Pico Ruivo — Attraction in Santana

BREATHTAKING HIKE!

I completed the PR1 PICO DO ARIEIRO TO PICO RUIVO HIKE on the 26th February 2023.

This has to be up there with one of my favourite hikes I’ve completed and I’ve hiked all round Asia, New Zealand and various national parks in America as well as the UK.

I arrived at Pico do Arieiro at 7:20 and waited for the sunrise before setting off on my hike. I actually motorbiked it to the Pico do Arieiro from Funchal and for anyone also wishing to do this make sure you have gloves!! My hands were freezing! Also the car park fills up quickly so be sure to get there early.

I planned my hike well as there was some bad weather days whilst we were on the island. So keep checking the weather forecast to make sure you get a clear sunny day. I imagine the hike to be less enjoyable and possibly dangerous if visibility is poor and you are stuck in thick dense cloud and getting rained on!

The hike itself is strenuous. Lots of steep inclines and declines so it is heavy on the knees. However for anyone with a fairly decent fitness it is manageable.

I completed the hike in 1hr 56 mins and actually then hiked back to Pico de arierio as I’d motorbiked there. However if you arrange transport (either taxi or a transfer) then you can do this hike one way and arrange a time to get collected at Pico Ruivo

I would recommend doing this in busy months as most people hike this path from Pico do Arieiro to Ruivo therefore on narrow paths you are having to wait for people to pass when hiking back to Pico do Arieiro.

The whole hike is breathtaking I can see why it is the no1 thing to do in Madeira!!

Tips

Check weather forecast up the mountain (not in Funchal) Wear suitable footwear Take multiple layers Take a waterproof Take lots of photos Stay...

I highly recommend doing this walk regardless of the weather, unless it is closed for safety reasons. It was very (very) foggy and quite rainy when I did the walk, but I could still see and enjoy the stunning scenery! The only big disappointment was that there was practically ONLY white mist when we got to the summit. I am an experienced mountain hiker and personally think that this walk may not be suitable for everyone, especially people with no hiking/mountain experience, otherwise I would recommend doing it but in good weather (not slippery) and being extra careful, although the whole route is secured. Accidents can happen quickly in the mountains. The route I did is from Pico do Aieiro and is about 6km one way, so if you're doing a round trip back to the starting point, bear in mind that it's a 12km walk with a total of about 800m of ascent and descent. I took about 2.5 hours each way (moderate to fast pace), including time for little stops along the way to take in the scenery. Bring a headlight (if you have one) as there are three (relatively short) tunnels to cross. I find them useful to keep your hands free and to navigate better inside, especially if you want to avoid splashing through the water (probably only during rainy periods).

The route to Pico Ruivo was closed when I got back (they had put up tape barriers). I found out much later that this was apparently due to a landslide. This was when I was there a week ago - the landslide was real and about 3/4 of the way we had to climb/crawl and for some definitely not a safe...

The trail from the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo it’s a trully demanding route for sure, high cardio; and I say that through the eyes of a person who trains daily. I want to say that because I’ve seen some reviews , like, 2/3h route and they are not true.

So, we’ve started the trail PR1 , from the Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo at 10.30; we stopped for maaany pictures and finished back at 17.30. We were 4 persons and had with us 6 liters of water (you can have only 4 because at the Pico Ruivo you can make a refill) and sandwiches of course!

Although, it seemed to me that it would have been extremely crowded at a first view, due to the multiple parked cars, but I did not feel this on the trail; maybe many of them were just coming to take a picture of Pico do Areeiro.

The trail from the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo is extremely beautiful, a route full of many stairs and tunnels. In addition to, the route has a lot of steps, going up and down, with a total elevation gain of 755m. It’s a high-cardio route.

However, you can try to go through it slowly, if you have a whole day to spare.

Or, you can just come in the evening between 17.30-18 pm with your own wine and go along on PR1 trail for just 30 minutes to the first viewpoint named Ninho da Manta and stay for the sunset.

Either way, this is the place where clouds...