Madeira is a wondrously mountainous island: challenging for driving and hiking. Most hikes have steep ascents and descents, not necessarily in that order. The majority of hikes are out and back with only a few loop routes, so a bus or taxi need to be arranged if one does not wish to make the repeat journey. We found the out and back walks thrilling as we never tired of the mountain views. To take a break from the climbs we did an occasional levada hike, which are primarily flat (but not always). The premier mountain hike on Madeira is the 14 km Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo and return hike. Lots of exposure and tunnels and outright fun!

And then there are the multitude of waterfalls! Absolutely beautiful. Most enjoyable were the Risco Waterfall hike and the 25 Springs, both of which start and finish near Rabaçal, at about 10 km.