Thu 27 November

After nearly a week of wet and windy weather, unattractive for walking, today looked distinctly better. I headed along the usual road towards Machico, did the first third of the West Caniçal levada walk, then took a path uphill. This led along the east side of a steep valley with woodland and a few cultivated terraces then across rocky ground with a couple of bits where balance or hands were needed. It eased to a steep winding track (with the improbable-looking corugated iron smallholder's hut)  leading to a notch in the mountain ridge that provided spectacular but windy views of the north coast.  This notch is Boca do Risco – the Risky Pass – though the risk relates to a very exposed path down the cliff on the far side.

Like the other sensible and mortal folk around, I admired the views briefly then went down the way I came up, with more chance to admire the big valley up which I had come.

How’s this for a levada-side house?