Peneda Geres National Park is known for its natural landscapes, trails, viewpoints, traditional villages, wells, and waterfalls. Some are extraordinarily well-known, such as Sete Lagoas do Xertelo, Poço Azul, or Poço Verde, and others are less so.
This article will focus on the Teixo well and waterfall, one of the least well-known in Serra do Gerês. We’ll explain how to get there, what to expect, what precautions to take, and everything else.
Although access is relatively simple and not much longer than to Sete Lagoas, the Teixo well and waterfall are considerably less popular and, therefore, a good alternative for those who want to enjoy Gerês with fewer people.
Trail to Teixo waterfall and lagoon – general information
- Name: There is no official trail to Teixo
- Start: Xertelo
- End: Cascata and Poço do Teixo
- Distance: 6 km (12 round trip)
- Time required: about 2 hours (one way)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Max/min altitude: 850/710 meters
- Type: Linear, round trip
- Signage (1-5): No signage for Yeixo. The one that exists is for Sete Lagoas
- Highlights: Xertelo, Cascata do Pinhedo, Sete Lagoas do Xertelo, Cascata and Poço do Teixo.
- There is no pamphlet, but you can see a route to Teixo here.
How to get to Poço and Teixo Waterfall
This is one of the most beautiful and least known small lagoons in Gerês, with crystal clear waters and surrounded by a stunning natural landscape. In fact, the path to Poço do Teixo is surprisingly simple. It’s so simple that you’ll want to go there as soon as you finish reading this article.
Top Tip
Although it is quite easy to follow the route and instructions below, we suggest that you download the GPS route on an app like Wikiloc. This trail is similar to the one we described.
We will start in the village of Xertelo next to Bar Sete Lagoas, as it is the route we know and believe to be the easiest. In Xertelo, follow the signs to the much more famous Sete Lagoas do Xertelo, sometimes also called Poços Verdes do Sobroso (green lagoons of Sobroso). This is a marked trail and, therefore, very easy to follow—the PR9 MTR. We have explained this trail here.
We started the trail entering the village of Xertelo but immediately turned left towards the Fojo do Lobo do Xertelo. Next to the Fojo is a viewpoint from which you can see the Fojo and the entire surrounding landscape. It’s spectacular and one of our favorite viewpoints in Gerês.
Note: It is also possible to follow the path through the center of the village, which then goes up a lot and follows the vertical cube, but it is a little longer. The goal here is to go to Teixo, so we took the shorter trail.
After leaving Xertelo, we must continue on a slightly uphill and undulating route, which is quite easy. The trail is very simple to follow because, as we said, it is marked as the PR9 MTR. This section of the route is really beautiful, as it is next to the valley and always has a beautiful view.
After about 3 km, we reach a dirt road and have to turn left/down. Continuing along the road, we will reach Ribeiro do Penedo, where we have the first attraction, the Penedo Ribeira waterfall. It’s quite beautiful, but you cannot go in the water according to the signs.
Continuing along the same path for a few hundred meters, we arrive at Sete Lagoas do Xertelo. Here, we find a fork. If you want to go to the Seven Lagoons, take the path to the left and down. It’s always worth going there, but today, we’re going to the right because we want to go to Poço do Teixo.
So, we go to the right and walk about 500 or 600 meters to the Sobroso bridge – and this is where we say goodbye to the PR9 MTR. The PR9 MTR follows the bridge, while we will turn right just before it.
This is perhaps the point where the path is most complicated, as it seems like there is no trail. However, if you follow the riverbank, you will quickly realize that there is a paved path. Follow this path, always along the riverbank.
As you follow the riverbank, pay attention to the rocks as you climb along the river. Once you find the trail, there isn’t much to go wrong. We must continue on this path until we reach our destination.
From the Sobroso Bridge to the Teixo Lagoon, it is very close. It’s about 500 meters, which seems a little longer because it’s a climbing mountain trail. But it is easily doable, as you can see in the photos.
