Marvels of Madeira Walk

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Philippa Blackwell, 25/02/2024

My experience was very good - and I was particularly impressed with how flexible the itinerary could be. We met 2 other couples on the same trip and I think we all felt impressed as Headwater newbies! It was our first experience of a self guided tour and would definitely do this again. The staff at both hotels were lovely, and we appreciated the opportunity to spend the day at the sister hotel to Porto Bay Serra Golf to find the sun finally having had a mostly wet week!

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Sally Cunliffe, 25/02/2024

Excellent all round!

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Paul Wilcox, 03/02/2024

Excellently organised and with the weather being kind we did all the walks plus a bonus walk to the highest peak.

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Ruth Gavin, 20/01/2024

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Linda Broughall, 21/12/2023

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David Mason, 19/10/2023

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Jane Flockhart, 19/10/2023

We were very pleased with our first ever self-guided walking holiday, and would definitely consider one again, as it takes some of the pressure off finding planning time beforehand. Madeira is truly beautiful and an excellent location for walking, but be prepared for very variable weather, although it is not cold. It is not great for vegetarians or vegans, but the food is very fresh and healthy.

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Brigid Daniel, 24/09/2023

Everything was well organised and the trip was very enjoyable.

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Gordon Mcleay, 18/09/2023

Excellent holiday. Impressed by quality of hotels and the transfers - they were always on time.

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Lynne Jones, 15/09/2023

Excellent holiday. All details managed well. Would travel with headwater again.

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Johanna Ovenden, 14/09/2023

This was very well organised. The App was great and it was lovely to stay in different parts of the island

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Brian Lloyd, 13/07/2023

Thank you Headwater for another excellent Holiday package.

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BEDFORD, 15/06/2023

The holiday was a joy and delight, the hotels were excellent, the scenery was stunning and the flowers were fantastic.

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Mr Scheinkonig, 24/03/2023

Consider more variety of walks possibly with more challenge

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Mrs Hazeldine, 10/03/2023

This is a good walking holiday based in very comfortable hotels with excellent meals and facilities. The itinerary means that you experience different areas of this beautiful island. The taxi transfers were always on time and the drivers often gave very useful advice. The actual walks were varied, but some were very challenging and good boots and walking poles were essential for these.

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Mrs Wilson, 02/03/2023

Enjoyable vacation in a beautiful country

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Ms Dennis, 06/02/2023

An excellent adventure, great walking and fantastic hotels. The walking can be tricky in wet weather, slippery down hill sections and February a prime time for wet weather, but the challenges were well worth it, Madeira is a wonderful walking destination.

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Mrs Lewis, 19/01/2023

The holiday was so enjoyable. We were pleasantly surprised that it was only us on the holiday and not a group. We usually organise our own holidays and so it was a change to have it all done for us - once we realised how well everything worked we really relaxed - knowing that the taxis would arrive when they said they would, the hotels were of good standard and the navigation app worked really well. The scenery was stunning and we absolutely loved all the walks.

We enjoyed the holiday so much that we were looking at your website to see which holiday we wanted to do next whilst waiting at the airport in Madeira for the flight home! Thanks to Helen from Headwater for making the booking of our holiday such an easy experience too. We would definitely recommend Headwater to our friends.

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Dr Belfield, 12/01/2023

We had a very good holiday. The first, third and fourth hotels were excellent

The fourth hotel Quintinha São João was the best - recommend you use it regularly. Transfers were all very good We shared the trip with a very nice English couple. The second hotel Porto Bay Serra Golf in Santo da Serra was average, service was stretched and the staff were less customer focused. The hotel was cold, condensation continually ran down our room windows. Santo de Serra has little to offer and everyone on the island seemed to know it rained there most of January. The holiday in the winter months would be better with the Santana hotel and then more days in Funchal which does get some sun. The walks could be reached by transfer easily. We found the App brilliant as were our printed off instructions. The walks were moderate/ challenging- the levada on day 2 has tremendous exposure with 300m drops and the coastal walk is exposed. Friends in Funchal sorted gentler walks easily.

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Mr Evans, 09/01/2023

An excellent introduction to the beautiful island of Madeira. Well-planned walks and spectacular scenery from the high levels of the levadas to the stunning coastal walks. Hotels are well chosen and the local service is efficient and friendly.

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Mr Mills, 22/12/2022

Communication and service from my first conversation and email communication with the Headwater Team was excellent. The Airport, hotel and daily activity transport and guidance was excellent through out, with all the team involved being knowledgeable and helpful. Thank you all.

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Mrs Collier, 14/10/2022

Excellent holiday in October, lovely flowers- our weather was good enough to swim in outdoor pools - Serra Golf and Quinta do Furao had indoor pools . Our first day walking along the coast entailed significant climbing up at end of walk. On day off some of the group, we went away with ,walked on the peninsula which was beautiful. My husband had a eyesight problem whilst we were away and despite lots of phoning around by Headwater folk no eye specialist was available . We visited an emergency department in a hospital in Funchal and had excellent care given reasonably promptly. As regards flights please be aware Funchal has a challenging airport - our flight was aborted just as we were about to land . We enjoyed taking part in the sledge down and tele-cabin up, visited botanical gardens and took part in Madeira wine tasting. Walks were stunning, great views - remember either your phone or head torch for tunnels . I used my walking sticks throughout, for security and down hills.

