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Tell me about the Ponta de São Jorge via Ramal do Caminho Real 23 hike in Madeira
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The user is asking about a specific hike in Madeira - "Ponta de São Jorge via Ramal do Caminho Real 23". Let me search for this trail using the find_hikes tool. The trail name seems to be a specific one, possibly from AllTrails. Let me searchfor it.The user is asking about the "Ponta de São Jorge via Ramal do Caminho Real 23" hike. Looking at the results, this trail appears in the `community_trails` section, not in the official IFCN `hikes` section. This means it's not an official PR (Percurso Recomendado) trail managed by IFCN. Let me extract the relevant details: **Ponta de São Jorge via Ramal do Caminho Real 23** - Community route mapped on AllTrails — NOT part of Madeira's official PR trail network managed by IFCN - Rating: 4.1★ from 123 hiker reviews on AllTrails - Difficulty: moderate - Length: 2.7 km - Route type: out and back - Estimated time: 1–1.5 hr - Location: São Jorge, Santana municipality - Coordinates: 32.82857, -16.89798 - Description: "Fantastic hiking trail located in São Jorge, a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Santana, on the island of Madeira, which runs along the Ramal do Caminho Real nº23. The Royal Roads began to be built from the beginning of the settlement of the island of Madeira. They were the main roads of the time and connected the various villages to each other and to the ports, in order to facilitate the transport of people and goods. This Royal Path is used to observe the ruins of St. George as..." - AllTrails URL: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/portugal/madeira--2/calhau-sao-jorge-ramal-do-caminho-real-23 - Directions URL: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=32.828570,-16.897980 There's also a related longer trail in the community list: **Santana - Ponta de São Jorge - Ramal do Caminho Real №23** - Rating: 4.3★ from 66 reviews - Difficulty: hard - Length: 6.9 km - Route type: loop - Estimated time: 3–3.5 hr - This one has a challenging section with broken walkways and danger signs near cliffs And also: **Calhau de São Jorge - Caminho Real nº 23** - Rating: 4.5★ from 145 reviews - Difficulty: hard - Length: 9.2 km - Route type: out and back - Estimated time: 4–4.5 hr - Has challenging and exposed sections, aimed at the ruins of São Jorge - COASTAL path with viewpoints, typical Santana houses, Lagoa do Calhau de São Jorge Since this trail has NO official IFCN status, I need to clearly label it as a community/unofficial trail and note it has no official open/closed status. Let me also find a video to show.The user asked about the "Ponta de São Jorge via Ramal do Caminho Real 23" hike. From the results, this is a community trail (not an official IFCN PR trail). It appears in the community_trails list. Let me extract the relevant details: - **Name**: Ponta de São Jorge via Ramal do Caminho Real 23 - **Description**: Fantastic hiking trail located in São Jorge, a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Santana, on the island of Madeira, which runs along the Ramal do Caminho Real nº23. The Royal Roads began to be built from the beginning of the settlement of the island of Madeira. They were the main roads of the time and connected the various villages to each other and to the ports, in order to facilitate the transport of people and goods. This Royal Path is used to observe the ruins of St. George as... - **Rating**: 4.1★ from 123 reviews on AllTrails - **Difficulty**: Moderate - **Length**: 2.7 km (out and back) - **Estimated time**: 1–1.5 hr - **Route type**: Out and back - **Coordinates**: 32.82857, -16.89798 - **Not an official IFCN PR trail** There's also a related community trail "Santana - Ponta de São Jorge - Ramal do Caminho Real №23" which is a longer loop (6.9 km, hard, 3-3.5 hr) with a description about dangerous sections with broken walkways. Let me also note: this trail is NOT one of the official PR trails managed by IFCN. I need to clearly label this as a community/unofficial route. I should also mention there's a related longer variant. Let me compose the answer.
How this was derived · 2 steps
Trails near São JorgeMap & photos
Levada do Rei6 photos
Levada do ReiLevada do ReiLevada do ReiLevada do ReiLevada do ReiLevada do Rei
Official PR trail (IFCN) Community route (AllTrails — not official)
Photos: walkmeguide.com · green = official IFCN PR trail · amber = community route (AllTrails)
Ponta de São Jorge via Ramal do Caminho Real 23

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

At a glance
DifficultyModerate
Distance2.7 km (out-and-back)
Estimated time1–1.5 hours
Route typeOut and back
LocationSão Jorge, municipality of Santana, north coast of Madeira
Community rating★ 4.1 from 123 hiker reviews on AllTrails
About the trail

The route follows the Ramal do Caminho Real nº 23 — one of Madeira's historic Caminhos Reais (Royal Roads). These paths were built from the early settlement of the island and served as the main routes connecting villages to each other and to the ports, facilitating the transport of people and goods.

This particular royal path leads towards Ponta de São Jorge, a dramatic headland on the north coast, where you can observe the ruins of São Jorge — remains of old stone structures perched along the cliffside. The trail offers coastal views, natural viewpoints, and a sense of walking through Madeira's historical road network.

⚠️ Important notes
  • No official status or maintenance — as a community route (not an IFCN PR trail), there are no official open/closed updates. Check locally before you go.
  • Some sections near the ruins have been described as challenging and exposed, with old walkways that may be in disrepair. There's also a longer, harder loop variant (Santana – Ponta de São Jorge – Ramal do Caminho Real №23, 6.9 km, hard, 3–3.5 hr) that passes through areas with broken walkways and danger signs along cliff edges.
  • Stick to signed paths and respect any barriers — the cliffside sections can be dangerous.
Getting there
  • Directions to the trailhead ↗ (São Jorge, Santana)
  • The trailhead is roughly a 2.5 km / 7-minute drive from São Jorge village — very accessible if you have a car or taxi.
Nearby official trails

If you'd prefer an official, IFCN-managed trail in the same area, the closest is PR 18 – Levada do Rei (2.5 km / 7 min drive away) — a beautiful moderate 5.3 km walk through laurel forest to Ribeiro Bonito, rated ★ 4.5 from 1,654 reviews. It requires a €4.50 access fee (via the SIMplifica portal).


Want me to check the mountain weather forecast and IPMA warnings for the day you plan to hike, or look at how to get to São Jorge by bus?

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