Total Protection Area of Peneda-Gerês National Park

Category: Nature > Protected Area

District: Viana do Castelo > Ponte da Barca > Lindoso

Location

This protected area is located in the municipality of Ponte da Barca, near the village of Lindoso, a mountain settlement with distinct rural characteristics. It is situated in the heart of the Peneda-Gerês National Park, on the slope of the Serra Amarela, one of the highest mountains in Continental Portugal. Its geographical position within the park, at considerable altitudes ranging from 377 to 1360 meters, provides it with a vast perspective and a distinctive mountainous environment.

The surroundings are predominantly wild and isolated, reflecting its protected designation. The landscape is defined by elevations and valleys, with an average altitude of around 911 meters, inviting a deep contact experience with the region's most untouched nature.

The Character of the Mountainous Landscape

In this zone, the Serra Amarela reveals itself in its fullness, culminating, within the park area, at Pico da Louriça, 1361 meters above sea level. The topography is accentuated, with significant elevation changes that sculpt a genuine mountain scenery. Rocky outcrops, peaks, and deep valleys predominate, bearing witness to the force of nature and its geological evolution over time.

The panoramic view offered from the highest points is vast, encompassing other mountain ranges of the Peneda-Gerês system and revealing the immensity of the protected area. It is a place where human presence is subtle, allowing the natural landscape to be the protagonist, with its robustness and singular beauty.

A Biodiversity Sanctuary

The designation "Total Protection Area" signifies that this space is one of the most valuable and sensitive in the Peneda-Gerês National Park, with a rigorous conservation regime. Its main purpose is the integral preservation of the ecosystems and biodiversity present there, allowing nature to take its course with minimal human interference.

This commitment to protection gives the area a high symbolic and ecological value. It represents a refuge for native animal and plant species, and offers visitors the opportunity to observe a natural environment in its purest and most untouched state, where the tranquility and grandeur of wildlife prevail.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt