Stage 5 Vilar Maior - Castelo Mendo

This stage starts near the village of Vilar Maior. The way to reach it from the village is done by a 4,4km length of car road and agricultural tracks (without Route signs), with the village of Badamalos in-between.

Once in the starting point, the Route follows the right shore of Côa, sided by green pastures dotted with big trees. The path crosses the brooks of Nave and Vilar Maior and later the Côa. At that point, there is the chance to reach the village of Porto de Ovelha, through a 570m way (without Route signs). There is also a mountain-biking and horse-riding alternative track signaled in its limit points as 'Desvio BTT/Equestre Porto de Ovelha/Jardo'.

The Route proceeds across pastures and old vegetable gardens until it reaches the place of Açude, where it is possible to follow an access to the village of Malhada Sorda, through a 2,9km track (without Route signs). The Route climbs up towards the village of Jardo and then travels down to the mouth of the Noemi river. There an interesting group of watermills can be seen. The path continues along fields, pastures and cork oak woods on the left shore of Côa. It crosses the train track and reaches Porto de S. Miguel, where it overlaps with the Grand Route of Historical Villages (coded GR22).

The stage ends with a non-signaled way up to the village of Castelo Mendo(2,3km).