Levada da Penha de Aguia

Madrei

Levada do Castelejo N 32°46.000 W 16°50.650 ca. 270 m a.s.l.

Course

The shared section follows the Caminho do Moinho to the ER-108, where it divides into an eastern and a western branch.

Eastern branch:

After about 200 metres the path to the Penha de Aguia branches off to the left (a circular walk is possible; see below), then on over terraces to a junction:

• The uppermost branch is the main branch. It runs level above the terraces, then through uncultivated woodland, and above Paredes it runs in the uppermost terraces and follows the edge of the wood down the valley

• The lower branch runs through the middle of the terraces, passes the woodland a little lower down, and ends at the end of the Caminho Municipal das Paredes

• A third, short side branch also drops away vertically here, down to the ER-108

Western branch:

Just after the junction the levada runs through the ground floor of a building (straight into the cellar...), and after ca. 250 metres comes a relatively steep section, then again a bit flatter, though still steeper than most levadas, then a steep piped stretch, a spot that has to be bypassed, directly above the tunnel entrance of the VE-1. The levada follows the southern slope of the Penha de Aguia, with another steep piped interval, and after that mostly without water as far as above Moinhos

End

Eastern branch:

• Main branch: above and east of Paredes, ca. 108 m a.s.l.

• Horizontal side branch: Paredes ca. 140 m a.s.l.

• Vertical side branch: ER-108 ca. 170 m a.s.l.

Western branch: Moinhos ca. 130 m a.s.l.

Function and use

Supplying the fields above Paredes, Cancela and Moinhos

Access

Shared branch:

• Levada do Castelejo

• Crossing with the ER-108

Eastern branch:

• Path from the Penha de Aguia

• Ascent from the ER-108 to the vertical side branch and the junction

• Ascent from the ER-108 to the lower side branch

• Turn off the ER-108 towards Paredes; from here straight onto the lower side branch, or by the path through the terraces to the end of the main branch, and on from here to a geocache

Western branch:

• Access from the ER-108

• Access from the VE-1 just after the tunnel

• Access from the ER-101

• Access by the stepped path from the ER-101 to the path from Penha de Aguia and to the end

Condition

Eastern part narrow and easy; western part one awkward spot that can be bypassed, and without water at the end

Remarks

The western part is interesting above all because it makes a circular walk around the Penha de Aguia possible (original GPS data)