Ribeira das Cales III

Good flow start to finish in February; OK in December; very low in August, as expected for the season; high but doable after rainy days in March 2025, with traces of extreme flow. Below the Levada dos Tornos the last two cascades run dry because the water is fully captured by the levada. Do not descend in heavy rain.

In 2015 many rappels had no equipment and only tree anchors. In May 2023 the canyon was partially re-equipped, mostly with single hangers and without approach anchors: R1 12 m under the bridge (1 point left), R2 10 m and R3 10 m (1 point left each), R4 about 11 m natural on a eucalyptus left, R5 26 m (two existing bolts fitted with two hangers with rings; approach on the left, logs in the pool, awkward retrieval), R6 10 m (1 point left), a 5 m drop on a eucalyptus, R7 7 m (hanger and maillon left), R8 about 8 m (2 points, approach right), R9 25 m (2 points right), R10 12 m (1 point right), R11 20 m (piton without maillon on the right; tree with cord and maillon on the left), R12 30 m under the Levada dos Tornos (piton with maillon right), R13 20 m at Curral Pequeno (no gear). Further details: handrail to R2 left 4 m or direct rappel; R4 has two anchors left with a short downclimb on the left bank; R5 and R6 are on the right (not left as sketched); R11 can be downclimbed on the left to the tree nearest the fall; some anchors are now doubled and only small rappels remain single-point. R11 should be re-bolted with expansion bolts and everything doubled. In early 2024 gear in the final section was hard to find or missing; R9 can be done on a natural anchor and some zones feel over-equipped. Since July 2025 two anchors on the left after the pool under the bridge allow a handrail to the steel cables leading to R1, and a maillon anchor exists on the left of the roughly 20 m third cascade; below that there are only natural anchors down to the Levada dos Tornos.

Slippery throughout; logs in the water line; a large concentration of trunks and branches after R6 (hand line and rappel needed); dense vegetation, brambles and acacias between R10 and R11 needing cutting tools, cleared in early 2024 but requiring brush-hook work again after R7 by July 2025; the long walks demand stamina.

Access via the Caminho dos Pretos, parking at an old quarry entrance (32.6925731, -16.8964804), stairs by the bridge (partly hidden by vegetation), or start directly in the pool under the bridge. Exit options: at the Levada dos Tornos before the tunnel, a trail on the left leads to Babosas; through the tunnel, turn left at the Pisão bridge and keep left to the Levada dos Tornos road (car at 32.6834258, -16.9125891); or continue to Curral dos Romeiros bridge (32.6791127, -16.8939763) then west to Babosas (second car at 32.6763123, -16.8986555).