Pulo do Lobo
Posted by: 
ajsa
N 37° 48.232 W 007° 38.012
29S E 620293 N 4184933
Pulo do Lobo is the largest waterfall of the South of Portugal, standing in the Guadiana river, upstream of Mértola.
Waymark Code: WMCNMM
Location: Beja, Portugal
Date Posted: 09/26/2011
Views: 5
The Guadiana river has its source in the lagoons of Ruidera, at the Triassic plateau called Campo de Montiel and flows 801 km to its outlet at Vila Real de Santo Antonio on the Portugal border and Ayamonte on Spain.
At about 2.5 km downstream of the outlet of the Terges, in a place known as Pulo do Lobo, the river increases its power speed up gradually fitting, digging a new stream bed, relatively close to the bottom of the valley that until there it was flowing. This stream bed is left to a higher level, washed by the waters of the floods, without deposits other than those pebbles inside the giant kettles, cut by grooves that follow the direction of the schists stratification.
Immediately after the Pulo do Lobo, the river flows in a very tight throat with 20 m deep and sometimes slightly larger in width of walls that intersect the bottom of the valley in two upper edges perfectly defined. This continues, on top, perfectly preserved until the end of Corredoira (the new river valley) at 9 km downstream of Pulo do Lobo.
To get to Pulo do Lobo, leave the main road (IC27/N122) Beja - Mértola on the crossroad to Corte Gafo de Cima and follow the directions "Pulo do Lobo".
Keep following the directions "Pulo do Lobo" for 21 km, it's easy to do it and you can even take your car at about 50 m way from the waterfall. At about 2 km away from the waterfall you'll find a door on the Pulo do Lobo property. This door is to prevent the cattle from leaving. You're welcome to pass it, you've to pass it, but please don't forget to close it. From this way it's a dirty road but a well paved acceded to any vehicle.
When you'll get there, you could be tented to jump to the other border. DON'T DO IT! ITS DANGER AND YOU COULD BE KILLED. DON'T DO IT. MIND YOUR SAFETY!
Type: Tiered
Parking Coordinates: N 18° 24.900 W 077° 08.190
Watercourse: Rio Guadiana
Waterfall Height: 60
Seasonality: Perennial
Viewpoint: Middle
Path Up and Down: Full
Walk Behind: Not at all
Seasons of Best Flow: Not listed
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