Herdade do Esporão has just unveiled three signposted treks of various lengths and degrees of difficulty. These trails can be enjoyed on foot or by bicycle, as a family or alone, and at any time of the year.
Herdade do Esporão extends far beyond wine, olive oil and tourism. The vineyard, the olive grove, the montado, patches of meadows, woods, forests and the reservoir make up a vibrant landscape full of life—a dynamic ecosystem, poised in a delicate balance between agriculture and wildlife. The surroundings change in rhythm with the seasons. Three trails, two-, five- and ten-kilometres in length, can now carry visitors on journeys of discovery through the countryside. Each path starts at the visitors’ centre where guests can obtain itineraries and maps.
With its commitment to organic agriculture, Herdade do Esporão is home to a wide variety of animal and plant species. Fish eagles can be spotted hunting carp directly from the reservoir, and there are sightings of the rare and usually reclusive black stork as it probes the water for frogs. Other potential surprises include a family of otters. Then, as you explore the full circumference of the lake, you'll find shallows with rushes, reeds, nerium and ash. In summer, you might catch a whiff of a typical Alentejo scent – local plants of the mint family including mint, pennyroyal and stag mint. Chamomile, rosemary and rare orchids lend even more colour and aroma. The more attentive guests will spot jumping and crawling creatures, such as the Iberian midwife frog or the green frog—and even rodent hunters like the Montpelier snake and the non-venomous ladder snake. Then, late in the afternoon, foxes, hares, bats and owls come out. On their return to the visitors' centre, guests can enjoy a complimentary glass of wine or craft beer at the Wine Bar.