Tuesday 3rd May 2016
Today was my big day, in two ways. It was BIG day. I would set off east to climb Pico Barrosa first then in the afternoon pass through Ponta Delgada and climb to the rim of the caldeira at Lagoa do Canario. I set off at 08.00 after a light breakfast and head off down to the coast then hugged the coast road through Sao Roque and Lagoa. The road begins to rise slightly to the east of the town and enters countryside after the built up area all the way from Ponta Delgada. At the crossroads I continue straight on. This was a mistake as I was on the motorway! I rode as fast as possible to the next exit before meeting a police car. Fortunately I didn’t but this road is a steady uphill, down for the final 500 metres to the turn off with a few beeps from motorists along the way. I left the motorway just before Agua de Pau then wound down the hill on a leafy lane into the small town. I passed through and started an ascent to a roundabout at Lomba then very steeply down to the coast below Ribeira Cha. I made use of the services here along the coast road then turned back to go uphill as this is where the BIG route starts. Steeply back up to the roundabout then down to Agua again and up to the motorway junction but this time took the road for Lagoa for 100 metres then off to the right for the lane to Remedios. I passed under the motorway bridge but then took a right instead of the correct route to the left through a ford over the stream. It was an interesting incorrect diversion that took me down an extremely steep drop to a stream and a 40% incline back up the other side! There was no way I could ride this so struggled up walking the bike a 100 metres. Shortly afterwards I came to a road junction. The right turn would only lead me back to the coast but the left turn looked correct, heading directly for the wind turbines on Pico da Mariana, thinking I would soon be in Remedios. How wrong I was! The road petered out just past a house on the right and before me was a steep track. Later in the day I found out that I was on the narrow road to Murtas. I asked some locals and was directed back but I still couldn’t find the right turn before the motorway bridge so nothing else for it but to go back to the Lagoa road and ride back to the main road junction and took a right for Remedois. I had to be careful here as workmen were cutting roadside thorn hedges.
From here it’s a steady up for 3km then steeper for the final 4km with hairpins to the road summit of Pico da Barrosa BIG 524. The actual summit is at the radio transmitter/TV masts to the right of the main road. It’s a steeper section but less than a kilometre to the top – probably only 500 metres. I arrived at 12.00 noon after too much messing about on a wrong road that set me back more than an hour. I had a great view over the other side to Logoa do Fogo – the fire lake, so called because at the far end of the lake on the east side there was a blazing eruption in 1563 that could be seen from neighbouring islands. I wanted a few poses up here so asked people to take my photo in all directions – with my camera of course! I phoned Ruth to let her know where I was then slowly descended to the viewpoint for the lake at a lower level and on to Calderia Velha that we both visited yesterday. In this idyllic setting a hot 95 degree Fahrenheit waterfall plummets down over a rocky escarpment that’s covered with lush plants and fern trees – a real paradise. The iron content of the water has stained the rocks to a rusty red colour which contrasts sharply with the intense green of the surrounding vegetation. It’s so Jurassic looking that at any moment I could expect tynosauras rex to poke his head over the huge ferns. Just a short distance downstream there’s bubbling hot water and mud springs (fumaroles) along the stream and many people were enjoying a dip in the warm water pools.
Located in the centre of the island are the fascinating landscapes of Lagoa do Fogo (Fire Lake), doubtlessly one of the grandest nature attractions of this island, which already is not really poor of beautiful nature sights. This huge blue lake – it is about 2 km long and 1 km wide - fills the ground of an extinct crater, whose caldera was formed during an eruption in 1563. Surrounded by high mountains and luxuriant endemic vegetation, this mystical lake, where an ambiance of divine tranquillity and beauty is reigning, has transparent waters, a peninsula and white sand beaches and is declared nature reserve.
Coming from the north, halfway up the crater, you will reach the charming site of Caldeira Velha with exuberant endemic – and even tropical - vegetation, where a steaming fumarole and a pool below a natural cascade with warm (38°C), sulphurous water invite to a relaxing bath – whatever the season! In this area, it is clearly evident that there is still volcanic activity in the region.
Back to the Pico then over the other side returning to Remedios, through Lagoa and Sao Roque to the waterfront at Ponta Delgada where I was in time to see Ruth waiting to board the whale watching trip at 13.45. I shared my conquest and wished her good sightings of whales – and she did. I carried on along the front and past the fort, keeping to the coast road between the airport and the coast. There were no buildings along here as who would want to live or breathe next to a runway? I entered Relva and took the only right turn inland and headed for Pico do Carvao (Carbon Peak). The slope by the roadside above a small quarry has been partly exposed by a landslide and shows just how thin the fertile layer of soil is on the volcanic rock. First though in Relva I bought a litre of fresh juice, chocolate cake and an ice cold coke to drink now. Refreshed I continued on now at the start of the second BIG and it’s uphill all the way. There was a slight breeze blowing which was good. It also helped me on the uphill. I crossed the main road that follows the coast to the west and continued on up, a left turn at Covoada then a further 9km to reach the rim of the crater – calderia – at Lagoa do Canario BIG 523, (Canary Lake) just after an aquaduct to the right, once an import water supply. This is the Azores equivalent to the levadas of Madeira. The lake is lower down and off to the left among trees at the start of a gravel road that leads to a path for a 10 minute walk to a viewpoint over the three larger lakes below; Lagoa Azul, Verde and Santiago. The focal point of this landscape is a huge, almost circular volcanic crater 2.1/2 miles in diameter with Sete Cidades settling smack bang in the middle of it.
