Passeio Duro
Another
interstation between Funchal/Corujeira and Pico Arieiro. After
you started in Corujeira and logged the caches“Aguas dos
Tornos” and “Hells Throat”, your climb becomes a
little bit harder. A few meters before the cache “Aguas dos
Tornos” you can see a steep and narrow track leading up
(yellow and red mark). You should reach at N 32º 41.675 W 016º
54.704 a farm track. Turn right and at N 32º 41.703 W 016º
54.662 your climb continues.
Follow
the marker “Poço da Neve” or “Levada do Barreiro” (Spoiler1)
always along the water channel. More or less an hour after you
started at the levada do Barreiro, you have to look for a
marker (Spoiler2). Take this small track up and after a few
meters you meet another farm-track N 32º 42.477 W 016º 55.052
.You are short before the cache (Spoiler3-5) After you logged
the cache, go down again to the levada and continue your way
up to “Poço da Neve” and, of course, “Pico Arieiro”.
Congratulations if you manage this in one round. 1200 m
altitude difference. Your reward is 5 caches.
For a
shorter version of this hike you can start at “Casa do
Barreiro” in the natural reserve “Parque ecológico do
Funchal”. It is unnecessary to tell about the great views and
nature on this hike. Make your own mind.
Don’t go
this way when it rains or on days with dense fog. It becomes
slippery and dangerous. You have to be free of vertigo. Anorak
and mountain boots are a must. The weather can change very
quickly. Take to eat and to drink with you.