2017 Car Trip Ponta da Ferraria, Sao Miguel

24 July 2017 drove with Ana & João's car to the west side of Sao Miguel

Hike Sao Miguel Sete Cidades

0915 hrs Wednesday 27 July 2016, took a taxi from close to Ponta Delgada Marina to Empadadas - €20, arriving there at 0945 hrs.

 

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Walked through the gates to the Empadadas lakes

 

 

It was a very popular spot with several tour groups driving, walking around the beautiful lakes.

 

We then climbed along a wooded path to the Mirador above Lagoa do Eguas

 

View towards north coast of Sao Miguel from the Mirador

 

 

Lagoa Eguas

 

Views of the " Nine-Windowed Wall", an old aqueduct that used to transport water to Ponta Delgada.

 

 

Just before reaching the aqueduct we pass the start point for the PR4SMI - the Mata do Canario - Sete Cidades hike which we planned to follow

 

 

 

 

Our route left the main road and went steeply up a concrete track

 

 

Once at the top we started to get views of Sete Cidades

 

 

 

Had our picnic lunch sitting at the side of the trackout of the wind 

 

With super views through the gaps in the cloud

 

From here, our wide gravelly track took us round the lake on the top of the volcano ridge, with almost continuous superb views of the Sete Cidades lake and town on the left and the coast on the right.

 

 

 

 

Jeannette greeting the cows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the many hydrangeas en route

 

 

At around 1530 hrs we arrive in the village of Sete Cidades and pass by the church

 

Handy café

 

Caught the 1625 hrs nr 205 bus (arrived at 1640 hrs) back to Ponta Delgada after having had a thoroughly enjoyable 5 3/4 hr hike.