Madeira

---

After finishing a year-long project, and experiencing my second company collapse without having to leave my desk, a full month of vacation awaited me in March 2002. I only had two problems: The Alps were still covered in deep snow, and I had less than two weeks to make travel arrangements. The things I read about Madeira on the Net sounded like it was a nice place to be in March. So I packed a flashlight, extra batteries, rainproof jacket and trousers, and a rain flap for my rucksack, and went off to the island of perpetual spring.

Located in the Atlantic Ocean 500 km west of Marocco, Madeira has a dramatic landscape, which includes Europe's highest steep coast, and a couple of mountains which range up to 1800m. The Gulf Stream provides for a moderate climate all year around, and the mountains combined with wind and clouds ensure that the abundant vegetation doesn't wither.

Madeira's topography makes building things a bit difficult. The high mountains in the center only have a few kilometers to get down to sea level, and there are some deep river valleys along the coast. So when the runway of Madeira's airport got expanded, it had to be put on stilts, making the whole thing look like an oversized aircraft carrier, with water at both ends of the runway.

---

Blandy's Garden and the Monte Tropical Garden

I arrived early in the morning, and was greeted by a rain shower while picking up the rental car at the airport. But driving a few kilometers fixed that:

Marvelling at the flowers in Blandy's Garden and the Tropical Garden in Monte, and enjoying the great weather kept me busy for the rest of the day. (more flowers)

---

Levada do Norte and Europe's Highest Cliff

Driving on Madeira is like taking a rollercoaster ride, going up and down narrow roads most of the time, with plenty of busses and heavily loaded trucks sprinkled in between, not to forget the bare-rock tunnels, fallen rocks, and small waterfalls dripping down on the street.

So you'd think that hiking on Madeira was a tedious affair, with lots of steep ascends and descends. Well, you can have that, but you can also walk along one of the many levadas, provided you do not suffer from dizziness. Running high above the valley floor, these small channels were built to bring water from the rainy North to the easier farmable, but drier, South. Today, part of the 2,150km long system is also used for hydroelectric plants. The maintainance paths running along the levadas are great for hiking, and come in all varieties. Some are paths through woods and fields, and sometimes you have to walk on the wall which makes up the levada, when it passes a rock wall. But almost all of them keep about the same height.

The way along the Levada do Norte starts as a popular, easy stroll through a forest and small villages perched over the deep valley of the Ribeira Brava, and ends at a vertical rock wall where the path gets too dangerous to continue. In between, some precipitous sections and a 500m-long tunnel have to be passed. Tunnels are common along the levadas, and a flashlight is necessary to get through the longer ones. Apart from the darkness and the water, the low irregular rock ceilings and sometimes narrow walls make walking through these tunnels interesting. (more pictures from this hike)

After trudging through the green and rainy valley, I visited Europe's highest cliff, Cabo Girão. 580m below, on the beach, a couple of fields only accessible by boat make for a popular photo motive:

---

Ponta de São Lourenço

While most of Madeira is covered by dense forest, the peninsula Ponta de São Lourenço is shielded against the clouds by its location east of the main island, and is therefore too dry for most plants. This is made up by a unique landscape, and a trail which takes you along a couple of colorful rocks and a narrow passage, where the peninsula is only a couple of meters wide. And at the end, a small peak 146m above sea level awaits you. (more pictures from this hike)

---

Parking Orbit

The next two days, I circled the island along the north and south coast, waiting for the weather to clear up. Both days, I ended up at the end of the world, in Porto Moniz, where the waves crash against the coast, and at least two good fish restaurants can be found.

On the second day, I drove back through Madeira's high moor, the Paul da Serra. 1,000m below, the sun was shining, while I had been driving through clouds most of the day.

---

Curral das Freiras and Machico

When pirates were still paying their frequent visits to Madeira, the nuns of the Santa Clara monastery fled into the secluded valley which is now named Curral das Freiras (Nun's Corral). It's only accessible via a 1,050m high pass, from which the road goes down again to 500m. If you are addicted to chestnuts, this is the place to be. You'll find cake, soup, liquor, syrup, etc.

