As I walk the pathway of the laurel-laden hill, surrounded by every shade of green imaginable, I take a deep breath of the mountain fresh air tinged with the faint scent of eucalyptus and feel alive. There is no one nearby, and I stand in almost perfect silence. I had set out 20 minutes earlier on the Levada do Caldeirao, one of the 200 Levada trails stretching over 3,000km that crisscross Madeira, bringing water down from the mountains and now also used as hiking paths. Most Levada trails are narrow and winding, some with slim bridges, some with stepping stones, and others with steep inclines, but the Levada do Caldeirao is described as the Caminho Para Todos, translated as the “Way for All”, and the Visit Madeira website advertises it as offering “people with motor and visual disabilities the chance to enjoy direct contact with nature”.
In the early 1990s, I contracted an illness that left me with a paralysed leg. I wear a full leg brace and walk with crutches, and am passionate about the benefits of getting outdoors and into nature. It’s something that invigorates me and helps to make me feel empowered. Many places advertise themselves as accessible only to subsequently stumble at hurdles. I wanted to see just how accessible this Madeira trail truly is.
Starting at Parque Florestal das Queimadas and finishing at Pico das Pedras, this trail runs 1.9km at between 870m and 890m. The signage at the trail’s start suggests that this path should take around 45mins and I assume that this is for the standard hiker.
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As any good hiker should, I set out well-equipped: snacks, water and, despite the 24 degrees, a light coat. The weather can change quickly in the Madeiran hills. Although the pathway isn’t tarmacked or paved, the earth on the ground is compact, studded here and there with stones. At the side of the pathway, wooden railings run the entire length. “This is a good start,” I thought. Even with the leaf fall, the pathway seemed solid underfoot and my crutches. Rounding corners brought new scenes of deep forest, the lighter greens of deciduous trees pronounced against the darker pines, all accentuated by the azure blue sky. Beams of light shone through the canopy and reflected, sparkling, from the Levada stream next to the pathway, a constant companion gurgling away gently. The powdery scent of the acacia trees and the menthol of the eucalyptus was almost intoxicating.
For 90 per cent of the walk, this vision of natural beauty is always there, but for the other 10 per cent, I find myself dodging thick patches of mud or slowly and carefully working my way through them. I see wheelchair marks in the mud and think about how strong the person must have been and whether these patches caused them a hindrance.
There had been some rain prior to my arrival in Madeira, but during my four-day stay, I barely experienced any, so these boggy areas must appear frequently. It would take very little for the trail to tackle these issues – slightly raised aluminium pathways or concreted sections – and these solutions would ensure it lived up to its billing as the “Way for All”.
Although this is a frustration, the path is almost as close to being as accessible as nature allows. The wooden rails that stretch the full length of the pathway clearly mark the route that should be taken. There is a large car park at the Parque Florestal das Queimadas, with accessible facilities and a café, and the ground is largely solid and obstacle-free, other than in fewer than half a dozen problematic patches.
There are options in Madeira to book accessible tours with off-road scooters and it’s also possible to hire these vehicles, but due to the narrow nature of the Levadas, the range of hikes can be limited. That said, there is another Caminho Para Todos further to the west, Levada do Paul II, that is slightly shorter at 1.2k, giving more options to the mobility-limited explorer.
Despite these frustrations with the trail, Madeira has been making strides to become a more accessible island. There are some specialist tour companies (Madeira Accessivel by Wheelchair and Wheelchair Accessible Madeira) offering a range of half day or day tour options. Public transport is modern and well-kept. Although Madeira doesn’t have trains, its bus network is extensive, and all buses have ramps for access. Many taxi services offer adapted vehicles.
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Further along the coast is Cabo Girao, where a glass floor of the skywalk allows you to stand suspended 589m (1932ft) atop one of the highest cliffs in the world and, if you can open your eyes for long enough, enjoy wonderful views of Camara de Lobos and Funchal. There are a few stairs here, but a wheelchair lift is available.
What really makes Madeira special is its landscapes. Earlier as we drove to the northwest from Funchal, we dived in and out of some of the 86 tunnels carved through rock faces (my guide, Moises, told me the locals say the island is like Swiss cheese), snaked around the edge of mountainsides, weaved through evergreen laurel forests, crossed the moor-like plateau of Paul da Serra at 1500m and then swept along the immense coastline of cliffs and crashing Atlantic waves.
After my hike, I return to the Parque Florestal das Queimadas trailhead, my clothes slightly muddied but my spirits high. The Caminho Para Todos may not be perfect, but standing here among those ancient laurels, breathing that crystalline air, reminds me why accessibility matters. These moments of natural beauty shouldn’t be reserved for the non-disabled. Madeira understands this, even if execution occasionally falters. The island has given me glass skywalks above Atlantic cliffs, wine cellars steeped in history, and mountain roads that dance with clouds. Most importantly, it’s given me that gift every traveller seeks: a sense of discovery.
Matt travelled as a guest of Madeira Islands Tourism Board.
How to get there
There are a number of flights from the UK (including London, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Edinburgh) to Funchal in Madeira daily. Airlines that fly to Madeira include Jet2, easyJet, British Airways and Tui. Flight time is around four hours.
Read more: Why Madeira is perfect for an affordable adventure
