In the Footsteps of Shepherds

It was still late summer, yet the golden on the trees assured me that cooler days were on the way. And I was thankful, since it was the start of some of my favorite traditions in Portugal. This year, I signed up for the walk “caminhos da transumância,” an annual event that pays tribute to the shepherd culture of the Beira region with the Serra da Estrela and Gardunha mountains at the heart of it.

The 9km walk, with a combination of people and a herd of sheep, is a small sample of what shepherds endured twice a year for decades. The transumância  is essentially a transition–an age-old practice of moving the herds between the lower valleys of the region and the highest pastures on the mountain. The shepherds moved their herds to the mountain pastures for the summer and returned to the lower lands for winter, because temperatures are harsher on the mountain where snowfalls occur. 

To execute the transumância a shepherd needed to have a deep knowledge of the territory; understanding the location of pastures, water sources and weather patterns. It was critical to keep these herds healthy, because they were (and still are) a major economic resource for the Beira and Serra da Estrela region–where top cheese is produced including the “best cheese in the world in 2025” from Quinta do Pomar in Soalheira. The wool industry is another marker of excellence with the production of the internationally recognized Burel in Serra da Estrela. 

I wasn’t alone on this walk. I invited my mother, who as a child was a goat herder, just as so many children during her childhood (about 60 years ago) had been to help their families. Though I was never a sheep or goat herder, being among herds wasn’t new to me. I was raised visiting my grandparents in a small village in the Beira Baixa (the southernmost part of the Beira region) called Bemposta. I played and pranced among the herds. I watched my grandmother milk the goats, make cheese from it and devoured regional recipes made from their meat. So when the walk officially began, the sound of the “chocalhos” (rattles) both played as an instrument by a musical group as well as around the animals’ necks sent my emotions into a frenzy, transporting me to my childhood days.

Starting in the city of Fundão and ending in the romantic, historic mountain village of Alpedrinha, we were guided by the sounds of the rattles, and stayed closely behind the shepherds and their sheep. The sheep were ornamented with colorful woolen pompoms for the special occasion adding an artisan touch as a tie-in to the region’s textile heritage. 

My mother and I talked very little on this walk–but I felt entirely connected to her as if her pastoral past and my appreciation for it had culminated on this day. We walked through villages rife with cheering locals peering from their doors and windows, before disappearing into deep trails lined with cherry fields (Fundão cherries are regarded as the best in Portugal), dangling chestnuts in their prickly cocoons, and wild blackberries (flavor bombs!) that we feasted on through Roman roads that eventually transitioned to pavement with majestic mountains in the distance. Alpedrinha was close, and as we stepped foot in it, the evidence that the village had spent the previous two days and nights celebrating was evident with festive décor everywhere.

The villagers opened their homes, selling sweets and crafts. Taverns, set up purposely for the occasion, served grilled meats and jugs of wine. It was a full-on festival that lasted all day. And though there was much to enjoy, it was the evocative walk that lingered for me... I was grateful that these people had the willfulness to add the walk to their annual celebration. I was inspired to share this experience with others, and to do my small part in ensuring that this event (now running for more than 20 years) reaches a wider audience. 

The shepherd culture in the region is alive, but it’s dwindling. It’s a difficult job, which is why venerating it is extremely important to the people that refuse to let it die. It’s also important to the local economy and identity. It was such a meaningful day, the kind that restores you. 

by Sonia Nolasco