The PR11 Vereda dos Balcões Walk has start and end at the Regional Road ER103 in Ribeiro Frio a distance of 1.5 km (1.5 Km + return), with a duration of 1h30m (one way and return). This route runs along the Levada da Serra do Faial giving access to the Balcões Viewpoint where you can observe unique landscapes of the valley of the Ribeira da Metade, Faial parish and Central Mountains (Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo).
Along the route are found Madeira indigenous and endemic species of the Laurissilva Forest, highlighting the tree species of the Lauraceae family: The Loureiro (novocanariensis Laurus), the tilde (foetens Ocotea), the Vinhático (Persea indica), the rolling (Clethra arborea) and other species such as Vaccinium padifolium da Serra (Vaccinium padifolium), Heather broom (Erica platycodon ssp. maderincola) and Molar Heather (Erica arborea), Orchid (Dactylorhiza foliosa). You also can still find oaks (Quercus robur) and plantains (Platanus x acreifolia).
Quite often one can see some birds species like the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs maderensis), the Laundress (Grey Wagtail schmitzi), the Blackbird (Turdus merula cabreae), the little chat (Erithacus rubecula), buzzards (Buteo buteo harteti ) and less frequently the firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus maderensis) and trocaz Pigeon (Columba trocaz).
Upon arriving at the Balcões Viewpoint you will be faced with a splendid scene completely occupied by the verdant valleys that characterize the Laurissilva forest, an integral area of ??Natura 2000. From this viewpoint it is possible to see the Fajã da Nogueira hydroelectric power station, producing electricity with water retained and supplying the whole Santana Municipality.
On days with good visibility may be sighted the Central Massif of the island, the two highest peaks standing out, Pico do Areeiro (1817m) and Pico Ruivo (1861m) and the Penha D’Águia Rock (geological formation) .
Back at Ribeiro Frio the same route, you can visit the Ribeiro Frio Forest Park, which includes the Aquaculture Center with farmed Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum), whose main objective is the production of trout to replenish the lines water Madeira.
Distance: 1,5 Km (+ 1,5 Km return)
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 1.5 hours
Start/Finish: ER 103 (Ribeiro Frio) / ER 103 (Ribeiro Frio)
Highest point/Lowest point: 630 m / 630 m
Warning tips: Weather subject to frequent changes; the path my be slippery, use anti slip footwear