14 June 2024 Dream loop in Rabaçal away from the tourist crowds

Course

At last I wanted to walk some of the many paths that stay hidden from the streams of tourists.

Together with my faithful walking companion Issi I started from the walking car park on the Fanal road, on the Paul da Serra; the first goal was Pico Fernandes. On the Vereda do Pau Seco we came to the junction with the old Levada da Senhora. This levada is now walked fairly often, but the passage through the fern field is regularly overgrown; the path itself is always clear. The descent to the Ribeira Grande is now easier than on my first attempt in 2022. Even the drop into the stream bed has now been eased. So we could take our time at the beautiful spot in the bed of the Ribeira Grande.

The climb to the tunnel has since been made much easier, with a rope, a handhold and further footholds in the wall; about 20 m further downstream there is also a way up.

We went on along the old levada as far as the junction with the PR that leads down from the Levada do Alecrim ou Paul I to the Lagoa do Vento.

We carried straight on, though, along the increasingly overgrown Levada da Senhora, until we reached the small tunnel, which looked uncomfortably low. We also did not know what state the path was in on the other side.

So we turned back and took the first path up to the Levada do Alecrim ou Paul I. On that we went back to the descent already mentioned, and on it to the Lagoa do Vento. After the usual photos of the waterfall and the view to the lookout below the Risco waterfall, we left the marked paths and crossed the cliff beside the waterfall towards the Vereda do Pau Seco. Here you definitely need a head for heights and sure footing; you cannot see down into the drop, but you feel the void beside the path.

Finally we crossed the Vereda do Pau Seco and continued on another unmarked path. After a somewhat slippery descent we reached the beautiful Poço Redondo, a pool in a basin below a waterfall.

A beautiful place, which we enjoyed at length.

After that the paths meet in several directions: one leads up to Pico dos Balcoes, another to the spot above the 25 Fontes waterfall. We took the middle path, which brought us to the third highlight of the day: Beijo das Aguas, or waterkiss, a waterfall at the end of a small gorge where in winter two waterfalls 'kiss'. We, though, could see only one waterfall, which is normal in summer.

Even so, a beautiful place.

Then the steep, breathtaking climb out of the gorge began, first up a ladder, then on a somewhat slippery path, past a fine waterfall, which finally brought us to the bypass path of the PR13 that we had already walked a week earlier with my wife. On this to the PR13, and then on the path across the fern slopes to the Ribeira da Agua Negra and to Pico Fernandes.

From here back to the starting point by the same path.

Distance: 17.2 km, 580 m of ascent, 580 m of descent

Start: 09.21 Fanalstrasse

End

17.05 Fanalstrasse

Condition

For the whole walk, sure footing and a head for heights are absolutely necessary.

The circuit should only be walked in company.

After rain, the descent from the Fanal road to Beijo das Aguas is a bit critical.

Remarks

A fine combination of 3 extraordinarily beautiful, lonely places.