The Grande Rota dos Moinhos e Lameiros (GR-298), implemented by the company PORTUGALNTN, has been distinguished as the Most Popular Trail in Castile and León 2025—an award that recognises not only a trail but also a way of understanding tourism and rural life.
The GR-298 extends over 67 kilometres between Portugal and Spain, linking seven neighbouring villages: Aveleda, Varge, Guadramil and Rio de Onor, in the district of Bragança, and Rihonor de Castilla, Santa Cruz de Abranes and Calabor, on the Spanish side.
PORTUGALNTN was responsible for the full implementation of the route and for securing its official certification, ensuring that, on both sides of the border, the Long-Distance Trail would be identified with the same number, GR-298.
The distinction was awarded by the Federación de Deportes de Montaña, Escalada y Senderismo de Castilla y León (FDMESCYL), the entity responsible for the certification of hiking routes in Spain, which considers the GR-298 not only the most popular but also the one that best represents the essence of Nature Tourism: the balance between natural values, biodiversity and landscape, and the local communities, culture, tradition, and economic resources.
This recognition stems from the interest and demand shown by hikers and nature tourism enthusiasts, reflected in the FDMESCYL portal statistics and certification data.
The designed trail, located entirely within the Montesinho Natural Park, strongly promotes local biodiversity and landscape values, while equally valuing local communities by fostering direct contact with nature, the vernacular heritage of the northern border region—particularly its traditional watermills—and its people. It thus contributes to promoting the main cultural and environmental assets associated with the route, safeguarding local traditions as key elements for endogenous tourism and economic development.
The quality of the project is reinforced by its integration within a protected natural area, ensuring a positive impact on its conservation and enhancement, without interfering with its most sensitive components.
The high standards of implementation were also ensured through the official certification process, which required compliance with a rigorous set of rules established by both the Federação de Campismo e Montanhismo de Portugal and the Federación de Deportes de Montaña, Escalada y Senderismo de Castilla y León.
The award was presented to the local authorities who promoted the project during the 8th Castile and León Mountain Sports Gala in Burgos, in a ceremony presided over by the President of the Spanish Federation.
The project was developed in distinct phases by the União de Freguesias de Aveleda e Rio de Onor, the Municipality of Bragança, and the Ayuntamiento de Pedralba de la Pradería in Spain.
It first advanced in Portugal, with 49 km of trails, later joined by an additional 19 km on the Spanish side.
The implementation, carried out by PORTUGALNTN on both sides of the border, preserved the same principles and characteristics, rooted in culture and tradition, heritage, natural values, and above all, in the local communities—the trail’s greatest attraction.
The Long-Distance Trail can be completed in a single journey or in stages, fully self-guided by following the trail markings or using the GR298 App (available for Android and iOS), which provides all relevant and useful information to make the experience richer and safer.
RNAAT n. 264/2014