Valley of the Nuns
A trip to a world closed by mountain peaks.
The name Valley of the Nuns is not completely accurate. Originally, the largest village in the valley is called Curral das Freiras. Curral is a Portuguese term for a mountain hut or corral where cattle graze. He grazed here as early as the 15th century, when the place was referred to only as Curral. In 1462, the valley fell to the nuns of the Santa Clara Monastery in Funchal. And probably that's why the place became known as Curral das Freiras. According to others, the valley got its name later in 1566, when the pirates attacked Funchal and the nuns in front of them fled to the hard-to-reach Curral.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?…
Eira do Serrado
On the way from Funchal towards Curral das Freiras, we turn in front of a new tunnel onto the old road leading to the Eira do Serrado viewpoint.
Pico Grande
From the parking lot it is 5 minutes to the viewpoint (Miradouro) with a magnificent view of the whole valley 450 meters below us. The Pico Grande peak (1654 m above sea level) disappears in the clouds.
Faja dos Cardos
After descending into the valley, we continue north by car to the end of the road to a place called Faja dos Cardos. Only a narrow path leads, above us are the peaks of the mountains, bee with Pico Ruivo (1862 m).
Meeting
We climb to the levada and meet a local woman. It moves with admirable ease.
Two levades
We continue along Levada do Pico Furao to the west, in the valley of a mountain stream we board Levada do Poiso, which leads us to the eucalyptus forest.
Return
We return the same way with both levadas, around us is an agricultural landscape set in the mountains.
Curral das Freiras
We visit the town of Curral das Freiras. Opposite the church Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Livramento is across the road a museum with local realities.
Museum
The exhibits will delight even lovers of old devices, not only photographic ones.
