Percurso Pedestre PR13 - Gemeses Terra de Passagem

Named PR13 EPS “Gemeses: Land of passage”, it allows you to walk through a large part of the parish of Gemeses through streets, paths and trails, and contributes to better know this place, rich in cultural and natural terms, whose landscape surroundings, dominated by fresh forests , cultivation fields and easement paths, in addition to the paths along the Cávado River, make this tour a very pleasant trip.

Without great slopes, with the exception of the ascent and descent of Monte de Arnelas, it is possible to make this route smoothly, in lands that incline towards the Cávado river.

We are occasionally joked with monumental buildings, in the style of manor houses belonging to the Rich-Men who lived here and for the vast and diversified religious heritage, dedicated to the cult of Santa Maria observable through the various Alminhas, Cruises and Niches, which are found throughout several routes, not forgetting the chapels and the Parish Church. In a prominent way, we suggest the visit to the Chapel of Barca do Lago, whose worship, to Nossa Senhora da Barca do Lago, is one of the oldest, having been dated from the mediévica time. This cult, venerated throughout the region due to the tradition of its miracle, arises from the hand of fishermen and attracted people from the fields and the sea, and originated a beautiful festival with pilgrimage and procession of boats around Cávado.

The human heritage remains the old watermills and mills or even some sawmills, which give us indications of the way of life of other times, where the ox cart circulated and time was measured by the agricultural calendar and weather conditions.
The passage of pilgrims on the Way to the tomb of the apostle Santigo here in Gemeses is one of the oldest and of which there is no doubt. The crossing of the Cávado river used to take the place of Barca do Lago, from Fonte Boa, by the boat called “por Amor de Deus”, exactly where there is a narrowing of the river. To attend old documentation, since the times of the Foundation of Portugal, there would be added importance in this axis and in the passage through Barca do Lago. Anonymous pilgrims and other more noble ones passed by him, like our king D. Manuel, making us believe in toponymy and traditions. In addition to this monarch, King D. Carlos Alberto of Italy also passed, when he fled to his exile in the city of Porto, where he would die.

Gemeses is thus a land that provides an excellent setting for this type of activity, with enrichment by observing the natural landscape and appreciating its vast built heritage, which portrays the great periods of our history well.

Starting Point: Parish Church of Gemeses

Route Type: Short and circular route

Scope: Landscape, natural and cultural

Distance to cover: 14.1 Km

Difficulty Level: Medium

Recommended Season: All year

Cartography: Military Letter of Portugal - Geographic Institute of the Army, scale 1:25 000, nº 54/68.

Interesting reasons: Parish Church, Alminhas do Paço, Alto do Monte de Arnelas, with a mill and ruins of a chapel; chapel of N. Sr.ª da Conceição, Alminhas de Lauro Church, chapel of Santa Maria do Lago, Alminhas da Barca do Lago, Casa Solar dos Gayos, Solar dos Machados, Cruzeiro da Barca, Alminhas de S.to Ovídeo, Portuguese Way da Costa to Santiago de Compostela, Alminhas do Garrido.

Google Maps: http://bit.ly/2wnIMXe
Wikiloc: https://goo.gl/nLG5em
Alltrails: https://goo.gl/XqTbQN
Brochure: https://goo.gl/CBXLzk

Source: https://www.visitesposende.com/