Levada Nova da Calheta – Paul do Mar Loop

Length: 18 km Elevation: 670 m Difficulty: 3/5 Technicality: 2/5 Route type: Loop Surface: Levada / Trail / Village A video of the trail and the GPX route file are linked below. A beautiful trail on the southwest side of the island near Paul do Mar. The great thing about this trail is the mix of levadas, ocean views, a steep descent between cliffs with an impressive waterfall, a section through the charming surfers’ village of Paul do Mar, and a steep climb back to the levada. A bit of everything, really. Levada Nova da Calheta is very quiet, easily accessible, and well maintained. You can easily pick up the pace on this section if you want to. The descent to Paul do Mar follows PR19: Caminho Real Paul do Mar. This is the most dramatic section of the trail, between high cliffs and waterfalls. Be aware that you need to register and pay a fee to pass through this part. After running a short section along the boulevard, you follow the steep zigzag climb towards Fajã do Ovelha and then continue climbing a bit further through the village towards the levada. From there it’s just a few kilometers back to the starting point. If you prefer to start with the climb instead of the descent, you can also start in Paul do Mar.