Rabal offers a number of possible routes. We have described two: The Floresta Walk, and the Barragem Walk. They share a common starting point leading out of the village and alongside the meadows. The Floresta Walk offers plenty of summer shade as the first section passes through oak woodland. The Barragem Walk is more open, but still offers a fine mix of tree-lined trails and open countryside with fine views.
The Floresta Walk
About two and half hours – circular walk.
This walk will take you through some of the finest oak woodland (floresta) in this area, and provides a wonderful mix of meadows, woodland, and expansive mountain views. It is also one of our favourite birding spots.
The Walk:
You start this walk in Rabal, the next village on from França in the direction of Bragança. There are several short steep sections to the walk, and plenty of shade during the initial section. There is also a choice of return routes, either a there and back along the same track, or a circular trail – with scope for invention, but without too much danger of getting lost!
Directions
Turn into the village of Rabal and park in the square near to the drinking fountain – the walk starts here.
Head up the hill past the fine Solar de Rabal. Follow the cobbled road through the old part of the village and you will soon be walking along side a stretch of beautiful meadows, fed by a small irrigation stream, and bordered by mature ash and poplar. Sadly many of the ash are already showing the impact of disease, Ash Dieback.
These meadows reflect a past age, when the village thrived and depended on this network of fields. Now, just occasionally, they are used for grazing a small herd of cattle. In spring and summer, the meadows are home to Nightingales, Blackcaps and other warblers (Rouxinol-comum, Toutinegra-de-barrete e outres toutinegras e similares) . Butterflies abound along this stretch.
A Great Spot for Raptors
After the cobbles finish there are two turns to the left, one shortly after the other. The second is the turn for this walk, but before you take this, perhaps follow the track round to the right for a few hundred metres. You will pass into open countryside, with hills to your right, and reach Rabal’s irrigation dam. This small detour is often worthwhile, as we’ve frequently seen raptors on this section. It was here many years ago that we saw our first pair of Short-toed Eagles (Águia-cobreira), and they continue to nest here. Booted Eagles (Águia-calçada) and Common Buzzard (Águia-de-asa-redondo) also frequent the area. Red Kites (Milafra-real) occur in the summer, but aren’t common. Kestrel (Falco-tinnunculus) occur occasionally, and Hobby and Merlin (Falco-subbuteo e Esmerilhâo) occur during migration.
Through the Oak Woodland
If you have taken this short detour, retrace your steps to the turn. A few metres along this track, ignore the right fork which leads up to a farm building. The dirt track now climbs into dense oak woodland for nearly a kilometre. Jays, Nuthatch, and Tits (Gaio, Trepadeira-azul e chapins) abound, and you may hear if not see Greater-spotted Woodpeckers (Pica-pau-malhado).
You will now be getting views of the wooded valley to left and right. At the next fork take the lower righthand path, and similarly keep to the right at the next, that follows shortly after. Within a few minutes the track winds down to a small stream bed on the right, which is likely to be dry in summer. (The main track leads off to the left but soon finishes in a field). Cross the stream and follow the track that climbs up the adjacent hillside.
There now follows a short steep climb, and the track emerges from the woodland. Continue to the T-junction, where, in September 2020, we saw a Golden Eagle (Águia-real) being mobbed by a Buzzard. Although half its size, the Buzzard dived several times until the eagle put back its wings and was off.
Over the years we have seen Golden Eagles a few times in this part of the Parque de Montesinho. It’s always a privilege! See:
Hill views – summer heat and winter sun
You are now in open countryside with views in the direction of Bragança to the right, and a range of hills that form the far side of the Sabor Valley.
…. and now you have a choice – return to Rabal by the same route, or turn right and take the more exposed path back to Rabal. It will take you past the irrigation dam. Or turn left, and climb higher up the valley towards a grove of chestnuts, to a small wooded area where the oaks have the most extraordinary growth of lichen. It’s a great spot for summer shade and lunch!
From here the track takes you into the hills. From now it is up to you
The Barragem Walk
About two and half hours – a there and back walk.
This walk continues past the irrigation dam (the Barragem), and is a more exposed walk than Floresta. It provides views of the open hillsides to the right and the wooded hillsides of the Floresta walk to the left, although it finishes in a wooded dell complete with stream and ruined farmhouse.
Directions
Continue on the track past the dam, and take the right fork up the hill. This treelined track takes you out of the valley. On reaching the top, you will look down on Rabal and across the wide Sabor Valley to the hills beyond.
As you descend to a cross roads you will see lines of beehives sited above a small farm. At the cross roads take the left turn and follow the path down into the dense woodland in the valley bottom. The main track now turns to the left and crosses the stream. You have a choice of going into the woods towards the ruined farmhouse, or crossing the stream to the left which takes you up and out of the valley.
When we discovered this trail two or three years ago the track to the ruined farm was an accessible narrow trail that petered out just beyond the farm and trees. It made a lovely setting for a cool lunch spot. As we approached, no more than a couple of metres from us, a female javali and her young raced across the path, startled by our approach.
The track to the farmhouse is now overgrown, and difficult to find, but on a hot day, it is worth picking your way through to find a shady spot and mossy stone to sit for lunch.
In its day this must have been an idyllic setting, though no doubt the farming family’s existence was tough by today’s standards. It is however good to reflect on what nature and seclusion can offer to those who do aspire to live in such a magical setting.
See also: