Pe do Coelho walk (LLE PR6, sometimes called LLR PR21)

Pe do Coelho walk is a tough with a lot of climbing. The route located on the northern border of the municipality of Loulé. It is a very beautiful walking route, combining two types of landscapes; the river and the mountains. On this circular walk you can often enjoy the most fantastic panoramic views. The Arade River winds through the valley between the mountains. This river, which flows into the sea at Alvor on the Algarve coast, contains water all year round. The walking route crosses the river several times, offering an excellent view of the flora that belongs to an area where water is scarce. The same, of course, applies to animal life.

In this area you will find the traditional hortas, or allotments, which served to provide the inhabitants of the region with fresh food. The water to irrigate the fields was brought up with traditional donkeys. Horses or donkeys had to walk around on a treadmill. This set a wheel in motion with trays that dug the water from the wells. That water was poured into a gutter (levada) and those levadas ran strategically over the gardens and fields. This practice has now fallen into disuse, but the remains of the wells can still be found everywhere, just like Taipa walls. This construction technique is of Islamic origin. The partition walls are constructed from dried clay. In the previous centuries this technique was used in house construction. As long as you made sure that no water could penetrate the top of the walls, they remained very strong.

Panorama

The top of Malhão Hill is one of the highest points in the Serra do Caldeirão Mountains. The panoramic view is stunning; you can look all the way up to the Atlantic Ocean. Cork oaks dominate the landscape and peeling the cork in the traditional way; with machetes; is still one of the most important sources of income for the mountain population. The medronhos or orchard strawberries are also picked here. This is the main ingredient of the liquor Aguardente; a kind of Portuguese Gin. The sausages, and in particular the ham, from this region are of high quality. Traditional game dishes (wild boar, hare and wild rabbit) can also be tasted in local cafes. The construction of the road connecting the Alentejo with the Algarve gave a boost to the local economy with its traditional products.