The FMP Tourist Motorcycle Rally Trophy continued with the challenge proposed by the Moto Clube do Porto to around a hundred motorbike tourists.
With strong and justified expectations, 98 motorbike tourists accepted the challenge of the Moto Clube do Porto and took their 63 motorbikes from garages from north to south of the country, to present themselves at the welcoming Termas do Carvalhal for a promising ride through the Serra de Montemuro and in the lap of the fabulous Rio Paiva, part of the 27th BMW/Dunlop Tourist Motorcycle Rally Trophy of the FMP.
The annoying rain that was felt was not enough to deter the stubborn participants. The promise of a fantastic tour of just over 170 km through the many beautiful typical villages of the municipality of Castro Daire, the majestic Serra de Montemuro and the Paiva River valley were more than enough reasons to counter São Pedro’s bad mood, which, By mid-morning, he gave in and treated everyone to a wonderful, spring-like rest of the weekend.
There were many small and picturesque villages visited – in some of them we also had a snack –, with their cobbled streets full of typical houses, usually well-groomed or in the process of being restored. Good examples are the villages of Soutelo, Faifa (more than 800 meters above sea level and almost forgotten on the slopes of the mountains), Mões, Granja and Lamas, this one with its megalithic rock and artistic mural that depicts life in the village. Between bucolic villages and waterfalls in Paiva, we went up and down the Montemuro mountain range, in all its grandeur and beauty, sometimes playing with the challenges that were proposed to us, other times learning and contemplating viewpoints such as Penedo da Saudade or the Tafoni, which are cavities that develop in granular rocks such as granite or sandstone and which have the appearance of honeycombs, or even the Chapel of São Macário, with its wall high to the roof that surrounds it to protect it the strong winds of the mountain, and also helping those who help us so much, like the Farejinhas Volunteer Firefighters.
With my soul full from so much seeing, learning, tasting and appreciating, it was time to return to the Hotel Palace Asturias next to the Carvalhal Hot Springs, for a refreshing dinner and lively nighttime entertainment.
On Sunday, if anyone thought they had already seen everything, they were wrong. There were still more majestic landscapes to visit, on a kind of religious route. From the Main Church of Castro Daire to the Romanesque Church of the Ermida, we passed to the Sanctuaries of Nossa Senhora de Remédios in Lamelas and Senhora. da Ouvida and Capela da Senhora do Fojo, and also along the Transhumance Route, passing through Moura Morta and Miradouro de Cetos.
With a group photo on the steps of Capela das Carrancas and lunch enjoyed, the award was given to Vítor Olivença and Ana Carina representing MC Albufeira, supported by Luís Santos from MC Motards do Oeste and Anabela Pimentel, from Góis MC
The BMW/Dunlop Tourist Motorcycle Rally Trophy then descends on Gavião, under the organization of the Moto Clube Motards do Oeste which, on the 18th and 19th of May, will host this festive way of celebrating Portugal. For more information you can consult via [email protected]
