The Poço de Grade waterfall is an amazing 12 meters high waterfall located between the poço da Vaca (cow’s pit — accessible through Lourizela’s waterway), and the river Arões reservoir. To reach the waterfall you need to climb about 300 meters by the riverbed. The cascade takes advantage of the uneven geomorphology of river Arões, here called Lordelo. This gap, just upstream of the cascade, leads to a flow channel formed by the coalescence of numerous giant kettles, setting a curious winding maze excavated in granite by the millennial force of the water. Further down in the poço da Vaca, starts the Lourizela’s waterway, leading water to move mills and for irrigation right to Lourizela, traveling over three kilometers. The Poço de Grade waterfall is near Lameiras, and the poço da Vaca is located near Parada village.
The Lordelo river, called Arões upstream, is a mountain river with a well formed riparian gallery, which sometimes appears the common holly. The gold-striped salamander and iberian frog are always present in the stream, and can be observed in and out of water. At Lordelo’s valley, the oak forest provides a habitat for countless species, of which stands out the stag beetle, the great spotted woodpecker and the fire salamander. Among the floristic species, three bird toadflax, tutsan and primroses present us with their contrasting colors. The rare lesser purple emperor, probably the most beautiful butterfly of our fauna, can be observed here at the beginning of summer, and it is indicative of the excellent state of preservation of these forests.
At Lourizela’s waterway we can see some rotation watermills which still in operation, producing corn flour that makes the famous corn bread (boroa). This waterway drives the water for irrigation and all wetlands that multiply by Lordelo river, between the villages of Parada and Lourizela, and through pine forests, oak groves, vineyards, meadows and even home backyards to bring water to its destination.
