Calvos: Hiking Routes, Oak Tree and Heritage

For a trip to Calvos, hiking, the Carvalho de Calvos and archaeological remains can be explored as distinct points of interest. The routes differ in length and course; the oak tree is notable for its species, classification, estimated age and habitat.

Hiking: Compare Length and Course

The GR 117 – Via Romana XVII is a 15-kilometre linear route. The stated walking time is four hours, and its difficulty level is 3 out of 5. Near Botica in the parish of Calvos, the route includes a considerable, well-preserved section of paved road. The GR also follows the Ribeiro do Pontido towards the Centro de Interpretação do Carvalho de Calvos.

The Itinerário Pedestre “Maria da Fonte” walking route follows the same route as the Via Romana XVII. The similarly named PR1 – Maria da Fonte short route is described by its own start and end points: it starts and ends at the Centro Interpretativo Maria da Fonte, passes through the União de Freguesias de Calvos e Frades and is 12 kilometres long in total. Comparing the route lengths, the PR1 is 12 kilometres and the GR 117 is 15 kilometres.

The Trilho dos Moinhos do Pontido also follows the Ribeiro do Pontido and passes nine ruined watermills along the way. The routes mentioned therefore differ both in their stated lengths and in specific features of their courses.

Carvalho de Calvos: Oak Tree and Environment

The Carvalho de Calvos is a pedunculate oak (Quercus robur), classified as a tree of public interest since 22 August 1997. It is also known as Carvalha grossa or Carvalha da Fondoua. It is estimated to be the oldest oak tree on the Iberian Peninsula and the second-oldest in Europe.

The large amount of deadwood makes the Carvalho de Calvos an exceptional habitat for stag beetles. Numerous specimens can be observed there in the summer months. The Centro de Interpretação do Carvalho de Calvos is located in Calvos and was established to interpret the oak tree and the ecosystems surrounding it. It offers environmental education and awareness activities for children, young people, adults and older people. Visitors interested in nature can therefore explore the tree and its ecosystems as a distinct focus of their trip, alongside the walking routes.

Archaeological Evidence

A polished stone axe from the Mamoa da Tojeira in Calvos is attributed to the Neolithic, more specifically to the period from the end of the 4th to the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. Another example is the Mamoa do Madorro, a circular structure that is thought to be a Neolithic tumulus monument. It was identified in 2006 near the Carvalho de Calvos and is dated to approximately the 4th millennium BC.

These two examples link archaeological interest with different forms: a dated stone axe on the one hand, and a structure interpreted, explicitly tentatively, as a tumulus monument on the other. The dates also differ: the stone axe is attributed to the period from the end of the 4th to the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, while the Mamoa do Madorro is dated to approximately the 4th millennium BC.

Discover more destinations: Guimarães, São Torcato, Guardizela, Caldelas, Briteiros (Santo Estêvão).

Go to the main travel overview: Guimaraes.