Lagoinha hike

The Lagoinha trail is known for being challenging and, at the same time, uniquely beautiful. The hike starts in the parish of Serreta and runs almost entirely through forests of Japanese cedar and Pittosporum undulatum and endemic plants such as Erica azorica and Vaccinium cylindraceum, and along streams whose courses have been diverted; you will spot islands of the central group and take in the beauty of the lake that sits in the crater of an extinct volcano. The hike has two parts: first the climb up to Lagoinha, then the descent from Lagoinha back to the start of the trail. It is recommended for people with a good level of fitness. The trail is of moderate to hard difficulty, not flat, with an elevation gain of around 400 m; it is a circular route of roughly 7 km.