Paul da Serra
Paul da Serra ( Portuguese mountain moor ) is the name of the central high plateau on the Portuguese island of Madeira . Before Madeira was settled by humans, it was mostly overgrown with cedar-juniper. Deforestation have led to almost exclusively grasses, here bracken and introduced in Madeira gorse can be seen. The plateau lies at an altitude of 1400 to 1500 meters above the tree heather and laurel forest area ( Laurisilva ). The highest point on the eastern edge is the Bica da Cana (1620 m), the Pico Ruivo (P. da Serra) on the northern edge reaches 1639 m and is the highest point in the high moor landscape.
The edges drop off steeply. In the east you can see the basalt ceiling . Numerous levadas and waterfalls bring the water that has fallen during frequent rains into the lower regions of the island. The Levada do Paul catches the water on the southern edge. The water trapped in the northern levadas is also conducted to the south of Madeira through tunnels up to three kilometers long.
The plateau, sparsely used as pasture for sheep and goats, has its almost Scottish appeal, especially in the fog; there is also a hotel in solitude. However, most hikers and day-trippers can be found west of the plateau, at the levadas and waterfalls in the valley near Rabaçal ( Levada do Risco and Levada das 25 Fontes ).
A number of wind turbines have been built on Paul da Serra since 1993 .
Paul da Serra is easily accessible by road. In an east-west direction, the ER110 regional road leads from Porto Moniz to the Encumeada Pass and on to Funchal via the ER104 . At Encumeada it is not infrequently closed due to falling rocks. From Ribeira da Janela in the north comes the smaller road ER209, which leads to the reforestation areas above Calheta and Ponta do Sol . Two roads also lead to the plateau from the south.
A major project was under construction in summer 2018: a large pumped storage power plant is being built at a central location .
In winter there can even be snowfall on the plateau.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Snow in Madeira Island - Madeira Islands. Retrieved December 1, 2018 (American English).