Characteristics

1.7 km (difficulty: KS 2, or B, port. AD): The 200 m via ferrata over 54 Hm leads through the east side of the gneiss cliff up to the castle. Well secured, it starts with a row of iron stirrups to the right of the 12 mm thick stainless steel (VA) rope over east-facing gneiss steps up to a rocky head with a small pine tree on top. Then the rope leads over sloping, overgrown rocky terrain to the left to a flat, grassy rocky step. Then climb up a rock ramp on the next row of iron stirrups to the left of the VA rope and cross an entrenchment to the left, which becomes a crack further up. To the left of this, continue up on iron stirrups to a narrow rock band, into which you cross to the left. Then follow the rope along a grassy crack to the left to a sloping grassy rock band. Then you go around a rock edge to the right and on the other side you climb on iron stirrups directly up to an intersection. Cross this somewhat breezily to the left to the next gully. On its right side you climb on iron stirrups up to a rounded rock head covered with lichen. From here you can already see near the chapel of N. Sr.a da Penha. Over some rocks and past the green luminaries, after the end of the safety rope, you reach the white wall, where there is a 1 m wide open passage (30 min.).

Arrival

From the east (Cáceres, Spain) on the N-521 westward to the national border and continue on the N-246 to Castelo de Vide. Those coming from the south go to Portalegre and then north on the N-246 to get there. Those arriving from the north via the A23 freeway turn south at exit 15 (Gardete) and take the IP-2 (EN-802) to Castelo de Vide. Between the junction of the N-246 and IP-2 roads northwest of Castelo de Vide and the traffic circle on the N-246 with the entrance to the town (510 m), a tarred road turns westward (M1008). Follow this road westward uphill and after 3 turns southeastward up to the sandy parking lot on the right side of the road at the hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Penha in the Serra de São Paulo at the northwestern tip of the Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede. Across the street is a whitewashed 1990 drinking fountain and picnic bench sets.

Approach

To the right of the fountain begins a paved trail through the pine forest steeply uphill to the chapel Igreja Nossa Senhora. At the beginning of the stone stairs leading up to the chapel, turn right just after the information board about the via ferrata and follow the yellow dots along a trail that is not always visible, down the pine slope to a grassy ledge where there is a cell phone tower (9 min.). To the left, at the foot of the cliff, is the entrance (624 m).

Descent

Down the paved stone steps to the fountain and the parking lot across the street (3 min.).

Points of interest

The ferrata was built in 2015. It was financed by the municipality of de Vide and the Alentejo Feel Nature project of the Alto Alentejo Municipal Community. To the left of the chapel, built in 1570, there is a marble cross from 1901.

As typical for the style in Spain/France the cable is only for security and should NOT be used for climbing, so of course also the difficulty level is based on that (different style like in the alps etc. where the cable has much more tension and counts as part of the ferrata)

(Multiple authors)

27 climbed

4.0

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Surroundings