Levada do Furado, waymarked PR10, is a levada walk in the interior of Madeira, running 11 km from Ribeiro Frio on the ER103 to Portela. The path follows a working irrigation channel through native forest, crossing streams with small waterfalls and passing through tunnels, then opens onto farmland with grazing sheep and long views over the valleys. It is one of the quieter walks of its kind on the island. Sections of the route have been closed, with a diversion over Suna peak.
Levada do Furado Trail (PR10)
Local name: PR10 Levada do Furado – Ribeiro Frio → Portela
For 11 km the path follows a working irrigation channel — water running at your feet, through tunnels cut in the rock and past the streams that cross the line.
- Parking
- Free car park at the trailhead, about 35 m from the start; a second free parking area 102 m away.
- Difficulty
- 11 km one way, Ribeiro Frio to Portela. A climb at the start, then mostly flat along the channel, with narrow sections; 10 km out and back takes about three hours.
- Transport
- Bus stop RIB Frio-Viveiro Trutas, 33 m from the trailhead at Ribeiro Frio.
- Hours
- Open around the clock.
What makes it special
The path is the levada itself: a narrow irrigation channel cut into the hillside, with the walking line running alongside the water the whole way. There is a climb at the start, and after that the route flattens out and stays flat — through dense native forest where the birdsong barely stops, past streams with small waterfalls, and through tunnels in the rock. Higher up it opens onto farmland with sheep grazing, and the views run out across valleys and mountains, at their best while the morning mist is still lifting off them. It is a quiet walk. Long stretches pass with nobody else on them, and some of those stretches are frankly monotonous. The path pinches narrow in places along the channel.
Good to know
- Closures: the route has been shut at the Ribeiro Frio end and for 2.5 km up from Portela — check the trail status before driving up.
- The diversion: it climbs 1,340 ft over Suna peak on cobbled paths, then comes down on stony, muddy tracks. Harder than the levada.
- Point to point: the far end is Portela, 11 km off. Drivers turn back partway; 10 km out and back runs about three hours.
- Toilets and water: paid toilets about 40 m from the trailhead, and the Fontanário do Ribeiro Frio fountain 456 m away.
- Cold starts: mornings run chilly at this altitude — bring a jacket.
Getting there
The trailhead is at Ribeiro Frio on the ER103, and everything at the start sits within a few dozen metres of the road: the car park, a bus stop and the PR10 information board. There is no approach walk to speak of. The catch is the far end — PR10 runs point to point and finishes at Portela, 11 km away, so anyone who arrived by car walks out along the channel and turns back on the same line.
Best time to visit
Better: an early start, while the mist is still lifting off the valleys and the views open up as you walk.
Avoid: setting out to cover all 11 km with the car left at Ribeiro Frio — the route ends at Portela, and getting back from there is your problem.
Mornings up here run cold enough for a jacket, and the tree cover keeps the levada in shade for most of the day.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
Levada do Furado Trail (PR10) on the map
The path runs narrow in places alongside the open channel. Where the route is closed, the diversion is no easy substitute: it climbs 1,340 ft over Suna peak on cobbled paths and descends on stony, muddy tracks.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the PR10 open?
Not along its whole length. The route has been closed at the Ribeiro Frio end and for 2.5 km up from Portela, with a diversion up and over Suna peak — 1,340 ft of climbing on cobbles, then a stony, muddy descent. Check the status before you drive up.How long does the walk take?
The full line is 11 km, Ribeiro Frio to Portela. Turning back at the halfway point makes 10 km, about three hours at a steady pace. After the climb at the start, the levada path is mostly flat.Is there parking at the trailhead?
Yes, and it is free. The car park is about 35 m from the start, with a second free parking area 102 m away.Can you get there without a car?
A bus stop, RIB Frio-Viveiro Trutas, stands 33 m from the trailhead at Ribeiro Frio, on the ER103.What is there to see along the way?
Native forest with constant birdsong, streams crossing the path with small waterfalls, tunnels, farmland with grazing sheep, and views over the valleys and mountains. PR11 starts close by.