In the article «Awakening of Nature in Santo Antao» I spoke about the reblooming in the Lombo Branco village that happens annually after the rainy season. This is an article about a hidden spot where tourists have never been - Bordeira de Paul the lost viewpoint in Lombo Branco..
The walking route Lombo Santo - Lourença - Drogal - Conrrado - Bordeira
The trek was planned in advance. To save time we called a taxi and we arrived in Lombo Santo early, around 7:00 am, so as not to get sunburned during the walk. A mountain guide from Walking in Cape Verde patiently told us about the best way to get to Bordeira and back. According to him the classic route of ascent that starts from Lombo Santo towards Lourença ridge and the Drogal tract and further through Conrrado, is easy to read, more diverse and picturesque.
Following the guide's advice, in Lourença we made a detour right to Ribeira de Silvão (small gorge), to visit a picturesque waterfall that forms every year after rains. It turned out to be a short walk - we soon found polished stones forming a small quiet pool with coolness, which the locals call «mulin». Having admired the waterfall, we returned to the initial path and, a little further up, is the path we need, with gentle hills and, gradually, limestone cliffs (origin of the name Lombo Branco). Without the morning fog along the way you will see the entire East Coast and settlements, further away the historic city of Ponta do Sol (the most northerly point of Cabo Verde) and the vast blue of the Atlantic that bathes our country. Yes, in addition to the mountains, the real treasure of Cape Verde is the sea. When you see the scale, you realize that you live not just in an island, but on a whole vast planet.
The route is notable also for its artificial terraces and its surroundings; white mountains covered in a green carpet, fertile lands that produce sweet potato, potatoes, cassava, corn, bean, etc., and wild fruits; physalis, guavas, apples, etc... there is such a riot of colors that you don’t want to let go of your phone. You can climb up slowly, calmly with stops and you will have enough time to; you photograph the landscapes without stopping, just don't forget a bottle of water, and just as calmly return back.
The rays of the sun greeted we already on the way up from Conrado. We walk like this about 2 hours, the path gently led higher and higher, and more and more of the canyon space became visible, and then - hurray! We're at the observation deck! Finally, we got to the legendary place "Bordeira de Paul" (Paul's Edge), the photos of which do not convey the scale of this place at all.
A concrete pedestal and a cross greet tourists at the highest peak in of Lombo Branco, at an altitude of 955 meters above sea level (is there a geodetic landmark). From there, a magnificent view of the surroundings opens up. A magical landscape that everyone wants to see, an ideal place to scream from above and to thank all this to nature. You will see from above, one of the visiting cards of Cape Verde Islands - all the Paul valley and the mountains surrounding it. The mountain range that starts in Janela to Pico da Cruz and, in the distance on the right hand, will appear, the silhouette of Cova, the extinct volcano. The mountains, like in the entire Santo Antao Island, are high, somewhere 800 - 1585 meters above mean sea level.
We didn't want to leave here! We settled down on a rock bench, we had a snack and rested for about half an hour. The path back seemed shorter. We started our return, choosing an alternative route - along it we should go straight to the next stopping point, Ribeira de Braz. After 300 meters we came up against an almost sheer cliff, with a path sharply descending which we covered in 1,5 hours. The last 200 meters, and... from above we see a traditional house, a fruit tree, a water reservoir and in the rock a conduit through which, the water flown. We arrived in Ribeira De Braz!
I have never drunk water so fresh from a natural spring. The water flow in the source is quite satisfactory, even in summer, when the weather is drier. The small valley is verdant, highlighting irrigated crops such as bananas, cassava, papaia, sugar cane, etc.
The water in the tank is clean but no one is in the mood for a swim. And okay, our impressions are already through the roof. So, it’s time to start on the way back.
From here to the parking lot in Lombo Santo neighbourhood, is an easy 20-minute walk. We got tired but slid back to the beginning of the trail terribly happy - we sat down at the at a small local grocery to drink a well-deserved bottle of national beer Kriola (very popular in Cape Verde) .... and the car came at a very inappropriate time to drive us through the bends of the serpentine road right to Ribeira Grande city.
A mountain hike accessible at any time of the year (the most favorable time is from October to May) of medium difficulty in my opinion, but I still stopped a couple of times to catch my breath. You need good walking shoes, walking poles to facilitate descent, a hat, sunscreen, requires 1,5 liters of water and take a snack with you.
Bordeira de Paul viewpoint is a corner of pristine nature that every true hiking lover and connoisseur of beauty must visit!... So majestic that which deserves a documentary from the international magazine NatGeo.
Definitely worth going up there!!!
And yes, I won't forget to mention those who made all this happen namely the gays from Walking In Cape Verde, they will do everything professionally for you!
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