V-PENHA (Vereda da Penha de Águia) is a 1.7 km each way (3.4 km round trip), medium, 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 coastal forecast will not tell you what it is doing at 604m up here. That is what the live score is for. How the island splits one forecast into many: microclimate guide.
Go or wait today?
At 604m, Vereda da Penha de Águia makes its own weather. A coastal forecast will not tell you what today looks like up here. The pass reads the live conditions on the trail and gives you one honest answer, re-checked every 20 minutes.
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Download GPX: free offline map
Grab the full GPS track and waypoints for Vereda da Penha de Águia 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
45min
About Vereda da Penha de Águia
A short but steep mountain vereda that climbs the Penha de Águia, the roughly 590 metre Eagle Rock standing between Porto da Cruz and Faial on the northeast coast. The path gains its height fast on narrow dirt, rock steps and tree roots through low woodland, with the lower start brushing past a levada and banana terraces before the real ascent. The payoff is the open summit, which gives a wide view over both villages, the Atlantic and the eastern tip of the island toward São Lourenço.
Vereda da Penha de Águia (V-PENHA) is a round trip route of about 3.4 km in Madeira.
What you'll see
Along the way you'll find exposed, drop-side sections, panoramic viewpoints, a mountain summit, laurel forest (laurisilva) and coastal cliffs and ocean views.
Landmarks on the route include Porto da Cruz and Penha de Águia.
The path runs between roughly 261 m and 604 m above sea level, so conditions can change with altitude.
Difficulty
Vereda da Penha de Águia rates as medium on our objective scale, based on 3.4 km round trip, 243 m of ascent and some exposed sections.
This grade is an estimate from distance, ascent and exposure, not an official IFCN rating.
How long it takes
Allow about 1h 44m 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 Penha de Águia base. Ends at Penha de Águia summit. A car park is mapped for this route, though its size is not recorded. The car park is about 420 m from the start.
Best time to walk it
Year-round, but avoid after heavy rain (muddy, slippery, steep)
High trails are best early: clear summits and the chance of a sunrise above the clouds before the cloud builds.
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 Vereda da Penha de Águia worth hiking today?
It depends on today's conditions, and that is exactly what Levadas answers. The app reads the current weather at Vereda da Penha de Águia, 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 Vereda da Penha de Águia?
Vereda da Penha de Águia is about 3.4 km round trip.
How difficult is Vereda da Penha de Águia?
Vereda da Penha de Águia rates as medium based on its distance, ascent and exposure (an objective estimate, not an official IFCN grade).
Is Vereda da Penha de Águia safe?
Vereda da Penha de Águia has some exposed sections, where the path runs close to a drop. None of that tells you about today, and this page does not try to. Conditions decide, which is why Levadas reads the current weather on Vereda da Penha de Águia, the safe-start window and the official IFCN status, then gives one go-or-wait score from 0 to 100. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance, and an official IFCN closure overrides the score however good the weather looks.
How long does Vereda da Penha de Águia take to walk?
Allow about 1h 44m for the round trip.
Can I download a GPX track for Vereda da Penha de Águia?
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 Vereda da Penha de Águia free to walk?
Yes. Vereda da Penha de Águia 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 Vereda da Penha de Águia start and finish?
Vereda da Penha de Águia starts at Penha de Águia base and finishes at Penha de Águia summit.
What will I see on Vereda da Penha de Águia?
Highlights include exposed, drop-side sections, panoramic viewpoints, a mountain summit, laurel forest (laurisilva) and coastal cliffs and ocean views.
When is the best time to hike Vereda da Penha de Águia?
Year-round, but avoid after heavy rain (muddy, slippery, steep)
How do I check live conditions for Vereda da Penha de Águia?
Levadas scores Vereda da Penha de Águia 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.