Levada (Madeira)

A levada is an irrigation channel or aqueduct specific to the Portuguese Atlantic region of Madeira. Madeira island is wet in the northwest, but dry in the southeast. In the 16th century the Portuguese started building levadas (aqueducts) to carry water to the agricultural regions in the south. Due to its mountainous landscape, building levadas promised to be a difficult venture, often tasked to criminals and convicts from continental Portugal to build these water canals.^[1] Many are cut into the mountainsides, accompanied by 40 km (25 mi) of tunnels, some of which are still accessible.

Today levadas supply water and also provide hydro-electric power.^[2] Over 2,170 km (1,350 mi) of levadas were built and later provided a network of walking paths. Paths can provide easy and relaxing walks through the countryside, while others are narrow, crumbling ledges where a slip could result in injury or death. Some improvements have been made to these pathways following the 2010 Madeira floods and mudslides.^[3] Such improvements involved the continuous maintenance of streams, paving trails, and establishing safety fences on dangerous stretches.^[4]

Two of the most popular (and demanding) hiking levadas are Levada do Caldeirão Verde and Levada do Caldeirão do Inferno. Levada do Caniçal is a much easier walk, running 11.4 km (7.1 mi) from Maroços to the Caniçal Tunnel. It is known as the mimosa levada, because "mimosa" trees (the colloquial name for invasive acacia) are found along the route.