POCO-CANDEEIRO (Poço do Candeeiro) is a 0.6 km each way (1.2 km round trip), easy, community route. Cost: free. Whether it is worth hiking right now depends on live conditions and today's official status, re-checked every 20 minutes in the live app.
Madeira
A forecast for the nearest town is not a forecast for this path. That is what the live score is for. How the island splits one forecast into many: microclimate guide.
Go or wait today?
You have already picked the walk. The pass answers the one question left, whether today is the morning worth the drive: it reads the live weather on the trail and gives you one honest answer, re-checked every 20 minutes.
Ten seconds, one tap, from €2.99 once. No subscription.
Download GPX: free offline map
Grab the full GPS track and waypoints for Poço do Candeeiro as a free GPX file, no signup. Load it into Garmin, Komoot, AllTrails, Gaia GPS or OsmAnd and follow the route offline, even where there is no phone signal.
ⓘ Source & safety
Track and waypoints from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Planning aid, not a safety guarantee. Check the official trail status and conditions before you go.Estimated hiking time
21min
About Poço do Candeeiro
A short, easy walk to the Poço do Candeeiro, a small waterfall and pool tucked into Chão da Ribeira at the head of the Seixal valley on Madeira's north-west. One of the quiet secrets of the Ribeira do Seixal: the fall usually runs low because the water is caught higher up, and the last stretch involves a little scrambling over stones in the stream bed.
Poço do Candeeiro (POCO-CANDEEIRO) is a round trip route of about 1.2 km in Madeira.
What you'll see
The route takes in waterfalls and laurel forest (laurisilva).
The path runs between roughly 351 m and 457 m above sea level, so conditions can change with altitude.
Difficulty
Poço do Candeeiro rates as easy on our objective scale, based on 1.2 km round trip and 136 m of ascent.
This grade is an estimate from distance, ascent and exposure, not an official IFCN rating.
How long it takes
Allow about 30m for the round trip (you return the same way).
The app's live 0-100 score also flags the latest safe start time for the day. See it in the app.
Getting there and back
Starts at Chão da Ribeira (Seixal). Ends at Poço do Candeeiro waterfall. A car park is mapped for this route, though its size is not recorded. The car park is about 540 m from the start.
Best time to walk it
Year-round; best flow after rain (the fall runs low in dry spells)
Most of this route sits in shade, which keeps it walkable on days when open ground is punishing.
The sun and shade reading comes from the slope's aspect and steepness, so it describes terrain shading and not tree cover.
A live 0-100 score picks the best 30-minute window for the day. See today's window in the app.
Frequently asked questions
Is Poço do Candeeiro worth hiking today?
It depends on today's conditions, and that is exactly what Levadas answers. The app reads the current weather at Poço do Candeeiro, the safe-start window, how busy it is and the official IFCN status, then gives one honest go-or-wait score from 0 to 100, re-checked every 20 minutes. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance: an official IFCN closure always overrides the score, no matter how good the weather looks.
How long is Poço do Candeeiro?
Poço do Candeeiro is about 1.2 km round trip.
How difficult is Poço do Candeeiro?
Poço do Candeeiro rates as easy based on its distance, ascent and exposure (an objective estimate, not an official IFCN grade).
How long does Poço do Candeeiro take to walk?
Allow about 30m for the round trip.
Can I download a GPX track for Poço do Candeeiro?
Yes. Tap Download GPX on this page: the first download on any device asks for an email so we can also send the free trail pack, then every later trail downloads instantly.
Is Poço do Candeeiro free to walk?
Yes. Poço do Candeeiro needs no reservation and has no fee. Only the regulated official PR trails require a paid SIMplifica booking; this one you simply walk.
Where does Poço do Candeeiro start and finish?
Poço do Candeeiro starts at Chão da Ribeira (Seixal) and finishes at Poço do Candeeiro waterfall.
What will I see on Poço do Candeeiro?
Highlights include waterfalls and laurel forest (laurisilva).
When is the best time to hike Poço do Candeeiro?
Year-round; best flow after rain (the fall runs low in dry spells)
How do I check live conditions for Poço do Candeeiro?
Levadas scores Poço do Candeeiro from 0 to 100 using live weather along the path and the official status, refreshed every 20 minutes. You also see how busy it is. Open the trail in the app to see the live score and the best time to go today.