If you're travelling to Madeira Island, feel free to join the group of the project "Madeira Island for Travellers", where you can find a free guide book, lots of information, advices and tips to visit the island, as well as a community that can help answer your questions. You can join here: facebook.com/groups/madeiraislandgroup/
It truly was a varied hike and looking back, easy to break down into individual sections which had their own slightly different scenery. Thank you again for your lovely words about the videos on this channel
Hi Caroline, I enoyed seeing this hike. I have been to Pico d' Arieiro on a day when there were howling gales down in Funchal ut calm and still at the Pico.
I Tessa, I always thought the UK had unusual and crazy weather patterns, but Madeira over there was like 'hold by beer...' 🤣 Whilst we didn't witness quite the drastic change as you've described, we found on some days that it started off sunny, thick cloud and rain set in, we'd drive up in the mountains just a little, and back to pure blue skies. Just adds to the island's charm!
Some great views along that walk - I'll have to add Madeira to my (ever growing!) list of places to visit. The birds are Red legged Partridge (sometimes called French Partridge) - we also get them in the UK (you'll have to keep a look out on your UK wanderings).
Ooooh, I've seen partridges on a Farm in the UK once, and I did think they looked a bit different to the ones on this trail, but if these are Red legged, the others probably weren't and why they looked a bit different. It would be awesome to see some on our UK adventures. I'm so pleased these videos have inspired you to add Madeira to your bucket list. It's very worth it!!!
@@WhenAdventureKnox We also have English partridge in the UK (also called Grey partridge), which aren't quite as fancy, and don't have the striking red legs - they are probably what you saw on the farm.
Agree with other’s comments: very good video. Actually showing how tough it really is. I’m going to Madeira in early October for a week, and hope to do this hike.
Thank you for such kind words about the video. It's certainly one of the ones I'm most proud of making. I'm pleased it's helpful for people to see how I struggled with it. Hopefully the heat will be kinder to you in October when you tackle it. Do you plan on doing a there and back or to be picked up in Achada do Texeira?
@@WhenAdventureKnox Yes, very helpful. I wasn’t aware of the Achada do Texeira shortcut. I’ll probably use that shortcut; I’m planning on hiking around Madeira for a week after hiking in Slovenia, Austria and the Swiss Alps for a month before arriving. Not sure I will have much left in the tank. I’m thinking October will be cooler with less tourists. Take care.
@@If_not_now_When The Levada hikes on the Island are very chilled as they're practically flat, so if you need something a little less strenuous, I highly recommend the Levada Nova and Levada Moinho loop, 25 Fontes and Levada Caldeirao Verde as these are very well known ones. I also enjoyed Levada Dos Cedros next to the Fanal Forest and Levada Castelejo was totally different to the others. All pretty easy in comparison to this one and the types of walks I expect you'll undertake in the alps. It sounds like you have an amazing autumn ahead of you!
Epic hike, my favourite so far I think. Enjoyed the drone shots of the trail and mountains, and it's always a pleasure to look down on those clouds from the viewpoint. Good job you took those torches with you, they've certainly made getting through the tunnels a tad easier. That's a good question about the reason for the tunnels, I thought they must have made them specifically to get to the highest peak but that theory doesn't work as you said there's a shorter hike down using an alternative path. Loving the views from the top and cool to see the different weather patterns moving around - the south does look like the place to be from a holidaying perspective!
This hike was up there as one of my favourites, but it wasn't my absolute favourite - in part because on the return leg after filming, the sun got to me in a way it's never done before. Thankfully the tunnels were a welcome respite and we stood in these for a fair amount of time, under dripping water coming down from the roof. It was a little scary to think what might have happened had I been caught out on a trail without shade like this to help cool me down. I'm thinking something like Lake District fells on a heatwave day. Big learning curve to find a shaded spot for lunch and get the hat on earlier than on the return leg! I think had I not had this experience on the way back, this could possibly have hit the number 1 spot for best hike on the island!
@@WhenAdventureKnox Sounds like a tough journey back, the sun can really catch you out sometimes. Lucky that the tunnels were there - some shade and a little cooler too.
How are you doing mrs Caroline thank you for sharing your trips with us . As always iam gathering main information about places you visited briefly here it’s pico ruvio is highest peak on Madeira island it’s can be reached only by foot . Usually either from pico ariero ( 3 rd highes ) after strenuous hike or from achada do teixira via shalter easier trail .there is additional trail leading west to encumeada . The hut just below summit, there are water tap and toilet available. Pico do Arierio to pico ruivo hike difficultly. This trail is quite difficult due to almost 1000 m of incline throughout return trip , relatively safe because of well maintained track including hand trail and support. Hike time about 6 hours . Ninhoda manta is viewpoint 1,737 logo outdoor active Portugal. Trigg point means point at top of hill or mountain usually marked by small stone or concrete structure used by surveying. Flatter out means being or going at maximum effort or speed. Thank you for giving us chance to read learn new information, new vocabularies too. Bon voyage best wishes for you your family friends.
I love how your research says '6 hours' 🤣 We took considerably longer than this!!! I totally agree with it being a strenuous hike. We'd stopped filming on the way back, but the sun really got to me in a way it's never done before. Thankfully the tunnels were a welcome respite and we stood in these for a fair amount of time, under dripping water coming down from the roof. It's a little scary to think what might have happened had I been caught out on a trail without things like this to help cool me down. Big learning curve to find a shaded spot for lunch and get the hat on earlier than on the return leg!!! I'm so pleased you've been able to pick up new words from this video
did this walk last week omg those steps my calfs are still hurting, my only complaint is the amount of people on the walk going both ways sometimes the steps are impassable and dont get me started with the mountain runners but overall the walk is amazing ..
Hi Pete. It was marginally 25 Fontes, but only because we arrived at the trailhead very early, barely saw a sole on the hike down, and when we arrived at the waterfall, there was only 1 other couple. It got busy on our return. We also made this hike epic and in the afternoon visited Lagoa do Vento and walked back via the Levada Alecrim. If I only did 25 Fontes and did it later in the day with all the crowds, I don't think it'd rate it well. Otherwise Levadas Nova and Moinho were spectacular. We loved Sao Lourenco as in the summer it was so different to the rest of the island and could tie in a wild swim - and then this hike. Those 4 were my clear favourites. I hope this helps.
Hi Kim. It's footage from 2 different hikes. The one with the expansive valley where I'm tiny off in the distance, it's Levada Faja do Rodrigues up the hill from Sao Vicente. For the one where we're on stepping stones with the orange flowers, it's Levada do Rei. Both had far fewer visitors on them than the more well known trails, but each stunning in their own way! If you're interested in walks on Madeira, I have a video where I ranked the walks I did: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4jek356fLME.html I hope this is helpful.
Hi, thanks for the nice and informative video 🤩. We're going there at end of april. I can see you had nice weather, when was this? At end of February this year, as stated in description?
Hi Nina. I'm afraid February was when I'd had the time to edit the video together and get it shared on RU-vid. We actually did this hike very early August. With hindsight, it's perhaps not the best time of year to do it as it was incredibly hot and once the sun came up properly, very little shade. This led to me struggling with heat exhaustion on the way back (own silly fault as I didn't sit to each lunch in the shade and only put a sun hat on once we set off back to the trailhead) I imagine April may be a much nicer time to do this as you wont have the heat to also battle against!