10 June 2024 Via the Levada de Marques Teixeira to Cascalho and back via the Levada do Paul and Levada Seca

Course

We started at the water tank in Covas and climbed on the piped Levada de Marques Teixeira to the Cascalho. As the levada had not been cleared for quite some time, we were soaked to the waist....

At the Cascalho we took a short look into the impressive cauldron, then on the access track through the tunnel up to the Levada do Paul or Bica da Cana, and on that in the direction of flow as far as the descent to the Levada Seca.

We did the remaining section on the newly spruced-up CR28.

Distance: 14.3 Km, 563 Hm ascent, 563 Hm descent

Start: 10.40 Covas

End

16.15 Covas

Condition

The levada section on the Levada de Marques Teixeira is straightforward; it is simply not cleared often enough and is therefore a little unpleasant in the wet. On the ascent between the gravel track and the Cascalho there is a short scramble.

The Levada do Paul or Bica da Cana is straightforward

The descent on the traces of the Levada Seca was in places completely overgrown and correspondingly hard going

Remarks

The ascent to the Cascalho is time and again an experience, and so is the Cascalho itself.