Levada dos Cedros

Madrei

Side stream of the Ribeira da Janela on the Lombo do Cedro N 32° 47.970 W 17°08.650 ca. 930 m a.s.l. Part of the water is still taken by the Levada Velha dos Cedros, which is preserved here, and led in over the stream, or over the waterfall.

Traces of a continuation of the levada beyond the Madre can still be found as well.

Course

The Levada Nova dos Cedros can be divided into 3 sections

Section 1: From the Madre you go a few metres in the direction of flow. There the descent path from Fanal meets the levada. On along a well-kept, wide path with small stream crossings to a small stairway towards the west, which leads to a fine viewpoint.

Just before that, the alternative ascent path towards Fanal leaves upwards. Along the way it also crosses the Levada Velha dos Cedros.

The levada now bends deep in for the crossing of the Ribeira Gordo. First over somewhat exposed passages and a small bridge, then quite exposed, but normally well protected, across the stream. The little levada wall has to be left for a short time!

Then on, uneventfully, through laurel forest, with occasional views of the Levada da Ribeira da Janela on the opposite side. It happens again and again that whole sections, levada and all, are torn down into the valley; these sections are usually repaired after a short time. Several crossings of side branches of the Ribeira Gordo follow, among them 2 very romantic ones, where the levada cuts into the mountain almost in the shape of an hourglass.

On along a wide path, though it is clear that the levada falls a little more steeply than most other levadas. The walk reminds me of an autumn stroll in central Europe: plenty of leaves and sunshine! A last stream crossing of the Ribeira das Folcas, a few steps, and you are on the ER-209 in Curral Falso. From Fanal to here the path matches the walk of the PR-14.

Section 2: The path is now officially called Vereda da Ribeira Janela (PR-15), and it follows the levada to near the coast at Ribeira da Janela. The path now runs, with an increasing gradient, through tree heather and crosses the ER-209 here, here and here. On to the fork of the two end branches, which can also be reached by a gravel track from the ER-209.

Section 3: The walking path first follows the western side branch, then turns east as far as a water basin, which can also be reached by a gravel track from the ER-209. The eastern side branch continues here in a stream bed and meets the ER-209, partly along the ER-209 as far as the start of the PR-15, on to the next hairpin, and from here onto the fields. Before that there are already turnings down onto the fields below.

The western side branch later meets the ER-209, later once more, and ends in the fields below

End

Eastern side branch: Eira da Achada ca. 390 m a.s.l.

Western side branch: Ribeira da Janela ca. 260 m a.s.l.

Function and use

Irrigation of the area around Casais de Cima, Ribeira da Janela, Igreja and Eira da Achada, replacing the decommissioned Levada Velha dos Cedros and the Levada do Lombo Gordo

Access

Section 1:

• Start of the PR-14 walking path

• Account of a descent from the start of the Levada dos Cedros to section 1 of the Levada da Ribeira da Janela by the Amigos da Natureza; see also Issi's blog

• ER-209 in Curral Falso

Section 2:

• ER-209

• ER-209

• ER-209

• ER-209

Section 3:

• ER-209

• Gravel track from the ER-209

• Official start of the PR-15

Condition

Easy to moderately difficult, one critical spot; take care when it is wet. In the summer of 2013 several places were destroyed by landslides, but they have been repaired on a makeshift basis

Year built

The Levada Nova dos Cedros was built after 1964 (the approximate printing date of the 1:25,000 military map of the IGeoE, on which the new Levada dos Cedros is not yet drawn).

Remarks

The levada, and in particular the key section after the miradouro, has lately been restored with a great deal of work and is really not dangerous today!