Dawn Valley

Alvão Mountain Range Natural Park, Portugal

Olo River near Ermelo at Dawn before Sunrise, facing Southeast mountains.

About Alvão Natural Park in Portugal:
Parque Natural do Alvao although formally in the Tras-os-Montes region is easily accessible from towns in the Douro as it lies just 5 kilometres west of Vila Real. It is Portugal's smallest natural park at 7,220 hectares and reaches an altitude of 1,330 meters above sea level. The park is characterized by an extensive granite basin in the upper reaches of the park with schists along the narrow enclosed valleys. This geology gives rise to some spectacular drops and waterfalls such as the Fisgas do Ermelo.

Although pine forestation has clothed many areas in and around the park, the native woodland that still exists in the natural park is very important and includes a range of broadleaved trees including birch, English oak, black oak, holly, bay, chestnut, hazel, wild pear and strawberry tree. Heathers, bilberry, broom and gorses make up the heath communities. Several interesting mammals are found within the park including feral goats, a range of bat species, the Pyrenean desman, a peculiar looking semi-aquatic rodent and occasionally wolves. Bird species found the short-toed eagle, peregrine falcon, chough, water pipit, rufous-tailed Rock thrush, pied flycatcher and bullfinch. The park is also a site for the rare ocellated lizard.