São JORGE
The Brown Island
The elongated shape of São Jorge Island and the rhythmic sequence of cones that characterise its central part appear on the horizon as the wavy back of a prehistoric animal fast asleep. The plateau of the inner part of the island, where the volcanic cones that generated the island were born, gives way to high, steep cliffs that either come to an end in the deep blue sea or in small flat areas at sea level, the famous fajãs of São Jorge.
The green of the woods and of the semi-natural pastures, the brown farmland, the black rocky headlands, and the blue sea complete the palette of colours and shades. The presence of countless dragon trees and fragments of endemic vegetation in enclosed valleys protected from the action of man are some of the hallmarks of this island.
The association to brown seems to lie in the colours of the rock at the Rosais Headland. But it also could come from the dark tones of the cones of the central ridge. One has to understand the nature of the island while travelling through territory of repeated climbs and descents.
Interactive Trail Map
Fajã de Além
Category - Circular
Difficulty - Hard
Extension - 4.7 km
Time average - 3h00
This circular route with 5 km length on the North coast of the island, allow us to visit the small and remote Fajã de Além.
Begin the trail near the Chapel of Santo António through a dirt road, arriving to a fork follow left and go down towards fajã.
In this descending it is also possible to have beautiful views over Fajãs de Além, Ouvidor, Ribeira da Areia and in days with good visibility, the islands of Terceira and Graciosa.
The crossing inside fajã is done among rural houses, small agricultural fields with traditional crops, some back up buildings such as cellars and a watermill – “Moinho do Sr. Moisés”. The local inhabitants, an hospitable people, continues to use the old ways in this untouched place by the modern times.
After visiting the fajã, start the return way through the East side. Go up the cliff, passing by some natural water springs and water streams that run over the ridge. Along this way there is an old rock staircase that in rainy days becomes very slippery. During the climb, the sloping plane allows several views over Fajã de Além.
Reaching the regional road, turn right and follow the marks until you find the initial road, now in reverse sense. Continue until the chapel where you began the trail.
Fajã dos Vimes - Fragueira
Category - Linear
Difficulty - Medium
Extension - 3.1 km
Time average - 1h 30m
This linear route begins in Fajã dos Vimes, pass by Fajã da Fragueira and ends in Portal, along the South coast of the island.
The trail initiates near the recreation port, bathing area where it is possible to dive into the Atlantic waters. Still inside Fajã, profit to visit the handicraft workshop where the traditional quilts are made and taste a coffee produced locally.
Cross all the Fajã in the West sense and follow a dirt road along the cliff where the Australian Cheesewood (Pittosporum undulatum) is the main vegetation. In this part of the trail, there is a crossroad with PR 02 SJO – Fajã dos Vimes – Serra do Topo. Along the road until Fragueira it is possible to see the island of Pico on your left hand side.
Arriving to Fajã da Fragueira, cross an area of vineyard terraces and traditional cellars and visit the ruins of the house of the Maestro and Composer Francisco de Lacerda that lived here for 8 years in the period after the I World War.
From here, the walk continues along an old staircase and pay attention to the slippery ground, towards Portal. Follow the marks until the church, where the trail ends.
Norte Pequeno
Category - Circular
Difficulty - Medium
Extension - 10.8 km
Time average - 3h00m
This circular route, on the North coast of the island, allow us to visit the Fajãs do Mero, Penedia and Pontas.
This trail begins in the outskirts of the Parish Council of Norte Pequeno and from here continues inside the village towards the sea. Following the marks, you will find a dirt road on your left, where you should follow. In this road accessing agricultural fields, there are Azorean Heather (Erica azorica) and also an area of water collection for local consumption.
At the steepest part, the trail loops along the cliff among vegetation with Azorean Heather, Firetree (Morella faya), Australian Cheesewood (Pittosporum undulatum) and Yellow Ginger Lilly (Hedychium gardneranum). It is also possible to see Yams (Colocasia esculenta), Willow tree (Salix fragilis) and New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax) that provided raw material to the construction of tools for the population to use on the daily routine.
