Popularly known as pierced stone, this huge rock has the curiosity of presenting several cavities, appearing to have been carved in detail. In geological terms it is known as taffoni, being a more common phenomenon in coastal environments. This strange phenomenon occurs by the concentration of loads in specific areas of the rock mass, leaving these parts of the rock more susceptible to erosion, thus giving place to an accelerated degradation mainly resulting from the wind action which is plenty in the region. In these parts there are other examples of this geological phenomenon, but the pierced stone of Faifa is undoubtedly the most imposing, really a true masterpiece of nature.
The pierced stone of Faifa is set in a rich and diverse landscape, from the most arid zones mainly within granitic geoforms, to the lush mountain meadows, through pyrenean oak forests. This mosaic stretching to the river Paiva is strongly influenced by human activity, mainly by the action of grazing (goats and cows – Arouquesa bread – mostly) favoring habitats such as marshes. This landscape diversity results in a high richness of flora and fauna species such as hen harrier, the snub-nosed viper or the southern smooth snake, elusive reptile of difficult detection that quietly runs along the slopes of the mountain. Also invertebrates present a great diversity of species, from the most flaring as butterflies and dragonflies, to the most discreet as armored ground-cricket, common in wood zones. The flora is well representative of this diversity of habitats, holding a considerable variety of species such as the great flower serapias, normally present in marshes, to the delicate but sturdy angel’s tears, present in harsher areas.