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Dr Craggs, 14/10/2022

Fantastic trip and introduction to Madeira. Some of the walks are challenging so you need to be fit.

Useful to have B&B in last hotel to make the most of the restaurants in Funchal. Taxis reasonable price. Try A Bica but advised to book as very popular.

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Mr Wilkinson, 14/10/2022

Excellent holiday. Very well looked after. First walk along the coast was quite challenging due to number of steps and heat but we really enjoyed it. The levada walks were amazing due to the views, wildlife and plants. No really scary bits and felt safe at all times with appropriate safety rails. Food in hotels excellent, all hotels had pools and very relaxing. We enjoyed Funchal for meals out and visiting the botanical gardens and other sites. A great relaxing holiday. Highly recommend doing the wine tour at Blandys if you have time and taking home some Madeira.

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Ms Parkin, 10/10/2022

The booking, information and support from the Headwater agent was excellent, any queries were answered promptly and fully. The island of Madeira is fabulous and this holiday gave a really good picture of life there. The walks are challenging but worth it and walking the levadas is a unique, if at times, scary experience! The taxis drivers are excellent and beyond helpful, their pride in their country shines through, their English is excellent. Recommended if you have a head for heights and a love of landscape and flora. The cable car to the botanical gardens is well worth doing and a free one way ticket is included in your holiday. It is worth noting that the toboggans do not routinely run, we were not bothered by this but some others were.

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Mr Hunt, 10/10/2022

Overall the holiday from start to finish was extremely well planned and managed in both the UK and Madeira.

The walks were varied and showed the contrasts of the island. In general the route notes were excellent, a couple of minor updates required. All transfers were very good with excellent, pleasant and informative drivers.

All hotels were very good, all with excellent breakfast options. We were slightly disappointed with the dinner at Quinta do Furao as it had a limited menu. Location of Porto Bay Serra was good with an easy walk into town. Quinta da Bela Vista was a nice hotel with good facilities but for us was too far from Funchal Old Town and the shuttle service does not run weekends. As we were only B&B here it was also a long walk to the sea front restaurants.

Took advantage of the cable car ticket to vista the botanical gardens, would have liked to take the toboggan down but they don't operate on Sundays.

Would definitely recommend at least one or two extra nights in Funchal.

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Mrs Pring, 26/09/2022

An excellent holiday with lots of variety in the walks. Madeira is a beautiful place. The route notes were very good and the arranged transport and transfers were efficiently carried out. The hotels were very comfortable and in good locations for the walks.

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Dr Howden, 22/09/2022

Thoroughly enjoyable, and well organised trip

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Mr Balfour, 15/08/2022

Brilliantly organised-good walks/maps and transfers.

Well looked after-can’t think of any way to have made it better than it was

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Mrs Dibben, 29/04/2022

Another great experience with Headwater among the beautiful flowers of Madeira. Highly recommended.

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Mrs Jones, 28/04/2022

All in all and excellent holiday, which was challenging but very enjoyable. The standard of the accommodation was outstanding and the walks were varied, very demanding in places, but achievable and wonderful. This holiday would be difficult for people with a fear of heights, but we managed to walk on the levadas, even in the most vertiginous places and felt a great sense of accomplishment. The scenery, accommodation, helpfulness of the staff at the hotels, food, flowers, and weather all made this a holiday which exceeded our expectations.

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Dr Adams, 17/02/2022

Excellent walking holiday. Good accommodation and logistics.

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Mrs Lyon, 12/02/2022

As a sole traveller, I wanted the reassurance of not wasting time finding my way to the start of trails or back to hotel. Being able to move between 3 hotels was great to experience different areas of Madeira. Headwater route instructions were mostly accurate but the first one needs an alteration as a barrier has been put up to prevent walking under the cliffs. This was ok though as I just did an out and back rather than circular.

The 4 star hotells were excellent in every regard but the final 5 star was over-priced and not what I would expect of a five star. I'd prefer 4 stars. Location were ok but my personal preference would be overlooking the sea.

Plus points -

Organising transport to and from trails taken care of

Variety of locations was excellent

Walking was perfect standard for me

Madeira is a friendly welcoming island, crime free and chilled.

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Mrs Woodruff, 10/02/2022

Great experience, well graded walks as good organisation

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Mr Sharples, 02/02/2022

All transfers and pick ups from the end of walks worked very well. Hotels very good standard. The walks showed very different aspects of the Madeiran geography.

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Mrs Foot, 23/12/2021

Madeira has fantastic walking at all levels. This self guided tour means you get to see lots of the island.

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Mr Field, 04/11/2021

Some of the guides need revising - Where is the wooden bridge on Levada do Norte for example. The other logistics excellent. e.g. other guests in Bella Vists were ferried to airport for same BA flight some 2 hours before us. Our timing was just perfect.

