Central Way

Messejana < > Fornalhas Velhas

Stage 5

Messejana

Messejana

The village of Fornalhas Velhas, located in the fertile fields of Vale de Santiago, between the rivers Sado and Campilhas, was, as the name suggests, the property of the Order of Santiago. Besides, it belongs to the Vale de Santiago, a town that owes its name to the fact that this stretch of territory, initially linked to Santiago do Cacém, was also owned by the Order of Santiago.

Vale de Santiago is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Odemira, with an area of 59.24 km2 and about 551 inhabitants.

Being an old village, Vale de Santiago presents a beautiful route of narrow, whitewashed streets, keeping its traditional architecture intact.

A caminho de Fornalhas Velhas

A caminho de Fornalhas Velhas

The Igreja de Santa Catarina deserves a visit, as well as the fountain of Nossa Senhora da Luz. Another site of this commune worth mentioning is the hill of Columbais, where it is said that Christopher Columbus was born.

Monte da Comuna is also noteworthy, where a group of anarchists, led by António Gonçalves Correia, created the so-called “Comuna da Luz”, which led to the uprising of the rural workers of Vale de Santiago in the crisis of 1918. “Comuna da Luz” is also associated with the death of Sidónio Pais. The assassin of the then President-King was José Júlio da Costa, an agrarian from Garvão, who served as a mediator between the authorities and the rioters of Vale de Santiago.St Catherine is the patron saint of the parish, honored at the religious festival of November 25. The annual fair of Santiago de Chile is held on the last Saturday of August and on the first Sunday of September in Fornalhas Velhas.

Just like the village, the old castle illustrates the former uses of Ribeira de Campilhas valley, promoted by the Order of Santiago. In this place, a rudimentary military structure was erected, of which no traces remain. The toponym ensures the antiquity of the place, now transformed into an agricultural farm, and its relevance as a dominant point on that affluent of the Sado river.

Ribeira de Campilhas

Ribeira de Campilhas

Before leaving for today’s stage, we should check the availability of accommodation and food in Fornalhas Velhas, since this village where we plan to end the day is not yet prepared to receive many travelers simultaneously.

We leave Messejana through the back of Quinta da Cerca, entering immediately after a dirt track towards Aguentinha do Campo, a hill with agricultural activity, rural tourism services, and equestrian activities. Beside it is the Herdade de Buena Madre, where mineral waters, much appreciated in the region, used to emerge.

Wavy lands, with cistus, olive groves, and diverse cultures, but always with dominant cork oak forest. Here and there other hills, a dam, horses, cattle, and in 7.5 km we reach the village of Elvas. Time for a coffee and we continue up the hill towards Monte do Cerro, from where you can enjoy a beautiful view over the green valleys, created by the streams descending from the plateau. We will follow this descent and then pass over the irrigation channel of Alto Sado, already in the municipality of Ourique.

Through the tunnel under the IC1 road, we advance towards Torre Vã, where we are surprised by the silhouette of an old building of great dimensions, surrounded by several others of farm and housing use. This estate was a place of great importance in Roman times. Traces of an old villa and a dam have been found here.

Shortly after Torre Vã, we are on the Sado riverbed, which we cross to the other bank, closer to the railway line, which we will also cross using the viaduct. Soon after, we enter, on the right, on a side road and walk about 6 km through cultivated fields and pastures until we reach the village of Fornalhas Velhas, in the municipality of Odemira.

We enter through Rua 25 de Abril directly to the crossroad where we find Café O Jorge, and ask for the installations of the Centro Sóciocultural or for Monte do Marmeleirinho, the only places with accommodation prepared for travelers.

Tips

Always carry water, supplies, sunscreen, a hat, waterproof, comfortable shoes, and a map.

Where to Sleep

 Herdade do Marmeleiro
+351 934 533 485

Points of Interest

USEFUL CONTACTS
Emergency: 112
Forest Fires: 117

CODE OF CONDUCT

Do not leave the marked and signaled route. Do not approach cliffs. Pay attention to the markings. Do not dispose of organic or inorganic waste during the trail, take a bag for this purpose. If you see garbage, collect it, help us to keep the Paths clean. Beware of livestock, don’t bother the animals. Leave Nature intact. Do not collect plants, animals or rocks. Avoid making noise. Respect private property, close gates and barriers. Don’t light fires and be careful with cigarettes. Do not vandalize the Paths signage.