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British Mensa Travel Special Interest Group |
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Madeira,
M'Dear? It’s not quite the furthest outpost of the European Union, Spain’s Canary Islands lie further south and Portugal’s other outpost - the Azores - lie even further from the European mainland, but it is still a long way from Britain. The shortest flight time is from Exeter (by Air Azores) but it is still nearly three hours and the half way point is Porto on mainland Portugal’s west coast. The second half of the flight gives views of the North Atlantic until the descent begins. The only other inhabited island in the Madeira archipelago, apart from the main island, is Porto Santo and flights begin their descent as they approach this outpost. Unlike Madeira it boasts a proper beach, long, very sandy and sheltered. The island can be reached by short flight or longer ferry crossing from the mainland. Madeira’s only mainland airport is at Santa Cruz on the eastern end of the island. It lies on top of cliffs and the landing end of the runway begins on a ledge some distance above the village of the same name. The opposite end of the runway is built on pillars jutting seaward so neither landing not taking off give much margin for error. It is quite an exciting experience as the airplane lines up with the runway by banking and then dropping height. Suddenly what was sea and then land some distance below gives way to tarmac. My wife and I went for a week’s holiday at the end of January, which is one of the coolest times of the year. But at 33 degrees north latitude and well out into the ocean, there is not a great temperature variation between January (average temperature 16 degrees C) and July (at 22 degrees C). Indeed we arrived at the end of a spell of sunshine and above average temperatures. Rainfall is concentrated in March, April and October but the island’s oceanic location ensure that rainfall is otherwise unpredictable. E.U. loans have made major improvements in the road system, particularly the motorway that links the airport with the settlements on the south coast, including the capital Funchal. The motorway runs on a ledge above the coastal settlements, sometimes on viaducts and sometimes through tunnels, cutting behind the capital to the resort of Ribeira Brava with its large modern shopping centre. The island’s other recent road building project is the road north from there to São Vicente on the north coast. This tunnels through the mountainous area which forms a spine across the centre of the island and saves the long 1,600 metre climb over the Boca de Encumeada. We were visiting Madeira partly to spend some time with our friend Stéphanie, a Welsh-trained engineer from Normandy, who had decided to quit her job in Carlisle for more southerly climes. She had also found us a cheap but comfortable bed and breakfast hotel north of the downtown area in Funchal so we did not need to sample the delights of a hotel on the main strip along the sea front to the west of the town. Apart from there, the other main hotels are situated close to the airport, which could be noisy during the earlier part of the morning. We had taken the decision to hire a car as part of a fly-drive deal with our travel agent and duly picked up a Seat hatchback with a small petrol engine. The vehicle was relatively new but by the end of the week numerous hill starts led me to wonder what the life expectancy of the clutch might be. I also decided to take out top-up insurance to bring down the excess should the car and another vehicle or a crash barrier become too familiar with each other. Away from the newer highways most of the road system is narrow and twisty. Roads in Funchal are also quite narrow with steep kerbs. Also, stretches of the road around the north of the island are not wide enough to permit a car and a lorry to pass each other. Other ways of visiting the island are by local bus (there is a good network, but some services are designed for villagers to visit the capital and not for tourists to visit the villages, so it’s best to ensure you know the time of the last bus back) or by joining the many coach excursions from the hotels on the front. There are also extensive footpaths inland particularly those which run alongside the levadas. There are walk books available for those wishing to explore on foot. Levadas are drainage channels cut into the hillsides to bring rainwater down from the mountainous areas to the lower slopes where there is much agriculture. Thus the routes tend to be relatively flat. However, a word of warning. At higher altitudes the edges of the stone channeling is apt to be slippery and some sections of the tracks are in disrepair. Also some of the levadas run close to the edges of the hillside and those suffering from vertigo may encounter problems. You should also work on the basis that you will have to return the way that you came so, if you encounter a difficult section of path, you should consider turning round. Some levadas go through sections of tunnel and it might be unwise to consider walking along the bed of the stream, particularly if the other end of the tunnel is some distance away. Waterproof boots with good tread on the base, waterproofs and a day-sac are recommended. Whilst we were on Madeira, low cloud effectively prevented any visits to the high country around Pico Ruivo (alt. 1862 metres above sea level). However I was told that the walk from the car park to the main peaks gives spectacular views in good weather. We did manage to explore most of the rest of the island. We spent two long days covering the west and east sides of the island respectively, assisted by the new tunnel through the mountains mentioned earlier. One trip took us out past the airport to the eastern tip of Ponta de São Lourenço. From the furthest car park it is possible to take a long walk out towards the headland. There is a further viewpoint at the end of the road which forks left before the car park and ends at Ponto do Resto. Returning back to the village of Machico and turning right leads onto the north coast road, approximately 100 kms of winding, hilly and narrow road to Santa on the north-west tip. The first half begins with a climb away from the sea to the viewpoint at Portela (alt. 662 metres) and then a drop down towards the sea, followed by climbs and descents towards the small town of Santana (alt. 436 metres) with its wooden cottages with their pointed thatched roofs and box hedges. Inland (if you can find the turn) a narrow but well-graded road leads to the Parque das Queimadas at the foot of