On the island you’ll find interesting trails that take you through a variety of landscapes, from the highest peaks to the seaside. The trail is particularly rich in scenery that changes between green and brown. It starts in the middle of the Pico da Cruz forest (around 1448 meters) at sea level, and if you don’t miss a trip to the top, you’ll be able to see a magnificent view over the entire western region. At the top, you’ll walk through dense eucalyptus trees and as you descend, you’re less likely to come across eucalyptus, pine and cypress. Few plants can survive the desert. From the stone estancia, an old rural cattle station until the 1960s, you can see the hopelessly dry and abandoned watering hole of Janela below. In summer, the hot, dry air spirals up from between the black rocks, making your skin feel scalded. Further on and for some time, the trail runs along the crest of the rock between Ribeira da Aguada and Ribeira da Janela at a dizzying height of around 1000 meters, above the valley bottoms. In some places it is reminiscent of the Great Wall of China. The descent of the saddle of silvão on the back of a mule is simply marvellous and small houses covered in dark blue thatch greet you from afar, like in a diorama. From the bottom of the Ribeira do Penedo valley you continue until you reach the seafront of Pontinha de Janela.