Levada Tank
The Levada is considered one of the largest engineering projects in the Azores and was opened in 1964 after four years of construction and a seven-year planning phase. The channel is located at an altitude of 680 meters and is 10 kilometers long (of which about 8 kilometers are walkable). Its main function was to supply water for hydroelectric power generation. Water is collected at various points along the route and then led to the small Varadouro hydroelectric plant.
This cache is located at one such reservoir.
Occasionally, open spaces appear along the path, offering views of the arrangement of the volcanic cones of the Capelo volcanic complex.
Further into the endemic vegetation, you can find, among others, laurel (Laurus azorica), Azorean buckthorn (Frangula azorica), Azorean holly (Ilex azorica), and Azorean heather (Erica azorica). (See attached photos of these species).
With a bit of luck, you can also spot some birds from the Azores, such as the Azores blackbird (Turdus merula azorensis), the Azores goldcrest (Regulus ignicapilla), and the Azores chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs moreletti).
When Niquetjes walked this route, she was accompanied by an Azores goldcrest, see the photo on this cache page.
Enjoy this walk along the Levadas of Faial. Photos with your log are always welcome, Enjoy Geo-Caching.
