After our recent local successes, I was really looking forward to going back to Madeira and doing some serious walking, and was impatient to have to wait until our second day. However, wait I had to, as our house was occupied and we had arranged to spend our first night in Funchal. This in itself was lovely, as the weather was warm and it was the first time in two years that I had been able to wander without pain – something I will never take for granted again.
The next day, after settling in and unpacking, we decided to walk down into Sao Vicente for something to eat. I was a little apprehensive, as our house is high up on the Laurissilva line and I know that walking downhill from the Langdale Horseshoe in the Lake District a few years ago was the first time I had recognised any problem with my knee. From the house to Sao Vicente is about 3 miles, mostly downhill and mostly very steep; the kind of steep that challenges the car in first gear! We set off tentatively, taking tiny steps and vigilantly observing the road. The steepest part over, I began to enjoy the walk. It was lovely to let my mind wander as we walked amongst the vines and domestic crops, palhieros and houses nestled into the hillsides. The sky was a clear blue and there was a light breeze; even the Nasturtiums were beginning to re-emerge after the short, warm, winter - perfect. We arrived at the seafront to the now familiar sound of the waves crashing onto the pebble beach and the promise of our favourite table at the Quebramar. After a delicious lunch of Shrimp, Bolo do Caco and Vinho Verdi, we contemplated our return journey. We had talked about getting a taxi back, as I said the roads are very steep and a completely different set of muscles would be needed for the return journey; but in the true spirit of ‘in for a penny…’ we decided to walk. It was tough! The uphill’s are steep (and there are a lot of uphill’s) and the flat bits are actually uphill, and we settled into a silent companionable trudge, pacing ourselves as we knew the hardest part was at the top. We arrived back tired but so proud that I had managed there and back, in what felt like a massive step back towards normality.
After a rest day, we set out along the north coast towards Porto Moniz, turning inland along Ribiero De Janelo towards Lamacieros for our first Levada walk (6 miles). We parked in the car park of the visitor centre and set off following the route markers. Levadas are irrigation canals that were built in the past to bring water from the north slopes, where it existed in abundance, to the south side of the Island. These concrete water channels wind their way gently down from the mountains to the valleys and paths alongside them give the public access to the most amazing and dramatic landscapes. In all, there are more than 2,000 km to explore, from sea level to 1,861 metres, and they provide real insight into parts of the island that would otherwise be impossible to access. The levada we followed wound deep into the forest along a path that gave way to dizzying drops in places; around each bend was a new delight, from a stunning waterfall, to a magnificent view across the forested valleys, to a tunnel coursing through the rockface; pitch black with a dripping ceiling and very wet underfoot, torches were needed as well as close attention to the low ceiling and uneven walls. We emerged into the dappled sunlight 10 minutes later and soon came across a ‘weeping wall’ where the water seemed to be seeping out from the rock. At another point we had to traverse stepping stones across the levada whilst freezing cold water cascaded from above soaking us. At the end we had to turn around for the return journey, which is typical of many levada walks. However, this works really well as you get to see the walk again but from a different perspective and in a different light. By the end of the walk we were completely satisfied with our walk and enjoyed a coffee at the café before returning to Sao Vicente for a well-earned barbecue supper.
Encouraged by the success of our levada walk, and after a couple of days rest, we consulted our Madeira sunflower guide and picked out a circular walk from Ponta do Pargo (8.5 miles). Described as a ‘fairly easy walk following gently undulating country roads’ we were confident at the outset. This walk was reported to follow country lanes to a beautiful church on a peninsular, and return along a levada, finally descending back into Ponto Do Pargo. We set off in the early afternoon, the country lane taking us down through a sleepy village where many of the buildings were sadly crumbling and apart from a couple of elderly ladies sat on a wall chatting we didn’t see a soul. Out of the village we walked down into a valley where there were views across the fields to the sea, and up the other side into another, equally sleepy, village. Keeping a lookout for the landmarks in the guide, we began to puff as the road got steeper and steeper – ‘gently undulating?’ We took a left along a dirt track which seemed to match the description in the book, but after 10 minutes, it became clear that we had gone the wrong way. Back-tracking, we returned the way we came and picked up the road again. Still the elusive fork failed to appear and eventually we consulted google maps to find that we had probably gone past it. This is the trouble with guides, the terrain changes; houses get built, dirt tracks get tarmacked and signs fall down. We thought we could probably get back on track if we took a left, and the terrain seemed to match the description in the book more closely again. We took a left along a dirt track, passing a courtyard where a group of men were sat playing cards and drinking wine around an old table. They nodded somewhat suspiciously at us as we passed and then returned to their game. We continued along the track and came to a fork. Tony offered to explore the left downhill turn as the right hand fork was being guarded by a stern looking cow. After a few moments I heard a loud yell and ran to see Tony on the ground. Unsure whether to be concerned or laugh at him on his bum in the mud, I approached cautiously. With bruised ribs and a dented ego, we returned to the road, again surveyed by the old wine drinkers.
We were unsure whether to carry on or to make our way back to the car, especially after Tony’s fall. However, according to the map, it seemed to be a similar distance either way so we decided to carry on. We were eventually rewarded with stunning views from the church, and after another long and steep climb, a pretty levada walk. A steep descent back into the village at Ponta da Pargo and another walk completed.
Our final walk of the holiday was from Camera de Lobos, a coastal walk. Only four miles or so, and not particularly scenic, but lovely to just walk in the sunshine with the waves crashing beside us – and of course, a lovely bar at the end before we returned.
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