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Mr Tompkins, 06/03/2020

The holiday was very good. We very much enjoyed the Quinta do Furao hotel set on the cliffs over looking the coast. Even with building work going on we did not even notice it going on. Their hospitality with a welcome/ departing gift were a nice touch and would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to others.

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Mrs Henderson, 23/09/2019

A very well balanced walking holiday on a beautiful island with genuinely friendly and flexible taxi drivers!

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Ms Cross, 08/08/2019

I loved it! Walking was varied and spectacular. Madeira a stunning holiday destination. Will definitely book with Headwater again. Quality of hotel accommodation was great.

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Mr Clark, 17/06/2019

The entire holiday was even better than we could ever have hoped for. The walking the Levadas was a very interesting way to see the parts of Madeira some people never see. The transfers each day were excellent but best of all was the quality of the hotels which were excellent and are in locations to let you experience the different areas of Madeira. The staff were all very helpful and the food at the 3 hotels was super. This was a holiday that exceeded all our expectations and if you are reasonably fit and enjoy walking then we would highly recommend this. Madeira is a very beautiful and interesting island and I am sure we will go back again to experience more of what is on offer.

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Mr Alexander, 06/06/2019

Great thank you

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Mr Catterall, 03/06/2019

Seeing the countryside you can never see in a car or coach

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Mrs Jones, 16/05/2019

We had a great holiday in Madeira- the walks were varied and well planned, allowing us to see different parts of the island. The accommodation provided was excellent too- very comfortable, and good food. We would definitely recommend this trip with Headwater.

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Mrs Reid, 04/04/2019

Our trip to Madeira allowed us to experience the beauty of the island through the diverse walking trips and sightseeing days. Our accommodation was superb at all three hotels and staff were friendly and knowledgeable. The local firm used to transport us to and from our daily walks are to be complimented as the drivers were wonderful. Headwater helped us have an unforgettable holiday to mark our silver wedding.

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Mrs Davenport, 25/10/2018

If you are actively fit and prepared for physical challenges then Headwater has well documented self-guided walks with well organised hotel accomodation and transfers to support your hiking holiday.

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Mr Mathieson, 13/09/2018

Some walks on this holiday were slightly more challenging than anticipated, but perhaps that reflects our age and fitness. The fact that most walks require a taxi pick up at the end does add a little pressure and reduces the time available to stand and appreciate the surroundings. We learned that we prefer open-ended walks that end at hotels so that we can walk at our own pace. When walking in an area for the first time you don't really know how long a walk is likely to take so having to pre-arrange taxi pick ups was an added anxiety for us.

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Mr Gaskell, 13/09/2018

A compact week of relatively straightforward walking of moderate difficulty. The itinerary was accurate, as were all pickup/transfer timings.

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Mrs Beighton, 23/08/2018

We enjoyed good weather, varied interesting levada walks, friendly staff and very good hotels

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Mrs Croucher, 01/08/2018

We travelled as a group of 6 friends . Unable to get first hotel as booked. Very well organised transport. Very surprised Porto Bay Serra Golf had no air con. Helpful staff but over stretched.

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Mr Miller, 29/06/2018

Was a first-timer both to Headwater and Madeira. Thought walking would be the best way to get to know the island. There wasn`t a small group holiday so decided to go for self-guided holiday. Apart from the issue of the single-supplement there were no problems. Everything went smoothly throughout the holiday and I was in a position to contact Eduardo the local rep at any time if I needed too. Hotels were excellent in terms of location and food, and service. Especially enjoyed Madeiran specialities such as scabbard fish with bananas! Route notes and maps made the walks simple to negotiate. Good variety in the walks, though three levada walks was enough and glad I took the St Lawrence Peninsula walk as my optional walk as this covered very different terrain. Although I travelled on my own met up with other Headwater walkers on both the walks and in the hotels and enjoyed their company. Of course, the excellent weather helped immensely and walking in the clouds on one of the levada trails was a welcome break from the sun. Last 24 hours in Funchal was great way to end the holiday with sightseeing in the old town, and cable cars to the Tropical Gardens and Botanical Garden. Can recommend the holiday both to single travellers and others. Thoroughly enjoyed it and will be back for more with Headwater.

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Mr Hopps, 25/05/2018

Didn't really like Madeira - we knew it was an elderly destination but not quite so starkly. This should be advised. Funchal has little to commend it. Conclusions partly influenced by poor weather and a fall on a levada which laid me up for most of the week but have tried to take that into consideration.

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Mr Coe, 21/05/2018

Madeira is a fantasy island, with outstanding scenery and interesting walking. Some of the walking is challenging: almost the only flat routes are the levadas, and the hills are steep. The levadas themselves have spectacular views, and whilst level are sometimes testing as they can be narrow and uneven, but ultimately extremely rewarding. In May the weather is mild but some rain can be expected, so a waterproof jacket is essential. The Headwater hotels are all excellent, and people in general are friendly and helpful. Thoroughly recommended.

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Miss Browne, 03/05/2018

We had a lovely holiday in Madeira. The walking was very enjoyable, if a little hilly at times, but worth it for the fantastic scenery and views. All the hotels were excellent with good food. We really enjoyed our rest day in Funchal at the end of the holiday, especially the toboggan ride down from Monte!

