Chão dos Louros (PR 22)

Laurel and til trees line the whole circle, and a water stream runs beside half of it. This is native Laurisilva, evergreen and green from start to finish. The one break comes at a natural viewpoint, with a wide view over the São Vicente valley.

The walk works best as part of a picnic day. The lower car park has benches and barbecue points, and the loop takes about 45 minutes. Walkers after a proper hike will find it short and monotonous, and big panoramas are not what it offers.

Chão dos Louros also holds a place in local devotion: by tradition, pilgrims returning from the festivities of Senhor Bom Jesus in Ponta Delgada gather here on the first Sunday in September.

At the Chão dos Louros picnic and barbecue area, the loop starts and finishes in the same spot. The circle can also be joined at various other points around the forest park.

In the forest, the track rises and falls between 830 m and 890 m, with a number of short, steep sections, and a water stream runs beside half the walk. Waymarks are poor or missing on much of it, so stay on the obvious track.

At the natural viewpoint, the view opens wide over the São Vicente valley. The trail also gives access to Caminho do Norte (PR 21), which connects to Ribeira Grande, if you want a longer walk.

All the way round, the path loops around the road, which gives a quick return to the start if the weather changes.

• Refunds: A paid booking is lost if rain or a change of plan stops you; refunds come only when the trail is officially closed or restricted.
• Status: Check the trail's status on the official IFCN page before you book.
• Waymarks: Much of the track has poor or no marking, though the line is easy to follow.
• Longer day: Anyone after a proper hike should add Caminho do Norte (PR 21).
• Facilities: Toilets sit about 90 m away and a water point about 70 m away; the lower car park has picnic benches and barbecue points.

Drivers have two free car parks at Chão dos Louros: a small upper one, and a large lower one with hard standing, picnic benches, barbecue points and a bus stop. The trail can be walked start to finish from the picnic and barbecue area, so the lower car park puts you at the start.

Besides the stop at the lower car park, the Boca da Encumeada stop lies about 690 m away in a straight line. Check bus times before you book, because your slot ties you to an hour.

The loop brings you back to where you began, so there is no return to arrange.

Best: a dry day, on a weekday morning if you can. The trees are evergreen, so no season leaves the forest bare, and a picnic and barbecue site is at its quietest before lunch and outside weekends.

Avoid: the time just after wet weather. The track turns wet and muddy, and that makes the short steep sections harder going. Expect company on the first Sunday in September, the traditional day for the pilgrims' gathering.

The trail is a classified walking route managed by IFCN, in a Natura 2000 site, and entry runs on timed slots. Every walker must register and book on the SIMplifica Portal, including those exempt from the fee; bookings and payments are not handled at IFCN premises. The tolerance around your slot is about 15 minutes, and a slot blocks automatically once it is full.

Exempt from the fee, though still required to book: children aged 12 or under; Madeira residents who show a resident card and citizen card; people with a disability of 60% or more, plus one legal guardian accompanying them, with documentary proof.

Walking two or more trails within 1, 3 or 7 days? Select them all on the portal and it applies the most advantageous rate at the end. Each trail still needs its own booking and slot.