More than 600 people participated, over three days, in thematic walks, observation and interpretation of nature, bird watching, astronomical observation, boat trips, concerts, cinema and lots of entertainment, of the second edition of the Alcoutim Hiking Festival, which ran from the 8th to the 10th of May.
After the success of the 2014 edition, the alcouteneja municipality stresses that «this second edition consolidates the Alcoutim Hiking Festival as a reference event for lovers of hiking, active tourism and nature, not only in the territory of Baixo Guadiana, but also throughout the Algarve region and neighboring Andalusia».
On Friday, the first day of the festival, the morning program had the municipality's school population as its target audience, with walks along the Via Algarviana stages and with games and activities for the little ones.
Thus, the students of the 1st cycle of the Escola Basica Integrada Prof. Joaquim Moreira, from Martim Longo, participated in the morning on the Via Algarviana Júnior route, between Monte Novo and the village of Vaqueiros.
In the afternoon, it was the turn of the students from the 1st cycle of the Alcoutim Integrated Basic School to have an appointment at the village's castle where the preservation of local nature was defended with the activity “Guardians of the Via Algarviana”.
Both school activities were guided by the monitors of Associação Almargem and Clube Desportivo de Vaqueiros who, with many games and educational activities, brought joy and enthusiasm to the younger participants of the festival.
But surely the most enthusiastic and motivating route and one of the most dynamic of the program was “A Rota da Felicidade”.
In this route, which took place at the end of the afternoon of May 8, in addition to a playful component, where fun and good humor were always present, the development of a positive attitude was encouraged, thus contributing not only to improvement. immediate well-being, as well as for the reinforcement of a positive and motivated attitude towards life, of all participants.
The dynamics used, despite being relaxed and fun, were based on the assumptions of Positive Psychology, being an adaptation of what the latest research in this area revealed to be decisive for the feeling of happiness.
This motivational journey ended at the quay of the village of Alcoutim, where the opening of the exhibition “Minha Fukushima” took place.
To fully close the first day of the festival, there was also a screening of the documentary “Baraka”, at the Municipal Library of Alcoutim.
On Saturday, the 9th, the festival's themed routes began, with an emphasis on “Trilhos de Ronda no Guadiana”, a tour that focused on the smuggling activity on the border, and “Olhar o Céu, Gravar na Pedra”, a route subordinated to the theme of archaeoastronomy.
The first had as its highlights the passage through the Ribeira de Cadavais and along a path overlooking the Guadiana, between the sites of Premedeiros and Lourinhã.
The route “Looking at the Sky, Engraving on the Stone”, began in the village of Cortes Pereiras, at 22:15 pm, and passed through the Menhirs of Lavajo, where a light projection was carried out on this megalithic monument, and later, astronomical observation.
What was going to be a route limited to 30 people ended up doubling the number of participants.
Before starting the night tour, the hikers also had the opportunity to watch a performance of Cante Alentejano by Grupo Coral Vizinhos do Alentejo.
During the second day of the festival, there was also room for various activities that complement the walks, such as a guitar concert by the Concordis Quartet or the “Walker Bats Workshop”, where participants learned to use a natural resource in the landscape. local, the cane, transforming it into useful objects for walking, such as sticks or glasses for water.
On the last day of the event, Sunday the 10th, the routes that, in the previous year's edition, were more successful were carried out.
At 8:00 am, the meeting point was the quay of the town of Alcoutim, from where the hikers started a boat trip towards Pomarão, included in the route “Algarve, with an aroma of Alentejo Spain”.
This emblematic route of the event, with 21 kilometers, proved to be very tough this year due to the increase in temperature recorded on that day.
Even so, this was no reason to discourage participants who, along the natural paths of the Guadiana, were able to enjoy fabulous views over the river and unique moments of socializing.
The walk would end at Sanlúcar de Guadiana, where hikers were able to taste Spanish gazpacho.
At Corte da Seda, a village in the parish of Alcoutim, the “Morning with the Shepherd” took place, another of the repeated walks of the event, which this year was also a photographic tour.
Nearly 25 participants accompanied the shepherd with his goats through the fields of the hill and also had the opportunity to taste a snack with local gastronomic products, with an emphasis on fresh goat cheeses.
At the same time, in Pereiro, there was the walk “There is life on the Hill?”, which was attended by nearly six dozen participants.
One of the highlights of the activity was the visit to the village of Silveira, a deserted village, located near the village of Pereiro, where the group stopped for about half an hour.
Also involved in the organization of this activity were students from the Senior University and other elements of the Association and Ethnographic Group of Pereiro, who were responsible for the preparation of two traditional cuisine dishes (Celgas dinner and gazpacho), then savored by the participants of the walk, in a final get-together.
Within the Festival's program of activities, another high point was the VIII Athletics Grand Prix, by the Alcoutim City Council Workers Support Center, which this year had 227 participants.
Alcoutim City Council has already announced that the Hiking Festival “will return next year with many surprises and novelties, which will surely attract more hikers to the region”.
The event was organized by the Municipality of Alcoutim, in collaboration with the Ayuntamientos de Sanlúcar de Guadiana and El Granado, Union of Parish Councils of Alcoutim and Pereiro, the associations Odiana, Almargem, Cumeadas, Alcance, Amigos dos Farelos and Clarines, Amigos do Zambujal, Grito d'Alegria, Alcoutim Sports Group, Vaqueiros Sports Club, Alfa, Alcoutim Experimental Theater, Alcoutim Volunteer Firefighters, Optismo Club and Workers Support Center of Alcoutim City Council.
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