Partial PR02 FLO: Lajedo to Fajãzinha 17-07-2019

Partial PR02 FLO walk along the West coast of the Azorean island of Flores in between the villages of Lajedo and Fajãzinha.
The complete PR02 FLO Lajedo to Fajã Grande is described at and can also be downloaded from.
https://trails.visitazores.com/en/trails-Azores/flores/lajedo-faja-grande

If you're based in Lajes dos Flores, you can do this shortened version of PR02 using public transportation. At time of walking (July 2019) Bus left Lajes at 11:00, arriving at Lajedo 11:18. Back from Fajãzinha at 15:08 arriving in Lajes at 15:45, giving you 3:50 hours for the walk. Our trail time includes a picnic lunch.

Start at the bus stop in Lajedo and follow the sign-marks for PR02 (red-yellow) or GR01 (red-white), first on tarred roads and then on a trail that runs parallel to the coast. At km 1.8 you cross Ribeira da Lapa on a bridge and on the following stretch there are great views of Rocha do Bordões, a Flores landmark monument of natural basalt pillars. At km 2.5 cross the Ribeira do Fundão and then reach the village of Mosteiro, which also has a bus stop. At 100 m before crossing the Ribeira do Mosteiro at km 3.6 you pass a picnic area, which would be a good spot for your lunch break. After passing a bridge over the Ribeira da Caldeira at km 4.8 you reach the abandoned village of Caldeira at km 5.1.
At the time of walking (2019), a project was underway to create a hotel and tourist housing in the abandoned village, so things, like access to the premises, may have changed in the meantime.
At km 5.9. shortly before starting the descent to Fajãzinha, leave the PR02 trail and ascend to the right up to Miradouro do Portal ou Fajãzinha with its geodetic marker, which offers breath-taking views over the basin of Fajãzinha and the mouth of Ribeira Grande.
From here it is a steep descent (230 m altitude within 900 m) into the village of Fajãzinha with its bus stop.
The full version of PR02 continues from Fajãzinha to Fajã Grande. If you should continue on this way there is one more possibility on the way to catch the bus back to Lajes dos Flores via Lajedo at the bus stop near the Cuada holiday homes (or at the end in Fajã Grande).