Visiting Serra de Água
Serra d’Água was a beautiful area seriously damaged by the flooding in 2010.
The works were hard when we visited it, but I don’t know if they are already finished, so travelling in the area may keep having some unexpected difficulties.
Sighseeing
The landscape around Serra d’Água is wild and very beautiful.
Encumeada is a high point, with great views all around – when weather allows it.
Waterfalls, nice trails, flowers everywhere, advice you to stop frequently, and your brakes will thank you for not being burnt in the descent.
Waterfalls
They are not famous as some other in Madeira.
They are not big, and I don’t even know if they are permanent, or just the consequence of recent raining, but I must confess that Encumeada had the greatest density of waterfalls for square kilometer in all the island, when I visited it.
Great views!
The village
Severely damaged by the flooding Serra d’Água impresses in a close look, but it keeps all its beauty when seen as part of the landscape.
Amidst the hard work, life goes on, and the waterfalls and flowers gloom, indifferent to the tragedy.
Peeks
Serra d’Agua and Encumeada are the areas were the views of the peeks are more impressive.
Frequent fog enhance the image of the steep mountains, while flowers and general green soften the landscape.
Small waterfalls may be seen almost everywhere.
Flowers
Flowers are everywhere in Madeira, but the descent from Encumeada to Serra d’Água is particularly beautiful.
Wild mountains back many ranks of flowers, with water cascading here and there.
Trails
No visit to Madeira is complete, without a walk in the wild.
The “levadas” are the best way to collect superb views and they are everywhere, though with different levels of beauty and risk.
However, levadas are not the only way, and in Serra d’Água there are also some interesting trails.
Poncha
The local drink may be found in many places, but Serra d’Água was THE place for our group to taste it.
We personally failed, going elsewhere, but some of our friends respected the plan, and returned euphoric, with the drinks, and the discovery of signs of previous visits from our dancing team.
Flooding
Serra d’Água was the most destroyed area in Madeira, in the tragic flooding.
Hard work were being done when I visited it, but removing the thousand of tons of rocks, and reconstructing the damaged structures takes time.
This was the only area where we had some difficulties in circulation.
