Watermills of Carvalho and Fijô - Labruja

The mills of Carvalho and Fijô are 2 of the 3 completely restored mills.

The mills are located along the banks of the Ribeiro de São João , a stream known for its crystal clear waters. The area is enriched with wooden walkways and suspension bridges , allowing visitors to experience the natural beauty of the region. In total there are 10 water mills, 3 of which have been restored.

The watermills along the Ribeira de São João in Labruja were traditionally used to grind cereals such as corn, rye and wheat into flour.

This flour was then used for baking bread, porridge and other local dishes .

Many of these mills were shared by several families or even an entire community. They worked on a sort of rotation system — first come, first milled, or a time slot was agreed upon .

The current of the Ribeira de São João was diverted to a small canal (levada or rego), which led the water to the mill wheel. The rotation of the wheel set in motion a rotating millstone (mó) inside, which ground the grain.

Willem Vandenameele