In Esmoriz, in the municipality of Ovar, you can explore the “Barrinha” de Esmoriz boardwalks. The Barrinha de Esmoriz, or Paramos Lagoon, is a brackish lagoon (a mixture of fresh and salt water) covering 396 hectares.
Due to its natural features, this site has become an important area for birdwatching. Furthermore, thanks to its boardwalk, it is now also a venue for sport and leisure activities, complemented by its proximity to Esmoriz Beach.
As the main footpaths are circular, you can start from anywhere. Another option is to start from Esmoriz railway station. In our case, we left the car at the eastern entrance and set off on the walk.
In total, the walkway is about 7 to 8km, being the main one circular. The total length will depend on the two possible detours. You can check the route map on Barrinha of Esmoriz’s Facebook page.
Although the walk is short, it is extremely interesting. The Barrinha of Esmoriz is covered in vegetation – in this case, a reed bed – which makes the scenery quite different from that of other boardwalks.
At times, the reed beds grow denser, making it impossible to see very far ahead. At other times, the vegetation seems to open up, offering us beautiful views of Paramos Lagoon.
As we start on the right-hand side of the route, we head north towards Paramos aerodrome. Once past the aerodrome, there is the option to take a detour towards Paramos Beach. Shortly after returning to the main path, we come to the centrepiece of the walkways: the bridge / pier, , which takes us right over Barrinha of Esmoriz.
The Barrinha of Esmoriz consists of 7 to 8 km of circular boardwalks, with two possible detours
Next comes another alternative route, the ‘green trail’, and, straight ahead, a short section of boardwalk that takes us further into the lagoon, towards a structure built for the birdwatching.
The rest of the route takes you a little further away from the lagoon. We passed the southern entrance and carried on towards the eastern entrance, where we had started the walk.
Along the route, we came across several people walking, running or cycling, so it is a popular place for sport in the area. Despite the presence of people, we were able to spot several birds in their natural habitat.
Please bear in mind that Barrinha of Esmoriz has very little shade and, in summer, it is an extremely hot area. Therefore, a visit to these walkways must include, first and foremost, a hat, sunglasses and sun cream.
This spot is definitely one of the walking trails we recommend in the area. It’s close to the beach, but far enough away for you to enjoy sport in the peace and quiet it deserves. What’s more, the scenery created by nature is well worth seeing.
As well as the beauty of Barrinha of Esmoriz and its proximity to the beach, there are many other places of interest in the surrounding area. One of these is the Buçaquinho Environmental Park, less than 1 km away, where you can enjoy some quality family time or take a break from the sun.