From the rim above small tree lined valleys wind their way down from the crater to the coast through pastureland. I took a couple of photos then continued on to Vista do Rei for a fantastic view of the blue and green lakes below (Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde) then a long sweep down to the bridge between the lakes. At this point it seems like a scene from Salzkammergut in Austria yet I’m on an island in the middle of the Atlantic. It was 17.00 now and I needed to return the bike to the hire shop in Rua do Mercado or I would be paying for another day. I cycled back to Lagoa do Canario and enjoyed really fast descent to Relva and this time kept to the main road north of the airport and arrived back at the hire shop with half an hour to spare. I was about to leave the shop but still had the hire helmet on. “And that please!” requested Francisco. “Oh sorry, didn’t know I still I had that on, it was so comfortable!” From there back to the hotel and Ruth was still not back from whale watching so relaxed in the bath, really needed.
Thursday 5th May 2016
Ruth would have a look around Horta while I changed to my cycling gear and walked down to Peter Sport shop by the harbour to collect a bike pre-arranged by email to collect at 12.30. This bike hire was nothing like the professional shop hire at Ponta Delgada. At first I was offered a bike with 48, 28 chain rings and 14-24 sprockets. This was no good for cycling the Caldeira do Faial this afternoon. I showed the man behind the counter my email requesting a good bike and mentioning where I wanted to go. I was told that all the good bikes in the shop were already reserved. Well so is mine! He agreed that it was already afternoon and they should have been collected by now so I could take one. The price was reflected in the service. It was less than half the price of the bike hires in Ponta Delgada – 15€. I had a helmet, lock and pump also. I had brought along my gel saddle cover and just as well as the white saddle was the hard variety. Leaving the shop at 13.00 for Caldeira do Faial BIG 525 I cycled south to the road inland at Igreja das Angustias black and white church and cycled through Flamengos to reach the main road up at Milhafres. The village straggles up the hillside around Monte Carneiro then a stiff climb with three bends to the main road. Shortly after I came to the black and white church tower at San Joao where a road goes off to the left for the forest reserve. I carry on up to the right and after five sharp bends through the woods reach the left turn for Caldeira do Faial, 6km further and ten sharp bends on a scenic open road to the end of the road where I was unfortunate to find a coach parked that had just disgorged a large group of middle aged, loud, American and excited camera clickers. I rode through the short tunnel at the top of the road just ahead of them to get a view of the crater before they did. Too late! They were already crowding the area. It was interesting though to listen to their Portuguese guide explaining the facts. I waited until they dispersed to take photos but meanwhile I asked the guide to take one of me with the crater in the background. She happily obliged. “After all,” I said, “ I’ve cycled up here and not coming this way again” . Above the tunnel there’s a path along the crater rim and of course this continues on to the highest point at Cabeco Gordo (Bold Peak) topped by the TV/radio transmitters. I couldn’t take the bike along there because it’s only a rough track suitable for walking, and quite steep. The height at the top of the road is 896 metres and the transmitters at 1043 metres. I had only cycled 17km up from Horta and it was now 15.00 so freewheeled back down the main road all the way, after first taking a left at Abegoria to see over the other side to the north of the island as the top of the road is only 500 metres from the road junction. Back down and this time I passed two windmills and a short rise to a viewpoint above Horta where there’s a huge cross by the side of the road on the right. It’s a good smooth road, so from Milfrahas I secured the camera strap to my wrist and took a video of the descent into Horta. Later I cycled back up to the windmills and back down to the bike shop just before closing at 17.00. Part way up the climb I had met a group of cyclists from England who were cycling the tracks around the crater on mountain bikes. For much of the way up on the main road there were rally cars driving up and down. I found out later in the day back in Horta that the road up was being used as a connection road the Alem Mar Rally circuit. Fortunately the circuit was on smaller crossing roads and for most of the higher part of my trip up to the caldeira I could hear the roar of the rally cars as they sped across the circuit. I could see also why the British cyclists were there. They were watching the show. I returned the bike totally satisfied with my achievements then walked back to the hotel and Ruth. She was sunbathing by the side of the hotel outdoor swimming pool. I changed after a bath then we walked the front to go and find somewhere to eat. We found a pizzeria on Rua Do Bom Jesus (the good Jesus road!) and ordered two very large pizzas but we couldn’t eat it all. Our eyes bigger than our bellies! Back to the hotel with two bottles of very cheap wine (3€ a bottle) and sat on our veranda looking at the mountain of Pico in the moonlight. Ah the end of a perfect day – and the end (for me) of another BIG conquest!