Saturday 22nd October 2022

• Join the 7th edition EcoTrail Funchal - Madeira Island and choose from the 80km, 45km, 30 and 15km race. Regarded as one of the most challenging of the EcoTrail series due to the hilly nature of the course and technical in parts. Beginning at the lush Santa Catarina Park, enjoy the course running trails boasting impressive views of mountainous landscapes against the blue Atlantic, before returning to quaint cobbled streets of Funchal. Combining the best of nature, city and beaches, Funchal has made a great name of itself in nature sports and makes a great base for a long weekend of adventure and sightseeing. 

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• The start for this adventure is given in the centre of Funchal, leaving the Santa Catarina Park, and taking the athletes along the central plateau of Avenida Arriaga, passing by the door of the emblematic Sé Cathedral, taking Rua António José de Almeida until Praça do Povo. Closer to the sea, they will follow the public maritime promenade towards the Old Town, entering through the houses on Rua Portão de São Tiago and Travessa do Forte to end on Rua de Santa Maria, in the direction of Largo do Socorro. Here, after passing in front of the charismatic Socorro Church, you walk up the Calçada do Socorro to the Largo da Forca, heading towards the eastern part of the city.

• Almost all the way up Lazareto Street, the athletes quickly reach the centre of the São Gonçalo parish, through Rua Nova da Igreja. The quick passage through Conde Carvalhal Street puts them, without delay, on the slope that overlooks the amphitheatre of Funchal, passing through the area of Bica de Pau. Crossing the Estrada do Aeroporto and the Estrada da Camacha will be a real adventure, especially for those who are not familiar with the cosmopolitan lifestyle of Madeira’s capital. After driving up Rua Caridade Pestana, you will reach Rua do Balancal to enter the emblematic Palheiro Golf. There won’t be time to tee off, but you will be able to enjoy the sun that is rising and admire the city that is waking up as the day chases the night away.

• Soon you will find yourselves climbing up to Carreiras, from where you will descend to Curral dos Romeiros and then on to Largo das Babosas and Monte, one of the most emblematic places in Madeira. From Monte they will climb to the Ecological Park of Funchal, on the banks of Ribeira das Cales.  

• From here they will start another stretch of ascent, and following the trail that flanks the Levada da Ribeira das Cales they will reach the vicinity of Casa do Burro, one of the shelters of the Chão da Lagoa plateau. But the stop should be short, as the trail continues to Pico do Areeiro, passing by the Casa do Areeiro, where for many years the Meteorological Station of the city operated. At Pico do Areeiro it will be time for a few seconds of rest, with the possibility of enjoying the superb view over Madeira’s central moun tain range, which becomes part of the natural picture as the athletes descend in direction to São Roque’s mountains, in the high areas of Alegria, not before passing near Pico Escalvado and Pico Esteios, having always in the sides the valley of Ribeira de Santa Luzia. At this point the athletes taking part in the race Ecotrail Funchal - Madeira 45 will have already passed. They go up through the Alegria site, through alleys and paths, until they find the royal road that connects to Pico do Areeiro, where they find the main race track, following the two races towards Lombo Jamboeiro and at a good pace, they will soon reach Ribeira Grande.

• At Lombo Jamboeiro you have to enter the houses to cross Ribeira Grande before going up through Lombinho, at Lombo dos Aguiares, already in the Santo António parish, to take the final part of Levada da Negra, turning left soon afterwards, towards Caminho da Barreira, crossing it and following the trail over Sítio do Vasco Gil, where you will find the Ecotrail Funchal - Madeira 30 course, whose departu re will take place at 9am, at Sítio do Vasco Gil, following from there the three races taking the Levada do Pico do Cardo, and following towards Pico do Prado, and afterwards to Terreiro Freixo, where the most significant nucleus of shearing corrals are still standing, re minding that in other times there were too many sheep in the mountains of Funchal, leading to the desertification of the soils, intensified by the action of the damaging fires. The efforts to counteract this desertification have dictated the reforestation of the mountains, as the athletes will easily see in the several areas where they will pass. From Terreiro Freixo they will head to Pico do Escalvado, and then Pico Cedro, above 1750m, from where they will again enjoy the views over the central mountainous massif of the island, as well as the Curral das Freiras valley. On the descent the scenery will be different. The irregularity of the floor is a reality that deserves redoubled care, with no room for any carelessness. 

• Further down, the Paredão, overlooking the Curral das Freiras, is the intermediate goal, before starting the fast descent through the Lombo da Estrela to the Três Paus. Knees will have to be prepared for a gradient of over 1,000 metres. From the site of the Três Paus, the houses will be a constant, if the lower part of the city was not the most inhabited area. By footpaths and levadas, you will pass through Vasco Gil and Pinheiro das Voltas, appreciating some cultivated land with banana trees and other fruit and vegetables, flanked by fine gardens with a unique assortment of flowers, which even in the month of October will show great beauty. This is where the athletes of the smaller race come ‘into play’. Remember that Ecotrail Funchal - Madeira 15 starts at Pico dos Barcelos, at 11am, going through alleys and paths, crossing from time to time the paved road, until Levada do Curral and Castelejo, where at any moment some athletes from the other races will be passing by. 

• Always going downwards, as it is necessary to get to sea level, the runners go along the first part of the Levada dos Piornais until Santa Rita, in the parish of São Martinho, so that from there they may go down to the lower part of Lombada and reach the promenade that runs along the west coast of the city of Funchal. Feeling the sea breeze and rocked by the sound of the pebbles, the athletes will passing by Praia Formosa and Cavacas Dock, greeting the statue of João Gonçalves Zarco, before passing by the Bathing Complex of Ponta Gorda, the Marine Biology station and the Lido Gardens. 

• From here it’s on to the last and very short climb towards the Estrada Monumental where they head up to Avenida do Infante, a veritable triumphant entry into the city of Funchal, skirting the gardens of Santa Catarina Park before crossing the finish line next to the Santa Catarina Chapel.