Trails
Vereda da Terra Baptista
A steep climb from Porto da Cruz to the ridge below Pedreiro
The place
The Vereda da Terra Baptista climbs from the farmland of Porto da Cruz to the ridge above it. It starts at Cabeço do Moinho, near Caldeirão and Achada, at about 280 m, where it meets the Levada do Castelejo, and rises for about 3.6 km past the slopes of the Pedreiro, a summit of 972 m, to a viewpoint near Cabeço Furado at about 860 m.
It is a steep, steady climb of about 610 m that takes about two and a half hours on the way up, on an earth path about a metre wide. At the top a rock fissure and the viewpoint look out over the valley. The earth is slippery when wet, so save it for a dry day, and pair it with the level Levada do Castelejo at the bottom for a longer outing.
Highlights
- A climb of about 610 m in 3.6 km from Porto da Cruz to the ridge.
- The Pedreiro, 972 m, rising above the path near the top.
- A rock fissure and a viewpoint at the top.
- It meets the Levada do Castelejo at the lower end.
When to come
A clear, dry day; the earth path is slippery when wet.
Getting there
Start at Cabeço do Moinho, on the lanes above Porto da Cruz near Caldeirão, where there is some parking; there is no road at the top, so come back the same way.
Worth knowing
- Distance and time: about 3.6 km one way; about two and a half hours up, less down.
- Climb: about 610 m, steady and steep.
- Difficulty: moderate, for the long steep climb.
- Surface: an earth path about a metre wide, slippery when wet.
- Longer day: combine it with the Levada do Castelejo, which it meets at the bottom.
- Fee: none; this is not an official PR trail.