Cascata do Arado

The Arado falls sit in a granite gorge in the southern part of Peneda-Gerês, Portugal's only national park, where the Rio Arado drops in stages through a series of rock steps into deep round pools scoured out of the granite. The setting is the park's characteristic landscape - bare grey rock, oak and pine, heather, with the higher ground of the Serra do Gerês above. Getting there means several kilometres of rough unpaved track from the Ermida road, which most cars manage slowly, then a short walk down to the falls and pools. It has become very popular for swimming in summer, and the combination of narrow track, limited parking and crowds has caused real problems; the park has restricted access at times. The pools are deep and cold, the rock around them slippery, and there have been drownings and jumping accidents.

What you actually see

• The stepped falls - water dropping through granite ledges into scoured pools.
• The granite gorge - bare rock, oak and heather typical of the park.
• The track in - several kilometres of rough unpaved road from Ermida.
• The pools - deep round basins used for swimming in summer.

When to go

April to June for flow; July and August for swimming, when it is at its busiest. Two to three hours. Weekdays are far better than weekends.

Honest expectations

The access track is rough and hard on a low car. Parking is minimal and the site gets overwhelmed in summer, with access restricted at times. Rock around the pools is slippery and jumping has caused serious injuries and deaths. Water is very cold.

Nearby

Ermida and Fafião are close; the Gerês spa village is south-west.