Woman’s Weekly UK – 06 August 2019

Independent

travellers
Ifyoudon’tfancya full-on
walkingholidaybutstillwant
thelevadaexperience,youcan
booka guidedwalklocallyorgo
italonebyresearchinggraded
trailsanddownloadingroute
mapsandbrochuresfrom
visitmadeira.pt.

MADEIRA on foot

Tranquil

travellers

Takea 15-minuterideontheFunchal

CableCartohilltopMontewithits

whitewashedchurch,MontePalace

Gardens,andmaybea 2kmrideona

wickercartpushedbytwodrivers

(carreirosdomonte.com).

T

ellsomeoneyou’re

goingwalkingin

Madeiraand,from

thosein theknow,

thereplyalwayscomesback

thesame– levadas.These

man-madewaterchannels

werecreatedto bring

rainwaterto theisland’slower

slopesin thedryseason,and

thepathsbesidethemmake

excellenthikingtrails.

Easyto follow,levada

routesofferever-changing

viewsof thevolcanicisland

witha surprisinglydiverse

rangeof landscapes.Think

lushforestsandopen

moorland,deepravinesand

dramaticcoastline,allbest

exploredonfoot.

Scenicphotosof levada

trailscanringalarmbellsfor

first-timevisitorswith narrow

trailsandvertiginousdrops,

butthereareroutesforall

abilities.Andwith1,400km

of levadasto explore,tour

operatorsusetrailsthatoffer

maximumscenerywith

minimumrisk.

Choose yourguide

Localcompaniesofferguided

daywalks,butI joineda

seven-nightgrouptripwith

walkingspecialistsHF

Holidaysthatalso

offeredfreetimeto

visitMadeira’sfamous

gardensandexplorethe

capital,Funchal.

Baseforourweek

wasthedelightfulHotel

Galosolat Caniçode

BaixoonMadeira’ssouth

coast,midwaybetween

Madeiraairportand

Funchal.Indoorand

outdoorpoolsanda

cliff-sidespaprovedthe

perfectpick-me-upfor

tiredmuscles,while

copiousbreakfastanddinner

buffetsprovidedwell-

deservedcalorieswith

a regionalflavour.

HFoffera choiceof two

routeseachday,theeasier

choicegenerallybeinga

shorterversionof theharder

trail.Simplymakeyour

choiceaftera pre-dinner

briefing.And with coach

transportlaidon,guestscan

enjoya varietyof island

scenerywithouthavingto

navigatethechallenging

bendsandgradients.

On thepath

My first introductionto

levadawalkingbeganwitha

scenicstopat CaboGirão

andanoptionalwalkonthe

glassplatformaboveEurope’s

highestseacliff.Fromthere,

wefollowedtheLevadodo

Facho,enjoyingviewsover

vineyardsandbananapalms

ontinyvolcanicterraces.

Everydayonthetrail

presenteda different

landscape.Madeirawas

discoveredin 1419by

PortuguesenavigatorJoão

GonçalvesZarco,who

namedit afterthewordfor

Great for

Great for

Naturalwonders

aroundeverycorner

42 womansweekly.com

TRAVEL

Explore the famed levadas and

beautiful gardens of the Pearl of

the Atlantic, says Gillian Thornton

Take a ride in the

Funchal Cable Car