Levada Walk

Today we walked 5 Km for two hours traversing the hillside on narrow footpaths next to a Levada. Levadas were first built in the 15 century. Madeira has 200 levadas and 1900 miles of these irrigation channels that supply water to the terrassed fields everywhere on the side of the mountains. Farming is hard work on this mountainous island. Our guide, Selina pointed out the flora and fauna on this jungle like walk. There are few bugs and the most dangerous animal is a goat. The sea is visible everywhere. At the end we stopped in a small mountain village and had a slice of thier homemade ginger spice cake and a taste of thier local aperitif called Poncha. You can see the levada behind Allan in the first picture. Most of us used the walking sticks that were available so as not to fall off the edge of the path.

This is a Belladonna flower that just grows next to the path on the moutain side. Belladonna was used as a poison in medieval times. Macbeth used Belladonn to poison the drinking supplies of invading troops. Roman Emperors were poisoned by their wives who used Belladonna. Belladonna, used in small amounts is contained in some medicines today.

And a cruiseship probably on its way to Italy in the Mediterranean.