Madeira
Madeira - What, Where?
A tiny Portuguese island off the North West coast of Morocco, very close to the better known Spanish Canary Islands.
Arriving on the island at Funchal airport is an experience in itself - the runway is a manmade bridge-like structure, over the North Atlantic Sea! And that is just the beginning - well, driving here was like nothing I have ever known.
A tiny island with extremely high peak mountains means that everything is ‘steep’. You cannot drive here without a lot of confidence, knowing how to drive a manual, how to do hill starts and how to parallel park on a bend on a hill! It’s insane.
It was probably that it was such an unknown to us that it totally blew us away. It’s totally hiking heaven and simply a magical place. Our first 3 days were more centrally located in the mountains at Ribeiro Frio to enable some hikes that we had seen online - and they didn’t fail.
SUMMARY - Walk to Miradoura Ponta do Furado,
DISTANCE - 8 kms
TIME - 2 hours
LEVEL - Easy, paved/stones footpath. Some steep steps to reach the final lookout
Notes: Parking at the Ponta de Sao Lourenco car park this walk is along the most north easterly point of the island, with stunning views (miradouros /photos points)
SUMMARY - Hike Pico Areeiro to Pico Ruivo (return)
DISTANCE - 15 kms
TIME - 5 hours total
LEVEL - Some steep steps and pitch black tunnels
Notes: Incredible scenery and changeable conditions
SUMMARY - Madeira day trip driving itinerary
SITES - Fanal forest, Achadas da Cruz levada walk, Ribiero Frio levada walk, Porto Moniz, Ponta do Pargo
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