Hike Madeira, Levada Walk from Sitio das Quatro Estradas to Camacha

Caught the Nr 77 bus close to the Funchal cable car at 1030 hrs Sunday 12 June 2016.

At 1120 hrs got off at the cross roads at Quatro Estradas, the start of our walk along the Levada dos Tornos to Camacha, Rothers Walking Guide walk nr 15 ( in reverse).

 

Our ViewRanger app on the Ipad once more proved to be very handy to verify where we were whenever we were not sure.

 

The first part of the walk was steeply down a road until we reached this crossroads of paths

 

The path continued steeply down some cobbled steps until it crossed the Levada dos Tornos which we reached at 1210 hrs

  

 

 

Along the Levada, there were many wild Maracuja vines (Passion Fruit)

 

From time to time we had super views of the sea and sometimes Les Ilses Desertas were clearly in view

 

 

Stop for a break in the shade

 

In many places we were treated to superb floral displays

 

 

The Agapanthas, both blue and white were often present. From time to time we passed terraced fields

 

There were many vertiguous parts as the levada had to be carved out of the steep cliffs

 

Another shady break

 

There were several tunnels on the way

 

Occassionaly there was a safety rail, but mostly one was left to use ones own sense of balance

 

Fallen tree

 

Another tunnel

 

Looking back 

 

Yet another tunnel

 

 

 

 

 

 

In some places, it had only been necessary to carve "half " tunnels out of the cliff

 

The Levada on the other side of the ravine

 

A large tree had fallen recently and blocked our trail

 

 

 

 

 

Levada bridge

 

Waterfall

 

Our last tunnel

 

 

Time to leave our Levada

 

Red circle shows where we left the Levada

 

Only 125 m elevation of steps to go to reach our destination, Camacho !

 

At 1700 hrs arrive at Camacho in good time for the 1745 hrs nr 129 bus back to Funchal

 

This was a superb Levada walk. The Levada dos Tornos is one the the most important water channels on Madeira having a total length of around 100 kms. 

The ViewRanger map below shows our route

 

Hike Curral das Freiras to Boca da Corrida June 9, 2016

Caught the 1000 hrs Nr 81 bus from Funchal (bus stop close to cable car) to Curral das Freiras 9 June 2016.

1050 hrs got off at the bridge at Fajã Escura, 1 km north of Curral das Freiras. Here, we prepared ourselves for the hike to Boca da Corrida, Walk nr 35 in Rother's Guide in reverse.

 

The route we were to follow would climb steeply from an elevation of 600 m to 1300m Boca do Cerro, most of the way through the famous Chestnut tree forest. Thereafter, the path would flatten out, undulating between 1310 m and 1236 m at Boca da Corrida, a distance of 11 km from our start.

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View of Pico Grande, through the mainly Chestnut trees.

 

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Wonderful mountainous panoramas throughout the hike

 

View down to the bridge at Fajã Escura, our starting point

 

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Much gorse and some Taginistas

 

 

Just past Boca do Cerro, we pass the trail to Pico Grande 

Early afternoon, the clouds develop 

 

 

 

1550 hrs, we reach Boca da Corrida, 1235 m.

 

 Unfortunately there is no bus from here so we had to walk 3 kms down a very steep road (often walking backwards to save our knees!) to Jardim da Serra. There, we caught the nr 96 bus at 1730 hrs back to Funchal.