Madeira walk number 3: Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo
In which the heroine overcomes Serious Knee Trouble to scale the highest peak of the island.
A few days later, after some much-needed rest for my calves, I signed up for the peak-to-peak walk again, and this time we got the go-ahead. Apparently we were the first group in several weeks to be granted that honour. According to our guide (who sadly wasn’t nearly as good as his colleague a few days earlier), several intrepid solo walkers had made the trek in the previous days, but they’d all reported it had been pretty tough, what with the snow, the slipperiness and everything.
It was still pretty dodgy in places when we were there. Most of the path was clear, but there were a few shadowy patches here and there where the snow lay thick and deep and several people (including myself) slipped. Even so it was an amazing experience. Steep cliffs, deep valleys, brilliant sunlight, peaks rising up from the clouds - you name it, we saw it, and some of it was truly breathtaking. The only thing that kept me from really, really enjoying it was my health. For one thing, I had a bad cold (on top of my usual chronic bronchitis), which clogged my lungs so badly it prevented me from going all the way to the top of the Pico Ruivo; for another, there was an alarming episode about half a mile into the walk where it seemed as if my knee was going to conk out on me in a big way. I was trying to go down some steep steps when suddenly my left knee began to hurt like hell, and I could hardly bend it any more. I came very close to turning back right there and then; only the lack of transport back to Funchal and the fact that I’d looked forward to this walk for so long made me decide to go on. So for the next half mile I very slowly and carefully descended, step by step, and then suddenly the pain disappeared and I could walk down the steps just like I normally would. To this day I have no idea what happened. If I twisted my knee, I don’t remember doing it; nor do I remember twisting it back (so to speak) to make the pain go away. Anyhow, the rest of the walk was great. I did get seriously out of breath on the steeper parts of the Pico Ruivo (the highest peak), so much so that I decided not to go all the way to the top (although I came close), but even so it was a brilliant experience, partly because it largely took place above the clouds. There’s something about being above the clouds that is simply unbeatable. Made me feel quite giddy - in a good way.
I mean, just look at it.
The view at the start-off point. Nice, huh?
One of the darker reaches of the path to the Pico Ruivo. Around the corner, the snow lay thick and deep, and there was no getting away from the clouds.
I loved this rock. I took several photos of it, from several different angles, but won’t bore you with the rest of them.
Steep slopes with trees, clouds and blue sky. What more could a person wish for?
Near the top of the Pico Ruivo, the island’s tallest peak. I love this photo.
Picturesque rocky outcrop.
The easiest stretch of the path: flat, wide, well-maintained, and well above the clouds. I absolutely loved walking here.
The view to the left of the path above.
Me towards the end of the walk - tired and somewhat sun-burnt, but quite satisfied.
