The Frecha da Mizarela waterfall, geosite from Arouca Geopark, is considered the largest waterfall of continental Portugal, with the river Caima waters falling off from more than 60 meters high. The cascade is based on a major fault system and occurs in the geological contact between the granite and the micaschists of Freita mountain. Taking advantage of fractures and softer rock, Caima dug a embedded valley just outside the Freita plateau, creating a visible gap at a great distance being an impressive mark in the landscape. Until the village of Mizarela, the Caima river runs essentially on granitic terrain; here, it comes fundamentally into schist marking a sharp drop on its valley.
The biodiversity here is amazing. The birds of prey take advantage of rising air currents to its gliding and from open spaces for hunting. With some luck one can observe the peregrine falcon, the Bonelli’s eagle and the eurasian eagle owl, and species such as the montagu’s harrier, the black kite, the common buzzard, the common-kestrel, the short-toed snake eagle, tawny owl and the little owl are frequent. In the shale cliffs and greywacke develops very rare rupicolous plants such as rocky germander, the murbeckiella or the giant eryngo plant with more than 1 meter high of the umbelliferae family. The embedded valley is still refuge to a plant of the continental laurel forest – the pontic rhododendron, a very rare iberian endemic species.
From the top of more than 1000 meters, the Freita mountain offers a rare colorful picture, populated by cows. The villages of Mizarela, Albergaria da Serra, Cabaços and Castanheira, typical mountain villages located at more than 900 meters high, stand out in the landscape. The importance of Frecha da Mizarela still reflects the intangible local immaterial cultural heritage, with a beautiful three voice polyphonic singing celebrating its waters and its height.
