and a large set of old granaries, contributing to a very medieval landscape.

It is that kind of place where the neighbors come to talk to you, happy to see someone new in the village and invite you to visit their home.

In addition to all the charm of returning to such a welcoming place at the end of the day, the village is located very close to the waterfalls to visit. Lindoso is also the starting point for a mountain trail, however, it was closed due to the pandemic.

LET´S TALK ABOUT WATERFALLS?

It was to explore the Gerês waterfalls that we went there, isn’t it? About 5 minutes from Lindoso there is a restaurant called Mó and 500 meters from there there is a small paradise of cold water to spend the day.

I strongly recommend having lunch at the Mó restaurant, we were very well attended and the food was very good, the portions are large and the price is very affordable. We asked for Bitoque (Portuguese typical dish made with rice, beef, fried egg, and fries), and the portion was so big that nobody managed to finish it.

In my case, as a vegetarian, I ordered meatless Bitoque 😅 I secretly feed the desire to popularize meatless Bitoque in Portugal. The fries were delicious !!!

POÇO DA GOLA (Gola pool)

After a very easy little trail (so easy I probably shouldn’t call it a trail) and crossing a wooden bridge, you find Poço da Gola.

The first place where your view falls is in the natural pool of crystal clear water. Hidden in an opening between the rocks is the largest waterfall, I believe it is possible to swim to it if you have good resistance to cold water, which is not the case for me, I was very happy to get some quick dives!

WATERFALLS IN SOAJO

Soajo is a village of a larger proportion than Lindoso and close to this one. Here you will find some shops and more structure than in small Lindoso and it is also one of the accommodation points in this area. Around Soajo village, there are also waterfalls and natural pools to be explored.

1. Poço Negro (Black pool)
2. Poço Bento (Bento pool)
3. Unknown place found when we “get lost”

Poço Negro is easily found since it is located next to the road, there are some stairs that go down until you find the natural pool. We decided to go straight to Poço Bento since it was more isolated and it would be necessary to make a small trek through nature to reach it.

The trail runs along a dirt path lined with trees, flowers, and butterflies, however, the entrance to the Bento pool is not marked and it is easy to “fall into error” and continue on the marked path. That’s how we ended up in the “Unknown place found because we got lost”.

SOMEWHERE IN ADRÃO RIVER

I have to admit that I was happy that we didn’t find the entrance to Poço Negro on the first attempt since it took us to this other place that seemed secret.

Tired of following the path and already well above the river and waterfall, we decided to go down through an opening and follow a path flanked by a granite stone wall, it was noted that this trail was not used much due to the dense vegetation.

In fact, we almost gave up and went back, because at one point I thought there were too many thorns and it was impossible to go further. Here the Jaime brave version came in and led the way with suspicious speed, I came to know after he got scratched all over and tore his t-shirt 😂. After a few scratches, we arrived at this little corner by the river.

It is not a natural pool with great depth that you can dive and swim in, but you can refresh yourself in the water and feel even though you are in the middle of nowhere, the probability of someone appearing there is very low.

POÇO BENTO (Bento pool)

We decided to go back, exactly the same way we got there, so we wouldn’t go on new adventures. On the way back after a couple of failed attempts, we finally found the access that would take us to the small trail to Poço Bento. I can’t explain exactly where the entrance is but I can give you two tips:

1. When you are on the main path and start to hear voices and the sound of the waterfall, start looking around because the entrance is no longer up;
2. Once in the correct trail, there will be a part that you have to pass to the other side of the stream, if you follow the trail you will reach a dead-end, you will probably find other people to ask;

Crossing this stream the route is already instinctive. You are probably thinking that it is to hard to find this pool and decide to stay in the first pool beside the road, however, I guarantee you that it is worth the adventure.

At Poço Bento you find two large natural pools, a large waterfall, and a small one that connects the two pools. There are several comfortable stones to extend the towel and catch the sunlight. And, let me tell you that if the “waterfalls in Gerês” plan was a contest, Poço Bento definitely would win.

GERÊS AND THE GRANARIES

I couldn´t finish this article without mention these curious constructions that are present everywhere, the Granaries, which I naively confused with tombs 😂 I hope my Art History teacher does not read this for the good of my reputation!

Granaries are small granite stone constructions built over the 18th and 19th centuries where corncobs were placed to dry. I allow myself to say that these constructions make the landscape even more charming and totally worth the visit, both the Soajo and Lindoso complex.

Gerês, we will be back!

The plan was to explore the waterfalls in Gerês and in the end, it exceeded all expectations. It was three days in connection with nature, letting ourselves be dazzled with each step and going back in time wandering through granite alleys. I went mostly because nature but I admit that the small villages won me over in the first second, it was like the icing on the cake.

Gerês, I will be back!