Canyon in Madeira
Ribeira das Cales I
Beginner · v2a2 I
Rappels: 5 · Max waterfall: 12 m · Min rope: 12 m
Cales I is the easy, commercially used introductory canyon in the Funchal Ecological Park and a family-friendly outing; the toboggan (slide) at the end is a nice finish.
Current status
As of April 2025Descendable without problems, with equipment in good condition and a nice final toboggan; the return path from the end point eastwards to the road is badly overgrown.
Anchors and re-equipment
In good condition as of April 2025; checked and rope ends renewed in March 2017. There are no specific rappel problems.
Hazards
Condition after the 2016 fires. Following the August 2016 wildfires, a clean-up descent in March 2017 removed branches, trunks and stones along the whole canyon; although the bankside vegetation was destroyed, the canyon itself was left unobstructed and the access paths were also cleaned. The rappel equipment was checked and the existing rope ends replaced at the same time.
Access and exit
With only one car, parking is possible east of the end point, but the return path from there to the car is completely overgrown, reduced to a small animal track under 70 cm high, and cold: staying in wetsuits for the walk back is an option, though not clearly the better one.
Official notes
This is the itinerary most used by tourist activity companies in the region. Along almost the whole canyon there is an escape on the right bank via a path built to support possible rescues. The canyon's surroundings have suffered progressive degradation as a result of a series of events that compromised the conservation of this park, all unrelated to canyoning.
Anchors, flow and access change with every storm and every winter. Treat the current status as a snapshot and check the latest conditions before any descent.
Technical data
Official technical sheet
Detailed data, history and technical notes are maintained by Clube Aventura da Madeira on the Canyons da Madeira website.
Nearby and similar canyons
Other sections of the same stream, canyons in the same area, and canyons of a similar grade.