We had a great hike today along the coast. The skies were a little overcast but still a balmy 17* C.

We chose a hike for today that is linear, rather than circular, meaning you end up far from your car. We decided to begin at one end, hike half of it, and double back.

But first, we’d heard about an area called Cachorro that looked cool and, since it was on the way to our hike, we decided to stop there first. What an incredible spot! They have created pathways amongst the rocky outcroppings, with views of the crashing waves that leave you feeling awestruck. There are multiple hidden pathways, some of which lead you up high to the edge of a cliff and others that lead you down to the surf. As soon as we exited our car, four friendly cats greeted us and followed us around. This destination is not to be missed if you are on the island.

Our hike began in Lajido today. This hike is a combination of smooth(ish) lava fields and almost deserted asphalt roads. The lava fields are atop the sheer cliffs that fall into the Atlantic. The landscape is dramatic, to put it mildly. The ocean was rough today and the wind was very strong, making for some incredible wave action crashing against the lava cliffs. Unfortunately our photos don’t capture this experience even a little bit. You’ll just have to book a flight and get here yourself.

On our way back, in the small neighbourhood of Cabrito, we had stopped to take a picture of today’s only rainbow. We heard a friendly ‘hello’ over the roar of the wind, looked up and saw a smiling face greeting us and asking us if we wanted to come inside. Sure! Isilda graciously welcomed us into her beautiful home and offered us coffee, water, sweets, fruit… We sat at her table while she told us her family’s story, and the difficulty her parents had raising 7 daughters while growing grapes and figs, and making whiskey from the fermented figs, to trade for other goods on the neighbouring island of Faial. She left Pico at the age of 23 and made her life in the USA. She is now retired. In 2016 she restored her family home and now splits her time between California and Pico. We could have talked to her for hours more, but the day was getting late and we still had to finish our hike.

We hiked the last half hour in the rain, arriving at the car soaked through. Luckily, even when it’s windy and rainy, it’s not cold.

Tip of the day:

On Pico, when a stranger invites you into their home, say, “Yes, we’d love to!”