Madeira
need to know
(
⅔
)
of the island is designated as Madeira
Natural Park
( 4500
BC
)
The last time the volcano that created the
island erupted
(
20
)
Moss species found in the park that are
designated as threatened species
easyJet
flies to Madeira from Bristol, London Gat-
wick and Lisbon. See our insider guide on
page 140. Book online at easyJet.com
easyJet Holidays
Seven nights B&B at the four-star Santa
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per person. easyJet.com/holidays*
Funchal Design Hotel
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FOR T&CS SEE P175
to pull out, then we had to go. We tripped and skidded
down the tree-covered sides of the steep ravine to get to
the canyon, branches whipping behind us. The roar of the
river drew closer.
After a gentle clamber over the slippery rocks through
the water, we reached our first abseil. Steep but short,
with a sharp swerve and rocks spiking all the way down.
Ulisses turned to me and said, only half-joking, “My
God, Oliver, where have you taken me?” But there was
no turning back.
After the first couple of abseils, and that initial stumble
near the start, fear gave way to a kind of wary joy. The
mix of activities in canyoning – swimming, climbing,
abseiling, finding a path between the rocks – works
almost every muscle in your body. As the canyon widens
and narrows, the river moves from gentle trickling to
surging torrent, often in the space of a few metres. It’s
never boring – one minute you have to swim, the next
you’re abseiling, the next you’re squeezing yourself
between the boulders. At the end, after four or five
hours, weary and happy, we peeled off our wetsuits and
clambered on to the bus.
Canyoning offers a unique, elemental thrill. It’s pretty
safe and we had excellent guides, but the sport has enough
danger to give you a surge of adrenaline which helps to
get you to the bottom. We drove down the mountain stiff-
legged and watched the sparkling Atlantic rise to meet
us. Contented exhaustion washed over us as the first beer
slipped down our throats. “That was great,” said Ulisses.
“
It’s a new side to Madeira.”
AFTER THE FIRST COUPLE
OF ABSEILS, FEAR GAVE WAY
TO
A KIND OF WARY JOY
10
09
0 6 8
C A N Y O N I N G
M A D E I R A
A MIGHTY CRACK
09
Towards the bottom of the
canyon, the vegetation
becomes mostly ferny
10
Our photographer, Tom,
broke his camera on the
final jump
