PR1 MTL: Guardiana o Grande Rio do Sul

Distance: 10 km
Ascent/descent: 271m
Highest point: 82.6m
GPS file: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/pr1-mtl-guadiana-e-o-grande-rio-do-sul-43182372

PR1 MTL O Grande Rio do Sul - looking back at Mértola — Looking up the Guardiana river towards Mértola

We walked this short out and back route along the southern bank of the Guardiana on a warm, muggy day in late May. It was our first visit to Mértola.

We only followed the PR1 MTL route as far as point 6 on the map/interpretation board because soon afterwards we encountered wide, closed gates and weren’t sure whether the onward trail was private or not. The walk literature suggests it is possible to continue to point 7, almost until you reach the Carreira river (a tributary of the Guardiana) and others seem to have done this.

On the return stretch, we ventured down a steep, stony track to explore the riverside track but there were a lot of unaccompanied sheep down there at the river’s edge and we couldn’t be sure there were no dogs guarding them under the trees (the sheep are sheltering now from the sun).

Highlights

The PR1 MTL great views of the Guadiana river and Mértola. I was surprised to see the height of the bridge linking the two sides of the river. For some reason I was expecting some kind of low-level historic bridge but this was an engineering feat which towered above the river.

The riverside landscape is very beautiful with lots of sheep grazing on the opposite slopes. The only noise we could hear was the sheep’s bells ringing and birdsong. Although around 70 kilometres inland, the Guadiana is tidal as far as Mértola and sparkles in the sunlight. As Harri remarked, ‘this is what rivers look like when you don’t pump them full of shit’.

There is a delightful covered seating area at Poço dos Dois Irmãos (the start/finish point of the PR1 MTL) where you can enjoy a picnic in the shade (as we did). A few local cats smelt our chicken and joined us for a feast.

Verdict

This short walk high above the Guardiana river fills a few hours. The walking itself is along dirt tracks and isn’t particularly exciting for seasoned hikers; however, if you do find yourself in Mértola with time on your hands, the PR1 MTL is worth doing if only for the magnificent views.