Levadas trail

The Levadas Trail follows an old water canal that was built in the 1960s. The canal collected all of the water from the springs and water lines along the way and an artificial lake contained all of the water. The water flowed through a steep underground pipeline and dropped all the way to the sea level. This made it possible to solely use gravity power to produce electrical energy by means of hydraulic turbines. Today the system only works from time to time and it’s not very efficient. The 1998 earthquake rendered most of the levada inoperable. Along this trail, it’s possible to see and learn from a few native and endemic flora species. We will cross through Cryptomeria Japonica (Japonese Cedar) forests and meadows used for cow farming. The Levadas Trail starts in Cedros and follows the water canal, finishing at Capelo Parish.