The Porto de Mós Ecotrail is one of the best family-friendly walks in Portugal’s Central region. Stretching for around 8 km, this easy, linear trail passes through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park.
Built along the route of the former Lena Mining Railway, the ecotrail crosses tunnels carved into the rock, old railway cuttings, viewpoints, and the traditional windmills of Serra da Pevide. It’s a fascinating route where nature and industrial heritage come together in unexpected ways.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to visit the Porto de Mós Ecotrail: how to get there, the best place to start, what to expect along the route, and whether it’s worth doing the entire walk.
If you’d like to explore more hiking trails in Portugal, check out our guide to the best trails in the country, or our guide to the best boardwalk trails in Portugal.
Porto de Mós Ecotrail – Practical Information
- Name: Porto de Mós Ecotrail
- Start: Bezerra Football Field, Serro Ventoso
- End: Figueiredo, near the quarry
- Distance: 8 km (one way)
- Time needed: Around 2 hours (4 hours round trip)
- Technical difficulty: Very easy
- Physical difficulty: Easy
- Maximum/minimum elevation: 380/260 meters
- Elevation gain: Around 120 meters
- Type: Linear
- Trail marking (1–5): 5. It’s practically impossible to get lost, as the entire walk follows a clearly defined ecotrail.
- Highlights: Corredoura Tunnels, viewpoints, old railway cuttings carved into the rock, and the landscapes of the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park.
Description of the Porto de Mós Ecotrail
Our Experience
The Porto de Mós Ecotrail, also known as the Lena Branch Line Ecotrail or Bezerra Ecotrail, is a very pleasant and accessible walk. Since it follows the route of the former railway line, the incline is always very gentle, making it suitable for pretty much everyone.
The entire route follows a compacted gravel surface that is comfortable for both walking and cycling. There are three main access points to the ecotrail:
- Bezerra Football Field (Serro Ventoso) – generally considered the starting point of the ecotrail.
- Serra da Pevide Picnic Area – the middle access point and the one most commonly used by visitors coming from Porto de Mós.
- Ricel Quarry (Figueiredo) – the opposite end of the ecotrail.
Interestingly, most people start their walk at the Picnic Area, as it is the closest access point to the center of Porto de Mós and has parking just a few yards from the ecotrail.
If you want to walk the entire length of the ecotrail, we recommend starting at Bezerra. There is parking near the trailhead, and at the end you can simply turn around and follow the same route back. Keep in mind that this means walking around 16 km in total, with the final 8 km being a gentle uphill climb.
In our opinion, the most interesting section is between Bezerra and the Picnic Area. This is where you’ll find the windmills, tunnels, and most of the sections carved into the rock. The stretch between the Picnic Area and Ricel Quarry is considerably more monotonous, so we only recommend it if you want to complete the entire ecotrail.
We were particularly impressed by the sections carved into the rock, which reminded us of Hellfire Pass in Thailand. Fortunately, the history here is much less dramatic, but it’s easy to imagine the enormous amount of work that went into carving a path through the mountains.
Can You Cycle the Porto de Mós Ecotrail?
Yes, the ecotrail is also an excellent option for cycling. The compacted gravel surface is in good condition, and the very gentle incline makes the route accessible to most cyclists.
As far as we know, there are no bicycle rental services near the ecotrail or in Porto de Mós, so you’ll need to bring your own bike.
The trail is shared by pedestrians and cyclists, so please ride carefully and always be considerate of people walking. Motorized vehicles are not allowed.
PR6 PMS – Rota do Carvão
The Porto de Mós Ecotrail forms part of the PR6 PMS – Rota do Carvão, a circular trail of around 12 km. If you prefer doing a loop instead of retracing your steps, you can extend the walk by following the PR6 trail markers.
In our opinion, the main advantage of this option is avoiding the need to walk back along the ecotrail. However, we found this section of the PR6 less interesting, both in terms of scenery and points of interest. We’ve walked both routes, and if we had to choose, we’d have no hesitation in returning along the ecotrail.
Distance and Trail Type
The Porto de Mós Ecotrail is around 8 km long one way. Since it’s a linear trail, you’ll need to return along the same route to get back to your starting point. Alternatively, you can extend the walk by following the PR6 PMS – Rota do Carvão, turning it into a circular route of around 12 km.
