Ovil - Levada do Alecrim - Levada do Pico da Urze — Madeira levada walk guide

Tell me about the Ovil - Levada do Alecrim - Levada do Pico da Urze levada walk in Madeira

💭 Thinking

The user is asking about a specific levada walk called "Ovil - Levada do Alecrim - Levada do Pico da Urze" in Madeira. Let me search for this trail using the find_hikestool.The search returned no results for that specific trail name. Let me try a broader search - maybe with just part of the name, or searching for it differently. The trail might be known by a shorter name or a different code. Let me try searching for "Levada do Alecrim" which seems to be a key part of the name.The user is asking about the "Ovil - Levada do Alecrim - Levada do Pico da Urze" trail. This is a community trail (not an official IFCN PR trail). Let me present the information from the community trail data. Key facts from the data: - Name: Ovil - Levada do Alecrim - Levada do Pico da Urze - Community route (mapped on AllTrails) — not part of Madeira's official PR trail network managed by IFCN - Rating: 4.4★ from 460 reviews on AllTrails - Difficulty: moderate - Length: 4.2 km - Route type: loop - Area: Madeira Natural Park - Location: lat 32.75739, lng -17.10542 - Description: "This trail runs along the Levada do Pico da Urze, an ancient levada, which is still naturally excavated in the ground and without artificial coating for most of the route. It belongs to the first generation of levadas that irrigated the southern lands, with springs from the north of the island. Levada do Pico da Urze was remodeled, included in the works of Expansion of the Electrical Use of Calheta to be carried out by EEM. It was rebuilt in concrete to increase the flow and reduce losses,..." - No official open/closed status - Directions URL: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=32.757390,-17.105420 - AllTrails URL: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/portugal/madeira--2/ovil-levada-do-alecrim-barragem-do-pico-da-urze I also have the official PR 6.2 Levada do Alecrim trail data, which is a different (official) trail in the same area. Let me also note that the area is near Rabaçal / Paul da Serra. I should present this trail clearly, with the community route caveat, and also mention the official PR 6.2 Levada do Alecrim trail nearby as an alternative. I should check the current status before recommending - but the note says not to state open/closed status for the evergreen guide. However, I should tell the reader to check current trail status. Actually, the note says this is for a "static page" context - but for answering a user question now, I should try to find the current status. But this is a community trail, not an official IFCN PR trail, so there IS no official status to check. Let me compose a goodanswer.

How this was derived · 3 steps

TrailsMap & photos

Levada do Alecrim6 photos

Photos: walkmeguide.com ↗

Official PR trail (IFCN) Community route (AllTrails — not official)

Levada do Alecrim 4.6 Directions

Photos: walkmeguide.com · green = official IFCN PR trail · amber = community route (AllTrails)

Ovil – Levada do Alecrim – Levada do Pico da Urze

This is a community route mapped on AllTrails — it is not part of Madeira's official PR (Percurso Recomendado) trail network managed by IFCN (the regional government's forests & nature-conservation authority), so it has no official open/closed status and no maintenance or signage guarantee. Check local access and conditions before setting out.

At a glance


Difficulty	Moderate
Distance	4.2 km (loop)
Area	Madeira Natural Park (Paul da Serra / Rabaçal region)
Community rating	4.4★ from 460 hiker reviews on AllTrails
Trailhead	Directions ↗

About the trail

The route follows Levada do Pico da Urze, one of Madeira's oldest levadas — still naturally excavated in the ground for most of its length, without the concrete lining of later levadas. It belongs to the first generation of levadas that irrigated the southern lands, channelling water from springs on the north side of the island.

The levada was later remodelled as part of the expansion of Calheta's hydroelectric network (EEM), rebuilt in concrete in sections to increase flow and reduce losses — so along the walk you'll see a mix of the original earthen channel and the modernised stretches.

The loop takes you through dense upland vegetation on the Paul da Serra plateau, with views over the plateau and the surrounding valleys. It's a shorter, moderately rated walk — a good option if you want a taste of the Rabaçal area's levada scenery without committing to the longer routes.

Nearby official trail

In the same area, the official PR 6.2 – Levada do Alecrim is an IFCN-managed trail with an official status you can check:


Official code	PR 6.2
Distance	3.5 km (+ 3.5 km return)
Difficulty	Easy
Duration	~2:30 h
Start	Rabaçal (ER 105)
End	Water spring of Levada do Alecrim (Lagoa "Dona Beja")
Max altitude	1,339 m · Min 1,256 m
Access fee	€4.50 (over 12 years) · free for 12 & under, via SIMplifica portal
Rating	4.6★ from 1,719 reviews on AllTrails
Details	Visit Madeira

PR 6.2 is fully waymarked and managed by IFCN — a good alternative if you'd prefer an officially maintained route with a trackable open/closed status.

⚠️ Before you go: This community route has no official status, so trail conditions, access, and signage are not guaranteed. Check locally before heading out, and be prepared for sections that may be overgrown or muddy after rain.

Want me to check the mountain weather forecast and IPMA warnings for the day you're planning to go?

OpenMadeira can make mistakes — check the sources.