THE GREAT ESCAPE
The sub tropical Atlantic Island of Madeira is a runners' paradise, perfect for adventurous soles
Constrained to local parks, trails and perhaps even the ‘dreadmill’, many of us are desperate to escape those confines and make a dash for somewhere more exotic. The Portuguese island of Madeira, roughly four hours by air from the UK and a year-round destination with often glorious autumn weather, is the perfect place to break those lockdown blues with a glorious running adventure.
Part of a small volcanic archipelago situated in the Atlantic, around 300 miles off the west coast of Africa, Madeira is not as popular a holiday destination for Brits as the Canary Islands, but it offers a wilder experience. Rising from the Atlantic breakers, its rugged, mountainous terrain, criss-crossed with trails and irrigation channels, could have been tailor-made for runners.
While the island is only 35 miles long, what it lacks in length it makes up for in height, with numerous peaks reaching well above 1,000m and often shrouded in cloud. The old saying, ‘If you don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes’ couldn’t be more apt for Madeira, so make sure you pack a waterproof jacket and adaptable mindset to go with your sunscreen. For those looking to push themselves, the island also possesses some of the most technical trail-running terrain you will find anywhere in the world, with razor sharp lava rocks, moss-covered cobbles and energy-sapping volcanic grit. Madeira can be as challenging as it is beautiful, so be prepared to hike hard and put your best trail shoes through their paces.
For runners with an adventurous streak, the past year of Covid restrictions has been something of a challenge.
COAST STORIES
SITUATED ON THE MOST northwesterly point of the island, and around one hour’s drive from the airport, the picturesque village of Porto Moniz is the ideal starting point for a Madeira running adventure and serves up several challenging trail routes.
Those who want to go big early in the trip should head west along the rocky coastline towards the Ponta do Pargo lighthouse, which has been warning ships off the rocks since 1922. The picturesque route provides epic views down to the rocky coves below and out across the Atlantic. The lighthouse signals the halfway point and 20km run back along windswept and exposed trails.
For a shorter run and the chance of a wild swim, or to explore the all-but-deserted traditional village of Fajã da Quebrada Nova, you can start out on the same route and then head down the steep, two-kilometre path that runs by the cable car at Achadas da Cruz. The descent is a truly breathtaking experience and if you don’t fancy the lung-busting climb back up, the cable car offers a get-out-of-jailfree card. Either way, you can end the day and soothe your tired legs with a long soak in Porto Moniz’s natural complex of lava pools, which are filled with crystal clear seawater from the rising tide. The full out-and-back, up-and-down to this unique spot is approximately 16km, with 500m of ascent. •
BLACK AND GREEN
NESTLED BETWEEN THE cliffs and enclosed by terraces of vines growing the grapes for Madeira wine, Seixal is as picture-perfect a place as anywhere on the island. On the short drive from Porto Moniz or a pleasant 10km run along the rock-strewn old coastal road, take a moment to admire the imposing needles of Ilheus da Ribeira da Janela on the way to this quiet black-sand beach, which is also a killer spot for a coffee or to refuel with a prego em bolo do caco – a popular lunchtime snack of steak in garlic bread.
Take the coastal route back the way you came for a roughly half-marathon-distance loop or, for the more adventurous, climb up through the vine terraces and join the PR13 Vereda do Fanal. This is one for the mountain goats, with more than 1,200m of climbing in just over 6km. On returning to Seixel, you will have racked up 30km and around 2,000m of ascent.
Drive 20km further east from Seixel to Porto da Cruz and you’ll find black sand is replaced by black pebbles, washed smoothed by the ferocious Atlantic waves. The coastal coves feel as remote as anywhere on the planet, but the rocky beaches make for an almost un-runnable surface, so head south into the interior of the island and enjoy a 17km loop through the lush green vegetation. Starting from the beach, follow the Caminho do Cabo de Larano towards Pico da Coroa – the highest point of the loop, at around 700m above sea level. Follow the rolling paths of the Estrada Florestal de Serra da Funduras for around six kilometres before turning north just before Miradouro da Portella and descending back to your start point.
RUNNING THE LEVADAS
NO TRIP TO MADEIRA for anyone with a sense of adventure is complete without a run along one of the hundreds of levadas that criss-cross the island. Dating back to the 16th century, these irrigation channels
were built to transport water from the wetter west and northwest of the island to support agriculture in the drier southeast. Along with irrigation, today they also provide hydroelectric power and, more importantly for runners, some 1,350 miles of trails cutting through the wild spaces of the island. The cobbled, often slippery paths meander through the jungle-like undergrowth that provides a striking green contrast to the black and barren rocky coastline.
One of the best levada runs begins in the Queimadas Forest Park, a short distance from Santana on the northern coast. Following the PR9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde, runners will be transported into a world of hobbit holes, gushing waterfalls and rhododendrons. The
PR9 also allows access to Pico das Pedras and the gateway to the highest point on the island, Pico Ruivo.
For a relatively mellow 10km run, start at the Forest Park and head southeast towards Pico das Pedras on cobbled trails alongside the levadas. After around three kilometres, you will begin to climb upwards through the treeline trails to the highest point of 1,400m, before descending back to the start point. Keep your eyes peeled for resident bird species such as the Madeira firecrest and Madeira chaffinch.
ABOVE THE CLOUDS
AT 1,862M, PICO RUIVO is the highest point on the island and can be a popular site for tourists, so avoid the middle of the day if you want to enjoy uninterrupted views. There are two routes to the summit – a simple 5.5km run/hike from the car park and a longer route following the PR1, which connects Pico do Arieiro (the island’s third-highest peak at 1,818m) with Pico Ruivo through a series of tunnels, ridges and steps.
The longer route begins at the Parque Ecologico do Funchal and follows the PR3 towards Pico do Arieiro and connects with the PR1 to the highest point. Retrace your steps for an epic run of almost 25km and more than 1,200m of ascent.
A word to the wise: this is a high-altitude route and the weather is extremely changeable, so be sure to have some warm layers (and a headtorch for the return if you set out late in the day), so you can enjoy the local Coral beer as the sun sinks beneath a cloud inversion.
James Poole is a globe-trotting ultrarunner, adventurer and member of The North Face Explorer Team. Over the past decade, he has run all over the world, competing in some of the most prestigious races, including UTMB, UTMB Gaoligong, Gobi 400 Ultra, Western States and many more. In recent years, his passion has turned to self-supported running adventures with multi-day runs, exploring the world’s best trails, from the Balearic Islands to Nepal.