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How this was derived · 6 steps
- Levada dos Cedros 4.5 Directions
- Vereda do Fanal 4.4 Directions
This is a challenging mountain trail starting at Chão da Ribeira (in the Seixal valley on Madeira's north coast) and climbing up to the Terra Chã plateau on Paul da Serra. Here's what you need to know:
| Start → End | Chão da Ribeira (Seixal) → Terra Chã (Paul da Serra) |
| Distance | 8.8 km (one way) |
| Duration | 3 h 30 min – 4 h |
| Difficulty | High — for experienced hikers only |
| Altitude range | 310 m (valley floor) → 1,471 m (Terra Chã) |
| Terrain | Irregular / sharp |
| Vertigo exposure | Little |
Source: Porto Moniz municipal website
The trail starts on the ER 221 road in Chão da Ribeira, the deep, narrow valley south of Seixal. The first kilometre winds through cowsheds and smallholdings planted with cabbages and sweet potatoes — some now overgrown with alien species like ginger lily, hydrangea and pine.
A signposted fork marks the climb toward Sítio da Terra Chã – Paul da Serra. From there, the route climbs steeply through pristine Laurisilva forest (a UNESCO World Heritage site), passing among endemic Canary laurel, Madeira mahogany, Lily of the Valley trees and Tree Heather. The ascent is sustained and demanding — you gain over 1,100 m of elevation.
"Caminhos Entre Ribeiras" (Paths Between the Rivers) is the broader network of trails in this valley. The routes link together paths through the Seixal river basin, including:
- Vereda do Lombo Barbinhas / Vereda das Feitas — a hard 7.4 km loop through the Levada do Seixal and its tunnels (rated 4.1★ on AllTrails, 156 reviews), which connects into the Terra Chã ascent
- Vereda da Cavaca — the steep, technical descent path from Fanal back down into the valley
- Vereda das Voltas — the zigzag path up through Laurisilva toward Fanal
A popular full-day circuit is: Chão da Ribeira → Vereda das Voltas → Fanal → Vereda da Cavaca → Chão da Ribeira, taking in the ancient laurel forest, the misty Fanal plateau and a dramatic valley descent.
At the top, Terra Chã connects directly to two official IFCN trails:
- PR 13 — Vereda do Fanal (Paul da Serra → Fanal, 10.8 km, Moderate) — Visit Madeira
- PR 14 — Levada dos Cedros (Fanal → Curral Falso, 7.2 km, Moderate) — Visit Madeira
Both require a €4.50 access fee (via SIMplifica), free for children ≤ 12.
⚠️ This trail is NOT an official IFCN PR (Percurso Recomendado) trail. It's listed by the Porto Moniz municipality and mapped on AllTrails but does not have official IFCNopen/closed status, maintenance guarantee or waymarking. The Porto Moniz council itself warns it should only be attempted by experienced hikers with full equipment.
- No official status monitoring — check local conditions before you go
- The trail can be extremely muddy and slippery after rain
- Some sections pass through steep, root-laden forest and alongside levadas with vertiginous drops
- A dangerous wet-rock passage (with rope aid) has been reported on the upper slopes near Levada do Norte (~1,080 m)
- Navigation can be tricky — carry a GPS track and offline map
- Allow 6.5+ hours for a full circuit (ascent ~4 h, descent ~2.5 h)
The trailhead is at Chão da Ribeira, reachable by car via the ER 221 road that branches inland from Seixal village on the north coast. Seixal is roughly 45 minutes' drive west of Funchal via the VE1/ER 101.
Would you like me to check the weather and IPMA mountain warnings for this area, or look into how to get to Seixal by bus?





