The Peneda-Gerês National Park has an incredible diversity of viewpoints, waterfalls, lagoons, and beaches. Some are already well known, but the National Park is huge and still has some well-kept secrets.
In this article, we will discuss Poço do Dola (Dola Lagoon) and its waterfall, explaining how to get there and what to expect from the route and the destination. This is one of the most beautiful lagoons in Gerês, but it is also one of the least known and less crowded. Neither the lake nor the waterfall are marked on Google Maps, so discovering them becomes a little more complicated. But with our directions, you will get there and be able to enjoy this authentic natural paradise.
In addition to the Dola waterfalls and lagoon, it is possible to visit the Piocas (or small lagoons) of Biduíça in the same area but to the east. This is a high mountain area, so we suggest you take special care and attention.
Lastly and very importantly, according to the rules of the Peneda Gerês National Park, Poço do Dola is already a Type I Partial Protection Area, so groups of more than ten people are not allowed to hike trails without prior authorization.

Poço Dola Trail – General information
- Name: Poço do Dola
- Start– Road M308, next to the water channel coordinates (41°46’46.9″N 7°59’41.7″W)
- End– Poço do Dola
- Distance– about 3km (only one way); double for return.
- Time – 1h30 to 2 hours, each way
- Dificuldade – Medium-high
- Máx/min altitude: 1050 – 730 meters
- Ganho de altitude: about de 350 meters
- Tipo – way and back
- Sinalização (1-5) – 0, no markings at all, only mariolas.
- Destaques: Poço do Dola (Dola Lagoon and waterfall), waterfall

How to go to Poço do Dola (Dola lagoon)
We only know of two ways to go to Poço do Dola, and they are pretty similar. There are simply two different ways to go up to Corga da Abelheira, starting relatively close to each other on the municipal road M308, about 2km from the tiny village of Cela.
One path is a little shorter and steeper, and the other is longer and less steep. In practice, it takes about the same time, and the degree of difficulty is also similar. Perhaps the longer route is more advisable as it has fewer loose stones and fewer bushes in the middle of the path.

Shorter trail
The shortest route starts next to Ribeira da Abelheira’s water intake. There is a small dirt field where you can park your car. This location is relatively easy to identify, as you can see the water channel from the road. If you cannot find it, enter the location 41°46’46.9″N 7°59’41.7″W into the GPS.
After parking by the road, we head towards the water channel. We pass under the water channel and continue along the path. There are no signs, but there is only one way to advance. The general idea is to go up the valley of Ribeira da Abelheira, always with the river on our left side, until we reach Corga da Abelheira at the top of the valley.

The path always goes uphill but becomes increasingly steep until the end. At first, the slope is relatively small, but many brambles make progress very difficult. As we go up, there starts to be less vegetation, and we begin to see more and more mariolas that help us to follow the trail more quickly and easier.
In the final part of the trail, the slope is maximum, and above all, there are many stones. It is essential to follow the path and the mariolas carefully. Not that there is a significant risk of getting lost because of good visibility, but because walking back and forth up the mountain is quite tiring.
From the road to Corga da Abelheira at the top, it’s about 2 km, always going up, going from about 750 meters of altitude to 1050 meters. It’s challenging but doable if it’s not too hot. From Corga da Abelheira, we have a remarkable view in all directions. You can see the Abelheira valley we’ve just climbed, the Paradela dam in the background, and our final destination, Poço do Dola, and its waterfall.

Longer way
The longest route starts about 1 km from the previously explained path. Parking is not easy, but some places are on the side of the road. The coordinates are 41°46’26.6″N 7°59’11.0″W.
We start from about 750 meters of altitude, and we will reach more than 1,000 meters. In the beginning, it seems we will have a wide path, but it is only a few tens of meters; then, we quickly enter a mountain path with a lot of vegetation in the initial part.
The initial part of the route is always uphill, as it should be, and it takes a long time to do, as you have to constantly look for the mariolas to follow the correct trail and avoid bushes and brambles.
As we go up, we reach more rocky areas without bushes, which makes walking easier. The last km is much easier as it is less steep and doesn’t have big bushes.
It’s about 3 km to Corga da Abelheira, the exact point where we intercept the previously mentioned shorter path.

Descending to Poço da Dola
From Corga da Abelheira to Poço do Dola, it is always downhill, and as we see our final destination, there is no way of getting lost. We advise you to follow the Mariolas, as they are a beaten path and, therefore, easier.
Pay attention, as the descent is very steep. With the loose rocks, you can easily twist your foot, which is not advisable. At the end of the descent, we arrive at Dola waterfall and its small lagoon.
Dola Waterfall is the last and most prominent of a series of waterfalls and rapids in Dola Creek. The lagoon of the Dola is right after the Cascata do Dola, but it is not easy to access as the path is very steep. We advise you to be careful so that there are no accidents.

