PR 27 - Plateau Glacier

The route begins on the Paul da Serra plateau, specifically at Bica da Cana, and along its length it is possible to observe various geomorphological and geological evidence that attests to the existence of a glacier on Paul da Serra, consisting of a plateau ice field that reached its peak during the Last Glacial Maximum, about 25,000 years ago (Brum da Silveira, 2006, 2010).
In the initial part of the route, we will walk along a shallow glacial valley with a relatively wide, rounded form and a U-shaped cross-section, where it is possible to observe a circular depression, called a cirque or subglacial erosion basin. Then, we climb to the eroded top of an ancient basaltic scoria cone (Fonte do Juncal) formed by a volcanic eruption that occurred during the Middle Pleistocene (1.8 million years to 774,000 years ago). From this location, you can admire the flattened landscape of Paul da Serra. On the descent from the cone, it is possible to visit the Miradouro das Rabaças, from where you can observe a magnificent landscape over the headwaters of the Ribeira da Ponto do Sol river valley and over the moraine deposits consisting of large blocks and basalt columns, torn away and displaced by glacial movement toward the edge of the plateau. In the final part of the route, you can observe the glacial cirque (Fajã Redonda) at Sítio das Pedras, a site of exceptional geological and scientific value, where ruins of stone walls once used in traditional sheep shearing can be found.