What can you do on a wet day in Madeira?
Well there are quite a few things you can do that are indoors, such as visiting the lava caves in Sao Vicente or one of the many museums on the island, or you could just go for a walk in the rain. Now obviously you are not going to go walking up on the high peaks or anywhere isolated when it is pouring with rain, but there are walks that can be done safely. The other thing to remember is that if it is raining where you are, there is a good chance that it will be dry elsewhere on the island; this is because of the unique position of Madeira in the Atlantic and its high mountains in the central region which can halt or change cloud movement. It is rarely wet everywhere.
On one such day it was very overcast in Sao Vicente with low hanging clouds and regular cloudburst, so we drove over to the south of the island with our fingers crossed. It was indeed dry on the south, although not sunny, and we headed to Camara do Lobos where there is a coastal walk we have done before. The walk is not long, about an hour each way, and it does pass by some rather ugly cement works at one point, but the sea views are lovely and there is a bar at the halfway point – always a positive, and on return to Camara do Lobos there are plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from if you want to treat yourselves.
Starting at the harbour in Camara do Lobos we head off in the direction of Funchal. Steep steps lead up to the path, which at first winds between the local shops and houses before leaving the town behind. There are viewing points where you can look back at all the brightly coloured fishing boats in the harbour and bobbing on the water, and if you look out to sea you may see a passing trawler or pleasure cruise and the salmon farms in the distance.
Being a coastal walk, the sea views are lovely all the way but there are also interesting rock formations and geological features visible in the cliff walls, giving clues about the island's formation, and the first part of the path is well kept and lined with palms and flowers. After the cement factory a promenade runs all the way to the hotel district of Funchal and the sound of the sea is all around you. At the end of the path are several small bars and restaurants where you can stop for refreshments before returning the way you came.
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