Cicerone Guides: Walking on Madeira 60 Mountain and Levada Routes on Madeira and Porto Santo

About this book

This guide describes a varied selection of 57 walks on the Portuguese island of Madeira, exploring the dramatic cliff coastline, scenic levadas (irrigation channels), dense laurisilva 'cloud' forests and high mountain peaks, plus three walks on neighbouring Porto Santo. There are routes to suit all abilities, from easy, level levada walks to steep and rugged mountain paths – some with exposed sections calling for a sure foot and good head for heights. Since the steep terrain of Madeira does not easily support circular walks, many of the routes are linear, however most can be accessed by public transport and there is the option to link routes to create longer outings and multi-day hikes.

With a favourable climate and striking scenery, Madeira is a fantastic walking destination. The routes in Walking on Madeira are spread across the whole island, and visitors may choose to base themselves in the capital, Funchal, or in one of the many smaller towns and villages. Regular flights and ferries link Madeira with Porto Santo, which boasts an exceptional sandy beach and pleasant, easy walking. The guide also outlines a day-cruise to the nearby uninhabited Ilhas Desertas.

Comprehensive route description, overview statistics and sketch mapping are provided for each walk. There is practical advice on travel and transport, a basic map of central Funchal and fascinating notes of Madeira's geology, history, plants and wildlife. Useful contacts and a Portuguese-English glossary (including a menu decoder) can be found in the appendices.

Contents

Introduction
      Location
      Geology
      History
      Landscape
      Trees and flowers
      Birds
      Animals
      Parque Natural da Madeira
      Funchal and Monte
      Getting to Madeira
      Getting around Madeira
      Accommodation
      Porto Santo
      Currency
      Language
      Food and drink
      Weather
      Tourist information
      Health issues
      Emergencies
      Maps of Madeira
      Making multi-day trips
      Using this guide

1 Eastern Madeira
      Walk 1 Levada dos Tornos: Monte to Camacha
      Walk 2 Levada dos Tornos: Camacha to Quatro Estradas
      Walk 3 Levada da Serra: Campo do Pomar to Camacha
      Walk 4 Levada da Serra: Camacha to Santo da Serra
      Walk 5 Levada Nova from Santo da Serra
      Walk 6 Baia d’Abra and Ponta de São Lourenço
      Walk 7 Levada do Caniçal: Maroços to Caniçal
      Walk 8 Levada da Portela: Santo da Serra to Portela
      Walk 9 Vereda das Funduras: Portela to Maroços
      Walk 10 North Coast: Porto da Cruz to Ribeira Seca
2 Funchal to Santana
      Walk 11 Vereda da Penha d’Águia
      Walk 12 Levada do Furado: Portela to Ribeiro Frio
      Walk 13 Caminho Velha: Poiso to Porto da Cruz
      Walk 14 Fajã da Nogueira and Levada da Serra
      Walk 15 Caminho Velha: Poiso to Santana
      Walk 16 Levada do Barreiro: Poço da Neve to Monte
      Walk 17 Levada da Negra: Poço da Neve to Barreira
      Walk 18 Levada do Curral: Curral das Freiras to Funchal
      Walk 19 Levada dos Piornais: Lombada to Funchal
3 The high mountains
      Walk 20 Boca da Encumeada to Achada do Teixeira
      Walk 21 Boca da Encumeada to Curral das Freiras
      Walk 22 Pico do Cedro and Pico do Areeiro
      Walk 23 Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo
      Walk 24 Pico Ruivo, Vale da Lapa and Ilha
      Walk 25 Pico Ruivo, Queimadas and Santana
      Walk 26 Levada do Caldeirão Verde from Pico das Pedras
      Walk 27 Levada do Rei from Quebradas
      Walk 28 Santana, Calhau and São Jorge
      Walk 29 Boca da Encumeada and Pico Grande
      Walk 30 Colmeal and Pico Grande
      Walk 31 Fajã dos Cardos to Fajã do Penedo
      Walk 32 Boca da Encumeada to Colmeal
4 Jardim da Serra
      Walk 33 Boca da Encumeada to Marco e Fonte
      Walk 34 Boca da Corrida and Curral das Freiras
      Walk 35 Boca dos Namorados and Curral das Freiras
      Walk 36 Marco e Fonte to Fontes
      Walk 37 Terreiros from Boca da Corrida
      Walk 38 Crista do Espigão from Fontes
      Walk 39 Fajã da Ribeira, Levada Norte and Boa Morte
      Walk 40 Levada do Norte: Boa Morte to Estreito de Câmara de Lobos
5 Paúl da Serra
      Walk 41 Pico Ruivo do Paúl da Serra from Estanquinhos
      Walk 42 Rabaçal, Levada do Risco and 25 Fontes
      Walk 43 Levada do Paúl: Rabaçal to Cristo Rei
      Walk 44 Levada das Rabaças and Cascalho
      Walk 45 Caminho do Pináculo e Folhadal
      Walk 46 Levada dos Cedros: Fanal to Ribeira da Janela
      Walk 47 Levada da Janela: Fonte do Bispo to Porto Moniz
6 Western Madeira
      Walk 48 Ponta do Pargo to Fonte do Bispo
      Walk 49 Levada do Moinho: Tornadouro to Ribeira da Cruz
      Walk 50 Levada da Calheta – Ponta do Pargo to Ponta do Pargo
      Walk 51 Levada da Calheta – Ponta do Pargo to Prazéres
      Walk 52 Caminho Real: Prazéres to Paúl do Mar
      Walk 53 Levada da Calheta – Ponta do Pargo to Lombo dos Faias
      Walk 54 Levada da Calheta – Ponta do Sol to Ponta do Sol
      Walk 55 Levada Nova and Levada do Moinho from Ponta do Sol
      Walk 56 Levada Nova: Jangão to Ribeira Brava
      Walk 57 Lombo do Mouro to Ribeira Brava
7 Porto Santo
      Walk 58 Pico do Castelo, Pico do Facho and Pico Branco
      Walk 59 Campo de Baixo, Bárbara Gomes and Eiras
      Walk 60 Ponta, Pico de Ana Ferreira, Pico do Espigão and Calheta
Cruise to the Ilhas Desertas

Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Language notes
Appendix C Useful contacts

Customer Reviews

Biography

Paddy Dillon is a prolific outdoor writer with over 90 guidebooks to his name, and contributions to 40 other publications. Paddy has visited Madeira several times over the years, exploring extensively and enjoying the vast variety of walking routes and landscape types around the islands.