Instead of hiding in the mountains, the inhabitants of Machico built a small fortress, and set up a lookout on the nearby Pico do Facho (322m), from which unwelcome visitors were announced with a signal fire.

---

Lombada da Ponta do Sol

After waking up to a beautiful sunrise, I headed off for my second levada hike, starting in Lombada da Ponta do Sol. In contrast to the Levada do Norte, where one passes a small village every now and then, this hike leads you into the wild centre of the island. And it should be avoided if you suffer from dizziness - a good part of the time, you walk on the 40cm wide levada wall, next to the chasm. The trail leads you through terrace fields, under ivy-covered, overhanging rocks, and through a couple of small waterfalls.

The only tunnel the levada passes is just 200m long, but there is something special about it, at least in winter and spring. When you walk through it, you'll hear the increasingly loud roar of a big waterfall which crashes down on the levada behind the tunnel exit.

Another thing that made this hike interesting was the weather. A strong western wind kept sweeping clouds across the island. Running from north to south, the narrow valley got its share of short, intense rain showers, and when you saw the next one coming, you only had two or three minutes before it hit you. (more pictures from this hike)

---

Ribeiro Frio

Although the trouts still outnumber the tourists in this little village, it pays to be there early, and do the short hike to the Balcões view point. When you return to the road, don't be surprised to find it completely blocked by busses.

Next, you can reduce the trout population a bit at Victor's Bar, and do a hike up to the sheep farm of Chão das Feiteiras. To get there, you'll have to climb up along one of the few levadas which runs steeply downhill.

---

Funchal

Funchal is Madeira's capital and only big city. Of the 253,000 people living on the island, 115,000 can be found here. Below are pictures from the harbor with its long jetty, and the Mercado dos Lavradores. The black swordfish that can be seen on the photo lives below 1,000m and can only be caught with rod and line when it rises up to 800m in the night. And it is excellent when served with bananas.

---

Penha de Águia

Sea eagles which once lived here gave this rock its name. It rises up 590m from the coast, and despite the steep walls, one can get to the summit on a small path. There, you'll be greeted by extremely curious lizards and views of the north coast and the central mountains. (more pictures from this hike)

---

Sunrise on Pico do Arieiro

Always wanted to stand on a mountain top and watch the sun rise? No problem on Madeira, where a road takes you right to the island's third-highest peak. But be sure to bring a windbreaker - the early-morning wind can be incredibly icy. (more sunrise pictures)

---

Caldeirão Verde

The walk to the green caldron starts on a wide path at a horse ranch. For the next two hours, you'll pass a duck pond, a waterfall, a valley where the levada flows over a bridge, some moderately precipitous stretches which are well-secured, and a small tunnel.

After passing two more tunnels, you enter a quite different world. In the valley of the Ribeira Grande, the levada goes through some pretty steep rock walls. At a few points, the wire ropes, and sometimes also parts of the levada wall, have been taken down by fallen rocks or mud avalanches. And in the Caldeirão Verde, you are surrounded by 100m high walls, from which a large waterfall comes down.

And if that hasn't been enough, you can go on to the Caldeirão do Inferno, past the entrance of the 2.4km long Pico Ruivo tunnel, which would take you through Madeira's highest mountain.

---

Ribeira da Janela

The Levada da Central da Ribeira da Janela is one of the best-kept levadas on Madeira. Where I had walked on a dry and partly destroyed levada the day before (in an admittedly much harsher environment), this large levada almost flowed over with water, and the Levadeiros were busy with putting up new wire ropes and mending the levada wall. Still, don't expect an easy, eventless walk. Seven tunnels and a waterfall are waiting to be passed, and the upper valley offers some spectacular views. (more pictures from this hike)

---

Pico do Arieiro, Revisited

After the clouds had finally retreated from the island, I drove up to Pico do Arieiro, and went off on a hike along Madeira's three highest peaks: Pico do Arieiro (1811m), Pico das Torres (1845m) and Pico Ruivo (1862m). And even up there, three tunnels were part of the trail. (more pictures from this hike)

---

Jardim Botânico da Madeira

On the last day, I lost my way while driving to the start of a hiking trail, and instead went to Madeira's botanical garden.