The lovely little island of Madeira

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Rather than feeling as though Madeira is now ticked off, I would happily return. Today. It’s a lovely little island that we devoted 8 days to thinking that was plenty, but the hiking was so good that I would love to go back and explore more of it.





Living in the Netherlands means holidays are generally a quest for mountains and nice food. A few places fulfilled our requirements but we settled on Madeira, calling in at Porto and seeing a bit of northern Portugal on the way back. A few people questioned our choice, “isn’t Madeira for old people?” we were asked. Actually, the tourists seemed to be around two-thirds retired and one-third there for an active holiday.





Spring is a good time to travel in Europe before it gets too hot and before the crowds arrive. However, while Madeira didn’t seem busy in May, we generally got up early to ensure we could fit into the often quite small car parks at popular trailheads and the more famous hikes often had a lot of people. The temperature was perfect for hiking, generally the mid-20s, though the sea was cold, which discouraged us from diving. We had one intermittently foggy day that happened to be the day when we climbed to the highest points of the island and should have had the best views; it was still spectacular though. I should also mention the wind. We didn’t really notice it apart from on one cliff top where we could lean into it at about 45^o, but it was enough to shut the airport for a few days – the airport being one of the world’s sketchiest – meaning a backlog of people trying to leave the island and nobody was able to arrive.





The hiking was great. It was the main reason we were there and we actually changed plans to do more hiking even on our supposed non-hiking days. Trails are well-marked, there is lots of information online, and lots of options to choose from.







On day 1 we did the PR8 Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço as we could get there by bus from our hotel in Machico, deliberately chosen as it was near the airport and we had a 1am arrival. This hike has stunning views along the barren volcanic peninsula, Madeira’s eastern tip or Dragon’s Tail, but it was pretty busy. Given that it was so short, about a 7 km roundtrip, we decided to walk back to Machico. Initially along spectacularly high cliff edges paralleling the road on the north side, then along a less dramatic road through an oil refinery and power station, before a great lunch in the tourist-free town of Caniçal where we supposed the industrial workers lived. The path back to Machico from there was stunning; as it wasn’t a numbered route, we only saw four other people. Finishing at the beach in Machico enabled a chilly but refreshing swim to rid us of the dust and our first taste of what would become a daily ritual: poncha. Muddle very strong cane spirit with honey and lemon, orange or passionfruit, pay about 3 euros and consume. The cheapest ponchas in locals’ bars were generally the best, if (or because of being) the strongest.





That evening we picked up a rental car as we had read that it was required for getting to the trailheads. I would say that you could travel and hike around Madeira without a car. The bus service is pretty good and hiring a car is pricey. But it is quicker and more convenient for getting around and enables making plans on the fly, which we did quite a lot as we completed the hikes a lot faster than expected.







The PR1 Vereda do Areeiro is stated by some travelbloggers to be “the greatest hike in the world” – we wouldn’t go that far – and noted as being the most strenuous hike on the island – also not true if you go “freestyle” and away from the popular numbered routes. You park near Pico Areeiro, Madeira’s third highest mountain at 1818 metres, and hike along a ridge, through tunnels, along cliffsides, up and down steps, to Pico Ruivo, Madeira’s highest point at 1862 metres and Portugal’s third highest mountain. It’s an A to B hike with a very long and expensive taxi ride to get you back to the start (like 100 Euros), therefore, almost everyone does it there and back. Despite our airport taxi driver insisting this was impossible for us (I hate it when people make such claims despite knowing nothing about us), we went there and back and finished the hike in 5 hours. It has 1000 metres of elevation gain but it isn’t that hard; we considered doing another hike on the drive back to Machico as it was just after lunchtime, but settled for hotel swimming pool and poncha instead. The PR1 hike is wonderful. Right from the outset, the views are stupendous. Soaring peaks, big rock faces, huge drops and chasms, bright spring flowers, and colourful pretty birds. The day we hiked we were occasionally within cloud with the bright early-morning sun giving Brocken spectres. Unfortunately, the summit of Pico Ruivo was completely in cloud so we didn’t linger, waiting until we were almost back at the car before finding a rare flat, unoccupied and sunny spot for lunch. But the trail is busy, especially on the way back when you meet the huge tour groups coming the other way. One particular narrow metal staircase had us waiting ages for consecutive guided groups of 30+ people to pass who didn’t think to let the five or so of us through until some local trail runners eventually managed to convince them to wait (the group members still had a go at them about it).







