Lavada dos Tornos - Madeira

[charlie]

One of our Madeiran favourites, a long Lavada we usually start just Below Camacha and head east. Its a lovely mix of wild and cultivated

Growing free range Campsis will I fear remain a dream here in Cornwall, its hard enough to get them to flower on a wall!

123 by charliepridham, on Flickr

124 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Any idea what this is? (Chad to the rescue! Calceolaria mexicana)

125 by charliepridham, on Flickr

126 by charliepridham, on Flickr

As you snake through the valley heads you often see the path ahead running 180 degrees across from you!

127 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Thank goodness for Lavada paths, walking through this sort terrain without them would be hard work!

128 by charliepridham, on Flickr

129 by charliepridham, on Flickr

These appear to be cultivated, I assume for cut flower?

130 by charliepridham, on Flickr

132 by charliepridham, on Flickr

133 by charliepridham, on Flickr

134 by charliepridham, on Flickr

A reminder of how quickly a flash flood can change the landscape here.

136 by charliepridham, on Flickr

137 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Actually pleased to see this one was attached !

143 by charliepridham, on Flickr

145 by charliepridham, on Flickr

146 by charliepridham, on Flickr

New meaning for free range pork!

141 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Walk ends with an uphill climb of 800 feet to a bar :)

[Chad]

125 is Calceolaria mexicana or a near relative.

It is lovely annual, but not all seed sold is of the right species!

Chad.

[AndyC]

It seems odd seeing what we might consider as an exotic garden plant growing as a crop in a field. Have you eaten Colocasia esculenta while in Madeira?, we didn't come across it on any menus when we were there some years ago.

[charlie]

I have seen the roots on sale in the markets but its never been on the menu at any of the places we have eaten so I have no idea what its like to eat, I wonder if like potato there are subtle differences in taste between varieties? certainly not all the plants we see growing are the same, leaf size and shape does differ (although that may just be water supply)