Portela de Leonte - Vilar de Veiga

This ascent is situated in the beginning of the one and only National Park in Portugal, the Peneda-Gerês National Park. I have done this ascent several times but most of them where when I was still very young and using a mountain bike. Recently I have done it with my road bike and it was a bit harder than I expected. The road is generally good with a stretch of cobblestone right after the Geres village. The ascent is very scenic and has a climate of its own. Try to do it on a week day as during the weekends it gets invaded by people who seek the clean air of Geres. The Geres village has got hot water springs and recently has become a more and more tourist destination. During the summer you may not be allowed to stop between Portela the Leonte and the border because authorities want to prevent people from doing picnics to prevent fires in the forest.

My personal climb rating: