The Portuguese Atlantic island Madeira is known for Levada walks. You can also go hiking in the high mountains of the Pico Ruivo or coastal walks can be carried out. The latter are also described in this article.
background
Levadas are artificially created irrigation channels, 20 to 120 cm wide and up to a meter deep, with the help of which the inhabitants of the island have made use of its climatic characteristics since they were settled in the 15th century. Most of the incoming winds from the Atlantic rain all year round on the rough and often difficult to build north coast or its side of the central highlands. The gentler and agriculturally easier to work south coast, on the other hand, has long dry periods, especially in summer.
Very soon, and for centuries thereafter, attempts were made to lead the water from the far north of the island over small channels to the drier south in breakneck routes, sometimes in long tunnels below the Massif Central. The Reitertunnel at Rabaçal represents the largest of these tunnel structures. Today around 2000 km of such waterways have been created, which extend even further into the fields in individual branches and are still the subject of a complicated, historically evolved water law.
The main interest of the walker consists of the maintenance paths running next to each levada, which, depending on the location and surroundings, can be a 50 cm wide edge of the concrete border of the canal or a comfortable walkway. In any case, they run with a minimal gradientwhich is what always characterizes levada walks as such. Steep ascents or descents as part of such hikes may have to be mastered to reach an entry or exit point.
Routing and network of trails
Levadas are still used for agricultural irrigation. The tourist "secondary use" as hiking trails has only opened up to an increasingly larger audience in the last 30 years. In this respect, there is no network of trails as such, rather they have been found at various points on the island individual sections of individual levadas as rewarding paths crystallized out. In the meantime, around 50 routes are well documented in various hiking guides and are mostly maintained and secured by the authorities.
For the time horizon of the normal vacationer, this catalog should offer sufficient employment. From experiments, further levada tours on your own to explore must be without years of experience strongly discouraged become. This also applies to walking on levadas without first obtaining information about the current state. The lack of a gradient in these structures does not mean that they can be walked on by everyone. They were sometimes carved into the mountain in often life-threatening work, sometimes cross valley cuts on extremely rudimentary secured concrete struts, sometimes also pass long, dark tunnels, in whose steeply sloping, slippery side paths it is hardly possible to walk upright or cross waterfalls on slippery concrete slabs the end of which, unsecured, goes thirty meters into the abyss. Since levadas generally lead around the foothills at the same level, the hiker can seldom see what situation awaits him around the next bend.
In the meantime, however, one can rely on the basic security and maintenance of the documented and introduced routes or on a clear blockage of the paths if this is not the case. Surefootedness and a head for heights are nevertheless required along most of the levadas. However, these paths almost always lead through untouched nature with often grandiose views and it is precisely the changing situations of the route that make them exciting. Markings are not necessary in view of the clear course. The only difficulty is to find the respective entry point, because the course of the often narrow rivulets is difficult to make out from the streets. But also here the corresponding signage has meanwhile improved.
The increasing settlement and urban sprawl, especially in the south of the island, is thanks to the fact that lower lying areas of individual levadas now partially run through residential areas, which can sometimes relativise the quiet enjoyment of nature.
Equipment and security
Documented levada hikes can be used with common sense and the corresponding equipment without any problems, as long as you have informed yourself about the special profile in advance. The "classics" in Rabaçal or between Funchal / Monte and Camacha are even more of a walk for everyone. But if you venture further into nature, the following must be taken into account (as everywhere):
- You are not in the Central European Alps, where a rescue helicopter or the local mountain rescue service is ready ten minutes by plane. In an emergency it can take up to an hour for someone to tell you Help (Tel. 112) can come, the much-invoked whistle or not. Physical fitness so it is better not to overestimate and, if in doubt, turn around.
- In Madeira you can Weather changes Enter suddenly and unprepared at any time of the year, especially in higher altitudes also associated with heavy fog. Appropriate clothing should therefore be carried with you, even if the sky is a deep blue at the start.
