Covão dos Conchos Trail

Covão dos Conchos Trail leads to one of Serra da Estrela's most photographed features, a circular concrete spillway that appears to funnel the Lagoa Comprida reservoir into the mountainside like a giant plughole, reached by car via the ER339 near the reservoir with roadside parking close to the trailhead; no permit is required. The round trip covers about 5 km with roughly 200 m of elevation gain, following a mostly dirt and gravel path along the reservoir's edge before climbing to the sinkhole viewpoint, with limited shade across the open, exposed plateau. The final approach to the spillway involves a rougher, unmarked stretch over loose rock and scree close to the rim of the structure, where there are no railings and the drop is significant, making careful footing essential. Landmarks along the way include the Lagoa Comprida reservoir itself, the tunnel system built to divert water toward the Zêzere valley, and the spillway viewpoint, which serves as the natural turn-around point for the walk. There are no formal water sources or shelters directly on the trail, though the reservoir dam area has occasional visitor infrastructure. Because the water level in the reservoir varies seasonally, the visual effect of the plughole-like spillway is most dramatic when the reservoir is fuller, typically in late spring after snowmelt.