Moledros, melédros, mariolas or pedregais (Cairns) are small pyramidal or conical mounds of stones, erected by humans in remote areas to mark notable places or paths on a hiking or pilgrimage route, either for walkers or used, since ancient times, by shepherds to shelter themselves. guide. It can be a simple mound made up of 2 or 3 stones, more or less flattened, or structures over 2m high, intentionally piled up and placed in such a way as to stand out in the landscape and in many cases it grows with each hiker piling up more. a stone as you pass, to mark a notable milestone on a route. The amount of small molds needed along a route varies according to the terrain's geography. A trail is not a road, unalterable, it is something "alive", there are dynamics that change it - vegetation that grows, fires, fog, erosion by the herds that mark parallel trails. Mariolas, if maintained and not tampered with, are a “beacon" and make the difference between continuing on the correct and safe trail, or getting lost for what can be kilometers and/or hours of walking, with the risks that come with it.
There are several legends around these constructions, there is a belief that when a stone is removed from the mound it returns to the moledro at dawn. It is also said that when someone secretly takes a stone from the moledro and places it under the pillow, the next day a soldier appears, who turns into a stone and then reappears in the moledro. In Cabo de São Vicente, in Portugal, it was said that each stone is a soldier. In the past, the moledros were associated with the expedition of Dom Sebastião de Portugal.
Nowadays several people build moledros everywhere, without any sense and just for fun that multiplies a little everywhere, associated with nature tourism and sharing photos on social networks. The phenomenon has been seen in Portugal, in Serra da Estrela, in Costa Vicentina, in Gerês, in Serra d'Arga, in the area of Arouca, in Ponta de São Lourenço, the easternmost place of Madeira Island and also a around the world, such as the Teide National Park in Tenerife, Timanfaya in Lanzarote and the rest of the Canary Islands (Spain), as well as the Thingvellir National Park in Iceland, etc.
Don't harm nature, or anyone who needs these landmarks!
Getting to the mountain and piling up pebbles all over the place just because someone else has gone by and done it before is not a fad, it's not "leaving a mark", it's not "zen" or "land art", it changes protected landscapes, destroys the usefulness of the original structures, modifies the habitat of various animal and plant species (leading to soil erosion) that use rocks as a refuge or that depend on the microclimatic conditions associated with them. Therefore, moving, removing or breaking these stones can cause an imbalance in the ecosystem” harming biodiversity in these places, it may even harm several endemic species already threatened with extinction.
Do not build molds or mariolas at random!
Our Moledros intend to respond to this need to meditate, play, pile up and photograph.
They are produced in a conscious, ecological and sustainable way, from wood from tree pruning, branches brought by the tides, construction leftovers and discarded objects, in order to preserve nature. For this reason, each set is unique and unrepeatable.
They can be collected, they can serve as decorative elements in our homes, or work as pieces of a game, or meditation, which you can take with you into nature and create temporary instagrammable mini scenarios, bringing us back with you. Even if abandoned in nature, they are biodegradable and do not harm it.
Enjoy our moledros………….
