WALKING IN MADEIRA
By Paddy Dillon (read excerpts from this book at Google Books)
Published by Cicerone Press (read more about this book at Cicerone)
ISBN 1-85284-334-9
Price £12.00

Madeira might seem like a speck in the Atlantic on the map, and although it is fairly small, it is also exceedingly mountainous and takes a long time to explore. Two long trips were needed to complete the route research and include the neighbouring island of Porto Santo, and this was followed soon afterwards by a guided walking trip to Madeira. The routes vary from level levada walks, sometimes cut across sheer cliffs, to mountain paths, again sometimes cut across sheer cliffs. There are dozens of tunnels, vast areas under 'cloud forest' and amazing coastal cliff walks. The island is criss-crossed by all manner of paths and tracks, hacked from bare rock and built with mighty buttresses to allow the first settlers to get from village to village. The amazing network of levadas, which distribute water around the island, have been dug, hacked from rock and sent through long tunnels all over the island. There are some very exposed walks on Madeira, calling for a clear head and sure footing, but there are also plenty of walks for more cautious explorers, and in good weather anyone could climb to the highest point, which is Pico Ruivo at 1862m (6109ft). Although the mountain is high enough to catch a little snow in the winter, most of Madeira basks in a balmy warmth thoughout the year. The nearby island of Porto Santo is much quieter, largely treeless, but boasts an excellent sandy beach. It's well worth visiting if only as a weekend break from the main island. The guidebook contains 50 varied walks, of which two make a complete circuit around Porto Santo. All the route research was completed using public transport, which proved to be remarkably cheap and effective. During the publication process, Cicerone decided to make this a full-colour production, setting a style for future full-colour guidebooks within the company. A review in Outdoor Pursuits magazine declared "What an eye-opener this book turned out to be! Paddy Dillon opens up the country with fifty mountain, coastal and levada walks that should appeal to all ages."

WALK CONTENTS

Walk 1 - Levada dos Tornos - part 1; Walk 2 - Levada dos Tornos - part 2; Walk 3 - Levada da Serra - part 1; Walk 4 - Levada da Serra - part 2; Walk 5 - Levada Nova - Santo da Serra; Walk 6 - Levada da Portela; Walk 7 - Levada do Furado; Walk 8 - Ribeiro Frio & Fajã da Nogueira; Walk 9 - North Coast Walk; Walk 10 - Levada do Caniçal; Walk 11 - Ponta de São Lourenço; Walk 12 - Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo; Walk 13 - Cedro & Pico do Areeiro; Walk 14 - Picos da Madeira; Walk 15 - Corticeiras to Boca da Encumeada; Walk 16 - Boca da Corrida to Curral das Freiras; Walk 17 - Boca da Encumeada to Curral das Freiras; Walk 18 - Corticeiras to Curral das Freiras; Walk 19 - Boca da Encumeada & Pico Grande; Walk 20 - Curral das Freiras to Boaventura; Walk 21 - Boca da Corrida to Fontes; Walk 22 - Fontes & Terreiros; Walk 23 - Levada do Norte - part 1; Walk 24 - Levada do Norte - part 2; Walk 25 - Levadas do Norte & da Serra; Walk 26 - Cascalho & Levada das Rabaças; Walk 27 - Paúl da Serra; Walk 28 - Paúl da Serra to Fanal; Walk 29 - Levada do Paúl; Walk 30 - Rabaçal & 25 Fontes; Walk 31 - Ponta do Pargo to Fonte do Bispo; Walk 32 - Levada da Janela; Walk 33 - Levada Calheta - Ponta do Pargo - part 1; Walk 34 - Levada Calheta - Ponta do Pargo - part 2; Walk 35 - Levada Calheta - Ponta do Pargo - part 3; Walk 36 - Levada Nova - Ponta do Sol; Walk 37 - Lombo do Mouro; Walk 38 - Levada do Curral; Walk 39 - Levada do Piornais; Walk 40 - Levada do Negra; Walk 41 - Levada do Barreiro; Walk 42 - Levada do Caldeirão Verde; Walk 43 - Pico Ruivo to Ilha; Walk 44 - Pico Ruivo to Santana; Walk 45 - Santana to São Jorge; Walk 46 - Poiso to Santana; Walk 47 - Pico do Suna & Porto da Cruz; Walk 48 - Penha de Águia; Walk 49 - Porto Santo - West & South; Walk 50 - Porto Santo - North & East

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NOTE - A NEW EDITION OF THIS GUIDEBOOK IS BEING PUBLISHED SOON