Madeira day 2 - Hiking on the Atlantic Ocean

         Second day started in power. Woke up at 8, somehow left at 10. But we managed to do all the things scheduled for today, so no worries.

        First stop was Ponta do Garajau. It is a smaller replica of Statue of Cristo Rei from Lisbon (you can read more about it here). The road leading to it is only stairs, so, if taken easy, it shouldn’t be any issue to get here. The landscapes are also great and I’ve heard it is another wonderful sunset viewpoint from here.

        After this we headed to today’s hike: Ponta de Sao Lourenco. It is situated in Canical, in a natural reserve, and the hike takes you to the easternmost point of the Island. According to Madeira’s hike app (WalkMe) the hike is a moderate one, 7,2 km long (round trip) and it should take about 2-3 hours. According to Strava’s hike monitorization, we covered 8,2 km with a moving time of 2,5 hours and 435m elevation. So basically, it’s somewhere there if you stick to the main road. But even if it were more kilometers, the sights are breathtaking.

        The path is only on rocks, uphill or downhill, so before starting the hike, make sure you have some good non-slip shoes with you. Also make sure you have a wind jacket to protect you from the high winds that intensifies as more as you step further into the ocean.

        Along the way, you’ll be walking on volcanic rock formation which leads you straight in the ocean. Seen from above, this formation looks like a thiny thread hanging from the island. On the left side and on the right side is ocean. And ahead, at the peak of the hike, is again ocean. The destination point is a rock platform from which you cannot advance more, but you can see the oldest lighthouse build on this island, dating from 1870.

        The scenery is purely out of this world. To see how the ocean’s waves are breaking against these huge imposing rocks is ripped from heaven. I don’t think there is a more beautiful scenery than mountain and ocean. I’m writing this after the whole experience in Madeira, but this one right here, Ponte da Sao Lourenco is my number one, my most impresive sightseing, the landscape that gave me goosebumps and caught me crying of excitement.

        Even thought the climbing wasn’t so easy, there were parts when I’d use my hands to step on the high rocks, I constantly felt like I was in a dream and I could’t feel any pain. I don’t even know how I got back in the parking lot. I would have never left this place.

        I had to accept the fact that the hike was over by afternoon and we continued our trip to Santana. It is a small traditional village with thiny triangular houses with reed roof. They are preserved in this area in memory of local heritage and some of them are now used as little shops for a wide variety of local products and traditional crafts.

        We took the “lupper” here and then headed back to the hotel to prepare for the next day.