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Ms Leach, 03/05/2018

As other reviewers have stated, the levadas are interesting walks but often you cannot see the views due to high vegetation or needing to keep a close eye on your footing due to being on the edge of a steep drop - so after a while some parts felt somewhat tedious. There were quite a lot of long steep ascents & descents.



We only stayed in two hotels. Hotel Porto Bay Serra Golf was really lovely - the room, the food & service were excellent. The final hotel, Quinta da Bela Vista, is set in a good location overlooking Funchal. It has a lovely pool & bar area that is nice to sit in the evening. This hotel is on a half board status - the evening meal is a 5 course set menu with no choice offered at all. We found the food very average. Whilst we were there, people who used the hotel restaurant in the evening were of a very much older age group (we are not young - in our late 50s) & the ambiance was really very quiet & subdued. We decided that on our second & final evening we would not eat in the restaurant & preferred to go somewhere with a bit more atmosphere. Breakfast was not subdued, more of a mixed age group with people chatting etc.

Unfortunately we did experienced some frustrations with the local agent Headwater use. Briefly, these were some of the issues: being dropped off in the wrong location for the start of a walk & not knowing were we were & needing to walk an extra 2k to reach the start; a driver trying to take us to a levada that was closed even though we were advised by the local rep at the start of the holiday that it was closed - we advised the driver it was closed but he told us it was not, however, it was closed; agreeing a time of pick up with the local rep but the driver not being advised of this so arrived 30 minutes late.

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Mrs Edwards, 09/04/2018

We were very well looked after and everything happened as we expected it too.

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Mr Robinson, 15/03/2018

A very well-thought-out mix of locations and walks, showing us a lot of what beautiful Madeira has to offer. All three hotels were excellent; our favourite was Quinta do Furao, the first one, with its fantastic view along the NE coast.

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Mrs Harding, 09/03/2018

The holiday met all our expectations. It was well-organised and allowed us to enjoy the island in all its beauty. We look forward to our next adventure.

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Mrs Kane, 02/02/2018

This was our first experience of an organised holiday. It was great to be collected/met at the airport and to have the overseas team always on hand, as far as making life easy getting around. There was certainly an older demographic than we expected, which although we were comfortable with, didn't make for such a great time at the bar, or dinner.

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Mrs Muir, 05/10/2017

Really enjoyed our walking experience in Madeira. Good variety of walks in good weather and magnificent scenery. Enjoyed staying in three locations in three very different hotels. Good choice of hotels and they all had good facilities.

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Mrs Preece, 28/09/2017

This holiday lived up to our expectations - although it was not cheap.

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Mr Perry, 07/09/2017

Good locations, excellent hotels and very relaxing.

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Mr Weston, 07/07/2017

Invigorating trip, great organisation, will use Headwater again.

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Mrs Pritchett, 06/07/2017

Beautiful island, very welcoming people, excellent standard of hotels.

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Mrs Cox, 01/06/2017

A holiday should be restful with the minimum stress and this holiday ticked all of the boxes.

The only sour note came when we ate at the restaurant attached to the Hotel Bela Vista and the head waiter seemed surprised that we required a dairy free meal although we had mentioned this to reception when checking in. His response was that there was only one dish on the a la carte menu that was dairy free, which was disappointing and did not reflect the positive and more flexible approach of the other places that we ate, notably the hotel's other restaurant!

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Mrs Locker, 24/04/2017

At times the walks through the levadas were rather tedious because the vegetations blocked all the views. All the transfers worked really well.

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Mr Williams, 21/04/2017

Easy walking, good hotels, mixed weather.

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Mrs Mulder, 20/10/2016

Fantastic experience walking Madeira. Even on a cloudy day it is an amazing place. Headwater arranged everything effortless. Amazing how the drivers were always there on the dot! Very reliable at all times. The levada walks were easy walks - except if you haven't got a head for heights...Good variety in walks and great that Headwater could provide more walks if you wanted to walk more. For example on your free days.

Will book with Headwater again - a no brainer!

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Mis Buttrick, 06/10/2016

A wonderful walking holiday in Madeira. A great insight of the island. Headwater took all the work out of the travel and holiday arrangements and left us to enjoy ourselves!

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Mrs Lancaster, 02/10/2016

This was our first holiday to Madeira and fortunately enjoyed perfect walking weather.

We enjoyed the Levada experience very much but the Sao Lourenco Peninsula walk was definitely a highlight. Our last walk into Funchal was disappointing but appreciate it had been changed because of the summer fires.

The hotels were delightfully varied. At the Quinta do Furao we enjoyed live music and an outdoor hotel buffet/barbecue on our last night. At the Serra Golf we found ourselves upgraded to a lovely suite! Staying at The Bela Vista is like stepping back in time to 'Colonial days'. Silver service is a fun experience. The waiters were a little surprised when my husband asked for beer rather than wine! But they soon got used to him. We cannot fault the food and service at this hotel. Although the hotel is out of Funchal we did find the local bus service and hotel minibus service worked well.

