Belmonte | Percurso Vermelho

Places of passage: Quinta do Brejo, Valhelhas, Vale de Amoreira, Verdelhos, Sarzedo, Gibaltar, Covilhã, Caria,

As you depart from the castle in the Historical Village of Belmonte, you should already be thinking about the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, through which this route runs. After departing northwards, the route bears left and joins the N18 for a short distance, before leaving it behind and crossing the river Zêzere. The mountains begin to appear on the horizon and road surface is pleasant, with the river always close by from Quinta do Brejo onwards. Next comes Valhelhas and the Amoreira Valley over 14 km in to the route. Already in the heart of the natural park, after the village it turns left towards Verdelhos. It climbs for a couple of kilometres before dropping down again to Verdelhos. After this village there is a climb of around 6 km, with medium gradients. After all, you are in the Serra da Estrela, but a fairly accessible area of it. At the roundabout at the top of Sarzedo it turns right, followed by a long descent to Gibraltar, close to the suburbs of the city of Covilhã. From here it continues left on the N18-3 towards the heights of Sra. do Carmo, crossing the N18 and continuing on the same road as far as Caria. Before Caria it crosses the bridge and then turns left to continue towards Carvalhal, with the Historical Village of Belmonte already on the horizon; it enters the village from the south and ends at the castle square.