2017 Hikes Sao Miguel Lagoa das Furnas

Wednesday 9th August 2017 drove in Ana & Joao's car to Furnas arriving there at around 1300 hrs. We parked the car at the Poca da Donna Beija

where Jeannette spent the day in the thermal (39C) pools

Mike, with the aid of the Viewranger Map App, found a route to join the PRC22SMI TRAIL TO pico do Ferro

The route joins the main road for a short distance then turns up this side road

then up this trail

Which eventually joins the PRC22SMI trail to Pico do Ferro

Occassional glimpses of the Lagoa das Furnas

Climbing steeply but mainly in the shade

Several fallen trees

Eventually reaching the Pico do Ferro mirador

which gave superb views of the Furnas town 

and, of course, the Lagoa das Furnas

There are two options for the return route, I chose the shortest, partly as it was starting to rain

The trail follows the caldera ridge for a short while

Then meanders through some grassy slopes

before starting its descent zizagging down through the forest of mainly Japonese Cedar

with occassional views of the lake

Eventually passed the Casa da Grená

The Casa da Grená was a summer house constructed by a Mr Vines, the English Consul-General at Ponta Delgada, in 1855.  He named the house Grená in honour of his wife's familial relations: his spouse was the niece of Daniel O´Connell (who organized the Catholic movement in Ireland) and stayed at their Irish relatives' home, also called Grená. (This info is from Wikipedia)

Japonese Cedars

a wood carving

Reached the PRC6SMI trail which circumnavigates the lake.

Past the fumeroles which restuarants use to slow cook meals

Lagoa das Furnas

Looking up to the Pico do Ferro mirador

Arrived back at the car at 17.13hrs ( made a navigational error on the return to the car - did not recognise the turn off and ended up making an unnecessary loop through the town of Furnas).

Total distance 8.3 km in 4hrs 8 mins, max elevation 544m, minimum elevation 205m, climbed 339m.

After collecting Jeannette at the thermal pools, we drove to the pretty little port of Caloura

Where we had supper (inside as it was very windy and cold on the terrace)

Manuel & Leticia had brought us here a few weeks ago - very special place and restuarant

Boca Negro and Tuna followed by grande desert of cheese cake, honey tart and vanilla icecream - yummy!

Then drove back to a rolly Dutch Link in the Ponta Delgada marina after having had a superb day out.