Vereda do Fanal Trail (PR13)

The walk changes character three times. It starts high on the mountain, with views over the ridges when the cloud is off. The middle is laurel forest, mossy and closed in. Near the end it opens into grass plains, and then into Fanal Forest itself, where old stinkwood trees stand in open pasture.

Weather decides which walk you get. In clear air you have the viewpoints. In fog the forest is what people photograph, and the high section shows nothing at all. Cattle graze here and use the same path, steps included.

• Weather runs the day. Check the forecast before driving up. The high section has views only in clear air, and fog closes them off completely.
• Mid-day is the busiest. Crowds at Fanal build through the middle of the day, and early morning is far quieter.
• Cattle share the path. Cows walk the same trail, steps included, and you may have to wait behind them.
• This is not the official start. The waymarked route begins at the far end, so from here you are walking PR13 in reverse.

Most walkers drive to this end of the trail rather than to the official start. From the car park, Fanal Forest is a few minutes on foot, and many go no further. The route is linear, not a loop: the official trailhead is at the far end, and walking out and back doubles the day. A taxi back from the far end is the way round that.

Better: early morning.

Avoid: the middle of the day.

Visitor numbers at Fanal build towards mid-day, and the walk is quieter before that. Fog is not a reason to cancel: the forest in cloud is the sight people come away with, and only the viewpoints on the high section are lost. Check the forecast the evening before and decide which version you want.

The trail runs through protected laurel forest, and parts of Fanal are fenced off. Stay outside the fencing and on the path. The fence has been torn open in places and the protected ground walked over. Take your rubbish out with you.