A levada is an irrigation channel or aqueduct specific to the Portuguese Atlantic region of Madeira. Madeira island is wet in the northwest, but dry in the southeast. In the 16th century the Portuguese started building levadas (aqueducts) to carry water to the agricultural regions in the south. Due to its mountainous landscape, building levadas promised to be a difficult venture, often tasked to criminals and convicts from continental Portugal to build these water canals. Many are cut into the mountainsides, accompanied by 25 mi of tunnels, some of which are still accessible. Today levadas supply water and also provide hydro-electric power. Over 1350 mi of levadas were built and later provided a network of walking paths. Paths can provide easy and relaxing walks through the countryside, while others are narrow, crumbling ledges where a slip could result in injury or death. Some improvements have been made to these pathways following the 2010 Madeira floods and mudslides. Such improvements involved the continuous maintenance of streams, paving trails, and establishing safety fences on dangerous stretches. Two of the most popular (and demanding) hiking levadas are Levada do Caldeirão Verde and Levada do Caldeirão do Inferno. Levada do Caniçal is a much easier walk, running 7.1 mi from Maroços to the Caniçal Tunnel. It is known as the mimosa levada, because "mimosa" trees (the colloquial name for invasive acacia) are found along the route.

History

In Madeira, the levadas originated out of the necessity to bring large amounts of water from the west and northwest of the island to the drier southeast, which is more conductive to habitation and agriculture, such as sugar cane production. They were also used by women in the past to wash clothes in areas where running water was not available at homes. Similar examples can still be found in Iberia, such as some aqueducts in Spain. In the sixteenth century the Portuguese started building levadas to carry water to the agricultural regions. The most recent were made in the 1940s. Madeira is very mountainous, and building the levadas was often difficult. Many are cut into the sides of mountains, and it was also necessary to dig 25 km of tunnels.

Levadas today

Today the levadas not only supply water to the southern parts of the island, they also provide hydroelectric power. There are more than 1350 mi of levadas and they provide a remarkable network of walking paths. Some provide easy and relaxing walks through beautiful countryside, but others are narrow, crumbling ledges where a slip could result in serious injury or death. A popular levada to hike is the Levada do Caldeirão Verde which continues as the Levada Caldeirão do Inferno. Altogether it is about 23 mi long. Along both parts there are long sections which may cause hikers to suffer vertigo; and several tunnels for which flashlights and helmets are essential. The Levada do Caniçal is a much easier walk. This levada runs 7+1/8 mi from Maroços to the Caniçal Tunnel. It is known as the mimosa levada because acacias (commonly misnamed mimosas) are found all along the route.

Gallery