Monday 2 November 2020

PEDRÓGÃO GRANDE (PORTUGAL)

 


PEDRÓGÃO GRANDE
39° 55′ 12″ N, 8° 09′ 00″ W

Pedrógão Grande is a Portuguese village in the district of Leiria, in the province of Beira Litoral, integrating the Intermunicipal Community of the Region of Leiria, in the region of Centro de Portugal, with less than 2 000 inhabitants.
It is the seat of the municipality of Pedrógão Grande, which has an area of ​​128.75 km² and 3 915 inhabitants (2011), and is subdivided into 3 parishes (Graça;
Pedrógão Grande; Vila Facaia). The municipality is limited to the northwest by the municipality of Castanheira de Pera, to the east by Góis and Pampilhosa da Serra, to the southeast by Sertã and to the west by Figueiró dos Vinhos. It is about 70 km from Leiria, its district capital, about 85 km from Castelo Branco and about 60 km from Coimbra.
The municipality of Pedrógão Grande is one of the regions in the country where natural beauty, customs, and popular traditions combined with the purity of the air and water are maintained. The landscapes are dynamic, with different characteristics and strong tourist potential.
It is a vast region of granites and schists embedded in the basins of the rivers Zêzere and Unhais and the streams of Pera and Mega, today enlarged by the reservoirs of two large dams, Cabril and Bouçã. The climate, which used to be continental in character, with harsh winters and hot, dry summers, is now milder, influenced by the two large reservoirs that are also very rich fish areas.
Pedrógão Grande is integrated into the Pinhal Interior Norte area, the largest forest spot in Europe, where pine, eucalyptus, acacia, and olive trees predominate, which are of great importance in the local economy.
The economic fabric of Pedrógão Grande is essentially characterized by the secondary sector, with emphasis on forestry, textiles, and civil construction.
On 17 June 2017, a devastating fire occurred in the municipality of Pedrógão Grande, which killed 64 people and caused a high number of injuries.


























































































































































CABRIL FLUVIAL BEACH

39° 55’ 16.6″ N; 8° 07’ 59.2″ W . 



The river beach of Cabril located in Albufeira de Cabril, about 1 Km from Nacional 2 and about 3 Km from Pedrogão Grande. Access is via a ramp that gives access to the river pool which is next to the boat dock of the Clube Náutico de Pedrogão Grande, which has motor boats, pedal boats, canoes or kayaks for rent.
It has two floating pools, one for adults and one for children. The adult one has a depth between 1.35m and 1.65m. The children's pool is about 50cm deep, with water at a very good temperature for bathing. Ideal for motorhomes as you can park in the car park on the side of the road!
Before the access to the floating pool, next to the access ramp, there is the Parque de Merendas do Cabril. Here you can enjoy pleasant moments of leisure, contemplating the crystalline blue of the River Zêzere in the Cabril Dam and the green of the pine forests that surround it. It has several months with shade and a barbecue.
Also close to the river beach and the Camping Park, there is a restaurant overlooking the Cabril Dam.
The Pedrogão Grande Campsite, located in Vale de Góis, very close to Albufeira do Cabril and the river beach, is an excellent space for a family holiday, close to nature, next to the bold Vale do Zêzere, the splendid Dam. Cabril and its majestic shores, but also all the accessibility and amenities necessary for the satisfaction of daily life. It has a capacity for 150 people, has bungalows, a swimming pool and a tennis court.
The contacts are: Phone:
00 351 236 485 459 or Mobile: 00 351 963 975 382

Pedestrian Route – Marginal of Albufeira de Cabril
This short route, 5.8 km long, can be done on foot, by bicycle or on horseback and allows you to admire the beautiful Cabril reservoir.
TECHNICAL SHEET OF PEDESTRIAN TRAVEL
Name of Route: Marginal da Albufeira do Cabril
Location: Parish and municipality of Pedrógão Grande, district of Leiria
Access to the beginning of the route: Take the municipal road 1175 towards Cabril dam, the route starts at the Camping Park
Access at the end of the trail: Take National Road 2 towards Picha, in the town of Tojeira, follow the sign for Pesos, continue until the end of the asphalt road, the end of the trail is next to the chapel of Santo António at the beginning of the road.
Type of route: Small Linear Route
Starting location (GPS: N-39 55.494 W-008, 07,990): Crossing the island next to the Pedrógão Grande Campsite
Ending location (GPS: N-39 56.767 W-008 07.658): Location of Pesos Fundeiros next to the chapel of Santo António dos Pesos
Extension: 5.8 km
Area in square km: 0.24
Total descent: 124 m
Total ascent: 152 m
Maximum altitude: 367.8 m
Minimum altitude: 312.6 m
Duration: (approx) 2 hours
Difficulty: easy
Recommended season: every year






MOSTEIRO FLUVIAL BEACH

39° 56 ’07.9″ N;  8° 11’ 09.2″ W



Located in the municipality of Pedrógão Grande, in the village of Mosteiro, the water line that bathes this beach is the Ribeira de Pera. It is a rural beach, perfectly framed in the landscape. On this beach, in addition to enjoying the good quality of air and water, you can also have direct contact with two infrastructures that portray a little of the past history and cultural heritage of the county. It is an olive oil mill, which was recovered respecting its design and which currently supports the beach – Bar/Restaurant - and a castor mill, recovered under the Project for the Promotion and Requalification of Riverside Ecosystems in Pedrógão Grande .

It is important to point out that the milling industry was of great importance in the municipality of Pedrógão Grande, a fact confirmed by the presence of at least one castor mill, every 500 meters, along the stream.