Elevation and Total Elevation Gain
Although it crosses the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park, the ecotrail stays at a relatively low elevation, ranging from 260 to 380 meters. The total elevation gain is around 120 meters, but it is spread gradually throughout the route, so it should hardly be a challenge for most people.
Technical and Physical Difficulty
The ecotrail has no technical difficulties. Physically, the main factor to consider is the distance, particularly if you choose to walk the route there and back. That said, since it’s a linear trail, it’s easy to adapt the walk to your fitness level and turn around whenever you feel you’ve had enough.
Trail Markings
The ecotrail is very well marked, and it’s practically impossible to get lost since the entire route follows the old railway line.
If you choose to continue along the PR6 PMS – Rota do Carvão, things are a little different. Although the trail is marked, we found a few sections where the markings were not particularly clear, so we recommend carrying a GPS track.
When to Hike the Lena Ecotrail?
The Porto de Mós Ecotrail can be hiked year-round. Even in rainy weather, the route remains perfectly manageable, although the compacted gravel surface becomes a little softer. Keep in mind that this is a fairly exposed area, so it’s a good idea to bring appropriate clothing, particularly on windy days.
Summer is a different story. Much of the route has little shade, including some of the rest areas, so walking during the hottest part of the day can be considerably more demanding. Bring plenty of water, a hat, and sunscreen.
Although the route is pleasant at any time of year, we believe spring and fall offer the best conditions for enjoying the ecotrail, thanks to the milder temperatures.
Who Can Hike the Bezerra Ecotrail?
This is one of the easiest and most accessible hikes we know, making it suitable for pretty much all ages, from young children to older adults.
The route may also be a good option for people using strollers or wheelchairs, as long as the surface is dry. The compacted gravel is relatively smooth, but it requires more effort than a wooden boardwalk or paved road, especially for manual wheelchairs or strollers with smaller wheels.
We haven’t personally hiked the ecotrail under these conditions, but we believe most of the route should be perfectly manageable when the surface is dry.
What to Bring on the Trail?
Since there are no significant physical or technical challenges, you don’t need any special equipment for this walk. Still, we recommend bringing:
- Some water (around 1 liter per person on a sunny day);
- A few snacks and a packed lunch if you’d like to stop for a picnic;
- Comfortable hiking shoes or sneakers;
- Comfortable athletic clothing;
- A rain jacket or windbreaker in winter;
- Sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen in summer;
- A camera and phone, as there are plenty of opportunities to take great photos. Your phone can also be used for GPS navigation;
- A small backpack to carry everything.
As always, please don’t leave any trash behind. Take everything you bring with you back home.
How to Get to the Porto de Mós Ecotrail?
The Porto de Mós Ecotrail has three main access points, but in our opinion, the most convenient are Bezerra and the Serra da Pevide Picnic Area.
The Bezerra access point is the one we recommend if you want to hike the entire ecotrail. There is parking right next to the trailhead, so you don’t need to walk any extra distance before starting the hike. To get there, drive to Porto de Mós and then take the N362 toward Serro Ventoso. Once you reach Bezerra, follow the signs for the football field and continue for a few hundred meters until you reach the start of the ecotrail.
The Picnic Area access point is the closest to the center of Porto de Mós and allows you to start directly at the most interesting section of the ecotrail. However, there is no parking lot right by the entrance, so you’ll need to leave your car in Porto de Mós and walk to the picnic area. It’s not a long walk, but the climb is relatively steep.
Porto de Mós is around 200 km (125 miles) from Porto, a 2-hour drive, 120 km (75 miles) from Lisbon (1 hour 15 minutes), and 100 km (62 miles) from Coimbra (1 hour).
If you want to explore the ecotrail at a leisurely pace, we recommend staying in Porto de Mós. Besides being just a few minutes from the main trail access points, you can also visit Porto de Mós Castle, one of our favorite castles in Portugal, as well as nearby attractions such as Batalha Monastery and the Sanctuary of Fátima.
If you stay in the town center, you can walk to the castle and quickly reach the ecotrail by car.
Here are two of the best accommodation options:
- Dolinas Climbing Hotel – A 4-star hotel with modern rooms, an indoor pool, and a rather unique concept. It’s the first hotel in Portugal to offer indoor climbing facilities, making it a great option if you’re looking for a different kind of stay. See more information here.
- 5.ª Vigia – Comfortable accommodation with breakfast included, modern rooms, and a fitness center. Based on our research, breakfast is one of the features most highly praised by guests. See more information here.
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