Lamas de Mouro – Peneda is the third stage of the Peneda-Gerês Great Route (GR50). Around eight kilometres to be walked without haste, in a state of calm awareness, where the body moves forward while the mind finds rest. A journey of sensory delight and deep inner calm, especially suited to those whose professional lives are intellectually demanding and permanently connected. Here, the invitation is clear: slow down, release pressure, disconnect.
The route begins near the Interpretive Centre of the Lamas de Mouro Gate and immediately enters a dense, enveloping mixed woodland. Even before the body has time to warm up, the mind has already surrendered to nature. The sensation is one of gradual dissolution: the landscape surrounds, welcomes and sets its own rhythm.
The walk continues along ancient paths and old tracks, precious remnants of a territory lived in and shaped over centuries. Each bend, each stone wall, each clearing offers glimpses into histories of transhumance, survival and an intimate relationship with the mountains.
Whenever possible — particularly when not walking alone — it is advisable to keep conversation to a minimum and allow silence to fulfil its role. A full silence, inhabited by birdsong, the murmur of flowing streams and the deep breathing of those who are relearning, step by step, how to be present. Fresh, lightly scented air fills the lungs as the gaze drifts towards the granite massifs sharply outlined against the clarity of the sky.
The path leads through a succession of landscapes of remarkable beauty: the glacial valley, the steep slopes, the ancient oak woods and the mixed forests where light and shadow alternate. Along the way, we encounter grazing cows lifting their heads with gentle curiosity, the Mouro River, which rises nearby and flows towards the Minho — the border river — and the Peneda River, clear, unhurried, almost meditative.
From time to time, another walker appears. Few enough to preserve the sense of solitude, yet enough to remind us that the path is shared. And so, almost without noticing, time slips by until we reach the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Peneda.
Here, it is worth staying awhile. To talk unhurriedly, to observe the architectural details and to let oneself be embraced magnificence of the mountainous landscape A place where the outward journey resonates with an inner one — and from which one always departs a little lighter.
