Vereda do Pico Fernandes (PR6.5)

Vereda do Pico Fernandes is the official PR6.5, a one-way route of 3.8 km that IFCN gives about an hour and a half, from the ER 209 on the Paul da Serra plateau to 25 Fontes. The walk is almost all downhill, between 1,422 m and 990 m. A vereda, an old path, descends to the PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes, and the route then follows that levada to the 25 Fontes lagoon.

The upper part crosses high-altitude heath of tree heather and uveira-da-serra; lower down, folhado, til and laurel trees take over. Pico Fernandes, also known as Pico do Rabaçal, is the main viewpoint: in good visibility it looks right round the Paul da Serra and over the Pico da Urze dam, part of a hydroelectric scheme. The finish, 25 Fontes, is a suspended aquifer and a classified geosite; its plentiful, lasting water was decisive in building the levadas. From the lagoon the panel suggests returning the same way or going on to Casa do Rabaçal, but IFCN's register runs PR6 one way, out from Rabaçal along the levada and back from 25 Fontes on a section called the Bypass.