9 May 2019 Walk along the varied Levada Velha das Canhas

Course

We parked the car in Levada do Poiso, on the ER 209 above the Torre Relogio da Levada do Poiso, diagonally opposite an artist's open-air exhibition. It is a mix of Ronaldo shrine and Hindu animal figures, a bit quirky, but quite amusing.

By an outflow from the large storage basin of the Levada Nova dos Canhas we reached the Nova, and right at the western edge of the basin you meet the end of the Levada Velha dos Canhas, our fixed point for the day.

The first stretch cannot be walked continuously, because a few fences stand in the way. Later, after the road junction, it continues a bit rough and tight between houses and above fields, here as a double levada, the lower part of which is somewhat full of rubbish in places. Once you have left the houses you walk in a meadow along the double levada until it drops into the undergrowth. Here you can walk on the track that runs parallel and look at the levada from above. After the track has crossed the levada you see a very old levada divider, which regulates the feed to the two parallel levada branches.

Now it continues in the wood. You can walk on the relatively high and in places narrow levada embankment, or on the side path set higher up the slope; that one is clearly more comfortable. After the path leads back onto the levada over a small bridge, the side path becomes easier to walk again. It goes on through eucalyptus and broom, in bends, with a few short climbs in between. After a short, steep section you reach a concrete track, and the levada runs along it.

You reach a kind of double waterfall. The upper one spills from a section that cannot be walked, to a little house, and at the base of the house a second waterfall wells out.

The next stretch has to be bypassed on a track. In between you can climb briefly up to the levada and find another old levada divider and a branching levada. Just above this spot you reach the large water tank, watched over by 2 curious but somewhat unpredictable cows.

On through the wood and soon onto a large meadow. From here the concrete channel is concreted all the way to the Madre, which is not particularly bothersome. You drop slowly into the valley of the Ribeira do Covo Grande and the character changes at once. After the gentle meadows, a rugged, deep gorge takes over, and the vegetation changes abruptly as well. The path is well protected and you reach the foot of the levada staircase that bridges the valley floor. Quite loud and wild here, but eerily beautiful.

On the staircase you cross the valley floor, and at the top you are in meadow country again. These contrasts are stark. A gentle rise leads to a farm that smells oddly sour; presumably some organic material is stored here and slowly decomposing.

Then it is straight back into the wood, and into the somewhat less rugged valley of the Ribeira do Curral Velho. Right at the back there is another levada staircase. Here water is also ponded in the stream and led into the levada. A little less loud, a little less wild, but very fine as well.

The levada now runs down the valley around the next lombo and stretches into the deep valley of the Ribeira do Caldeirao, the main branch of what later becomes the Ribeira da Madalena. Well protected all the way back to the Madre. I had actually expected that from the Madre one could reach the path, and later the track, on the other side of the river. The only place where we could also make out traces was a slippery rock face directly above the stream bed, not really inviting.

So, after a long break, we set off back the same way. For the last part through the houses we bypassed it by descending to the Levada Nova dos Canhas.

To finish, a visit to the Torre Relogio da Levada do Poiso was of course not to be missed.

Distance: 10.5 km, 250 m of ascent, 250 m of descent

Start: 10.15 Canhas

End

14.10 Canhas

Condition

An easy walk. The exposed stream crossings are well protected throughout. Only the lowest part between the houses is less attractive, but it can be bypassed on the road or track, or via the Levada Nova das Canhas.

Remarks

A short, easy, exciting and varied levada walk, with surprises.

Thanks: thank you to Issi for researching it beforehand.