Overall a wonderful holiday.

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Mr Kelly, 22/09/2016

Once again, we had a thoroughly enjoyable holiday! Great walking, wonderful locations for our accommodation, excellent food and drink, and as a bonus the company of other like-minded walkers at various points during the week. Excellent route notes and planning - it is definitely what we have come to expect from our Headwater holidays (this was our 10th).

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Mr Shelton, 19/09/2016

Quinta do Furao was lovely, very welcoming staff, a stunning location. The walk along the coast from the hotel was amazing. The local representative, Eduardo from MB Travel, met us to discuss the week's walks and was very helpful, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

Serra Golf was a beautiful building, but the staff took two days to sort out our lack of hot water (we had a room in the old house) and had forgotten to provide a packed lunch on our morning of departure.

The levada walks were splendid - breathtaking views around every corner. The guide notes were good, but we could have done with a few more arrows or signs on the path. On the last walking day we had an alternative walk due to the forest fires of previous weeks. This was not nearly as good as the previous walks - I am sure there are other walks available.

Quinta da Bela Vista was a a lovely hotel set in beautiful grounds - a long way from the centre of Funchal and the hotel shuttle bus does not run on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. There are local buses into town. Five course dinners served every evening, but after a day's walking you just want a big bowl of something on the table.

Many thanks to Headwater staff for their efforts to arrange our holiday around our preferred dates.

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Mrs Rose, 08/09/2016

Had a great week's walking in Madeira, the walks were very clear and the transport well organised. The first walk of the week was the hardest, a lot of up and steeply down but fantastic scenery and glad we did it. The lavada walks were lovely and really enjoyed the tunnels. The hotel in Funchal not a five star, the allocated rooms have no balcony which you need to access Wifi or like us you have to stand by window, not ideal after a long walk. The first two hotels were great, very friendly with great service. Overall an enjoyable holiday.

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Mrs Hewitt, 20/06/2016

This holiday was good and the temperature for walking was very comfortable, but it would have been lovely to see the sun more, and the spectacular views, which were sometimes covered by mist and low cloud. I was not very fit at the beginning and felt exhausted and sore after two days, so chose to miss the walk on day 3 and go with the bags to the next hotel and have a day resting, and reading by the pool. (The Porto Bay Serra Golf has a spa with treatments, and it is possible to book a leg and foot massage!). The walks were dominated by levada routes, so less varied than our previous walking holidays with Headwater, so it was really worth going on the San Lourentco peninsula walk which was wonderful.

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Mis Rodgers, 13/06/2016

Madeira was a beautiful location. Weather in June was pleasant. Hotels and food good.

Walks varied and interesting. Overall a good experience.

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Mrs Loch, 23/05/2016

Madeira is an excellent year-round easy walking destination. The custard tarts are to die for.

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Mrs Hansen, 20/05/2016

Fantastic walking, great variety. Very enjoyable holiday. One of our best Headwater holidays.

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Mrs Macleod, 19/05/2016

Very well organised trip. Varied walking; enjoyed walking along the levadas but views often restricted by trees. Misty on some days so some high level walks would have been good.

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Mr Grant, 05/05/2016

The holiday was excellent and the walks sufficiently challenging without being too onerous, although some of the climbs are pretty severe and you need a head for heights on some short stretches of the levada walls. If you want superb views this holiday is great but if you suffer any degree of vertigo this is not the holiday for you.

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Mr Stevens, 21/04/2016

Very enjoyable, well-organised and good general standard of accommodation.

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Mr Taylor, 01/04/2016

Madeira is a beautiful, friendly and welcoming island, ideal for gentle exercise and relaxation.

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Mr Curwen, 31/03/2016

A superb holiday. The walks are out of this world - such a beautiful place, quite magical. The hotels had excellent facilities which is just what you need after a day's walking. Well done Headwater!

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Mr Ball, 17/03/2016

Enjoyable notwithstanding some poor weather.

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Mr Wildsmith, 17/02/2016

Excellent varied walking on the coast and on the Levada system. Good variety of hotel.

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Mr Worsley, 08/02/2016

Met our expectations exactly - no hitches throughout.

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Mr Huddlestone, 05/02/2016

An enjoyable winter break in milder weather with an interesting variety of walking, without being too challenging! The hotels provided excellent facilities for rest and recuperation with good dining and comfortable surroundings and some stunning views in places.

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Mr Green, 28/10/2015

Good combination of interesting but not too taxing walks, four or five hours a day, and pleasant pampering by staying at good hotels with pools and saunas, (very important to soothe any aching muscles!) Local people that we encountered seemed uniformly friendly and helpful and the landscape, whether we were being driven or walking through it, was never less than fascinating and often simply amazing, a combination of peruvian highlands and alpine villages!

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Ms Lang, 17/10/2015

It was a good holiday. Just too much rain.

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Mr Hurst, 23/09/2015

The walking exactly as described in the itinerary. For the intrepid, on the Caldeirão Verde Levada walk it is worth exploring beyond Caldeirão Verde towards Caldeirão do Inferno. The first 1.3k is easy, then there is an ambiguous option of continuing along levada or climbing steeply on well-maintained steps signposted 'Caldeirão do Inferno 0.8km'. We chose the latter. The steps take you up to a much higher level levada and a maze of tunnels and bits of old railway track. There is a yellow and red way marker here that seems to indicate this is the official route. Unfortunately we didn't have time to explore further.

