Levada da Serra do Faial

Preliminary note

Where the names 'Levada da Serra do Faial, Levada da Faja da Nogueira and Levada do Pico Ruivo' are concerned, there is a real chaos of uncertainties and contradictory terms. I have tried to bring some structure to it, and I have set out what I could take from the Elucidario Madeirense of 1921 (first edition) and of 1940 (second edition) on a page of its own: Historical development of the Levada da Serra do Faial and the surrounding levadas

What is certain is the name Levada do Pico Ruivo for the course in the Pico Ruivo tunnel (2437 m), built in 1971 as a further feeder to the Faja da Nogueira power station.

According to the EEM website, the section from the Ribeira Seca to the junction with the Levada Nova do Juncal in the Pico da Nogueira tunnel is correctly called 'Levada da Serra do Faial'.

According to the current IGeoE map and the Kompass map, the section from the tunnel end in the Ribeira Seca to the Ribeira da Faja da Nogueira is called 'Levada da Faja do Nogueira', and on the Kompass map even 'Levada da Fajal da Nogueira'. The tunnel section has no special name.

On the Tour & Trail map this section is called 'Levada do Pico Ruivo'

On the old IGeoE map (ca. 1968) the Pico Ruivo tunnel, the Faja da Nogueira power station and the Levada Nova do Juncal (built 1970/71) are not yet shown, and the Levadinha Joao de Deus is drawn running down-valley from the Ribeira Seca, which is not actually correct, because this levada was taken out of service in 1904! The whole section from the Madre on the Ribeira Seca to the Ribeira do Juncal is correctly called 'Levada da Serra do Faial' here.

The names 'Levada da Faja da Nogueira or do Pico Ruivo' do not denote a levada in its own right, but at most a section of the ('historic Levada da Serra do Faial'). This 'historic Levada da Serra do Faial' ran from 1905 to 1971 from the Ribeira Seca above the Faja da Nogueira to the Pico do Infante above Sao Goncalo, shortly before Funchal.

What makes the whole thing a little confusing is that the historic Levada da Serra do Faial reused the beds of 3 older levadas that were already there. They are the

Levada das Accionistas

Levada do Juncal

Levada do Furado

In 1971 the 'historic Levada da Serra do Faial' was cut off before the Pico da Nogueira and connected to the Faja da Nogueira power station. The section from Lamaceiros, or rather from Lombo da Raiz, to the end kept the name Levada da Serra do Faial. The sections in between, though, are called only by their old names after the water was put to a new use in 1971: Levada das Accionistas, Levada do Juncal and Levada do Furado.

The correct names are therefore: Levada do Pico Ruivo for the course in the Pico Ruivo tunnel, from the junction of the Levada do Caldeirao do Inferno and the Levada do Caldeirao Verde superior to the Ribeira Seca,

Levada da Serra do Faial from the Ribeira Seca to the Pico da Nogueira, and Levada da Serra do Faial from Lamaceiros, or rather from Lombo da Raiz, to the Pico do Infante!

This page deals with the Levada da Serra do Faial from the Ribeira Seca to the Pico da Nogueira

Madrei

Ribeira Seca N 32°45.500 W 16°55.200 ca. 1020 m a.s.l.

Course

The levada can be divided into 3 sections:

Section 1:

The water is led through the bed of the Ribeira Seca by channel works in the stream and disappears into an S-shaped gallery tunnel built in 1970. Through one of the gallery windows it is also fed by the small Levadinha Joao de Deus, via a pipe spanning the river.

If one follows this feeder as far as the pipe, one is standing on the original course of the levada up to 1970. After the pipe it followed the lombo above the Ribeira Seca. Clear traces can be seen, also from the opposite side (Levadinha Joao de Deus).

In the tunnel one sometimes trips over the old wagon rails, which were left in place after construction (they can still be found in the Pico Ruivo tunnel too). On along a broad levada path (almost a gravel track) through a small tunnel and a larger one to a stream incision. From here through 7 very short tunnels to the two levada houses at the Cabeco do Gavino. Sections 2 and 3 correspond to the start of the Levada da Serra do Faial!

Section 2:

First the gravel track from the Faja da Nogueira power station meets the levada. From there, dizzyingly high above the valley of the Ribeira da Faja da Nogueira, through 9 shorter tunnels, some of them very narrow, which can in places be bypassed on the valley side. Some of the tunnels are so narrow that one has to walk sideways between the tunnel wall and the high levada wall. The levada swings into the valley of the Ribeira da Faja da Nogueira. Several inflows rich in water, as far as the bridge over the Ribeira da Faja da Nogueira. There, on the left side of the valley, water from the stream is led into the levada by a feeder levada. The stream is crossed on a massive levada bridge of stone.

Section 3:

On the right side of the valley, more water from the stream is led into the levada. On along the west slope of the Ribeira da Nogueira valley, soon quite exposed in various valley incisions and through 3 short tunnels, with an inflow from a side water tunnel on the way, on to a water basin, and from here easy as far as the Pico da Nogueira tunnel, to the junction with the Levada do Juncal, a storage basin and a penstock to the Faja da Nogueira power station

End

Junction with the Levada Nova do Juncal ca. 968 m a.s.l.

Function and use

Feeder to the Faja da Nogueira power station

Access

Section 1:

• Via the Levada do Pico Ruivo

• Via the gravel track from the Faja da Nogueira power station

• Via the old access path to the levada house (map)

• Via sector 2

Section 2:

• Via section 1

• Via the gravel track from the Faja da Nogueira power station

• Via section 3

Section 3

• Section 2

• Northern entrance of the Pico Nogueira tunnel (junction of the Levada da Serra do Faial and the Levada Nova do Juncal). To here via

  • The Levada Nova do Juncal

  • The trodden path from the storage basin of the Faja da Nogueira power station

  • The gravel track from the Faja da Nogueira power station, or as a shortcut the path from the Faja da Nogueira power station to the Faja da Nogueira

  • The trodden path from the gravel track of the Faja da Nogueira power station to the start of the last tunnel

Condition

Section 1: The path is easy; for the tunnels, see above

Sections 2 and 3: Badly exposed in places, the protection partly broken, narrow tunnels (nothing for anyone who minds confined spaces). Sure footing and a head for heights are essential

Remarks

The drive to the Faja da Nogueira power station is not straightforward in a small car, but it can be done (at walking pace!).

The walking time from the ER-103 is about 1 hour.

A circular walk freely after the Rother walking guide: ascent from the Faja da Nogueira power station, possibly a detour to the Ribeira Seca (sector 1), and there if you like onto the Levadinha Joao de Deus (not in the Rother, my suggestion), back via sector 1, on along sector 2, the Levada da Serra do Faial (section 2) as far as the Pico da Nogueira tunnel, possibly a detour through the tunnel to the end of the Levada Nova do Juncal (not in the Rother, my suggestion) and back, by the trodden path to the storage basin and the pressure pipe of the Faja da Nogueira power station with a viewpoint (highly recommended), descent by the gravel track, possibly with the shortcut via the Faja da Nogueira past the Flintstone houses (geocache)

In 2013 several landslides destroyed parts of the levada. Extensive repairs were made, and new tunnels were built as well!

A landslide tore the collecting basin just before the Pico Nogueira tunnel down into the depths. A new basin was built; the old one lies in pieces 100 m lower!