Granny's Farm

Set off on the 3.9 kilometres of the Levada Fajã do Rodrigues or Levada Fajã da Ama from Ginjas five minutes’ walk away, for a scenic hike in a woodland and wildlife haven, past waterfalls and lagoons on the way to Ribeira do Inferno. Part of the path goes through a tunnel under a mountain too, so bring a hard hat and a torch (along with daydreams of entering the dwarfish domain of Moria…). Any hol in this part of Madeira needs to include more woodland walks at the UNESCO-listed Laurisilva of Madeira forest, a serene spot of laurel and mahogany trees that’s been around for over 20 million years. You could spend weeks wandering around here, but top picks are the misty forest around Chão dos Louros (15 minutes’ drive), and the valley, forest and centenarian trees around Paúl da Serra (25 minutes). Delve into all things Laurisilva 35 minutes’ south at the Madeira Botanical Gardens just outside Funchal, to see several species of trees native to the forest as well as many species of local wildlife around the gardens and its museum.