Access to the lagoon and waterfall is not the easiest, as there is a lot of vegetation and smooth stone that is very slippery when wet. Pay attention. In our experience, entering on the right bank is easier than on the left.
If you want, you can follow the trail a few meters further and see the upper part of the waterfall. There are also some access points and lagoons where you can enter the water.
The easiest way to return is along the same route. Other alternatives are available, but they are very complicated and not recommended for those who don’t know Gerês National Park well enough.
Best time of year to go to Teixo
The best time to visit the Teixo waterfall is undoubtedly in the summer, as it is the only time of year when it is warm enough to swim.
During the rest of the year, it is also perfectly possible, and you can enjoy the enormous natural beauty of the region and the Gerês mountains. Still, you will hardly want to go into the water. On the other hand, if it is at a time of greater humidity or if it has rained in the previous days, the waterfall may have more water and be even more spectacular.
We recommend paying special attention to whether there is rain or humidity, which can make walking a little more dangerous in rocky areas. Most of the route will not cause any problems, but the rocky parts can be very slippery.
Who can hike the trail?
The path to the yew tree is not particularly difficult or technical, so anyone used to hiking can easily reach it.
The biggest problem is not being marked, which is easily solved with GPS and following our tips in this article. This is especially true because, as we already mentioned, much of the path follows the official trail to the seven Xertelo lagoons.
Therefore, both children (but not too small) and adults without mobility problems can perfectly enjoy this natural wonder of Gerês.
What to take to Peneda Geres National Park?
There is nothing between Xertelo and the Teixo waterfall – not even restaurants, shops, bars, etc, which is not entirely unexpected as the trail follows the Gerês mountains. But even in Xertelo, there is only one little bar next to the car park, Bar Sete Lagoas. If you want to buy something, this is the place, but confirm the opening hours. Further down in Cabril, you will find several restaurants and bakeries.
So, for this walk, you must take everything you need. We suggest:
- Lots of water (at least 1l per person, maybe more in summer);
- Snacks;
- Comfortable walking shoes;
- Comfortable clothes;
- Raincoat in winter;
- Swimwear, sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen in summer;
- Cameras and cell phones are also available, with many opportunities to take beautiful photos. Cell phones are also to be used as GPS.
- Small backpack to carry all this;
As always, please don’t litter. Bring everything you take with you and, if possible, anything else you find.
How to get to the trail?
Access to the start of this trail is very easy. You must go to the village of Xertelo, the parish of Cabril. When you arrive at Xertelo, you will find a car park on the right and the Sete Lagoas bar on the left.
Park in the park (cost 2 Euros) or on the side of the road if possible. If you need/want to buy something, the bar is the last option, but note that it may not be open. We don’t know the exact opening hours, but it tends to only be open during high season and weekends (as is natural).
Note that you cannot drive your car into Xertelo; access is only allowed to residents. The beginning of the trail is right next to the prohibited traffic sign, where there is also an information panel about the PR9-MTR.
It takes almost 2 hours to travel from Porto to Xertelo, 1 hour and 10 minutes to travel from Braga, and 45 minutes to travel from Montalegre.
Where will you stay when you go to Gerês?
There are no great accommodation options in Xertelo. Still, one of our favorite hotels in the Gerês area is very close by, the Hotel Rural Misarela, which, as the name suggests, is very close to Ponte da Misarela.
So we suggest staying at the excellent Misarela Rural Hotel, visiting the seven lagoons, and taking advantage of its privileged location to visit the legendary Misarela Bridge.
If you have an extra day, you can hike the Ponte da Misarela trail, which is equally beautiful. The Hotel Rural da Misarela, in addition to being very comfortable and offering beautiful views, also has a pleasant swimming pool that will feel like heaven after a day of hiking. Click here to see photos and other comments here.
If the Hotel Rural da Misarela is unavailable or a bit expensive, the Hostel Retiro do Gerês in Fafião is another excellent option and is usually very affordable. It also has a swimming pool and stunning views. See more information here.
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