Walking festivals have been springing up everywhere in the last decade. One of the longest established is the huge Isle of Wight festival that attracts over 15,000 participants, but there are plenty of smaller festivals with a cosier and more individual atmosphere. One of these is the Madeira Islands Walking Festival, which takes place every January with participants numbered in the low hundreds rather than high thousands.
Nearer to North African Morocco than European Portugal (of which it is part), the Madeira Isles are on the same latitude as USA’s New Mexico, and this latitude and distance out into the Atlantic is largely responsible for its balmy climate. Temperatures year round average 17-23C so it never gets too hot or too cold. This makes January a perfect time for a walking festival – ideal for those from more northerly climes to escape the cold grey days of winter.
Who Goes On A Walking Festival?
Anyone interested in walking in a fantastic location, with like-minded people. It is most definitely not “just for old fogeys”. On the 2008 festival there were couples, small mostly-same-sex groups of friends and singles (particularly women of a slightly more mature age) who made friends and formed small groups quickly. Whilst a majority of participants were from the UK, participants also came from a variety of European countries.
Will Everyone Be Over The Age Of 65?
Definitely not! While (according to the Festival’s Director) the average age of participants was 55 in 2008, the range of ages was wide. The youngest was in her early 20s, several folks were in their 30’s and 40’s and there were even a few in their 70’s. However, even the oldest in age were young at heart, and the group that resulted mixed well.
What Length Are The Walks?
Walking festivals typically have a variety of lengths and difficulties of walks to take account of the ranges of experience across participants, and the Madeiran festival is no exception. On any given day there is typically a choice of 4 walks, ranging from a couple of km for those just wanting a gentle couple of hours stroll to demanding 10-14 km all day walks across mountain trails and along multiple high level levadas (man-made watercourses used to take water from one part of the island to another) and a couple of options in between these two extremes. All walks have local leaders whose knowledge of the area adds greatly to the experience.
Two particular classics are the Veredo do Areeiro – a demanding mountain trail between the 3rd highest and highest peaks on the island and the Levada das 25 Fontes – a levada trail in the centre of the island that visits a rocky amphitheatre containing a (usually) spectacular waterfall.
What Else Is There To Do?
As part of the festival there is a welcome reception on the evening of arrival - a fairly quiet affair where participants have their first chance to meet each other over snacks and a few introductory words from the tourist board (who host the festival) and the festival’s director.
However, the farewell dinner at the end is a much more sociable affair – in part as people have got to know each other on the week’s walking. In 2008 this was set in an atmospheric cliff-top castle with singing, dancing, a lavish dinner and plenty of local entertainment.
A walking festival is far from a mass outing for the old and relatively infirm – rather it is an enjoyable way to explore a new area or return to a favourite location with a group of like minded individuals.
Chiz Dakin - A keen mountain walker, scrambler, cyclist and occasional climber and sea kayaker for several years, Chiz Dakin has carried a camera with ...
