Madeira 2026

[charlie]

The slippery boulders to get to it were worse! Liz didn't join me for that bit it's the end point so we just turn around and head back

[charlie]

Much more civilised today, paradise valley or levada da serra no drops double width smooth path easy walking

20261006_113400 by charliepridham, on Flickr

20261006_115329 by charliepridham, on Flickr

20261006_115656 by charliepridham, on Flickr

20261006_130330 by charliepridham, on Flickr

20261006_132054 by charliepridham, on Flickr

[Paul S]

That's more like it. :lol: Can you get to this one by bus?

[charlie]

That's more like it. :lol: Can you get to this one by bus?

Yes

[Paul S]

Thank you. At some point I will pick your brains on this, Charlie. I'm booked up for a week next October - it'll be my first time back to Funchal for 10 years! - and won't be hiring a car so looking for non-scary things to do that are accessable by bus :lol:

[charlie]

A bit further along the levada da serra

20261009_125520 by charliepridham, on Flickr

20261009_125532 by charliepridham, on Flickr

I think this was a beech tree but it seemed whiter than the ones at home

20261009_133412 by charliepridham, on Flickr

[Chad]

There aren't any native beech [Fagus] on Madeira.

The so called Madeiran Beech is one of the Laurisilva, usually identified as Myrica faya.

Chad

[charlie]

Interesting there was a large amount of what I took to be beech mast under it so I just assumed beech

[charlie]

Today's walk was along the de norte levada which is quite a big one and deals with the water from the hydroelectric plant above, although mostly easy walking our friend doesn't like it in places! and these days it's not possible to do by bus

20261010_114222 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Hopefully you would have heard that coming!

20261010_120506 by charliepridham, on Flickr

20261010_121955 by charliepridham, on Flickr

This for the certifiably insane is the steps down at the end of this walk, we just turn and walk back to the car!

20261010_123905 by charliepridham, on Flickr

About one and a half hour each way, this as far as we go as there are no railings on the next bit

20261010_125250 by charliepridham, on Flickr

[Chad]

Interesting there was a large amount of what I took to be beech mast under it so I just assumed beech

It could be an introduced beech. I'd need leaf and fruit pictures to limit it down.

Chad