15 May 2022 Big loop in the eastern São Vicente valley

Course

From the centre of Rosario on the Caminho do Estreito da Vargem to the junction with the Levada da Achada do Beirao.

On the Levada da Achada do Beirao over narrow little walls and through green fields to the fork in the levada. After a short detour onto the eastern side branch, on along the main branch, past the large collecting basin and across terraces to the abrupt descent by steep steps down to the Encumeada pass road.

On the road towards Ribeira Grande and, after the bridge, a steep ascent to Achada do Til.

A little further up, a crossing of the valley on a disused levada to its Madre, and an ascent on a somewhat overgrown path to Achadinha.

A short ascent to the Caminho do Pé da Rocha and along it, beside the imposing mountain chain, to Achada do Furtado. On the way I looked at the starts of the 3 ascents I had planned (Faja dos Vinhaticos, Vereda dos Paredes, Maruja). Unfortunately the weather then meant it did not happen this year.

Descent on the road, with a detour to Rota da Cal. I looked at the start of the Passada do Boi, then on to the Capelinha de Nossa Senhora de Fatima. Descent straight to the Levada dos Cardais. On the levada, newly rebuilt here, to the end with the steep steps and the start of the gorge passage behind the Miradouro dos Cardais.

Back to the access road to the Capelinha. From here nothing more has been rebuilt; the levada is narrow in places and the path sometimes overgrown. Crossing of 2 roads to the Ribeiro do Salto.

Here I had actually assumed the levada went no further; on the maps the Madre is marked here. But after climbing out of the stream bed I found the levada, and it really does, as I had always suspected, continue along the slope to the Estrada do Pé Lombo. Here the levada runs in the road ditch and comes out of an industrial zone. I followed the levada, and with the help of an employee who showed me the way I did in fact reach the Madre of the Levada dos Cardais. He also said one could cross the stream here. I did not want to ask that of my wife, so we took the path above the industrial zone (Caminho Poço da Eira), which brought us to a bridge over the Ribeira Grande.

From here on the road, and back along the pass road to Rosario.

Distance: 26 Km, 710 m of ascent, 710 m of descent

Start: 09.40 Rosario

End

17.35 Rosario

Condition

The Levada da Achada do Beirao is no problem for people used to levadas; there are a few narrow little walls.

The valley crossing on the old levada is good to walk, a little overgrown, and there are a few goats that are very curious.

The Caminho do Pé da Rocha is not especially beautiful in itself, but the views down into the valley and up to the mountain flanks are very striking.

The Levada dos Cardais has been restored almost to excess from the chapel onwards. From the chapel towards the Madre it is narrow and overgrown in places, and on the little walls you sometimes need to concentrate.

Remarks

A relatively long walk, but one that scores by its varied views.