Levada do Paul 1

Madrei

Ribeira do Lajeado or Levada Grande N 32°45.450 W 17°06.7500 ca. 1340 m a.s.l.

Course

South side of the valley of the Ribeira Grande, crossing with the path up from and down to the Lagoa do Vento and the Levada Velha do Lajeado, then levada steps. Below the steps the old course can still be made out on the right, though it is completely overgrown on this stretch. A wide bend with fine views over the valley of the Ribeira Grande, crossing of the Ribeira do Alecrim, a levada cleaning plant, passage under the ER-110, confluence with the Levada do Paul 2, reservoir (Camara da Carga). From here the water is pumped up by 2 pumps to the Pico da Urze reservoir of the Calheta III power station (from 2020).

Until 2020 the water was led straight from the Camara da Carga through 2 pressure pipes into the Calheta I power station. Those pressure pipes have now gone, replaced by the new pressure pipes to the Calheta III power station.

End

Camara da Carga ca. 1280 m a.s.l.

Function and use

Feeder to the modified Camara da Carga of the Calheta III power station

Access

• Access path on the right side of the Ribeira Grande, which can be reached by 4 paths

  • From the middle section of the Levada Velha do Lajeado

  • From the Madre of the Levada Velha do Lajeado (along the stream bed)

  • From the path to the Pico Rabacal

  • From the side road of the ER-110

• Path from the Pico Rabacal to the Levada Velha do Lajeado

• Path from the Levada Velha do Lajeado, reached via

  • Levada Velha do Lajeado

  • Path from the side road beside the ER-110

  • Path from the side road of the ER-110, right by the Hotel Pico da Urze

  • Path from the ER-110 west of the Hotel Pico da Urze (entry here and here)

  • Path from the ER-110 further west

• Path from the Lagoa do Vento and from the Rabacal access road

• ER-110 (Rabacal car park)

Condition

Easy

Historical notes

Where the Levada do Alecrim runs today, the Levada dos Moinhos used to flow towards the Rabacal car park, but stayed on the north side there and only crossed to the south side in the area of the Furado Velho. They added to the flow of the historic Levada do Risco.

The Madre of the Levada dos Moinhos lay a little lower in the Ribeira Grande. From the levada steps the Levada do Alecrim runs roughly in the bed of the old levada, and shortly before the Ribeira do Alecrim the course was a little lower. See also Historical development of the levadas around Rabacal and on the south side between Ribeira Brava and Ponta do Pargo

Remarks

"Rosemary" levada