West Yorkshire 25-45s Hiking Group

Week long trip to Madeira. Madeira is a Portuguese island off the coast of Africa, near the Spanish Canary Islands. It is a mountainous island that offers spectacular views, waterfalls and stunning scenery. The scenery and architecture will literally make you feel like you are in a either a Tomb Raider or Uncharted game.

Come do as many of the walks as you want. No requirement to do them all. They are all easy-moderate. Only last one is strenuous.

Itiniary (Subject to change)

Day 1 - Land in Funchal at Medeira Cristiano Ronaldo Airport. I will be hiring a car as it is the best way to explore Madeira and makes life a lot easier to get to the start point of walks. Happy to give two others a lift (will prioritise people who cannot drive though). Therefore some others will need to drive also.

Then we head to our accomodation (no requirement to all stay at the same place). Get settled in and if there is time, then go out and explore Funchal.

Day 2 - Hike #1 - 1 hour drive to then start the week off with an easy, spectacular waterfall walk. Risco Waterfall and 25 Fontes Falls Trail. It is 6.5 mi/10km long and follows Levadas (water chutes that transport water from the wetter parts of the island to the drier, south side) to numerous waterfalls. Following route PR6 to its end, backtracking and following PR6.1 to Risco Waterfall and then walking back to the car park.

Day 3 - Hike #2 - Drive to and park at Baia D'Abra for a coastal walk along Maderia's most eastern desert-like penisula. Following the PR8 route to Sardinha, loop around the end of the peniusla, retrace our steps and then veer off along red rock cliff tops before ascending up Maderia's most highest eastern mountain Pico do Furado (694m high). Then we loop back down to the car park.

Day 4 - Hike #3 - Levada do Caldeirão Verde – PR9 route. Mostly a flat walk, 12km (6-7mi) long. TORCH OR HEADTORCH IS A MUST.

One website calls this the most beautiful hike in all of Maderia. It follows levada's through the jungle, past waterfalls and through tunnels.

Day 5 - Rest Day - Probably drive around the island and visit other towns. Maybe find some activites to do if they run any off-peak season.

Day 6 - Hike #4 - The next part of hike #3, again torches required for the tunnels. We will see more stunning waterfalls and go through a spectacular canyon.

Day 7 - Saving the hardest and possibly the best to last. It is about 7-10mi (websites differ on distance) long and overall ascent is 1000m. A head for heights is a must!

This one we will start 30 minutes before sunrise. We drive to the car park near the summit of Maderia's third highest mountain, Pico do Areeiro, we walk to the summit of this mountain. Getting there just before the sun starts to rise. We then follow the PR1 trail to Maderia's second highest mountain (sounds like you don't summit this one though). The path splits in two around this mountain, we will take one and continue onto the highest mountain of Maderia, Pico Riuvo. When ready, we head back the way we came and take the other route around the second mountain, and then follow the original path back to the car park.

Day 8 - Back to Cristiano Ronaldo airport and fly home!

Please ensure read the warnings in the weekends main event page here before signing up. People are welcome to join us for this hike only. No requirement to do hike #2.

Hike #1 - Scafell, Scafell Pike, Great End, Allen Crags, Galarama - 5 WAINRIGHTS - 11mi/18km - 1500km - Strenuous & Technical

Dog owners beware, the Westwall Traverse is impossible for a dog to get up by themselves. They will need to be lifted up at least one part of it. Be sure they are okay with being picked up before leading them into it. It may be best to take the alternative route.

Meet outside the public toilets at Seathwaite Farm.

We start by passing through the farm and crossing Grain's Gill. We then veer off and follow the path that steadily ascends along the bottom of Base Brown. The path turns up into the valley here and gets a bit steep for a short period before levelling out as we follow Styhead Gill to Styhead Tarn.

We walk around the tarn and ascend up the path until we come to the start of the Corridor Route up Scafell Pike. This path is stunning from start to finish as it winds its way through the mountains, with a few short and easy scrambles, until it comes out at the tourist route.

We descend down the tourist route briefly before veering off towards Scafell. We walk across to the entrance to the gully called Lord's Rake. A scree gully that is a fun scramble. We are only going up this briefly before veering off onto the path that leads into another gully called the Westwall Traverse (optional). The path starts off flat with brief moments of exposure but for the most part you are protected by rocks on either side. It is then a steep scramble to the top.

If not for you, you can continue up to the top of Lord's Rake and follow the path up here left to the top of Scafell and wait up there for us.

Once up, we walk over to Scafell's summit (Wainright #1) where we will have our first lunch break. Sadly there is no safe way down to Mickledore from Scafell. So we then briefly retrace our steps before descending down the main route up/down Scafell to Foxes Tarn. We continue following it down through Foxes Rake (a less treacherous gully than the one's before).

We then ascend up to Mickledore and then a final push up to Scafell Pike (Wainright #2). We will stop for a well earned rest and another lunch break before continuing. Once ready, we make our way over the rocks to the path to the gap between Scafell Pike and Broad Crags, this is a super steep descent so care must be taken.

It is then a short ascent part way up Broad Crags before walking across the huge flat rocks around it, we then veer off for a short ascent to the top of Great End (Wainright #3) for views out across where we were walking at the start. We then descend down to the crossroads and then its a short ascent up Allen Crags (Wainright #4).

The final part of the walk is a flatish walk across the tops to Glaramara (Wainright #5) before descending down to Seathwaite Farm and our cars. We can then go to Keswick for a meal in a pub.

Disclaimers
The walk organisers do not have training or insurance. Therefore, anyone who joins the walk is accountable for their own safety and anyone they bring with them. By signing up you accept this.

Check the weather (on multiple websites) before leaving your residence. Bring clothing & footwear suitable for the forecast. We advise you to bring walking boots for any medium or harder walk. Trainers are only recommended for leisurely and easy walks. Bring a coat just in case (this is Britain after all...) and extra layers if it is going to be cold.

The walk will cost £1 to join. All proceeds go towards equipment for leading walks, group events & trips. A percentage will go to charities.
Bring a packed lunch and snacks. Bring enough food & water to last the estimated time.

We recommend bringing some cash just in case. Especially if parking. Not everywhere is contactless yet.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the walks organiser.