Our next hike was another famous one; the PR9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde. This was our first experience of hiking on the levadas for which Madeira is famous. These water channels are an engineering marvel. Built in phases since the 15^th century when Madeira was first settled, they bring water from wetter to drier parts of the island for irrigation, consumption and hydropower. There are 3100 kilometres of levadas that tunnel through the volcanic bedrock, hug cliffsides, and wind around valleys maintaining a 1-in-1000 fall. A lot of the hiking trails on Madeira make use of these levadas, either along adjacent paths or, in steeper areas, along the channel sides. It makes for wonderfully becalming hiking, with the constant trickle of water beside you; though a few are very dramatically situated with a low metal railing protecting you from a serious drop. The PR9 follows a levada the whole time so is flat (~100 m elevation gain). As always, the views are stunning; the Caldeirão Verde waterfall at the end being a dramatic finale, though it is reached too soon for lunch and the extended path to the next waterfall is closed due to rockfall on the levada. The hike was 17 km taking us 4.5 hours so later in the day we did another walk from Santana, home to cute traditional thatched houses and where we stayed that night, to Miradouro Rocha do Navio, which is worth a visit (the cable car is still closed and I couldn’t convince Magdalena to hike the ~300 m down to the beach and back up!).







The next day was supposed to be a rest from hiking as we toured the north coast, sticking to the higher winding roads rather than the fast tunnels. São Vicente is definitely worth a stop and a wander, as is Seixal; though we didn’t brave the sea or natural swimming pools as the wind really blows on this north coast. It was on this drive that we began to really appreciate the miradouros, or viewpoints. When we planned the trip by reading loads of travelblogs, the common advice was to hire a car and suggested itineraries were often from one viewpoint to the next to the next, etc. Only when we were on Madeira and appreciated how stupendous the views often were did we realise that these itineraries were valid. Consequently, we started stopping at every layby where we blown away repeatedly. Crossing the island led us past the Fanal Forest and an accidental ~8 km hike. We had read about this place but only because it seemed to be the early-morning Instagram spot where a white flowing dress was a necessity against the misty and mystical forest backdrop. It was actually great. Stunted gnarly trees and great views with clouds constantly blowing in that did make the place quite otherworldly. There were a lot of photoshoots going on watched by bemused cows. We drove over the island and stayed in Prazeres, after giving a lift to a trainee German copper (such friends may one day come in handy) and were seemingly the only people in town as this was when the fierce winds had shut the airport for a few days. The importance of the miradouros to Madeiran tourism was clear later when we drove to the westernmost point of the island at Ponta do Pargo and they had gone to the trouble of digging a tunnel just to reach a lighthouse and cracking sunset spot atop huge cliffs.







Another of the most famous hikes was tackled the next day, the PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes. We got the recommended early start at 9am-ish to ensure space in the car park and to beat the crowds who wait for the first shuttle bus down to the trailhead that starts running at 10am. The descent is only about 2 km and can be done on a trail rather than the road so why wouldn’t you just walk? Apparently this hike is one of the more popular as it’s flat and not far from Funchal. It’s also extremely beautiful. Along a very pretty flower-filled levada where the trees overhang so you often walk through a sun-dappled tunnel. Trout manage to live in the fast flowing channel and tame chaffinches follow you hoping for crumbs (it’s another common Instagram photo to have one of these on your palm). The views on your left down the valley are lovely, especially as we were above the cloud, and the detours to the waterfalls provide nice rest stops. Thus we recommend also taking the out-and-back PR6.1 Levada do Risco and definitely return on the PR6.2 Levada do Alecrim; it is much quieter than the normal route with even better views because it is higher. All in all it was 15 km with 580 m elevation gain taking 4.25 hours. Therefore, we had time for another hike after lunch. We did a new one that we hadn’t read about on any blogs, the PR27 Glaciar de Planalto Trail. We didn’t see a single other person and the route was nice, not so spectacular like many of the others but through forests of bright yellow gorse, past windmills with the blades struggling to keep up with the fierce winds, and by some ancient stone remains of settlements. It’s 8 km and took us 2 hours; worth doing if you are passing.