Near the shore, Fajã do Mero is the first inhabit place that we see. After visiting this place, follow the main road until Fajã da Penedia. Arriving to the center, there is a detour on your left to the Chapel of Santa Filomena, recently rebuilt. Back to the main road, the trail continues East, until you reach a fork.
Choose left to access Fajã das Pontas, where you should go down as far as a small fishing harbor, surrounded by some houses and a shoreline very appealing for a bath in the Atlantic waters.
Profit to rest and return by the same road until the fork, where you go left by the Penedia road that goes up towards Norte Pequeno. Follow the marks until you reach the place where the trail began.
Pico do Pedro – Pico da Esperança – Fajã do Ouvidor
Category - Linear
Difficulty - Medium
Extension - 16.9 km
Time average - 4h00
This linear route, along the mountain range, covers the central area of the island between Pico do Pedro, passing by Pico da Esperança, highest point of the island with 1053 meters and ends in Fajã do Ouvidor in the North coast. The path develops partially through the central volcanic range, between 800 and 1000 meters high, being advisable to do so in days of good weather and visibility. This trail develops in places classified as protected area for habitat and species management of Pico da Esperança and Central Plateau and the geosites of Central Vulcanic Range, Fajã do Ouvidor and Ribeira da Areia.
The trail begins at the base of Pico do Pedro, near the road EN3, through a dirt road. Go around the mountain by the North slope and follow the marks until you find the arrow with the detour to Pico da Esperança. Until there, the walk surrounds several other peaks such as Carvão, Junça, Verde, Montoso and Morro Pelado. At the highest point of the island it is possible to go around the crater and contemplate the lake inside.
Return to the main road and continue the trail, now in a descending stage, along the central range of the island. Pass by Pico do Areiro and further ahead, by Pico Pinheiro, both with lakes inside their craters. Ahead you will come across a crossroad with GR 02 SJO, where it is possible to connect with Fajã dos Cubres.
From here, the walk goes towards North, to Fajã do Ouvidor passing by wooden areas, agricultural roads and some sections in tarmac road. This fajã, unlike the others detrital fajãs typical in São Jorge, it is from lava nature with big dimensions. This flat available area, allowed a bigger development of the place with its local commerce, the existence of a fishing harbor and a bathing area.
Serra do Topo - Caldeira do Santo Cristo – Fajã dos Cubres
Category - Linear
Difficulty - Medium
Extension - 9.5 km
Time average - 2h30m
This route about 10 km length begins in the Eolic Park of Serra do Topo, passing by Caldeira de Santo Cristo and finishing at Fajã dos Cubres.
Start your walk in the regional road, next to the Eolic Park of Serra do Topo, through a land road, where you can find several species of endemic flora such as Azorean Heather (Erica azorica), Azores Juniper (Juniperus brevifolia), and the Azorean Holly (Ilex azorica). It is also possible to see and hear some birds like the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), Goldcrest (Regulus regulus azoricus), and the Buzzard (Buteo buteo rothschildi).
Follow the marks passing by a shelter, time when the trail begins its descending stage towards Caldeira de Cima. Cross the bridge Tia Júlia proceeding carefully (slippery ground) by a detour on the right to the Cascata Pequena.
Along the trail, in its descending stage, you will go through some standpipes and a place from where it is possible to see the Caldeira de Santo Cristo. Proceed until Fajã, passing by the Senhor Santo Cristo Sanctuary and by the Environmental Interpretive Centre. Here, you can visit the Caldeira de Santo Cristo Lake, classified as Protected Landscape and place of cultural and scenic interest. Known mainly by the presence of clams, the lake is an important place for birds of long term residence, as well as some migrant species. With the increase of the touristic activity in the area, the fajã was discovered by the water sports community and classified as a surf and bodyboard sanctuary.
