Puddle’s Route

This route has its starting and ending point next to the headquarters of the Parish Council. Going down the village, through the main artery, we pass by the old washbasins / fountain, now a leisure area. Below we find the Church of Nossa Sra. da Piedade (Our Lady of Piety), then descending towards the secular public wash houses. We then walk into the dirt paths of the shallow zones where the Lagoon of Óbidos once reached, now used as floodplains for horticultural and fruit growing. We continue, following the river (Rio Real) until it meets with the Arnóia River, next to the old aerodrome, and then goes around the part of the Poça da Cativa (Pequena), and up to the hills above, in the Coelheira area, where we will find superb views about how extensive floodplains are surrounding the Puddles. Descending, we will go around Poça da Cativa again, then enter the majestic Poça do Vau, which we will follow until the climb back to the village, with views over the Poça, such as floodplains and the Lagoon. Along this route we will be able to admire the immense flora and fauna, with special emphasis on the countless (and rare) species of birds that breed and live in the Puddles, considered one of the best places in Europe for bird watching.