Levada dos Cardais

Madrei

• Madre 1: Ribeira Grande N 32° 46.800 W 17°01.550 ca. 260 m a.s.l.

• Madre 2: Ribeiro do Salto

• Madre 3: Ribeira do Rato

Course

From the Madre below Achada do Til to the junction with the approach road to Achada do Judeus, then on above the road and across the Ribeira do Salto. Below Barros and Lameiros to the junction with the access road from the expressway roundabout to Lameiros. Crossing of the Ribeira do Rato (Madre 2), over fields and 2 stream crossings to the junction with the road from the expressway roundabout to Rota do Cal (a museum of lime production on Madeira). Here there is also access to the Caminho Da Capelina (the path to the church of Senhora de Fatima, which can be seen from all over the Sao Vicente valley). The church hill can be bypassed to the south-east on a gravel track, with access to the levada.

The levada runs west of the hill with the church, then north to the end of this gravel track. The next large stream crossing follows, then on over fields and 2 smaller stream crossings to the fields above Cardais de Cima and Cardais de Baixo. The levada ends exposed and impassable on a rock wall, though it used to go a little further.

The remaining water is led down to Cardais de Baixo as a vertical levada, or as a stream

End

Cardais de Baixo ca. 140 m a.s.l.

Function and use

Irrigation of the area above Cardais de Baixo and Cardais de Cima

Access

• First turning south off the VE-4 after the small tunnel; on this road either towards the Ribeira Grande (to the old Madre) or uphill towards Achada do Judeus as far as the junction with the levada

• From the lay-by (old road) on the VE-4, either on the old path to Achada do Judeus or on the Caminho do Foro to Barros

• Via the Caminho da Faja das Corvas from the VE-4

• Footpath from the road in Lameiros to the Madre

• Where the levada crosses the road in Lameiros

• Access by 2 field paths from the road to Lameiros (shortcut on foot)

• Junction with the road to Senhora de Fatima and Rota da Cal

• Access by the gravel track south-east of the road to Rota da Cal

• Via the Caminho Cardais de Cima

• Via the path of the same name from here

• From the road to Cardais de Cima by various field paths

• From the Estrada do Dr. Joao Abel by a stepped path and field paths

• Descent from the end by a steep path

Condition

Easy, a few exposed places; from the Capela onwards it has been restored with a good deal of work

Remarks

A relatively little-known levada with fine views!