Odeceixe » Aljezur

Groundwater is so abundant in this coastal plateau that it surfaces in certain places at lower elevation, giving rise to wetlands, locally called brejo (marshes). The vegetation is unique, since not all plants can support so much water permanently in the soil. For some animals, swamps are places of food, shelter or breeding. The butterfly Euphydrias aurinia, protected at European level, is one example of a species that depends on these mosaics of humid meadows full of rushes and reeds. These marshes are also the ideal habitat for the Cabrera’s vole, and the swamps are prime hunting places for birds and bats who hunt the small mammals and insects that live there.

In the small woods between agricultural parcels, aromatic shrubs like juniper, shrubby everlasting, lavender and rosemary thrive. In these groves it is also easy to find some rare plants, exclusive to the southwest of Portugal, such as Adenocarpus anisochilus, Euphorbia transtagana, Thymus camphoratus and Centaurea vicentina. In this area, partridges, quails, cattle egrets, European turtle doves, storks and starlings cohabitate with the people of the region, and you can often hear the common nightingale singing in the riparian galleries.

At dusk, you can watch the elegance and agility of bats hunting insects over ponds or around public lighting. All species of bats that live in Portugal eat insects. Each animal consumes more than half of its weight in flying or crawling insects per night, with thousands of tons of insects annually consumed by bats! Bats thus play a very important ecological role, helping to control insect populations and prevent pests and diseases.

Where to start

The trails of Rota Vicentina are described from north to south, but the direction is merely indicative. Historical Way is fully signposted in both directions. On the north side it starts in Odeceixe, in the beginning of rua do Rio street. On the south side it starts in Aljezur, next to the market of Aljezur.

Learn more about our signage here.

Caretakers

The caretaker of this trail section is Nelson Banza.