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PR42SMI

Rota da Água - Entre Túneis e Condutas

São Miguel

Open

Acores9 currently marks this trail as open.

Status checked 25 July 2026

Type
Walking trail
Route
Point to point
Difficulty
Moderate
Distance
15.1 km
Duration
5 h
Elevation
111–502 m

The trail

Entre Túneis e Condutas is the longest section of the Water Route: 15.1 kilometres between Remédios and Água de Pau, using paths created to collect, convey and inspect water. Casa da Água marks the start and introduces an itinerary in which infrastructure is not a minor addition but the central subject. Bridges, aqueducts, channels, old clay pipes and technical buildings reveal solutions built in different periods.

The trail climbs through farmland and forest, sharing some sections with other routes. Tunnels pierce elevations that once obstructed the direct passage of conduits, while Janela do Inferno appears as a damp cavity in a vertical wall, with a spring and small pool. Farther on, Pico do Raposo and vegetation associated with watercourses add a natural layer to the corridor. Livestock and pasture keep the route connected with present-day rural use.

Near Pedras Brancas, PR42SMI meets the PR41SMI junction but continues on its own line towards Água de Pau. The medium crossing, estimated at five hours, requires stamina and careful navigation at intersections. This is a walk through understated engineering: rather than one monumental work, it presents a network spread across the slope to carry water from wet uplands to communities throughout the municipality.

Directions

Begin at Casa da Água in Remédios and follow the PR42SMI codes uphill through agricultural and forest ground. Cross only bridges, channels and tunnels included in the waymarking, carrying a torch for dark passages. Continue through the Janela do Inferno and Pico do Raposo area, checking the code on shared sections. At the PR41SMI junction, remain on the direction for Água de Pau. The crossing finishes in another village, so arrange collection rather than relying on a walking return. Allow about five hours for the 15.1-kilometre crossing and keep a margin of daylight to the finish, including time for signed branches and stops.

Safety

Carry a reliable torch and never enter flooded, obstructed or closed tunnels. Water on stone, channels and narrow banks increase slipping risk, so postpone after heavy rain. Keep your distance from livestock and close gates. On roads, stay visible and face approaching traffic. Confirm route codes on every shared section. Carry a charged phone and, in an emergency, call 112 with PR42SMI and the number of the last route post seen.

Official coordinates

Start
37.746980, -25.537085
End
37.721002, -25.508825
Elevation profile111–502 m
0 km15 km
GPSgpxGoogle Earthkmz
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