Discovering!
The Maranhão Lake
HIKING
TO THE MARANHÃO LAKE
Geographical location: Maranhão Dam
Type: Linear round trip
Start and finish point: Lugar do Pisão, Avis
Distance: 7.1 km
Approximate time: 2 hours
Type of surface: Rural paths
Accumulated gradient: 83m
Minimum altitude: 127m
Maximum altitude: 158m
Level of difficulty: Low
Certifications: Approved by the FPCM
Geographical coordinates: N39º01'39'' W07º55'40''
Geographical coordinates: 39.027510º -7.927984º
Where to park: Close to houses without causing problems for the inhabitants
THE ROUTE
Walking along the banks of the Maranhão Lake is an exercise of low physical difficulty, but of immense emotional absorption. The route cuts along the shores of the lake in conjunction with the terrain, showing at every bend a new view between the water and the land, where the cork oaks and holm oaks typical of this area grow slowly.
At every step you experience the landscape, where the horizon is marked by the distance and the brightness of the town of Avis.
Start along a long dirt track, between small vegetable gardens and centuries-old olive groves, turn right and then left along a rural path until you reach the shore of the reservoir. When you reach the end of the descent, turn left and follow the water line to the Carapeta leisure area, a privileged spot for sport fishing. Here you'll find a lagoon rich in birdlife and an old fountain with the same name, Carapeta, which comes from the cistus (Cistus lanadifer).
From here, the trail winds along the jagged banks of the reservoir to a peninsula that juts out into the water and from where you can see an almost limitless expanse of horizon.
After contemplating all this magnificent scenery, you should return along precisely the same path you used to get here.