On day 5 we would highly recommend the São Lourenço walk - but do go early before it gets busy.

On days where transfers are provided, it is worth verifying that the driver knows where he should be taking you. On the Caldeirão Verde Levada day we were half way to Funchal before we realised the driver had mistaken our destination.

Quinta da Bela Vista is not a 5 star hotel. It has an air of faded luxury, but they need to focus on the basics like cleanliness and service to earn their 5 stars. The bedroom wing needs a freshen-up - e.g. the faded/stained carpets replaced. The 5-course meal and service in the half-board restaurant was ok, but didn't really live up to expectations. The 'production line' catering was obvious and service perfunctory. Having said that, there are some interesting public areas - the pool/bar, old house and gardens. Having after-dinner drinks and coffee by the pool with views over Funchal was memorable.

The Quinta do Furao and Serra Golf were fine hotels in their different ways.

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Mr Stather, 21/09/2015

1. We felt that the Quinta do Furao hotel was ahead of the others because the staff were genuinely helpful/friendly, the restaurant served excellent locally grown food and typically Madeiran cuisine.



2. One flaw in the route notes was on Day 6 - the 2nd line on the 2nd Paragraph on page 22 - starts with 'At the T-junction of paths, turn right.....' We think it should say 'turn left!' Another (more minor) point is on Page 16 (last but one paragraph) mentioning the Tofa Mini Mercato - which we didn't find but suspect that the name has changed (they were in the process of re-vamping the shop with another name and coloured purple.



3. I would especially like to express my thanks to Donna Webber for her close attention to detail and patience when exploring the flight/accommodation options that made our holiday enjoyable during the period we had available. And also for Emma Glasgow for making exceptional steps in a very tight timescale to ensure that we received the route notes/maps etc through the post that were essential to our holiday. Thank you both.

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Mrs Heard, 17/09/2015

Wonderful, all walks easy instructions to follow with small useful details personally put in by Lucy the Rep who was full of good and helpful advice. Locations all good. All hotel staff spoke good English which really helped as we do not speak a word of Portuguese. Food good. All transfers spot on, nice friendly drivers who gave local history as we traveled. Although a walking holiday, found it very relaxing as we walked at our own pace and all the walks different so plenty of scenery to stop and take in. This was our 1st walking holiday and regard it as a total success, extremely happy with Headwater and would book with them again.

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Mr Whitehurst, 08/06/2015

The key to my holiday was the flexibility in booking the travel arrangements via Birmingham. This allowed me access to an excellent holiday using a local airport.

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Mr Hurrell, 25/05/2015

Overall we really enjoyed it. However we were not quite prepared for the steepness of some of the walks. This is not down to Headwater but rather our own lack of research. The views were spectacular. We also felt that the times given for the length of each walk was rather optimistic even for us who enjoy walking in all terrains.

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Mr Robinson, 07/05/2015

We both found this trip very enjoyable. The walking is relatively easy but very rewarding, and remarkably varied. The accommodation was top rate with good quality meals and excellent service. The location of Quinta do Furao is really great. Taxi collections and drop offs were faultless. In fact the whole trip from leaving home to returning was just perfect. One of our favourite trips.

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Mrs Peniket, 02/04/2015

We felt the walks were well-planned and the hotels well-chosen. We thought Eduardo Dias should have been more informative. On day 6 directions were inaccurate. Second para on Day 6 Camacha to Funchal at a 'T-junction of paths' we should have turned left, not right as indicated in the notes. Also other inaccuracies. At Serra Golf we booked a double room and were given a twin.

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Mr Davis, 02/04/2015

A walking holiday visiting several locations in one area. All the planning, hotels, transport etc is done for you so you can concentrate on the walks and enjoying yourself. Hotels and food very good.

The one problem we had was some glass on the floor in the bathroom at the Quinta de Bela Vista. Eventually this was cleared up thoroughly.

Minibus driver (lady) at Quinta de Furao was particularly helpful and friendly.

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Mrs Corrie, 02/04/2015

It was a great holiday as we were a group of 7, made up from friends for a 70th birthday celebration.The walking was the hardest I have ever done (I am 72 and fit) but it was great fun and a real sense of achievement at the end of each day.

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Mr Deacon, 23/10/2014

Overall we enjoyed the holiday, and especially liked the first hotel. But we did not think that Quinta da Bela Vista was five star. Some features are excellent but the room we were shown first was poor: no balcony, faded fittings and an unpleasant musty smell. In the event we had to pay an additional 30 Euros a night to get the sort of room we expected. This was negotiated for us by the MB Travel office, who were very helpful.

Looking on Trip Advisor, the hotel seems to offer two standards depending on the building one is in, one excellent and the other adequate at best.

