Madeira Ativa › Levada trails › PR 17
Caminho do Pináculo e Folhadal (PR 17) is a demanding 15.0 km walking trail on Madeira, running from Lombo do Mouro to Encumeada. It climbs about 921 m and descends about 1240 m along the way. That averages a sustained climb, about 61 m of climb per kilometre. The route loses far more height than it gains (1240 m down against 921 m up), so walked in this direction it is mostly descent — hard on the knees rather than the lungs. It runs between 957 m and 1551 m above sea level. At that height the trail is often above or inside the cloud, and noticeably colder than the coast, whatever Funchal is doing. It is a point-to-point route. The official walking time is 6 h 30. Access status is currently open. An entry fee of 4.5 EUR applies. The trail is waymarked in yellow.
Official walking time and difficulty from Visit Madeira, as on the trailhead board.
There are 7 tunnels on the route, 1511 m in total. They are unlit: a torch or a head lamp is not optional, and a phone light is the usual substitute. Narrow sections are limited (10% of the surveyed route), and 0% is without a railing.
OpenStreetMap, where surveyed; mapped on 100% of the route.
Only one end is served by a bus (6); the other needs a car, a taxi or a lift. It is point-to-point, not a loop, so a car left at the start is a car you have to walk back to — most people arrange a drop-off, a taxi, or the bus. A car park is mapped at one end only.
Official route page (visitmadeira.com) ↗
The official walking time for PR 17 is 6 h 30 over 15.0 km. That is the signed estimate at the trailhead, walking steadily and without long stops.
Yes — 4.5 EUR. Madeira charges for several of its marked trails, and the fee is collected at the trailhead or online in advance.
Partly. Line 6 reach one end only; the other needs a car, a taxi or a lift.
It runs between 957 m and 1551 m above sea level. At that height the trail is often above or inside the cloud, and noticeably colder than the coast, whatever Funchal is doing.
Yes — 7 of them, 1511 m in total, and they are unlit. Bring a torch.
The last published status is open. Closures on Madeira follow storms and landslides and change without much warning, so check the official status on the day.