22 August 2017 Poco das Pulgas, Os Arredados and the miradouros on the north coast

Course

After the unsuccessful search last year (walk 2016) I attempted it again this year, motivated of course by the Geocache 'Poco das Pulgas' and the Geocache 'Palheiro das Pulgas'. With the route descriptions given there, the path is after all relatively easy to find. From the car park the track continues up, then becomes a singletrack, and the entrance to the stream-bed ascent is now marked with a cairn. A path leaves a little further east; I had followed that one last year. Up in the stream bed until it is clearly choked with branches. Here out of the stream bed to the right. Here the path to the Palheiro goes straight on. The ascent continues to the left on a clearly visible path, relatively steep and slippery, then you traverse slightly exposed to the west and come to a fork, where you have to drop down to the stream bed (about 10 - 15 metres). The path crosses the stream to the south and after about 10 metres turns west again. Here you stand at the crux: a steep, about 4 metres high, almost vertical, slippery passage, newly fitted with a rope that is, however, more of a hindrance. The rope is so smooth and thin that you would not dare use it as protection. Going up is no problem even so; at the top it is then fairly exposed, after that easier again, another stream crossing, and then you see a beautiful waterfall. The path leads to the top edge of the waterfall. From here you only have to go north in the stream bed (there are path traces here too) and then you are at the Poco das Pulgas.

Back to the lower waterfall. Here I tried the continuation of the circuit, until it heads off horizontally to the north-west. Back to the stream bed and, by the way we came, back to the cairn.

Now it was time for the second goal of the day, the Geocache 'Os Arredados':

This time straight on to the Ribeira da Camisa, a crossing of the stream, and on the other side you find traces of a path, which you can follow roughly parallel to the stream bed, southwards. At some point the path is blocked; then it is worth dropping into the stream bed and going on there. After about 50 metres you stand in front of the Os Arredados waterfall. Back again in the stream bed. It is worth leaving a few markers on the way in, at the place where you entered the stream bed, otherwise you can easily get lost. Back to the stream crossing and on the path to the car, of course not without looking for the Geocache 'Ribeira da Camisa'.

On the way back along the north coast I looked for a few more caches at fine miradouros and interesting places!

Distance: 5.3 Km, 300 m of ascent, 300 m of descent

Start: 09.15 Caminho da Camisa

End

12.40 Caminho da Camisa

Condition

The ascent is no problem for experienced walkers. In the stream bed you have to watch for slippery stones and take the exposed places carefully. With patience and care the crux is not dangerous, on the way down as well

The way to Os Arredados is a little more adventurous. If you know that it continues, you get through; if you did not know, you would not try....

Notes

The two places are truly very impressive, the mood meditative. You can hardly tear yourself away!