February 2024: The winter blues had set in. I grabbed a world map and pointed at a random area with my eyes closed. Then my finger landed in the middle of the Atlantic. "Where could I possibly go", I said with a sigh of desperation. Oh yes, the Azores Islands.
The Azores is Portugal's stunning archipelago which is made out of nine volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Known for its breathtaking landscapes, the Azores are a dream destination for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and anyone craving an off-the-beaten-path escape.
I planned to do some hikes on São Miguel, the largest island. But I needed more challenge. That's why I decided to walk across the whole Island from west to east passing through its lush, rolling hills, crater lakes, and dramatic cliffs. I planned my journey to start in Varzea and walked all the way to Furnas. But there was one problem: there were no long-distance trails on the island. All trails were meant to be for day hikes or for people who drive and then walk to the viewpoints. That's why I tried to connect the relevant trails with each other but this also meant that I would be walking on busy roads in some sections. That did not bother me, besides, it was the same when I did the Camino de Santiago. A challenge is a challenge, and it saved me money from renting a car.
I landed on Sao Miguel's main city, Ponta Delgada. The following day, I took the bus to a small village on the western end of the Island called Varzea. After dropping my bag in my accommodation, I decided to have a warm-up hike to Ponta da Ferraria, where volcanic heat meets the Atlantic Ocean, creating a natural thermal swimming spot. The first stop was Pico das Camarinhas then I continued on to the lava cliffs, with its recesses, arches and a pseudo crater.
My hike on the second day started on Varzea, going up the crater of Sete Cidades while admiring the views along the way. The weather was great from the beginning but the clouds rolled in as the day progressed. Finally, I spent the night in the small town of Capelas.
On the third day, I walked along the northern coast of the Island starting from Capelas all the way to Ribeira Grande. It was cloudy and windy but the waves it created complemented the dramatic volcanic cliffs. I passed through several viewpoints including the Buraco de Sao Pedro.
The fourth day was probably the most difficult part of the trek for me. The plan was to walk all the way to Agua de alto, passing through Salto do Cabrito, and the Lagoa do Fogo viewpoint. But the weather turned so bad at the top of the mountain. It was so windy, rainy and foggy, that I saw nothing from any of the viewpoints on the mountain. But it was fun finding myself walking along an unmaintained and overgrown trail, with a few wrong turns.
The following day was still rainy. It was so rainy, that the streams and rivers started to flow more violently, with overflows on some bridges. I continued my walk from Agua de Alto, passing through the town of Vila Franca do Campo to see its islet and the chapel of Our Lady of Peace on the hill with a Camino de Santiago marker. After that, I continued to Ponta Garca, where I stayed the night.
On the last leg of my trek, I decided to stay away from the main road to reach the town of Furnas as much as possible. Unfortunately, after ending up on a couple of inexistent trails, I decided to walk along the road, instead. When I finally reached Furnas, I was excited to dip in one of the hot springs to finally have some relaxation time. After eating some Cozido das Furnas, which was cooked in one of the geysers in the area, I went back to my accommodation to rest and gave myself a pat on the shoulder for completing my challenge.
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0:00 Intro
2:13 Varzea to Ponta da Ferraria
7:26 Varzea to Capelas
18:18 Capelas to Riberia Grande
25:26 Ribeira Grande to Agua de Alto
33:46 Agua de Alto to Ponta Garca
39:29 Ponta Garca to Furnas
45:14 Furnas Day Hike
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Music courtesy of https://www.epidemicsound.com/
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