Mountain shelters

Because of their great altitude and their distance from inhabited centres, the mountains of Madeira always pose a serious danger to travellers who must cross them when storms break over them, especially torrential rain accompanied by strong gales and hail. Few winters pass without the death of several people who succumb to the violence of the storms. To help these wayfarers, who are at times imprudent and unaware of the danger to which they so easily expose themselves, small houses have been built at the most exposed points of our mountains. Some of them are already quite old, and they have rendered notable service, saving from certain death many people who have sought shelter in them, even though they lack the most rudimentary means of warmth and comfort for those who arrive there driven by the storms. We give below a list of the mountain shelters (Casas de Abrigo) existing in our mountains, some of which also serve the upkeep of the levadas (irrigation channels) and forestry inspection. It is much to be regretted that not all of them have the staff needed to fulfil their purpose effectively, and that their state of repair leaves so much to be desired. They are:

• Casa do Caramujo (see that entry), in the mountains of São Vicente
• the Lombo do Mouro house (see that entry), in the mountains of the parish (freguesia) of Ribeira Brava
• the Monte Medonho house (see that entry), in the mountains of the parish of São Vicente
• the Casas do Rabaçal, at the well-known locality of the same name
• Casa da Bica da Cana, on the plateau of the Paul da Serra
• Casa da Fajã das Nogueiras (see that entry), in the mountains of Faial
• Casa das Queimadas (see that entry), in the mountains of the parish of Santana
• the Ribeiro Frio house (see that entry), in the parish of São Roque do Faial
• Casa dos Alpires (see that entry), not very far from the locality of Choupana, in Funchal; and the one at Poiso, at the locality of that name, in the mountains of the parish of Camacha.

This last is perhaps the only one that truly deserves the name of mountain shelter, for its size, its good state of repair and the relative comfort it offers to those who seek it. At other points in the mountains there were once some small shelters, long since destroyed by time and human neglect.