Footware for walking levadas in Madeira

Maurice Batey <[email hidden]> mentioned:

Quoted message said:

Will be spending a week in Funchal next month, and although it will not
be a walking holiday per se we do hope tp spend a few hours walking a
levada or two.

What is the recommended footware? Need boots, or will stout walking shoes
with gripper soles suffice?

I use lightweight Timberland boots, my wife uses stout Timberland
shoes (This is not a Timberland ad) . We bought them (cheaply in
the US) mainly for our Madeira visits although they have since had
extensive use in both Australia and New Zealand.

Many visitors seem to manage satisfactorily in trainers and friends of
ours use only hiking sandals. The levadas you're likely to walk on a
first visit are well walked. predominately dirt and pebble, so grip is
the main consideration.

Avoid the hotel / resort arranged walks, get a good book. The
Sunflower Madeira guide is probably the best known. I don't know what
your 'few hours' mean but could offer a few suggestions if it would
help.

Brian
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Brian wrote

Quoted message said:

Maurice Batey <[email hidden]> mentioned:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What is the recommended footware?

Quoted message said:

I use lightweight Timberland boots, my wife uses stout
Timberland

Although bear in mind that during winter (Nov,Dec,Jan) the island
can be astoundingly wet. The temperature is reasonably reliable
and rarely gets below 20 degrees at sea level.

Chris

Maurice Batey said:

Will be spending a week in Funchal next month, and although it will not
be a walking holiday per se we do hope tp spend a few hours walking a
levada or two.

What is the recommended footware? Need boots, or will stout walking shoes
with gripper soles suffice?

The main thing to bear in mind is that the more popular levada walks
can get very muddy in places if it has been wet. We have been wading
through 3 inches of mud sometimes ( usually only for a short section).
Also tunnels can be wet!

Bejay

These pics will give you some idea of the "terrain".

http://tony-simpkins.fotopic.net/c295790.html

Tony Simpkins

"Tony Simpkins" <[email hidden]> mentioned:

Quoted message said:

These pics will give you some idea of the "terrain".

http://tony-simpkins.fotopic.net/c295790.html

Tony Simpkins

Nice photos, but I would suggest that most are not typical of the
levadas a first timer with a 'few hours' would try. Your ...770 is the
more likely sort of thing they'd come across.

Brian
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Quoted message said:

... I would suggest that most are not typical of the
levadas a first timer with a 'few hours' would try. Your ...770 is the
more likely sort of thing they'd come across.

Brian

You could be right but these were taken a few years ago. Maybe the more
exposed levadas have received the 'health and safety' treatment by now.

Tony

"Tony Simpkins" <[email hidden]> mentioned:

Quoted message said:

You could be right but these were taken a few years ago. Maybe the more
exposed levadas have received the 'health and safety' treatment by now.

Tony

Some of the very exposed sections on some of the more popular levadas
certainly have - but there are still plenty of very nasty bits on the
less used ones and many lengths on popular ones that are unsuitable
for those with vertigo.

Brian
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