The riverside of Tendais, also known as stream Barrondes, is one of the many tributaries that descend the slopes of the Montemuro mountain to the Bestança river. Born on the slopes of the mountain, near Aveloso village, this stream has several waterfalls, like this one. Next to the cascade we can observe a group of mills known as Barrondes mills, connected by a series of waterways, being part of the of 40 mills present along the river, testimony of the great relationship between the river and the population of Tendais over the centuries. In addition to this valuable cultural heritage, alongside Tendais river banks, you can still contemplate a great diversity of fauna and flora.
The valley of the river Bestança presents, long since a strong human presence. The sustainable use of the valley’s resources, visible by the many existing structures on it, dates back to the early days of this occupation. Here we can find agriculture supporting houses, haystacks, shepherd shelters and hundreds of mills and waterways filling the dense river valley network. Most rudimentary, the furnas or cagufas are excavated cavities in the rock during the Middle Ages period serving as possible refuges, and they occur in large numbers along the Bestança valley. Through out this valley still stands out the extensive network of paths running through it.
Sustainable practices to exploit valley resources used by local people over the years, allowed the preservation of a unique biodiversity. Along the Bestança valley we can observe, concerning fauna and flora, species such as the iberian emerald lizard, gold-striped salamander, the solomon’s seal or the rockcress, rare plant, endemic to the peninsular northwest.
