Eco-Wolf Trail – Station O – Gondomar Church (15/16)

At this station, you will find an original shepherd’s shelter built beneath a large granite outcrop, supported by small dry-stone walls, providing an excellent example of human ingenuity in the sustainable use of natural resources.

This shelter, located near the village of Bezeguimbra, was used for multiple purposes, including the storage of agricultural tools and equipment, as well as the protection of livestock at night, particularly sheep, goats, and calves. Its presence was therefore essential for safeguarding the younger animals in the herd from wolf attacks or other predators.

Although no longer in regular use, the shelter has become an unexpected biodiversity hotspot, hosting lichens and mosses and providing refuge for a wide variety of animals, including birds such as the black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) and wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), reptiles like lizards (Podarcis sp.) and ocellated lizards (Lacerta lepida), and numerous insects.

Behind this shelter, you can observe similar formations on the mountainside known as “block chaos”, consisting of clusters of granite blocks that give the landscape a distinctive and imposing appearance. These rock clusters form small caves and crevices, which often serve as refuge or breeding sites for wildlife, including wolves.

Learn more: Mapa do Percurso e Projeto Trilho Eco-Lobo