The Dola waterfall is surprisingly high, about 10 meters high (more or less), and even in summer, it usually has some water. The lagoon, or the well as it is usually called, is fabulous and doesn’t disappoint compared to other more famous and popular lagoons in Gerês, such as Poço Azul or Poço Verde.
If, in terms of beauty and size, the Poço is fabulous, it has yet another advantage. There’s nobody there, not even in the peak of summer. Whenever we went there, we were utterly alone, and we had the Dola lagoon and waterfall all to ourselves. This is the ideal destination for anyone complaining that Gerês is always overcrowded.
It is also possible to dive, swim, and sunbathe in a lagoon about 100 meters upstream of the waterfall. It has beautiful water that is transparent and serene. They are also spectacular and are known as the piocas of Dola. See the photos.

Beyond the Dola Lagoon
Poço Dola is uncovered, but if you want to continue hiking, you can try to discover some more hidden places in the National Park. If you continue along the trail along the Ribeiro do Dola, you will see several piocas (wells/lagoons) until you reach the Biduíças Creek (a tributary of the Dola). Finally, following Biduíças Creek, you will reach Curral das Biduíças, the last point of interest on this trail.
This area is much flatter than the route to Poço do Dola, making it faster and easier. Don’t forget to take some time to dive into the waters of these beautiful lagoons, which you will most likely have all to yourself.
The Peneda-Gerês National Park is extremely popular in summer, but it is still possible to discover some places with few or no people.
When we went there, we had Poço all to ourselves for as long as we wanted, an experience we had never had in Gerês in the summer. Perhaps also for this reason, Poço do Dola went directly to the top of our favorite places in Gerês.

Best time of year to visit Poço do Dola
Undoubtedly, summer is the best time to visit Poço do Dola. At another time, the risk of being too cold to go in the water, or there may be sudden weather changes, is much greater.
Just be aware that if it is very hot and the sun is intense, there are no big shadows in this whole area to protect you. During the entire trail, there are no trees, and shadows are minimal, even next to the lagoon, waterfalls, and ponds.
It is also important to note that this trail should not be hiked on rainy days or even on rainy days, as it is lots of rock that, when wet, can become quite dangerous. If you are used to hiking in the mountains, you can try it, but we do not recommend it.
Therefore, we advise against doing this walk during the winter, as the probability of it raining or having rained in the previous days and still being wet is very high. During spring and autumn, it can be a good walk, but again, be aware that you will not be taking advantage of the great attraction of the trek and that the weather changes very quickly in the mountains.

Who can do the trail?
This is a trail for adventurers, or at least people used to hiking in the mountains. Not because of the distance, not even the difficulty, but because it is an unmarked trail, it only has mariolas, which require some guidance, and has very few people to help in case of need.
We advise against hiking it with children.

What to take to Poço do Dola?
This is a walk through the heart of Gerês. It is an area that has nothing but nature. So you have to take everything you need. For this route, you must take the following:
- Plenty of water (minimum 2l per person);
- Some snacks;
- Comfortable hiking shoes;
- comfortable clothes;
- Even if it’s hot, take pants as there is a lot of vegetation in some parts of the trails;
- Rain jacket in winter;
- Bathing suit, sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen in summer;
- Cameras and cell phones are also available, and there are many opportunities to take beautiful pictures. Cell phones are also used as a GPS;
- Small backpack to carry all this;
As always, please don’t litter. Bring everything you take with you.

How to get to the trail to the Dola Waterfall?
As mentioned above, the two trails we know for Poço do Dola start very close to each other on the M308 road. One is next to the Ribeiro da Abelheira water intake (coordinates 41°46’46.9″N 7°59’41.7″W), the other a little further ahead (coordinates 41°46’26.6″N 7°59’11.0″ W).
Despite changing numbers several times, the M308 is basically the road from Cabril to Montalegre, one of the most popular roads on the Peneda-Gerês NP.

Where to stay near Poço do Dola?
There are no hotels or accommodations near Poço do Dola. The closest accommodation will probably be in Cabril, in Outeiro, and perhaps the Misarela Hotel, next to Misarela Bridge.
However, we believe it is unnecessary to stay as close as possible to Poço do Dola to enjoy it. Therefore, we suggest you check our article Where to stay in Gerês, where we explore both the best accommodation and the best areas to stay in Gerês.
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