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the Degree Confluence Project
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Portugal

1.4 km (0.9 miles) E of Trinhão, Coimbra, Portugal
Approx. altitude: 621 m (2037 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 40°S 172°E

Accuracy: 2 m (6 ft)
Quality: good

Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

#2: View to the North #3: View to the East #4: View to the South #5: View to the West #6: GPS reading #7: Ground Zero #8: The Confluence Hunter #9: Barrier lake of Rio Zezere #10: View from the main road in 150 m distance #11: Bicycle parking in 160 m distance

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  40°N 8°W (visit #5)  

#1: The Confluence from 10 m distance

(visited by Rainer Mautz)

01-Mar-2019 -- This is the first out of four reports reaching confluence points during a bicycle trip from Lisbon to Madrid.

Thursday after work, I took a direct flight from Zurich to Lisbon arriving there at 8 PM. As usual, I had brought my bicycle with me, such that I could directly cycle out of the airport. I decided to take a train northwards to shorten the long distance to Madrid. I had only four days until my scheduled flight would leave on Monday evening.

I spontaneously hopped into a train to the town Pombal, where I spent the night (80 km east of the confluence point).

The next early morning with the first daylight, I started cycling towards the confluence, thereby hitting the Sierra de Lousa, a rugged mountain rainge in Central Portugal. Interestingly the road followed the edge of the mountains, allowing good views to the barrier lake of Rio Zezere. In the early afternoon, I reached the confluence, which is only 150 m from the road. However, the terrain is extremely steep and reaching the confluence point requires a deviation.

An asphalted side road goes down. The trick to reach this confluence is to find the right terrace, i.e. where to leave the asphalted road. If you do it right, you can follow a terrace horizontally – otherwise you need to climb from one terrace to another.

I found the confluence at one of those terraces in a recently planted forest. The Eucalyptus trees, noted by the last visitor Philippe Burtin, in 2012 are gone and have been replaced by other deciduous trees. There are great views down into the valley of Zêzere River. There is heather growing right at the confluence point.

After the visit, I had to leave the nice and sunny site of the confluence and continue my trip further east. I spent my second night in the town Fundão.

CP Visit Details:

  • Distance to a road: 150 m
  • Distance to a track: 2 m
  • Distance of bicycle parking: 160 m
  • Time to reach the CP from the main road: 10 minutes
  • Time at the CP: 3:15 PM
  • Measured height: 619 m
  • Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
  • Position accuracy: 2 m
  • Topography: mountainous
  • Vegetation: deciduous trees, heather.
  • Weather: sunny, 22° C (felt temperature)
  • Given Name: The Terraced Heather Confluence

The story continues at 40°N 7°W.


 All pictures
#1: The Confluence from 10 m distance
#2: View to the North
#3: View to the East
#4: View to the South
#5: View to the West
#6: GPS reading
#7: Ground Zero
#8: The Confluence Hunter
#9: Barrier lake of Rio Zezere
#10: View from the main road in 150 m distance
#11: Bicycle parking in 160 m distance
ALL: All pictures on one page