Today we are following the Percuso das 7 Fontes, the route of the 7 springs. The walk leader said we would cross the river by some stepping-stones before coming to a traditional basket weaver’s workshop. Slight problem; the river’s in flood. But really this was only a small detour and doesn’t affect the main walk.
This is the decayed pumping device built over one of the springs. The long horizontal pieces of metal ran in a circle to drive the pump- presumably a horse or donkey provided the power for this- and the metal boxes on the ground formed a continuous loop lifting the water from the well.
We finished in the small town of Quarenca for coffee in the square, overlooked by this lovely Portuguese church. The sun shining on the church and the black clouds directly behind gave the scene a dramatic, biblical quality, and I was half expecting to hear a deep, omnipotent voice booming, “You’re all doomed.”
Today we are following the Percuso das 7 Fontes, the route of the 7 springs. The walk leader said we would cross the river by some stepping-stones before coming to a traditional basket weaver’s workshop. Slight problem; the river’s in flood. But really this was only a small detour and doesn’t affect the main walk.
This is the decayed pumping device built over one of the springs. The long horizontal pieces of metal ran in a circle to drive the pump- presumably a horse or donkey provided the power for this- and the metal boxes on the ground formed a continuous loop lifting the water from the well. 
We finished in the small town of Quarenca for coffee in the square, overlooked by this lovely Portuguese church. The sun shining on the church and the black clouds directly behind gave the scene a dramatic, biblical quality, and I was half expecting to hear a deep, omnipotent voice booming, “You’re all doomed.”
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