Pico Ruivo. A number of walks can be undertaken from the car park, but the paths tend to be slippery when wet. The coast road continues westwards in spectacular fashion to São Vicente from where it is possible to return to Funchal via the tunnel and the motorway. Along the coast are a number of viewpoints and a very steep and narrow section of road that cuts inland to cross a small river before climbing up to the village of Boa Ventura. A second circuit from Funchal involves a return to São Vicente and then turning westwards along narrow sections of the coast road, including a number of tunnels, to Porto Moniz. This section of road was built as recently as 1950 and sections are cut into the cliff face with a drop on the sea-ward side. A number of small waterfalls plunge down the cliff face, some near enough to the road to spray passing vehicles. Anyone driving along this stretch of road should realise that tour buses also use the road - so remember where the last passing place was. Occasionally the road drops to sea level. On a misty January day with black clouds out to sea and a wind blowing on-shore, the area takes on an eerie character enhanced by the occasional wave breaking on the shore and throwing a thin mist of water onto the road. Porto Moniz contains one of the few sheltered harbours along this part of the coast. It also contains a range of tourist facilities so is ideal for lunch or an overnight stop. A walk north of the village centre leads to a mass of pointed reefs amongst which has been constructed a sea-water swimming pool. Beyond Porto Moniz the road climbs up the cliff by a succession of hairpin bends. There are two belvederes which give views back towards the village. Just beyond them look for a left turn (numbered R 204). This road crosses the high country of the Paúl da Serra and much of the route is above the 1,000 metre contour. Occasionally it is possible to see the south coast and the ocean beyond. A narrow road on the left leads down to a car park at Rabaçal, a picnic spot set in a wild and remote region from where a number of hiking trails leave, particularly ones to the Cascata do Risco (allow an hour) with its 100 metre drop of water into a plunge pool and another walk, called 25 springs, along a levada (allow two and a half hours). By continuing along the R 204 it is possible to reach the north-south mountain road at Boca da Encumeada and turn right to descend to Ribeira Brava. Alternately by taking a right turn earlier along the R. 204 it is possible to descend to the coast by way of the R 209 (spectacular coast views during the descent, but the driver really needs to keep a wary eye on the bends and the vehicle’s speed) and then turn left along the coast to Ribeira Brava. Funchal is worth wandering around, if only for its abundant display of plant life. Other such displays can be found at the Botanical Gardens and the Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro (which boasts over 3,000 species). Both are situated on the edge of Funchal to the north of the coastal motorway heading towards the airport. Heading north out of Funchal towards Santana on the R 103 leads to the ornamental gardens at Monte and, further up the mountain, the viewpoint at Terreiro da Luta, from where the harbour and town can be seen in dramatic detail. A slightly longer excursion can be taken along the R 107 from a motorway junction or the coast road a few miles west of Funchal. This leads up to another dramatic viewpoint at Eira do Serrado (alt. 1060 metres) from where a footpath (in good repair) goes around the peak giving outstanding views of the villages and mountains inland. By the time you read this, the new tunnel through the mountain should have been completed enabling a relatively easy drive to the village of Curral das Freiras. Last January the old tunnel led to an exciting trip as it had blind bends at each end, was unlit and un-lined and not quite wide enough to enable a car and the local bus to pass each other. The village has a collection of tea shops and eating places. It lies at the foot of a cirque of extinct volcanoes and became the home of nuns when French pirates pillaged Funchal in 1566. The river heads southwards through the village to the sea via a spectacular steep-sided valley, which is why the road climbs over the mountain to the next river valley. The return to Funchal can be made by way of the viewpoint at Pico dos Barcelos (alt. 355 metres) on the edge of Funchal itself. Overall Madeira is certainly worth a week’s holiday; possibly a ten-day or two week break would be better. This could enable a visit to the second island of Porto Santo to be undertaken. Whether Madeira is worth a second visit is debatable, particularly as the cost of the flight is a major component of the holiday (we paid about £150 each but we had discounted fares and went just before the tourist season picks up in February). Eating out is relatively cheap, particularly if one avoids the restaurants on the sea front although most of those are not over-priced. The main town is friendly, as one would expect from an island where tourism has now become the main industry. English is widely understood - again unsurprisingly as most of the visitors are from the U.K. Vegetation is luxuriant and semi-tropical. Bananas grow abundantly. Vines are also plentiful on the northern parts of the island (again not a surprise as Madeira wine is one of the island’s main exports). If you want to make the most of your visit a hire car is a must, at least for a week if your visit is longer. It is possible for a group to hire a taxi for a day and get the driver to show you some of the north of the island. Otherwise you are at the mercy of the bus system or the coach trips. It is a relaxing island in that the pace of life seems slower than, for instance, on the Costa del Sol and there is an absence of night clubs and lager louts (although the former do exist). Package tours are available from most main airports in the U.K. and indeed from some minor ones such as Bournemouth. I stayed at the Residencia Vila Teresinha in Rua Das Cruzes. Their website is www.pensaoresvilateresinha.com (it is in three languages includingEnglish). Bed and breakfast costs from 35 to 55 Euros for a twin room (i.e. per room, not per person) depending upon the type of room and the time of year (minimum stay seven nights). The flight from Exeter cost £154.60 each including taxes (but this also included a 10% discount). The car hire cost £95 for the vehicle, but an additional 98 Euros paid in Madeira to cover extra insurance and a full tank of petrol. First published in VISA issue 55 (March 2004) |