Headwater response:
Dear Mr Deacon, Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday questionnaire. We were delighted to see that you had an enjoyable holiday overall. Although, were sorry to hear of your disappointment with the Quinta da Bela Vista. Ordinarily, this hotel receives positive feedback from our customers. However, please be assured that we realise we cannot afford to let our standards of accommodation slip, Therefore, with this in mind, we have passed on your feedback to the hotelier and we will closely monitor the new feedback we receive for this hotel over the coming season.
Thank you for your constructive comments; we look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Lisa

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Mrs Williams, 29/05/2014

MB Travel were superb everything ran like clockwork, never late unless advised in advance and always friendly. We knew they were available on the end of the phone if we needed them for anything at all. Would certainly recommend this holiday. We are hoping to book an Italian walking trip next year. Thank you Headwater we wish we'd done it years ago.

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Dr Daniell, 03/04/2014

Good walks, excellent hotels but the food was disappointing and was a bit of a downer. Not sure you know about the substitute walk on day 4 but it was hazardous in places and in the UK the footpath would have been closed to the public. There were sheer drops below narrow footpaths on the levadas with no hand rails. Our overall score would be 6 out of ten for this one.

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Mr Valerio, 05/03/2014

Excellent holiday though somewhat marred by some wet weather. At 79 years I did find some of the very steep long gradients tough on the knees and without trekking poles would have found one 500m descent on wet clay almost impossible.

MB Travel were first class and promptly found us an alternative walk when the original route was washed out.

The staff at the Porto Bay Serra Golf Hotel were very quick to find a lost mobile phone and immediately delivered it by car to the next hotel that we had moved to - great service.

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Mr Shadwell, 01/03/2014

We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and thought it was very good value for the money. For us it was only marred by our experience on our second night at the Porto Bay Serra Golf Hotel. The hotel dining room was full on this night, but there were only two staff to serve about 40 people. Consequently, the service was very slow. After our main course we requested a menu to choose a dessert, but after waiting for 20 minutes for the menu we gave up and went back to our room. Also, we should have been given a packed lunch the following day, but this did not happen. We should have reminded them the night before, but because they were so short staffed, we could not find anyone to mention it to. Otherwise this was a lovely hotel, perhaps we just caught them on an off day.

The packed lunch we received from the Quintar do Furao, was excellent.

The overall experience was very enjoyable and exceeded our expectations.

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Dr Mather, 03/10/2013

We enjoyed this holiday as we went with friends but the area itself is of only moderate interest although the vegetation is of great interest. The walking was quite easy and did not fill the whole day and is of limited interest as the views are limited. Some more demanding and high level walking would have been good and the last day's walk was very dull and urban and a different day should be subsituted. Also the first day would have been boring if we had just returned the same way that we came. Instead we just went one way and took a taxi to port Moniz to swim. Overall I don't think the walks were very well planned to provide variety and interest.

On the plus side the directions were impeccable and when we had views they were wonderful and some of the walks were very peaceful.

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Mr Collier, 23/09/2013

The holiday was up to the good standard that we have come to expect from Headwater holidays and would recommend it. A comment for improvement would relate to the third hotel Quinta Da Bella Vista where although the food, facilities and service were up to a 5 star rating, we thought the room of the hotel in which we stayed was a bit tired and needed upgrading to warrant 5 stars.

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Mr More, 19/09/2013

We were slightly nervous that a very successful and enjoyable independent holiday - Catalan Coastal Walk last year could be matched by this one in Madeira. We thoroughly enjoyed it. It was very different in topography, but also pretty demanding for our ages (65 and 72), which we like. We think 2-boot is good for us. There is a big contrast between the levada walks and the demanding up and downs, but the mix is good. The hotels were all good, but we prefer hotels 'in places' so you can walk with interest around where you are. Like all of the four except one on the Catalan walk. None of the Madeira hotels were in this category. Not a major complaint. Just personal choice.

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Mr Morrison, 13/09/2013

Something different every day. From coast to mountains - enjoyable and occasionally challenging walks that gave us a glimpse of all the fabulous views Madeira has to offer. And at the end of the day - hotels with a warm welcome and touch of luxury.

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Mrs Bird, 12/09/2013

A really good holiday. Some of the walks were slightly more dangerous than we imagined and the Porto Bay Serra Golf would benefit from a lift as we had to carry our cases up a narrow winding staircase with no help. As we had upgraded the room you should perhaps warn clients this may happen.

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Mrs Gualtieri, 01/07/2013

The Headwater attention to detail was brilliant but would want them to change the second hotel. We did meet a family who had previously enjoyed a Headwater canoeing holiday so we all sang your praises together and may look at that another year. Thank you for giving us a holiday that made us feel special.

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Mrs Poole, 27/06/2013

A beautiful, breathtaking experience.

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Ms Kennedy, 30/04/2013

A few minor details aside, everything worked like clockwork and we had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday in a beautiful location which offers an unusual walking experience through the unique levada system. We were pleasantly surprised by the second hotel (Serra Golf), which was much better than previous comments had led us to expect. It has joined a hotel group and had a refurb last year, so it has a smart boutique feel. All the facilities were clean and fresh, including a new swimming pool and lawned sunbathing area. The dining room was lovely, the breakfasts excellent, and the dinners very tasty. The picnic was substandard though, someone needs to follow up on that! Also, the reception desk is not manned the whole time and the welcome you get can be a bit brusque, depending who comes when you ring the bell.

