Levada da Ribeira da Janela

Waterfalls come down inside the tunnels on this levada. The first tunnel has one, and one of the tunnels runs for about 1.5 km with water falling through it, so a walker without a jacket comes out soaked. Between them the path opens onto lush green valleys and rock faces, and it stays quiet.

After the last tunnel, a house stands to the right of the path, and you can leave your name and the date on the wall inside.

The path is mostly flat, which makes the first stretch easy going. Deeper in, the effort moves to your footing: past the first tunnel the landslides begin, and how far you get depends on the ground that day.

From Lamaçeiros the path runs mostly flat beside the levada, with green valleys alongside, as far as the first tunnel and its waterfall. Turning back here skips the worst of the ground.

Past the first tunnel the path deteriorates and landslides cut across it. After the third tunnel the ground can become too dangerous to continue, and around 7 km in, just before the fourth tunnel, a single night of rain can be enough to stop you.

Beyond the last tunnel a house stands on your right. Shortly after it, about 10 km in, a dirt path on the left drops to the river and climbs back to the line on the far side; it is very steep. The main path around the mountain crosses a dam with waterfalls, then ends where a landslide has destroyed it.

The far end of the line is Origem. The walk is there and back, so you return the way you came from wherever you turn.

• Torch: carry one, because the tunnels are dark enough to need it.
• Clothing: water falls inside the long tunnel, so pack a waterproof jacket. Your shoes will get wet and dirty regardless.
• Turning back: landslides and a very steep river detour lie on the way to the far end, so choose a turning point before you set out.
• Facilities: toilets and a water point are under 100 m from the car park. The picnic spots are poorly kept.

The walk starts at Lamaçeiros, near Porto Moniz, and you can drive there: an asphalt car park serves it, with street parking as well.

Two stops lie about 1 km and 1.2 km away in a straight line, so coming by public transport leaves a walk at both ends of the day, and the distance on the ground will be longer than those figures.

The line is walked there and back, so you finish where you parked.

Best: after a couple of dry days in a row, starting early. The tunnels further in have a better chance of being passable then, and an early start keeps you ahead of other walkers.

Avoid: rain and the day after it. The path turns very slippery, stones roll down, and one night of rain can be enough to stop you before the fourth tunnel. Keep out of the tunnels in flood season, and expect fog to take the view when it closes in.

Levada da Ribeira da Janela is not a classified trail, so Madeira's fee and booking system does not cover it. The same status means IFCN, which runs that system, cannot recommend the walk or take responsibility for it.

Where a sign on the line tells you not to go further, turn back: landslides have damaged the path further in.