The levada nova round Cabo is a good occasion for beginners in levada-hiking. Hereby, the known Cabo Girao is not meant but a small place in the most outer west of the island Madeira. This area is not yet knwon to many tourists, which probably makes the Levada the most lonesome and quietest of the whole island. Harms for the area actually, because around Cabo Madeira reveales a mix from rough precipitousness and picturesque quiet and lonesome villages surrounded by extensive terrace-fields. The entire hike lasts between three and four hours, depending on your condition and duration of the pauses. The only real challenge is a steep rising, on which you must overcome 450 meters of height without any flat interruptions. As a beginner, you better do this slowly and carefully. The sight of the steep increase may be a bit shocking, first. However, when one has managed this and you have found the entry into the Levada Nova, this strain is forgotten quickly in view of the beautiful outlooks. It goes further only works with flat rises.
This is the start of the levada-hike: the small church "igreja de boa morte" at Cabo
The first steps are done :-)
Another steep-coast
small, scatterd villages between terrace-fields
On the way, you pass small picturesque villages, that cannot conceal their problem - more and more young people move to the capital Funchal or at least in itīs periphery. Agriculture is no longer the topic of the young ones on Madeira. They rather work in the tourism-industry, in offices or in the construction-trade. A not inferior part ot them leaves the island after studying in direction portuguese mainland or even to foreign countries.
The levada Nova begins here.
again and again on the way, one enjoys outlooks into beautiful valleys
A proof of early engineering know-how - at along many positions the Levada flows upward
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