- Of course, step resistance requires at least appropriate footwear.
- children should have at least sufficient mountain experience and must be carefully supervised. Edges that are not secured on the valley side can appear very suddenly.
- For routes that lead through tunnels, flashlights are strongly recommended for every participant. Gloves can help with slippery passages.
- Almost always you can get different degrees of Head for heights test. If you fear problems here, you should study the description of the hike carefully.
Directions
Information on how to get to Madeira can be found there in the article on how to get to the individual target areas.
In accordance with the basic principle of flowing water, circular hikes with levadas are rare, even if there are some possible combinations. As a rule, however, the starting point is approached and either the journey home is started from the end point with an alternative means of transport or one returns to the starting point on the same route. In terms of traffic engineering, there are therefore the following alternatives:
- Hike as part of a booked excursion. The organizer guarantees outward and return journeys.
- The same principle can be used individually with many, meanwhile adjusted to this clientele Taxi drivers realize, which can often also contribute their own tips. Either make contacts in advance via the local tourism authorities or ask on-site.
- With the Rental car in two groups through pre-planning or establishing contacts on site (in the hotel): Park the first car at the end point, get to the starting point together and pick up the first car again after the hike has been completed.
- Benefit of the local bus connections either in total or in combination with your own car. Most descriptions of the hikes list exactly which bus connections may be available at the start or destination point (check whether it is up to date!). Because of the often thin timetables, you naturally set yourself a corresponding time frame.
Catering
Only in very rare exceptional cases are catering options available on the way, even at the start and end points there are not always small shops, snack bars or the like. Sufficient provisions, especially water in summer, must be provided before starting the hike.
Documented hiking trails
Most of these hikes should not be tackled without sufficient, up-to-date information in advance (see literature and web links). There are no hiking maps in appropriate scales for Madeira. (Except maybe Madeira KOMPASS hiking maps WK 234, scale 1:50 000)
Because of the natural course of the levadas, it is usually not difficult to orientate yourself in the terrain, but rather to find the entry points.
Due to the large number, the following selection is not complete; individual routes can be walked in different directions or also possible or described in other combinations. With appropriate planning, multi-day hiking routes across the entire island can also be put together.
in the central highlands
- Parking lot and forester's house from Rabaçal
- Suitable for everyone classic to the 25_Fontes and Risco waterfall,
- Also in combination with the Levada da Rocha Vermelha or the valley of the Ribeira Grande.
- Through the Reitertunnel to Levada Calheta Ponta da Pargo on the south coast.
- Along the Levada do Paúl to the Cristo Rei at the forest house Cova Grande and possibly further to the Encumeada Pass.
- Short hikes to the surveys Paúl da Serra, e.g. Bica de Cana and Pico Ruivo do Paúl.
- To the north coast through the valley of the Ribeira do Janela.
- From Encumeada Pass
- Along the Levada do Norte ins Folhadal
- Along the Levada do Rabacal and the Levada do Paúl to Cristo Rei and Rabacal
- Mountain tour on the High-altitude hiking trail over the Torrinhas pass into the basin of Curral das Freiras or as an alternative to Pico Ruivo
- Mountain tour for Boca da Corrida, Connection possibility to descend over the Eselspass to Curral das Freiras
- Around the basin of Curral das Freiras
- High trails to Boca da Corrida, Encumeada or Pico Ruivo (see above)
- Descent from the lookout point Eira do Serrado according to Curral
- Along the Levada do Curral e Castelejo
- In the high mountains around the Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo
- The Pico do Arieiro can be easily reached via Poiso on a road to the viewpoint. There Circular hike through the ecological park or the second classic Madeiras, the high-altitude hiking trail to Pico Ruivo.