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Mr Townsend, 04/04/2013

We had a superb week away with Headwater. There was a great balance of challenging walking with luxury at the end of the day. We will certainly be booking through you again.

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Mrs Barbour, 01/04/2013

We've travelled with ATG on similar holidays and the materials, guides etc you receive are far more robust - hard back bound ring folders - and far more detailed with good maps and topography profiles. The maps from Headwater were pretty poor, small scale and not very useable. The instructions come on stapled A4 pieces of paper printed double-side. By the end of a wet walk, they were in tatters even though we had them in a plastic map carrier. The whole package in fact was cheap compared with competitors' packages.

In terms of the accommodation, that was better than our recent ATG experience, higher quality, however without a car you were somewhat isolated in the villages/towns that two out of the three were located in and there was little to do. The half board was very variable; the first was a set menu poor quality and the traditional element never changed for any of the three nights, also you couldn't eat off the a la carte. The second was excellent and you could eat off the a la carte but it was complicated at billing to understand the adjustments, and the third you only got a 5-course a la carte which was excellent and if you ate a la carte had to tell the hotel by 3pm and then only got a 30% discount, meaning for the same value you would have had to spend c �120. It didn't make sense. The hotels weren't all geared for walkers either. Quinta Bela Vista in Funchal knew we were walkers and presented our picnic in a wicker basket. Just don't think Headwater briefed the hotels well. Finally the walks were ok, but the better walks weren't in the schedule. The classic High Peak walk was spectacular, not a hard walk although at c 1800m, but not even mentioned until we asked the local guide. Two to the four walks actually returned by the same route. Haing looked at the website, a guest had mentioned a number of years ago that the Levada Nova was a poor walk, mostly on a road and just walked back the same way as you go. Clearly nobody had listened and it was a waste of a day when there were far better walks in the area.

Headwater response:
Thank you for your comments. We're sorry our maps and walking instructions did not meet your expectations. We do everything we can to keep our literature as up-to-date, informative and user-friendly as possible. We do now print all route notes double-sided - responsible tourism is a strong part of our Headwater ethos and where we can save paper, we do. We choose not to provide ring-binders and such, again, in line with our environmental policies (they can also be a bit bulky to carry in luggage/rucksacks). We do however monitor all feedback, and if we feel changes are necessary, we will certainly take action. The last thing we want is for people to struggle with maps and notes during their holiday.
We are also sorry there appears to have been some confusion at the hotels with regard to your menu choices. We have been working with these hotels for a number of years and upgrading your menu should be no trouble at all. We will take this up with our local agent and ensure that the meal arrangements are clarified at each hotel.
Thank you again for contacting us.

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Dr Mason, 21/03/2013

Madeira is an interesting and picturesque island. The walking is pleasant, but you need a head for heights. The walks are mainly along 'levadas' (narrow water channels) which often cling to the sides of steep gorges. On our holiday there was a mixture of sunshine and downpours of rain. Waterproofs are a must, and also walking poles, since the paths can often become slippy when wet. The food is excellent with an abundance of fruit and vegetables. The hotels we stayed in were very comfortable and luxurious. Funchal is a large town, with interesting architecture, but currently the whole of the seafront is being re-built, a major construction operation which is likely to take a long time. We had a very enjoyable holiday in a place we had never previously visited.

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Mrs Lay, 21/03/2013

Quinta do Furao was a great hotel and the staff were particularly helpful when my husband's tooth broke on the first night (just before they supplied him with a surprise birthday cake). They went out of their way to find a local English-speaking dentist so we didn't have to pay for a taxi to Funchal. The dentist was efficient and cheap, so we were extremely happy with the service.

Do take poles for the walks and good clothing, especially if it is a rainy month like March. Also remember that in two of the hotels you may have to go outside to access the restaurant.

Our main disappointment was that the levada walks seemed to be mainly among trees, so you didn't often get a view despite being hundreds of feet up.

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Mr Lascelles, 21/03/2013

Although not thrown together with the other walkers one of the pleasures of the holiday was meeting other people. Some of those walks were rather long and to be able to chat to somebody new helped to pass the time.

We enjoyed getting to know Madeira, was impressed and certainly would like to visit again when the weather was more settled. Out of our four walking days two were a wash out because of torrential weather, which we have to admit we were not totally prepared for.

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Dr Rayner, 07/03/2013

We needed to find somewhere to go in early March, which was a challenge! The weather was fine, apart from the last day, when it rained heavily.

The flowers were out in some areas, but not yet at their best. We enjoyed particularly the walk from Queimadas to the waterfall, and the parts in laurel forests. Some of the other walks in eucalyptus forests were rather dry and boring. We saw a few birds, but not many. Could not find a suitable bird book.

We took a taxi from Funchal up to the peaks on the Wednesday, which cost about 60 euros and stayed two hours while we walked along the summit footpath. This is definitely worth recommending if the weather is fine.