Although we’d heard that Madeira was full of British, it wasn’t until we got to Funchal that we found them. It seems they don’t get around the island quite as much as the Poles, Germans, Czechs and French that made up most of the hikers we came across. Funchal is a great little place. Though it is touristy, it is still a functioning city where locals go about there business. It is very easy to get away from the tourist restaurants and souvenir shops. We took the cable car up Monte – spectacular views as always – and looked around the quirky Monte Palace Gardens and tiled churches. Then I agreed to the toboggan ride back down the hill. These waxed wicker basket sledges piloted by a pair of carreiros are a symbol of Madeira so I suppose the ride was inevitable. I’ll admit it was fun, but a bit short; you still have a fair walk to get back to town. Probably our main plan for Funchal was to eat. Madeiran food is very good. The fried limpets – flatter than the British ones – were surprising good, evil looking scabbard-fish was just like cod and went really well with the baked banana and passionfruit sauce, some of the tuna steaks were incredible, and the mysterious fruits in the markets were wonderful – I had no idea there were so many types of passionfruit nor had heard of the delicious but deadly if it isn’t fully ripe monstera deliciosa looking like a long hand grenade nor had tried the English tomato, which is actually neither. But the poncha was still best in the little villages.







We enjoyed the hiking so much, that we gave up our second day in Funchal that was also pencilled in for diving, and searched for another trek that was doable on public transport. Only ~40 minutes by bus from Funchal is Curral Das Freiras (Nuns Valley); 40 minutes is enough time to appreciate just how good the Madeiran bus drivers are on these narrow winding roads. Some buses stop at a viewpoint (Miradouro Eira do Serrado) with a wonderful vista into the cauldron that is Nuns Valley. The name apparently comes from the nuns who took refuge here in the 16th century to escape pirate attacks on the coast. It is a switchback descent to the village at the bottom where we recommend consuming everything related to chestnut, the local speciality. We had chestnut cakes, tarts and liquor that set us up for the rest of the day’s unexpectedly strenuous hike. Backstreets, alleyways and long flights of stairs took us to the end of the village at Lombo Chão where it is a long climb out of the valley. It was very hot, and this zig-zagging climb of about 600 metres was probably the toughest of the trip. Though the views got increasing fabulous as we got higher and popped out at Miradouro da Boca dos Namorados. The trail south was pretty overgrown and we eventually reached civilisation with a view of the southern coast far away and below us. We here decided, “why not walk it!?”. The path that follows Levada Norte is not very popular as it hugs the contour to take a circuitous route through ludicrously steep vineyards, villages, backyards, and hidden valleys all the way to Cabo Girão, reputedly the highest sea cliffs in Europe at 580 metres. We only saw two other hikers on this path and we really enjoyed it. You pass through inhabited working Madeira meaning it is very different to the nature trails elsewhere. The views down to the coast are beautiful, especially when you eventually reach Cabo Girão. We got there late-ish in the afternoon and after a reviving beer we discovered that the last bus had left about half an hour before. Thus we had to walk even further to the nearest bus stop, all the way down to Câmara de Lobos. In this cute little fishing town we found a great poncha bar where we sampled a variety of new flavours, alongside the ubiquitous fried limpets and bolo do caco garlic bread. A 30 km walk taking 10.5 hours with 1000 m of up and 2000 of down; it was a great final day!

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