Fajã da Caldeira do Santo Cristo

Fajã de Lopo Vaz - Flores PRC04 FLO

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Trail Info

This round trip linear route begins near the viewpoint/picnic area of Fajã de Lopo Vaz, probably one of the first places to be settled and the name Lopo Vaz comes from one of the first settlers of the island.

Classified as Geosite integrated in Ponta da Rocha Alta and Fajã de Lopo Vaz, these detritic plataforms occur by collapsing cliffs, resulting in areas with microclimates and fertile soils.

Begin the descend on an alternating land, pavement and stairs road, among endemic vegetation such as Azorean Heather (Erica azorica), White Wood (Picconia azorica) and small water springs. Sometimes it is possible to observe the presence of wild goats along the fajã. Throughout the descend, pay attention to the possible falling of rocks from the cliff.

Reaching sea level you will encounter the first house, a black sand beach, basaltic pebbles and a water fountain. Profit to investigate this area and if weather allows it have a dive. It is up to every walker the fajã exploitation being possible to go round the house, by the right, and continue on a stone road that accesses several farming fields along the fajã.

Nowadays uninhabited, the fajã is often used as a place for bird watching being the most common ones the Common Blackbird (Turdus merula azorensis) and the Common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs moreletti). There are also several types of traditional crops that due to the microclimate, renowned as the warmest on the island, originates the biggest bananas (Musa sp.), figs (Ficus sp.), grapes (Vitis sp.) and cattley guave (Psidium littorale).

Since the fajã as no way out, you must return the same way until you arrive to the starting point.

Outline

Trail Information

Category - Circular
Difficulty - Medium
Extension - 3.4 km
Time average - 2h
Classification
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