Hike Sao Miguel PRC34SMI - Trilho do Feno 9 October 2011

Joao, Ana, Alice, Alda and Ana kindly picked us up once more from the marina around 1330hrs on 9 October and drove us past Ribeira Grande to the small village of Fenais da Ajuda on the east part of the north coast. At 1430hrs we started our hike Trilho do Feno.

Please click on photos to enlarge them

The trail first followed a farm track out of the village

and then into a verdant ravine

to the stream below

then through fields past the village of  Lomba de S Pedro

more fields

and down to the picturesque ruins of an old fishing quay

 Couldn't resist taking this photo with our silhouettes above the natural arch

 Time for a rest

 Having climbed back to the cliff top we were rewarded by this view of the north coast

30 minutes or so later, we reached the car.

 On the return trip by car we stopped at this lookout point

 which was adorned by the Amaryllis Belladonna

 Close to Ribeira Grande, our friends took us to Caldeiras where there are many springs from which  boiling hot water flows. Some of the hot water is channelled into a pool and into a building housing a health spar.

Hot water bubbling out of the earth

Please click on arrow to view video clip

 Giant fern trees thrive in the warm humid air and soil

 We all enjoyed a soothing foot bath in the hot spring water before returning to Ponta Delgada with memories of a very enjoyable afternoon.