If the west was about volcanoes, the north of Sao Miguel was all about the power of the sea and the beauty of waterfalls, each showcased through two very different walks from Ribiera Grande.
The first was from the doorstep. We set off, walking along the promenade, enjoying the sight and sound of the huge waves, each relentlessly chasing its predecessor to crash on the broad sandy beach, white horses chasing white horses in the sunshine.
We left the main road, taking a lava gravel path along the clifftop, the views becoming ever more spectacular as we gained height, even passing a stream that passed beneath the road and over the edge of the cliff to fall out of sight and crash to the sea - no waterfall views here, it was too dangerous to even get close.
As the path turned inland, the focus changed to the lay of the land, the protrusion of volcanic cones and the emerging spring flowers; we walked along a rough track through agricultural land, enjoying early Ostiospermum, Morning Glory, the tiny blue flowers of Grey Field Speedwell, Bermuda Buttercups, Lanterna - ablaze in shades of pink, yellow, red and orange, and clutches of elegant Calla Palustris, the wild Calla Lilly.
We passed through the sleepy village of Riberinha before winding our way up to Farol do Cintrão, a lighthouse located high above the Furada area and offering far reaching panoramic views over the north of the island of São Miguel.
The return journey completed a 12km circuit and we were rewarded with views of the sun setting over the ocean as we retrod our route back along the cliffs down to Ribiera Grande.
The next day we drove a few miles inland, excited to embark on a very different walk. This time we were following the route of the geothermal pipeline from Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande to Cascada Salto da Cabrito, which didn't sound an inspiring description but proved to be a varied and interesting walk.
We started the trail at the picnic spot next to the Caldeiras Mirodoura, where you can see the traditional Azores Stew (Cozido das Caldeiras) cooking in large pots in holes in the ground, using heat and steam from inside the earth.
Continuing along a narrow lane, we took a left fork to follow a trail to the Barragem Dam, part of a 1920s initiative to take electricity to Ponta Delgada. The path to the viewpoint took us past the steaming treatment pools and through woodland to reach a tranquil pool with waterfalls at the dam site, itself looking curiously like a victorian folly.
After scrambling through undergrowth, down slippery paths and under a fallen tree - all in the name of getting the best photos we could - we returned to the steaming treatment pools to reconnect with the path.
For the next part of the walk, we walked mainly through woodland alongside the huge pipeline, following its path down to the now abandoned Faja do Redondo Hydroelectric Power Station and then on to the Salto do Cabrito HPS. This was probably the most interesting part of the trail as we walked beside and sometimes on top of the pipeline, up and down metal staircases and over bridges, all the time under the canopy of the forest and beside towering cliffs.
We arrived at Salto do Cabrito feeling as though we had just completed an assault course but were rewarded by the spectacle of the falls which drop an impressive 40 metres, from the canyon we had just walked through, into a clear pool. If it hadn't been February I may have been tempted in for a swim.
The pipeline continued on as we headed up a steep road and then down a gravel track eventually passing the shining new Salto do Cabrito Hydroelectric Power Station.
An easy walk back took us past fields of cows and across a rickety rope bridge, to return to our starting point along a cobbled road and avenues of plane trees.
This was a really varied circular route, about 9km long, which took in a varied landscape as well as having interest through the pipeline trail and giving some history about how electricity has been brought to the island, through natural energy, and updated over the last century .
Comments