Madeira - Day 6 - Exploring the west side of the island

Started off travelling west for the first time today..

One of the first views from the coach and much more cloud today.

The road wound up and up as usual

This picture on a wall in Camara de Lobos is of Winston Churchill painting a harbour seen.  He stayed here in Reids Palace Hotel (in Funchal) his first visit being in 1950

The tiny church in the town

Only a short stay there before driving through dramatic scenery again.  The road construction is quite incredible and at one part of the journey we went through the 2nd longest tunnel being about 2 kilometres long.

We then stopped in Camara de Lobos which is about 18,000 feet above sea level.
I actually managed to step out onto the glass viewing platform.  Picture not brilliant but looking down 18,000 feet to the sea below!! Cabo Girao is the second highest sea cliff in the world

Some amazing views..

and a wander around the town with a visit to the church

and a stop for coffee!!  I ask for a Cappuccino and it came with cream!

Turnstones on the beach.

From there we travelling north for about 1 hour's drive...

The north side of the island is always the worst part of the island for weather.  We could see the rain clouds as we travelled up, up, up and up..

This is a typical house of about 20 years ago.  Our guide's grandmother would have lived in one similar to this.  No windows and the doors would be open as much as possible to let in the light.  There would have been two rooms.

We then drove across the plateau which is about 14,000 feet about sea level.  Here it is often very wet.  A series of wind turbines to generate electricity for the island.  Currently a dam is being built again to add to the island's electricity supply.

By now we were right in the rain again and taking pictures was not possible.

We descended a bit into Porto Moniz where we had an organised lunch at Cachalote Restaurant situated amongst the natural volcanic pools. 

Several people were swimming..

Madeira is a volcanic island, and the terrain here, probably more than anywhere else I've visited so far, gives most evidence of this.

This heli-pad took so long to build that, by the time is was finished. helicopters were built much larger and the heli pad was never used!

 We didn't stop at either of the two remained view points.. this is a waterfall seen through the coach window in torrential rain.

An amazing day out and the last day of touring - this really is a spectacular island with breathtaking scenery.