Ana Ferreira summit, at Porto Santo Island, Portugal
Allow me to introduce you to Pico Ana Ferreira summit at Porto Santo, Madeira.
This summit captured my attention during a bus ride around the island and became a “must-go” destination before its official identification.
Porto Santo island offers more than just sun and beach, as advertisers often overlook.
Upon arrival, I actively sought out single trails, finding them marked and easy to navigate without any ambiguity.
The walk entails minimal elevation changes yet provides an impressive panoramic view that captivates those with hiking and orienteering experience.
This summit, often overlooked in travel literature, invites geologists and photography enthusiasts to discover its hidden wonders firsthand.
How do you get there?
I boarded a bus from the center of Vila Baleira to Calheta.
The route to the summit became evident after disembarking near the São Pedro Chapel.
For geology enthusiasts, I recommend briefly explaining the area’s unique rock formations here.
Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the less commonly photographed view of Porto Santo from this vantage point.
The descent followed a straightforward path, leading me to the opposite side of the ascent, towards Calheta.
In Calheta, I indulged in some photography, with the option of enjoying a swim at the lovely beach and relaxing on a beautiful terrace with a well-deserved beer and snacks.
The rock formation you will find at Ana Ferreira summit
The Ana Ferreira Peak is the highest point in the western part of Porto Santo island, standing at an altitude of 283 meters.
At its peak, a spectacular array of prismatic columns develops, formed by volcanic activities thousands of years ago.
the above text is from Wikipedia
The rock we will find there is called mugearite.
The mugearite formed from intermediate-composition magma that evolved through differentiation in a magma chamber located at a certain depth beneath the current crest.
The cooling of the magma occurred slowly within the conduit (dyke) that fed the volcano and primarily took place in two directions: sub-vertical and sub-horizontal. This resulted in a spectacular columnar (or prismatic) jointing with extensive pentagonal/hexagonal cross-section columns.
the above text can be found here.
Carpe Diem.
David Monteiro