- Of Santana to Achada do Teixeira. From there to the Pico Ruivo and on to Encumeada or Curral das Freiras
in the southwest
- steep coastal hike from Jardim do Mar at Prazeres to Paul do Mar
- Course of Levada Nova between Prazeres and Ponta do Pargo or from Prazeres to Calheta. (sometimes referred to as Levada Calheta-Ponta da Pargo)
- in the steep walls of the basin of Ponta do Sol or Taboo follow the Levada Nova
in the north-west
- The Ribeira do Janela follow, if you are fit up to Paúl da Serra
in the Northeast
- Coastal walks at São Jorge and Sao Roque or descent from Cruz.
- From the area of Queimadas out up to the Pico Ruivo or on one of Madeira's most scenic hikes in the Caldeirao verde (Green cauldron) as Caldeirao do Inferno (Hell cauldron).
- Of Ribeiro Frio on a very easy hike to the lookout point Balcoes or in a quiet group through the laurel forest Feiteiras de Baixo
- Of Portela to Ribeiro Frio or along the Levada da Serra above Santo da Serra.
- Along the Levada do Caniçal above Machico and / or descent to the coast of Caniçal. A strenuous coastal variant also leads from here Porto da Cruz.
- On the peninsula of São Lourenço to the northeast tip of Madeira
in the southeast and near Funchal
- The classic Beginner tours especially for visitors based in Funchal Montes botanical garden over the capital either over the Levada dos Tornos or the Levada da Serra to Camacha. The descent from Monte to the Levada de Bom Successo. All three tours are easily accessible via the cable car from Funchal and do not pose any particular difficulties for the return.
- Of Camacha out along the Levado do Caniço down to Assomada or on the Levada dos Tornos north towards Lombo Grande
- From the Levadeiro house at Boa Morte along the Levada do Norte to the Cabo Girão or in a dizzying course northwards into the valley cut of the Ribeira de Serra de Agua.
Practical advice
In the course of a levada hike, you will mostly only encounter other hikers or the levadeiro. Sometimes you will see grazing animals such as sheep or goats, and occasionally dogs (including stray) in more inhabited areas. Aside from the usual caution, you can usually rest assured that these audiences are used to and more afraid than you are.
Please do not try to fix any apparent disorder in the course of the levadas. These are subject to complicated water law and partly unorthodox constructions. Drains to distant customers can be secured with makeshift pieces of wood, rags or similar, which appear to you as "garbage", but actually serve the administration of the allocations. So: Take your own rubbish with you of course, leave everything else in and around the levadas as they are.
literature
- Rother hiking guide Madeira The most beautiful levada and mountain hikes. 60 tours. Mit GPS-Tracks (paperback), Rolf Goetz (author), 176 pages, publisher: Bergverlag Rother; Edition: 9th complete. revised (2014), ISBN 978-3763342747 As with almost all destinations, it offers a comprehensive, up-to-date and competent overview with good detailed maps.
- Landscapes in Madeira: A car and hiking guide. Mit Update-Service [paperback], Pat Underwood (author), John Underwood (author), Andreas Stieglitz (translator), 144 pages, publisher: Sunflower Verlag; Edition: 10th edition. (April 2010), ISBN 978-1856913744 The classic of the British resident couple from 1988 can make a nice addition with other map images and hiking combinations and is updated to this day. The original hiking guide for Madeira, so to speak.
- Madeira Tour & Trail 1: 40,000 Scale Map by David Brawn, double-sided maps, publisher: Discovery Walking Guides Ltd., ISBN 978-1904946526 In view of the meager maps of Madeira, it still offers the best combination of roads and landscape points for hikers to find entry points.
Web links
- List of the hiking descriptions of the offz. Tourism portals(mostly English or pt.)
- Overview of Hiking descriptions of the first author
- Detailed hiking descriptions can also be found at Wobis hiking side, Island touring or Madeira tipswhose lists cover almost all of the hikes listed above.
- Offers for organized hiking tours Madeira hiking (German) or Madeira Explorers.
