As my primary language is not English, there are probably some mistakes in my translation.
Remember that the person who speaks here is NOT me, Vincent Celier (@vcelier), but Marc Allaria (@marc-allaria), a French guy.
MADEIRA • Hiking
The highest peaks of the islandAfter spending almost two months in a setting, certainly surprising, but completely dry and stony, what a pleasure to find a little green and to be covered by a forest! The heights of Madeira are the nice surprise of the stage. A green, humid island to the north, sometimes tropical at the bottom of the valleys, sometimes alpine on the summits, a paradise for hikers. Pico Ruivo is the highest point on the island. At almost 1862m above our boats in less than two hours on the road, the change of scenery is radical. Here the peaks are worthy of the Southern Alps and many hiking departures or arrivals are announced.
Caldeira VerdeFurther north the Levadas offer a trip back in time and in Madeiran humidity which is worth a detour. The Levadas are water pipes made from the 16th century and for 300 years by the Portuguese colonists. Concretely speaking, it was therefore not by the Portuguese but the slaves of the Portuguese who carried out this extraordinary work of ingenuity and rigor. Kilometers of plaster pipes, the slope of which had to be carefully calculated in order to bring water from heights to crops and places of life. These Levadas have become so integrated into Nature that trout have captured these tiny channels and the current thus created.
Abra BayThe east of the island seems to pay homage to Porto Santo, a dry and stony island. Abra Bay thus offers an almost Marsian decor strewn with steep cliffs and offers a splendid and calm mooring to passing sailboats. The walk to the top gives a nice view very airy and very windy!
