Madeira Feb2016 - Day 1/7 - Porto Moniz to Serra do Paul

Estimate: 29km, +1600m, -300m
This estimate is probably more realistic than the altitude components measured by my smartphone GPS.
Please find the tracks of the other days by searching Wikiloc for "Madeira Feb2016" or in my own comment below (you will see it in the classical PC view, not in the mobile view).

Start 07:50. End 17:55.

This was the only day with surprises: (1.) a sign at the lower end of the Levada da Janela said "closed at km8", so I chose a different way, walking too much along the road and (2.) the hotel at the end of the day was closed since one year, although I had been able to book it at the hotel's own booking website. So, (1.) consider starting at Ponta da Pargo instead of Porto Moniz, unless you get confirmation that the Levada da Janela is OK to walk and (2.) if you want to do this walk, get well informed about that particular hotel or prepare for bivouac or transport.

Note that I did not visit the famous Rabaçal & 25 Fontes at the other side of the road at km 25.6. I thought that would add too much elevation gain (altitude difference) to my first hiking day or to the morning of my second day.

Km 0.0. Hotel.

Km 4.0, waypoint with photo: The sign in clear Portuguese and strange English says the Levada da Ribeira da Janela is closed at km 8.
This is one of over 130 Levadas listed at http://danishome.ch/Levadaverzeichnis.htm . Click on "Levada do Central da Ribeira da Janela" there to find a description in German from a walk done in 2012. It says the upper section of the Levada walk is officially closed and is exposed, slippery and only for adventurers with a secure step and no vertigo.

Km 4.9, waypoint. A traditional paper map (brand name "K......") can be viewed for free on the editor's website. From that website I printed out a section for every day. Here, at that tiny bridge (just a stepping stone), it shows a hiking route uphill. Now this is overgrown with young eucalyptus trees and I was not able to find a path.

Km 5.4, waypoint. There is a wide path uphill, but I did not look well maintained and I continued along the levada.

Km 5.8, waypoint. There is simple shelter. Now (4 weeks later), I remember a roof, one or two banks, and walls with large openings. At this point I left the Levada.

Km 6.2 to 6.7, waypoint. I explored if I could have arrived here by leaving the Levada at km 5.4. However, I arrived at a point where the vegetation was impenetrable.

Km 8.3 to 9.7. I had 3 maps. All showed a building in this zone, connected to the road. Only the "K......" map (which I had learned to mistrust at km 4.9) showed a continuous way to reach that building. I hoped, rightly, the building would be a farm with some "extra" ways not shown on the map. In fact, km 8.9 to 9.4 were on none of the 3 maps. The other two maps are:
* Open Streemap, layer "Cycle Map", offline, downloaded to the Wikiloc App on my smartphone (a small model that hasn't even a selfie camera).
* Plastified map, copyright 2014, brand name "t....Q....".

Km 9.7 to 25.1. Walking on road ER110 or close to it. There were no kilometre-marks or road numbers on this and most other roads I saw in Madeira (Unlike the many roads I walked in the Indian Himalaya). Absurdly, most of the motor traffic on this road on that Sunday seemed to be hikers, too, travelling in cars, mini busses and tourist busses. Luckily, most of the time you can walk on a comfortable strip of grass along the road and I found some shortcuts.
Km 10.5. Could I have walked west (right) offside the road until km 11.4?
Km 11.4 to 11.8. Shortcut on a cow path.
Km 11.9, waypoint. Spring Fonte da Pedra.
Km 12.0 to 12.3. Shortcut on a cow path.
Km 12.3 to 12.9. Satellite photos suggest a shortcut is possible west (right) of the road.
Km 13.0 to 13.4. Satellite photos suggest you can walk west (right) of the road.
Km 14.8, waypoint. Spring Fonte do Barro. Not much water.
Km 14.6 to 15.9. Satellite photos suggest shortcuts east (left) of the road until km 15.4, then west (right) of the road to km 15.9.
Km 15.9 to 17.2. I walked on cow paths left (east) offside the road.

Two maps show a tent symbol (rather a bivouac site than a camp ground) at the following point: At km 17.0 take the road to the right (ER210) for about 1 km; the site is at the big right bend, close to km 18.0 of this track.

Km 18.3 to 19.0. I walked on cow paths left (east) offside the road.
Km 22.6 to 24.2. I walked nicely to the right (west) offside the road.

Km 25.0. Finally I leave the road.

Km 25.6, waypoint. Fatima Chapel. From here on I follow the Levada do Paul.

Km 26.7. Cross the side street. Continue along the Levada do Paúl.

Km 27.5. As you can see on next day's track, I walked down from the hotel to here the next morning, cross country. So, you can reach the road uphill from here, avoiding the gate.

Km 28. Several easily visible ways lead up from here to the road.
At about km 28.5 there was a closed gate. I moved my backpack over it, than did an easy climb over it, taking care to balance my weight close to the wooden post, so as not to break the gate with my weight.

Km 29.1. The hotel was closed for refurbishing it into an "Eco Resort and Spa". The roadside restaurant of the hotel was open. As I had booked, carried proof of a 50% advance payment and had no car, they let me stay there in a room without heating, but quite reasonable and clean giving the circumstances. I guess they keep these rooms for restaurant staff or construction workers, as the location is a bit far away (horizontally or vertically) from the next villages.

The "t....Q...." map and Openstreetmap (Cycle Map) show a bivouac ground about 2km northeast of the hotel.