Levada da Rocha Vermelha

Madrei

There are several Madres, active according to the water situation:

• Madre 1: old Madre (ruined): Ribeira da Agua do Vimeiro (south-west of Fajã dos Remos) N 32°47.350 W 17°08.330 ca. 1070 m a.s.l.

• Madre 2: stream crossing about 350 metres as the crow flies to the south: at the memorial cross inscribed 'ANDREA'. N 32°47.160 W 17°08.300 ca. 1020 m a.s.l.

• Madre 3: in 2012 the active Madre lay about 200 further to the south-west, at a small stream crossing; Madre 2 was inactive. In 2013 Madre 2 was active.

• Update 2021: on our walk, work was under way to restore the stretch from the access path to Madre 1. It looked as if they meant to bring Madre 1 back into use!

So it does seem that the intakes are actively adjusted to the water level in the streams, even though one has the impression that not even a levadeiro ever strays into this godforsaken area!

Course

From the old Madre (with geocache Muito Longe), after about 250 metres the access path from PR-13 comes down onto the levada. Although inactive, the levada bed is in perfect condition in places and runs on substantial low walls. Madre 2 can be bypassed on the valley side; the access itself is very narrow and slippery. When you climb back onto the levada you are in front of the memorial cross for Andrea, who died here on 26 August 2007 (geocache Andrea).

Update 2021: the bypass is in very poor condition. The levada has been widened a little and can be walked by people who are used to it, but it is on the limit. My pulse was pretty high here!

From here a passage on a relatively wide path, a somewhat narrow and exposed stream crossing below the Fonte da Agua do Queijo, then on through scrub to the "Stairway to Heaven", that endless stone stair beside the levada (geocache Stairway to Heaven), then without trouble on a narrow path to a stream crossing at Adeneiro, which can be a bit awkward depending on floods and landslides (update 2021: the passage is well built). Then on, scenic and a little exposed, north of the Ribeira Da Janela to the levada's patron saint. Shortly after that, in a stream crossing, comes the inflow from the tunnel of the Levada do Seixal. Over a levada bridge and now on a wide path to the turn-off to the levada house, which stands below the levada. Here the path from below the Levada Vinte e Cinco Fontes also comes in from above.

On to the crossing of the Ribeira Grande. The path runs parallel over a steel bridge. After that another path branches off to the Levada Vinte e Cinco Fontes, but it was buried in 2011 and has never been properly restored. Going up or down is still possible for walkers with sure footing (see below).

After two shorter tunnels comes a very exposed passage with a beautiful view of the Ribeira Grande valley, before the 1,7 km Rocha Vermelha tunnel.

On the south side the access path branches off from the levada house at the southern exit of the Reiter tunnel of the Levada Vinte e Cinco Fontes. Here there is also a further inflow from the Ribeira da Calheta. The levada continues through bamboo woods, under the penstocks of the Camara da Carga on the Paul da Serra and of the forebay of the Levada Vinte e Cinco Fontes, as far as the forebay, from which the penstock to the Calheta I power station begins. From here the path continues to a gravel track that either leads back up to the long penstock of the Camara da Carga and onto the Paul da Serra, or downhill crosses the Levada Nova and leads to Calheta.

Also at the forebay a path comes in from the north, from the Levada Vinte e Cinco Fontes.

End

Forebay with the pressure pipe to the Calheta I power station ca. 830 m a.s.l.; power station at 654 m a.s.l.

Function and use

Inflow to the Calheta I power station; irrigation and water supply for the south coast by the Levada Nova West and the Levada Nova East

Access

• Path from PR13. You meet the levada in the area of the old Madre. This section of PR-13 is reached from 4 places on the ER-209:

  • here

  • here

  • here

  • here

• Through the Seixal tunnel by the Levada do Seixal

• Descent from the Levada Vinte e Cinco Fontes at this sign

• Descent from the Levada Vinte e Cinco Fontes by the partly buried path

• Descent from the southern exit of the Reiter tunnel to the southern exit of the Rocha Vermelha tunnel

• Pathless, along the penstocks from the Camara da Carga and the Levada Vinte e Cinco Fontes

• Descent from the southern part of the Levada Vinte e Cinco Fontes to the forebay

• Gravel track from the Paul da Serra or from Calheta to the Levada Nova, and ascent to the forebay

Condition

• From the Madre to the inflow of the Levada do Seixal, as far as Madre 2, exposed spots with inadequate protection

• The ascent path after the crossing with the Ribeira da Janela (see the Rother guidebook) is mostly buried and hard to get through

• From the Ribeira da Janela to the long tunnel, exposed, with no protection

• From the tunnel to the forebay, easy

Remarks

The stretch upstream from the inflow of the Levada do Seixal is very lonely and rarely walked!

See also Historic development of the levadas around Rabaçal and on the south side between Ribeira Brava and Ponta do Pargo