Levada do Moinho and Levada Nova Trail

A taxi driver who knows the area drove us to the start of the Levada and picked us up again. There is a small restaurant nearby where you can get something. The Levada is of medium difficulty and you need to be absolutely sure-footed and not afraid of heights. We had to take our shoes off once when crossing the river. If you don't want to, you can take a small path from the Levada Do Mohino to the Levada Nova a little further ahead.

Short 📽 about the tour https://youtu.be/W5MIXaklMsY?si=KcLlHzoZt1OP91-_ The tour started at the church of Lombada ponta do Sol. The entrance is right after the church and on the way there we followed the Levada Nova and on the way back the Levada do Moinho. The hiking trail is easy to walk on and you have many wonderful views and impressions of Madeira's nature. The path leads along the lavadas the whole way. You go through a tunnel, pass waterfalls and can listen to nature and the birds. At the end of the Lavada Nova there is a rest area with a great view of a waterfall. Shortly afterwards you go over the riverbed to the Levada do Moinho, which you follow to the starting point. There is a small snack at the church at the starting point. We can really recommend this tour because, unlike the Levada das 25 Fontes tour, it is not as crowded.

Attention: Levada Nova and Levada do Moinho officially closed due to rock falls in December 2023. But it's possible for the brave. 👍🏼

The Igreja de Lombada can be easily reached from Ponta do Sol via the Estrada Regional. Here you can park your car in the churchgoer parking lot and start walking. I decided to ignore the official start of the hike and instead go a few steps further into the village. Both the fields and the houses were definitely worth it. Then we went along the Levada Nova into the interior of the Riebiero da Ponta do Sol gorge. Initially between sugar cane and other crops, the path soon leads along the steep slope (well secured throughout). About 1km before the end there is a comfortable tunnel (200m) followed by a waterfall - often and rightly commented as the highlight of the tour. About 500m further on, you have the option on the left to change directly to the Levada do Moinho. However, it is worth going further to the barrier and looking for the way through the river bed. The walkable path on the Lev. do Moinho begins at a rest area with stone picnic tables and fire pits (you can probably book trips there with Espetada Madeirens BBQ). The path is now a lot more rustic and also follows the terrain with a greater incline. The levada sometimes shoots up quickly, the path is often wet and muddy ... but always good to walk. The views towards PdS are fabulous, while the environment slowly changes from natural to cultivated landscape. Back at the church, it is worth taking a detour to the arcades, where you can see the levade falling down.

Great tour. Highly recommended. If you want, you can cross the river at the turnaround point as an adventure. Unfortunately, it is quite full

A really great tour that you should start early. From midday it gets increasingly busy

We started near the church on the lower levada, the Levada do Moinho. A very beautiful path with a fantastic view of the valley and the sea. The levada is very varied and easy to walk. The whole path is well secured. You pass very dry and very wet slopes with mosses and ferns. At the end of the levada you go through a riverbed that was largely dry at the time we were there. Then you follow a wider path to a picnic area. After the picnic area you follow the wide path and can then cross the riverbed again to get to the upper levada, the Levada Novo. Alternatively you can also walk over the weir, which is the source of the Levada Novo. The highlights of the Levada Novo are crossing a waterfall and a tunnel about 100 m long, which is easy to walk through. Even upright for people who are not too tall. 🙂 Our cell phone flashlight gave just enough light, a real flashlight would be better. 🔦 Unfortunately, the Levada Novo is not very well secured in the section we walked. Often you walk on the approximately 40 cm wide concrete path without any safety equipment, where it goes straight down 100 or 200 m. You can't afford to stumble there........ 🫣 At the end, the path comes out again at the small town of Lombada, a staircase down and a stretch of road then leads back to the car. In summary, for us, the Levada do Moinho was the prettier and more varied one. Apart from the waterfall and the tunnel, the Levada Novo is just a concrete track and, due to the lack of safety equipment, it is also more difficult to walk.

The biggest advantage of this hike: It starts almost on the doorstep of our holiday home. Dirk wasn't so enthusiastic about the first stretch, however, which really triggered his fear of heights. But I chickened out when it came to crossing the river, which was up to my knees and had a strong current. I was just too worried about my phone 🥴. The Levada de Moinho was a dream again. At the church there was a reward beer and after that I was only good for the sun lounger 😁