Hike Terceira PRC4TER 19 Monte do Brasil September 2011

19 September took the 1000hrs nr 2 bus from Praia da Vitoria to the capital, Angra do Heroisme, arriving there around 1100hrs.

View of Monte do Brasil from the city

After walking through the city we arrived at the narrow neck of land connecting Monte do Brasil to the mainland - the start of our hike.

Monte do Brasil is the largest coastal volcano in the Azores and was formed at a later date than the main island.

Monte do Brasil provides relatively sheltered waters between it and the mainland  creating one of the few good natural harbours in the Azores. As a consequence, Angra has been an important  port from the 15th century and served the Portuguese East Indies trade which brought considerable wealth to the city. It used to be the capital of the Azores.  Nowadays it is too small for commercial shipping and only has a marina for pleasure craft. Commercial shipping uses the man-made harbour of Praia do Vitoria to the east of the island of Terceira, where we are currently moored.

In order to protect the harbour and city from pirates, the isthmus has a large fort, which is still in use as a military barracks. The area outside the walls has square pits which it is thought were built to make attack using ladders more difficult.

World war II anti-aircraft guns are still visible above the fort. 

After walking round the outside of the fort, one accesses the peninsular via an archway in the fortification walls - still the only way onto the peninsular.

A few flowers caught our eye

From time to time one has views of the marina and town of Angra

The hike took us over the four peaks around the central caldera.

On this peak, Pico do Facho, there were old World War II gun emplacements. 

Views to the west.

The signalling post was used to alert the city of the arrival of ships.

The hike continued down to the central caldera

Views to the south east

The remains of Fort Quebrada at the south east of the peninsular - built to ensure that no undesirable ship could seek shelter off this part of the coast.

The route then took us through a shady wood

The next peak , Pico da Quebrada, has a bunker-style lookout building used for spotting whales 

View through the viewing slit in the lookout

Time for a rest

The lookout area on Pico do Zimbreiro

Another view of the caldera

The world war II gun emplacements on Pico das Cruinhas

and the stone monument erected in 1932 commemorating the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Azores

Just below the monument there is a tiled panorama, with the actual panorama in the background

View of Angra harbour

View to the west

Once outside the fortifications, we found an alternative way back to town via a a passageway under the road.

and caught the 1700hrs bus back to Praia having had a very enjoyable hike.