The route follows the Northwest sense, along the coast, passing by Fajã do Belo, place that remained inhabited until the 1980 earthquake. Along the way there are some wire ropes, used to carry the wood to the inhabited areas. From this point it is already possible to see the Fajã dos Cubres, place where the trail ends, near the church of Nossa Senhora de Lourdes. At this place it is possible to connect with other points of the island through GR 02 SJO (West side), or GR 01 SJO (East side).
Serra do Topo - Fajã dos Vimes
Category - Linear
Difficulty - Hard
Extension - 5.5 km
Time average - 2h30m
This linear route begins near the Eolic Park of Serra do Topo and ends at Fajã dos Vimes. Along the trail and whenever necessary to cross a gate, always leave it closed.
Begin the trail along the regional road, heading South until you find a dirt road on your left, flanked by Hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla).
After crossing a gate, turn right into a wood rich in endemic vegetation such as Azorean Heather (Erica azorica), Azores Juniper (Juniperus brevifolia), Azorean Blueberry (Vaccinium cylindraceum) and the Laurustinus (Viburnum treleasei). Along the descending, the ground may be muddy or/and slippery, being advisable the use of proper shoes.
Near a wood of Australian Cheesewood (Pittosporum undulatum) you will find an old rock stairway that goes down the cliff.
Arriving to the tarmac road, that gives access to Fajã dos Vimes, choose right until you find a drinkable water spring, known as Fonte de Água Azeda. Proceed until you reach a crossroad where you should follow left, by a dirt road, towards Fajã dos Vimes. Here, there is a connection with PR 09 SJO Fajã dos Vimes - Fragueira - Portal.
In the interior of the fajã it is possible to visit the handicraft workshop where the traditional quilts are made and taste a coffee produced locally.
Go down the road until you arrive to a recreation port, place where the trail ends and where you can profit to dive into the Atlantic waters. In this place there are other connections to different points of the island through the walking trail PR 03 SJO Fajã dos Vimes - Lourais - Fajã de São João and GR 01 SJO Grande Rota de São Jorge.
GR01 SJO Great Route of São Jorge 01
Category - Linear
Difficulty - Hard
Extension - 40 km
Time average - 11h30
The GR01 SJO Great Route of São Jorge 01 covers approximately half of the Island, in a linear route that connects the parish of Topo, in the Eastern part of the Island, with the Fajã dos Cubres, on the North coast. It has an extension of approximately 40 km.
This trail alternates from the plateau of the inner part of the island, where the volcanic cones that generated the Island were born, with the high, steep cliffs that come to an end in small flat areas at the sea level, the famous landscapes of the Fajãs of São Jorge.
Whenever possible, enjoy the natural bathing areas to relax and revitalize. The urban and rural centres should be used to purchase any supplies you might need for the hike.
The trail is divided into two stages, of approximately 25 km and 15 km. You should plan your walk according to your physical ability, interests and availability. There are stations and designed places to spend the night (Local Lodging and Rural Tourism facilities), as wild camping is forbidden.
GR02 SJO Great Route of São Jorge 02
TRAIL INFORMATION
Category - Linear
Difficulty - Hard
Extension - 52 km
Time average - 15h00
The GR02 SJO Great Route of São Jorge 02 covers approximately half of the Island, in a linear route that connects the Ponta dos Rosais (the western point of the island) to Fajã dos Cubres (on the north coast). It has an extension of approximately 52 km. On the Fajã dos Cubres, there is a possibility of connection with the GR01 SJO Great Route of São Jorge 01, that transverse the other half of the island, ending at Topo (the eastern point of the island).
This trail alternates from the plateau of the inner part of the island, where the volcanic cones that generated the Island were born, with the high, steep cliffs that come to an end in small flat areas at the sea level, the famous landscapes of the Fajãs of São Jorge.
Whenever possible, enjoy the natural bathing areas to relax and revitalize. The urban and rural centres should be used to purchase any supplies you might need for the hike.
The trail is divided into two stages, of approximately 22 km and 30 km. You should plan your walk according to your physical ability, interests and availability. There are stations and designed places to spend the night (Local Lodging and Rural Tourism facilities), as wild camping is forbidden.