More than 40 walks, including some «special, thematic and family-friendly» ones, will give walkers from all over the world a new opportunity to «unveil the natural and cultural values of Serra do Caldeirão», in the 10th edition of the Walking Festival Ameixial 2023, which runs from the 28th to the 30th of April in this parish in the interior of Loulé.
Participants can also count on new and glamorous accommodation solutions, with enhanced entertainment, conversations and heritage enhancement actions, as Sul Informação had already advanced.
Less than a month before the start of the festival, the Proactivetur company and the ESTELA Project, who organize this wind of Cooperative for the Development of Low Density Territories (QRER), released more details about the program, which will include, among others, geological walks, inserted in the theme of the aspiring Geopark Algarvensis and with activities that focus on Ribeira do Vascão, «around which species of fauna and flora will be inventoried, photographed and illustrate», as well as a partnership with Urban Sketchers.
Another tour highlighted by the organization of the festival is the one that will be guided by Luís Palma, an Amexial native who is the author of the book “Monografia da Freguesia de Ameixial”.
This activity, scheduled for April 28, will have two moments.
In the first, this “son of the land” will talk about “this region, its cultural aspects, its people and many stories that only those who are from there know them”.
Luís Palma will then guide «a small walk in the village, where he will reveal to us some of those peculiar details unique to Ameixial and its mountain culture».
On the 29th, Ivete Carneiro, journalist and editor of the “Volta ao Mundo” magazine, will be in Ameixial to talk «about travel, adventure and tourism, with certainly many reasons to participate in it».
On the same day, a Saturday, in the late afternoon and evening, music, dancing and dancing will enliven the festival. The program includes a “Danças de Roda” workshop with the band “BadFolk” and a show by the musical project “Piajon”.
On April 30, Ribeira do Vascão will be the subject of two activities for families, which will take place simultaneously and «will develop around this valuable watercourse, in collaboration with the Portuguese Environment Agency, to assess the ecological quality of the stream and draw the species of aquatic invertebrates».
Respecting «the sense of responsibility towards the territory of Ameixial» of this festival, the recovery of the haystack in the village of Corte D'Ouro is planned, as well as «a new action to enhance the existing footpaths with the construction of another bench in rammed earth».
Another dimension that is always present at the WFA is the «attractive and homemade mountain gastronomic offer», which the event organizers intend to promote and value «as Cultural Heritage».
For this, the organization of the event relies on the local catering, but also in partnership with “Rejoice be genuine” – “a vegan food truck that will provide an alternative menu for those interested”.
As festival registrations and meal reservations are open, but there are already sold out activities. the full program can be consulted here.
As far as accommodation is concerned, in addition to tents for glamping, which will be installed in an «exclusive space», there will be «the normal space for camping with your own tent».
The Walking Festival Ameixial is an initiative of the Cooperative for the Development of Low Density Territories (QRER), organized by Proactivetur and the ESTELA Project and has the support of the Municipality of Loulé, the Tourism Region of the Algarve, the Parish Council of Ameixial and Grupo Desportivo Ameixalense, ICNF – Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests, APA-Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente, Sul Informação, Loulé Municipal Museum, Ana Aeroportos, Visacar and Decathlon, forming part of the territorial dynamics of the aspiring Algarvensis Geopark.
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