Trekking: Pico Branco - Terra Chã

Pick-up at the hotel towards Serra de Dentro, the trail starts at Regional Road E.R.111 and, following the way to the top of Pico Branco we come across a huge prismatic formation in which the footpath itself was carved. It is called Rocha Quebrada, or the Broken Rock. Trail crossing a unique rocky formation, steep as Madeira walks, up to 460 meters. The summit is covered by cypresses and where most endemic flora in the island of Porto Santo can be found. This area is also part of the Natura 2000 network. The steepest climb of the walk is done along a heater fence, in which it becomes similar to some walks in Madeira, the climb ending in a rock fissure at Cabeço do Caranguejo. The footpath goes on among a landscape where cupressus (Cupressus macrocarpa) dominates, until the walker finds a fork leading, on the right to Terra Chã and on the left to Pico Branco, or White Peak, the second highest in Porto Santo. It has that name because of a white rock column where there was a lot of dyer’s weed (urzela), which was exported from Porto Santo and used in making dyes and other specialties. Here, two relevant specimens of sea birds can be found, namely the Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectrisdiomedea borealis) and the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo). This trail was built with the purpose of giving way to cargo mules, by the time barley was farmed by locals at Terra Chã. Return to the hotel.

Duration: approx. 3 h, distance:  5,4 km, difficulty level: medium. Recommended comfortable outfit, trekking shoes and bottle of water.