Characteristics

2.2 km; (difficulty: KS 3, or B/C, port. AD).

In 2021 the 800 m long via ferrata was built. It always crosses to the right along the northeast-facing rocks. 2 iron stirrups start on the right side of the 12 mm thick safety rope made of VA. Then you change to the left side of the tower and climb up on iron stirrups until you reach sloping basalt ridge. Cross this directly over to a rock head. Then continue over a small saddle in northwestern direction. Then you reach walking terrain in the pine forest. On a sandy path marked with green lines you descend again and come to the lower end of an approx. 8m long, 14-sprout iron ladder, which is mounted vertically on the rock face there. Climb up the ladder to the cliff edge. There is a small flowerpot stuck to it, in which some corroded money coins are lying. Walking terrain follows again. Then on the left begins a row of iron stirrups up the next rock step. At the top you come across a small rock cove over which hangs a 3-rope bridge. The Himalayan bridge is made of 12 mm thick ropes and is 15 m long. You could bypass it further to the left in the forest. At the next rocky head, a 40 m long suspension bridge with stepping boards begins. It consists of 4 ropes. The handrail ropes are connected several times with the stepping ropes. At these points you always have to re-carbine, because there is no safety rope above. Also before this bridge you could turn left into the forest. Now follows again walking terrain, in places rope-secured along the rock cliff in western direction. Then the rope leads up to the cliff head, where the square concrete post stands (emergency exit, 65 min.). The rope ends in front of it (614 m). From here you get to the tower in 10 min. on the trail, as in the approach. The 2nd section of the climb continues westward at the walking terrain. Downhill you traverse the terrain to the next cliff wall and cross it to below the lookout tower. There you follow the rope to the exit (35 min.).

Arrival

From the northeast (Castelo Branco) on the N-223 westward to Sarzedas. There, turn left and drive southwest on the N-223 to Catraia Cimeira. To those arriving from the south (Vila Velha de Ródão) use the N-241-IC-8 westward to Proenca-a-Nova, turn right before the town onto the N-223 and drive northeastward there. At Catraia Cimeira, leave the regional road to the southeast (brown sign: Serra das Talhadas) and take the M-1313 to Chão do Galego. Before entering the village, there is a paved parking lot and parking for caravans on the right side of the road, in a bend to the right (390 m). At the newly built small caravan park there is a drinking water fountain and picnic bench sets. At the bend to the right, a forest road begins to the half-left. There you will find the signposts (Via Ferrata; Posto de Vigia). The 2.8 km long, stony gravel road can be driven on, but better only with a vehicle suitable for it.

Approach

Via the gravel road in 40 min. to the observation and fire observation tower (Torre de Observacão da Paisagem). In front of it there is a sandy area where you could park. The personnel, who alternate their control duty up there on the observation platform every 8 hours, drive there by car. To get to the steel tower (Torre de Vigia) built in 2021 by the architect A.S. Vieira, you can go up a stone staircase past a stone cross (Cruz do Alto da Serra das Talhadas) to the iron spiral staircase. From the information sign about the 6 MTB trails (Pistas de BTT Enduro) opposite the cross, walk in a southwesterly direction on a wide gravel path marked red-yellow to the visible mobile phone mast in the Serra das Talhas (also called Serra de Rodão). As you do so, you pass a picnic bench on the right and then a slope lined with artificial turf where paragliders take off. About 70 m after the mobile mast, the path forks. To the left, 3 of the MTB trails begin. At the beginning you stay straight and follow the small yellow sign with a green vertical arrow upwards until the next yellow sign, where a green arrow points to the left. Here you leave the hiking trail to the left and then cross the MTB trail. On stones you can also see green dashes. On the east side you pass a planted pine grove. The access path approaches the yellow-red marked hiking trail again up to 20 m. Passing broom bushes, you reach the edge of the cliff. There is a small square concrete post. Go around the rocks to the right and downhill into a pine forest. Green lines on stones lead to a cross path where you turn left (15 min.). After 5 min. you reach a rock base (590 m). There you will find the lower end of the rope. There is no sign.

Descent

In 1 min. to the tower, or upper parking lot. If necessary, via the gravel road back to the caravan site (35 min.).

Points of Interest

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)

23 climbed

3.5

- wants to climb

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