Lajedo - Fajã Grande - Flores PR02 FLO

This walking route starts in the village of Lajedo and runs along the southwestern coast of the island, through the lavic fajãs of Fajãzinha and Fajã Grande. All of these places are important for their scenic beauty and for their relevance from a natural, cultural and geological standpoint. The village of Lajedo was the first to be settled in the western part of the island, later followed by the villages of Mosteiro, Fajãzinha and Fajã Grande. Agriculture was a very important sector, especially during the seventies where artisanal butter was produced and exported in cans to mainland Portugal.

The first part of the route runs through 3 valleys with an extension of 3 km, where you can observe several rocky outcrops on the southeastern coast of the island and also Cartário islet. These coastal cliffs are the nesting areas of several seabird colonies, such as the Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris borealis), the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) and the roseate tern (Sterna dougallii).

In the second part of the route, you will go through the village of Mosteiro, the village with the least number of inhabitants, according to the latest census. You will also be able to experience some of the best perspectives of Rocha dos Bordões, which is one of the most iconic natural monuments and geosites of Flores. This monument is a rare geological formation, consisting of more than 200 basaltic columns that are classified as a columnar or prismatic jointing, and resemble stone staffs, hence its name.

On the third part of the route, you will be able to see the geosites of Fajãzinha and Fajã Grande from the Portal viewpoint, one of the best coastal sights in the archipelago. The fossil cliff is about 300m tall and delineates the fajãs of the central plateau of the island. Here you will find several waterfalls that supply water to small ponds known as “poços”. The most famous ones are Poço do Bacalhau, Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro, also known as “Patas lake”. Among the different sights, you will also see some picturesque sights like the villages of Fajãzinha, Fajã Grande and Ponta da Fajã.

Due to the various water lines and slippery rocks, it is recommended to be extra careful after rainy days and to wear appropriate footwear.