Geossítio 2 Côto do Boi
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Côto do Boi is a well-marked relief that is easily recognizable in the landscape when you climb the northern slope of Serra da Freita, either through Viveiros da Granja (M511 road) or through the village of Cando (ER 326 road) which, according to popular wisdom and the morphology of this place, for some represents the back of an ox without a tail, while for others it more closely resembles the end of a bovine leg. This relief is carved by the Côto do Boi stream which, after the first rains, forms beautiful waterfalls that are ideal for canyoning in the fall and winter months. The hillside flanking Côto do Boi, close to the waterfall, is popular with trail runners, who can follow the “Trilho do Coice da Mula” or venture out on the mythical “Ultra Trail da Serra da Freita” races (100km, 65km or 31km), or the “Aventurança do Cando” and “Trail Dolorosa de Moldes” races as part of the “Terras do Mundo” circuit. The right bank of the Côto do Boi waterfall, next to the road, also has a “Spectacle Zone” where you can watch the athletes of these races pass by.
Informação Geológica
This relief corresponds to a marked terrain in the landscape, drained to the east by the Côto do Boi stream, an important canyoning trail in the Arouca Geopark, and to the west by the Roças stream, both tributaries of the Moldes stream, which drains the entire alveolus of the same name. To the north and on the alignment of the Arouca-S. Pedro do Sul regional road (ER 326), the lithological contact between the ante-ordovician metamorphic rocks found at the top of Côto do Boi and the quartzodiorite of Arouca is defined. The existence of large andalusite index minerals (aluminum silicates (Al2SiO5), polymorphs of sillimanite and distena), which occur in the metamorphic rocks, masking their schistosity, is also particularly important in this geosite.
The top of Côto do Boi, located in the area of the Serra da Freita Wind Farm, is a viewpoint of great geomorphological interest, with privileged views over the valley (alveolus) of Moldes and the villages of Espinho, Chão de Espinho, Bustelo, Adaúfe, Espinheiro and Fuste, located on the slopes. This alveolus is shell-shaped and sits on the quartz-diorite of Arouca. It is drained by the Ribeira de Moldes, a tributary of the River Paiva.
Interesses
Geomorfológico 
Petrológico 
Mineralógico 
Cartográfico 
Natura 2000
Uso
Científico Relevância
Regional