Phil's Hiking Resources

For a bit of a change we got a cheap TUI package trip to Madeira this September. It was really quite good ;-)

Day 1: We took the Funchal Cable car and had a walk around some gardens including Jardim Botanico
Distance: 8km, Ascent: 200m, Descent: 200m

Day 2: Levada do Norte (South) 
We set off to do the hardest and scariest levada walk we could find in our walking in Madeira book, only to find it was disused – and after a mile or so, completely impassable. We retraced our steps; changed our pants; and and got a taxi to Boa Morte. There we picked up the Levada do Norte (South) to Estreito de Camara de Lobos. A long hot day.

Distance: 18.2km, Ascent: 162m, Descent: 187m
GPX: https://www.haroldstreet.org.uk/routes/download/?walk=6837 

Day 3: The 25 Fontes Levada

We read good things about the 25 Fontes levada walk, so set off to investigate. We took a taxi to the start of PR6, walked along (PR6.3) to the Cascata do Risco (a nice waterfall into a pool), then returned to PR6.1/PR6 to go to the “25 Fontes” which is also a nice waterfall into a pool, but much more crowded requiring some one-way routing to manage the unwashed masses. Overall massively overrated in my opinion. We did a bit of the PR6.2 in the afternoon and that was much quieter and just as beautiful.

Distance: 8km, Ascent: 300m, Descent: 500m
GPX: https://www.haroldstreet.org.uk/routes/download/?walk=6838

Day 4: Pico Ruivo de Santana (1,862m)
Having found levadas all a bit samey, we went in search of an actual mountain. We got a taxi to Achada do Teixeira, climbed Pico Ruivo de Santana (1862m) on the PR1.2 then desended on the PR1.1 to Vereda da Ilha which had a little bar open.

Distance: 12.5km, Ascent: 323m, Descent: 1,533m
GPX: https://www.haroldstreet.org.uk/routes/download/?walk=6839

Day 5: Pico do Arieiro (1,805m)
Now inspired by the rugged mountains, we got a taxi up to Pico do Arieiro and walked the ridge as far as we could to Pedra RiJa on the PR1. Amazing views of the Pico das Torres. We then returned and descended. First on the PR3 Donkey Path, then on the PR4 levada as far as we could before it closed and diverted. From there we followed an old road (that was overgrown and no longer used) down to Casa do Barreiro, and then on to Monte via the PR3.1.

Distance: 15km, Ascent: 200m, Descent: 1,408m
GPX: https://www.haroldstreet.org.uk/routes/download/?walk=6840

Day 6: Boca da Corrida 
We got a taxi to Boca da Corrida and took the PR12, via Passo de Ares on to Boca do Cerro where the PR12 was closed. We considered climbing the Pico Grande, but the weather started to turn so we returned the way we had come before the rain started in earnest. Another beautiful set of steep mountain ridges.

Distance: 7.1km, Ascent: 320m, Descent: 320m
GPX: https://www.haroldstreet.org.uk/routes/download/?walk=6841

 

 

Author: Phil Newby

Tags: IML, Madeira
This entry is filed under Alpine Trips, Photos & Trip Reports.