(to be completed by May 2021)

Taking into account the process of inventorying the geosites in the territory of the Loulé-Silves-Albufeira Geopark, several points of geological interest were identified in the parish of Paderne along the walking routes already installed there, namely PR1 - Rota do Castelo, PR2 - Cerro de São Vicente Trail, and PR3 - Cerro Grande Trail. Given their importance in the context of the Geopark, it was considered appropriate and worthwhile to place information panels at the respective locations to allow for a better interpretation of the geological and landscape values present there. At the same time, other geological sites were identified which, although not included in the aforementioned walking routes, also merited due study and are therefore included in this project to interpret geological points of interest, totaling 11 geosites, namely:

• Cerro do Ouro Geodetic Vertex

  Cerro do Ouro is an asymmetrical anticline, with the steepest flank facing north. With the geodesic vertex at an elevation of 144 m, a centrifugal drainage network diverges from it, with the water lines being tributaries of the Ribeira de Algoz. It is precisely to the north that you have a privileged view of the Cretaceous basin (soft marls), depressed in relation to the mechanically more resistant Escarpão limestones, which make up Cerro do Ouro. At its base, the Spongolites of Mem Moniz come into contact with a fault.

• Espongolítos de Mem Moniz

  The Espongolítos de Mem Moniz are an Upper Miocene enclave within older terrain. It is, at all levels, a particular formation, both lithologically and genetically. They are yellow clayey silts, very rich in microfauna and spongiary spicules and there are no other similar formations in Portugal. They contain a diverse association of microphytobenthos. They were deposited when the coastline was about 10 km inland from Albufeira.

• Lagoa da FACEAL

  Evidence of clay exploitation by FACEAL - Fábrica de Cerâmica do Algarve S.A. The FACEAL factory complex, where clay was exploited for earthenware and stoneware ceramics, is now being restored to become a new “4 Sea - International Academy” Training Center, which aims to bring vocational training closer to the real needs of the Sea Economy.

  The former exploitation fronts of the FACEAL lagoon are the best place to observe the Cretaceous sediments of the strip between Paderne and Tunis, which is in direct contact with the Algibre fault. The exposed succession offers a beautiful color palette of layers of greenish, grey and red clays, overlain by layers of coarse sandstones and conglomerates. The clays were deposited in lagoons from the Cretaceous geological period.

• Cerro de São Vicente

  At the top is a windmill, currently in ruins. It rises to a height of 177 meters, overlooking the landscape of the alluvial floodplains of the Alte, Algibre and Quarteira streams. This gives you a breathtaking view over the watershed of the most influential streams in this region of the Algarve barrocal. In the distance, rugged reliefs such as Rocha da Pena and the escarpment of Acidente de S. Marcos give this place an opportunity to interpret the landscape and biophysical planning in an integrated way. 

• Monchina
  The hill of Monchina is an enclave in the Picavessa Formation, south of the Algibre flexure, carved out of the limestones and marls of the Calovician Telheiro (Middle Jurassic) and owes its conspicuous relief in the landscape to the interplay of the Quarteira fault with another that crosses it almost orthogonally, in a NE-SW direction. Its summit is at 120 m, from where the alluvial zone of Alte-Algibre and the confluence of the streams can be seen to the east. Morphologically, the alignment of the Algibre flexure, the table-like relief of the barrocal and the differences between this and the relief of the Serra are evident. There is an abrupt transition from the hill of Monchina to the Várzea de Paderne, which allows you to see this fantastic landscape.

•  Paderne Fountain
  The Paderne fountain dates back to the 17th century and has, over time, been extremely important for supplying the population of Paderne and the surrounding area. This fact is clearly expressed in the various structures used by the community, such as the public washhouse, which is still used by the population. It is the only natural discharge point of the Querença-Silves Aquifer in the municipality of Albufeira. 

• Paderne Castle
  One of the 7 castles depicted on the Portuguese flag, it stands out for its reddish tones. The castle was built between the end of the 11th century and the beginning of the 12th century (Almohad period).

  From the top of Paderne Castle you can see the steepest meander of the Ribeira de Quarteira, which here follows the São Marcos - Quarteira Fault, and on its slopes, several limestone benches from the Escarpment - Upper Jurassic.

• Moinho do Leitão
  Moinho do Leitão, located on the summit of a hill that rises to 154 m, is exposed to good wind for milling and has the sea as a panorama to the south and the Algarve mountains to the north. Morphologically, it is an inselberg. That is, an elevation that is conspicuous in relation to the surrounding land. This is due to the movement of a set of faults.

  The windmill itself has intrinsic value. It is a windmill made of stone, sand and lime. The date of its construction is not precise, but it is referred to as one of the oldest in the parish of Paderne, where cereals and nuts were a source of wealth. Thus, the use of cereals in the windmill was very important for the local population since there were no other easier ways of milling.

• Cerro do Malhão
  Cerro do Malhão rises to an elevation of 195 m and on its northern flank you can see the contact between the Cotovio Sandstones and Conglomerates and the Peral Formation. It forms part of the NW-SE tectonic relief alignment on the left bank of the Ribeira de Quarteira. There are two mills on it and the view to the south takes in the Escarpão Plateau, a relief shaped by the streams and the Atlantic Ocean on the horizon.

• Cerro Grande
  Cerro Grande has its summit at an elevation of 227 m and offers 360° views of the landscape. From here, you can clearly see the morphological control of the São Marcos Accident, the use of the land with various rainfed orchards, the loose stone walls characteristic of the barrocal, resulting from the unloading, the relief characteristic of the barrocal and the mountains. To the south, you can see the passage to the coast and the Atlantic Ocean on the horizon. 

• Temporary ponds
  Mediterranean Temporary Ponds are considered a priority habitat 3170 (Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). These ponds are important in the interaction between other freshwater habitats and the biological diversity is very high and may be higher than in permanent watercourses and ponds.

  Temporary ponds are shallow depressions with interspersed dry and wet periods, usually associated with a layer of soil that is less permeable than the surrounding soil, thus favoring the retention of water in the area. However, as can be the case with the Albufeira ponds, they can be formed due to the rise in the water table, thus prolonging the wet period of the ponds, some of which may still have water in them at the beginning of the summer. Thus, they have a longer hydroperiod than that which would correspond to the simple accumulation of rainwater in impermeable depressions in the ground.

  They are important areas for feeding and breeding various species of birds, amphibians and invertebrates.