32:44.50N 16:43.17W

Whisper
Noel Dilly
Wed 19 Sep 2012 14:08
"Madeira - 17th September"

It was a cool overcast morning, with just a gentle wind forecast for the day, ideal for our planned walk over the Sao Lourenco Peninsula.  There is no shade there so hats and sun screen were order of the day. We caught the bus to the end of the road where the walk starts.  If we had known just how close it was we would have walked the short distance.  I wondered why the bus driver gave me an odd look when I asked for the tickets, we had no sooner sat down when the bus arrived at the terminus! We set off also discovering that this walk by nature of its terrain is a tourist "must do",  so the path was already busy in front of us as well as several couples behind us.  The sheer enormity and beauty of the rocks was something not to be missed. Everywhere we looked was a geology lesson of interest.  Sometimes the path was flat and open, others it was narrow rocky and on a cliff edge.  The peninsula became narrower and we found ourselves moving away from the south shore to the dramatic north side. The views became quite awesome, all the various ages of lava flow layered with intrusions of harder rock from different eruptions.  Wind erosion has carving amazing shapes in the rock, whilst the sea below created caves or left spires of rock erupting from the sea bed below.  Meanwhile at our feet the rock type and colours were forever changing, greens, mustard yellow, red, greys,black, it was fascinating as we walked along the stoney mule paths.  The walk was tough but the Nature Reserve wardens have done amazing work in restoring tracks where there had been a collapse, putting up wire hand rails, carving steps into rock, laying wooden poles to preserve the hillside and create steps on the fine grit areas.  I am sure that many people would perhaps prefer the area to be left completely wild, but the experience of seeing such a huge area of volcanic activity millions of years old would otherwise be impossible for the less able.  We prefer to walk in the solitude usually, but it became fun to talk to the crocodiles of people as they passed or overtook us as we paused to take photographs.  We never knew what language to use but a cheery "good morning" usually provoked a response with all sorts of accents! By the time we had finished the walk there were several people we had spoken and joked with at various times to whom we said a final good-bye.

The Visitors Centre was closed because the overnight rain had seeped in the roof and the tiled floor was slippery but the young warden was only too pleased to take us inside and show us around and help to identify a small bird we had seen. 

Now the real grueling part of the walk started, directly up! Hundreds of steps; the sky had cleared and it was hot.  The summit was a great reward and well worth the effort, the views down the north and south coast were terrific and to the north east we could see the island of Porto Santo from where we had sailed last week. The walk back was equally enjoyable although much hotter and the site of the ice cream van, generator running was encouraging for the last climb up and produced a very welcome treat.  We walked back down the road to the marina!

"18th September"

Today we caught the bus to Machico where we changed to another smaller bus to Marocos.  The bus driver kindly told us where to get off for the "levada walk".  This was a gentle walk compared to yesterdays challenge; 12km in distance and on a gentle unnoticeable descent.  It was a hot day, but the levada wound its way through many shady areas with gentle breezes blowing up the valley making  it very pleasant.  The contrast in housing is quite astounding walking along the path.  Mostly they are very simple, built of brick with tin roofs or maybe just constructed from various pieces of corrugated iron and wood. Then suddenly there is a house, small but beautifully built, in good decorative state, with immaculate tiered terraces and maintained gardens.  It is quite amazing as there are no roads to these  homes,  just steep paths and steps.  Cockerels crowing and goats bleating can be heard and occasionally a waft of the animal scents can be smelt on the wind but are rarely seen. Mostly they are kept in small covered pens to keep them safe from falling down the hillsides but occasionally a tethered goat was seen.  We arrived at the end of the levada but as we were too early for the bus.  We sat at the picnic spot and ate our lunch but the sun came out from behind the hazy clouds and it became so hot we decided to walk on through the cool but noisy tunnel towards Canical.  A small cat adopted us for some of the way, I feared for its life as the cars rushed by.  Fortunately some barking dogs which we had disturbed distracted it from following us any further.  We did not come across a bus stop on our route but as the bus thundered into sight we hailed it and it fortunately stopped and picked us up.  It was a great day.  After four days of walking we will enjoy a less active day tomorrow preparing for our departure back to the UK for a short visit.


Photo: "History of Volcanc Activity"
 

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