In a previous post (Cats, Lava Fields and a New Friend), we told you about a linear hike that we completed half of. Today we started at the other end and hiked to the halfway point. The weather was perfect for the few hours we were out today.

The hike description mentions a path that leads to an old whale lookout tower. When Pico was a whaling island, a man would use binoculars to spot whales passing by and set off a flare to alert the villagers. Boats would be launched, the whale hunted and brought to shore for processing. The blubber was boiled down to make oil lamps, soaps, margarine and machine oil. The products were sold across the world. Whaling was outlawed in 1984, and Pico is now a hot spot for whale watching tours. Anyway, we hiked up to this lookout tower, but there was a notice attached that looked important. Sue used Google Translate on her phone and discovered that the sign is a warning about not staying too long because of high radio frequencies. The structure was quite overgrown and it didn’t appear to have a good view, so we turned around and skedaddled on out of there.

The rest of the hike was beautiful, full of stunning views and lush vegetation. The last few rainy days have left their mark on the landscape, but the trails were all passable.

We stopped for our picnic lunch in a little end-of-the-road spot called Baia do Gasparal. This area had a vineyard and fig tree economy in the 1800s, including a harbour where products were loaded for export. The main warehouses that existed have been destroyed by marine erosion. Only about six small structures remain. They were once used for wine production, but have been converted into housing/holiday rentals. It felt good to get outside and hike again!

Tip of the Day: Google Translate can be used offline, just like Google Maps. All you have to do is download the language that you will want to translate and you’re all set! We mostly use it in the grocery store, but today it came in handy to decipher the warning sign at the lookout tower.