This Madeira Trail Tour track starts in Eira do Serrado, next to a local hotel. We start the descent by a stone trail in zig-zag always with a view to the village of Curral das Freiras. Reaching the center of the Curral das Freiras where you can taste some local delights, we follow through some paths to the place of Fajã dos Cardos where we enter at left in a trail surrounded by agricultural plantations where we start going up in the shadow of some large eucalyptus trees to the Boca das Torrinhas. Here we can stop a few minutes to admire the Valley of Curral das Freiras and the mountains that surround it. We follow the course predominantly in trail and ramp basaltic steps along the Central mountain massif until reaching the highest point on the island of Madeira, Pico Ruivo. We have to climb the 200m to the top so we can have a 360° view over almost the entire island.
Coming back down, passing through the Pico Ruivo shelter, where we follow by another alternative way. Here we go through trails dug into the rock usually with a creepy abyss of one side, but always protected by a balcony. We pass through several tunnels dug by hand across some of the highest mountains of Madeira, and upon arrival at the Pico Gato, we face one of the steepest staircases that can be found on the island, fully constructed with basaltic rock fragments. After the strenuous ascent, through the crest of a mountain with an abyss on both sides, and after overcoming this chilling segment, we reach the viewpoint of Ninho da Manta where we can see the entire hydrographic basin of Poiso. We finish this track climbing towards the Pico do Areeiro, the third highest peak of Madeira.
Trail Route: Eira do Serrado – Curral das Freiras – Fajã Escura – Boca das Torrinhas – Pico Ruivo –
Pico Areeiro