PENA (GÓIS)
40.111274º N, 8.135094º W
The village of Pena is located in the parish and municipality of Góis, district of Coimbra and is part of the Schist Villages route.
Geography
It is set in a natural setting of rare beauty. It extends along a slope that ends at the Pena river, at around 600 meters above sea level. Its waters are crystal clear, although quite cold given its proximity to the spring and the fact that it runs over rocky terrain. This stream gives a lot of life to the village, as it is from here that the fields are watered. Its flow never dries up, which is why local inhabitants and some visitors use it for bathing in the hottest months of the year. In this aspect, the river reserves spectacular places with waterfalls, lakes and lots of vegetation.
Nature was also extremely generous towards this village by presenting it with the majestic "Penedos de Góis", which reaches its highest point at 1040 meters, of which the "Penedo Abelha" (name given by the locals) stands out, which in the opinion of some, it takes on the shape of a stone monster's face. There are several trails that allow visitors to explore the beauty of the rocks and their magnificent surroundings. The routes to be followed can also be chosen according to their level of difficulty. The most accessible route will be the old path connecting Pena to the village of Povorais, and allows for an excellent aerial view over the village of Pena and the entire valley, and over Trevim (the highest point of the Lousã mountain range). Anyone who takes a small detour will be able to reach the top of Penedos, from where they can see Serra da Estrela, Serra do Açor and Trevim (Santo António da Neve).
The vegetation is abundant and varied. One of the village's highlights is its old chestnut trees, which were once the basis of livelihood for the local inhabitants. The importance they had in the local economy left its mark on the division of properties and the architecture of many houses (the existence of reeds). Some experts even claim that there are ancient chestnut trees in Pena, but what at least everyone recognizes is that many of them are several centuries old. They are therefore a historical heritage that is worth preserving, although they are at serious risk due to the proliferation of fast-growing trees and fires. In the harshest winter months, the mountains around the village are often covered in snow, namely the "Penedos de Góis" and, more frequently, Trevim (1,200 meters above sea level).
Patrimony
Bee Rock (Penedo da Abelha);
Alminha
Notable chestnut tree
Poço da Lontra Rodízio Mill
Neves Family Ethnographic Museum
Shale Path (Caminho do xisto)
https://www.aldeiasdoxisto.pt/en/villages/lousa/pena/
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CERDEIRA (LOUSÃ)
40.093755º N, 8.194642º W
The village of Cerdeira, part of the Schist Villages network, is the smallest village among the seven in Serra da Lousã. It is part of the Union of parishes of Lousã and Vilarinho.
This village is included in the Serra da Lousã Site of Community Importance – Natura 2000 Network.
Recovery
In 1988, Kerstin Thomas and Bernard Langer, at the time students at the University of Coimbra, on walks through the Serra da Lousã discovered the village of Cerdeira. Kerstin, 24 years old at the time, was looking for a place to set up her studio. There were no roads, water or electricity. With the help of friends, they restored more houses. In total, there are eight families with rehabilitated houses in the shale village.
Traditional construction techniques were used to restore the houses. All accommodation is equipped with furniture made in the region and works by artists who passed through the village.
In total, Cerdeira has 10 accommodation spaces, plus a library, an area for artistic residences, space for studios and a café, in a project that combines rural accommodation with art and creativity.
In 2006, the Elementos à Solta arts festival was organized in the village for the first time and, in 2012, the Cerdeira Village project started, which, in 2018, became Cerdeira – Home for Creativity.
Added to this is the impetus given by the Schist Villages Network project and the creation of river beaches, which previously only local people knew about.
In 2018, an article by Trish Lorenz was published in The Guardian, which described four days of vacation with the family, away from screens and the rain of day-to-day notifications, immersed in nature, in the activities in the village.
Patrimony
Chapel of Our Lady of Fátima
Alminha
House of Arts and Crafts.
CERDEIRA - HOME FOR CREATIVITY
A village as our home and the world as our inspiration.
In the heart of Serra da Lousã, lies a historic village that was abandoned and at risk of disappearing.
Today, Cerdeira has new stories to tell.
Here, the unique relationship between nature, art and the comfort of our schist houses, offers the freedom to live, slow down and create in a truly authentic way.
https://www.cerdeirahomeforcreativity.com/homepage_en
https://www.aldeiasdoxisto.pt/en/villages/lousa/cerdeira/
