Miradouro das Lagoas – Poço do Bacalhau

This small linear trail crosses the island of Flores from the Central Plateau to Fajã Grande, in the far west. Right from the start, you’ll encounter a series of explosion craters, known as maars, which over time have filled with water to become lakes. From there, the path heads westward and descends gradually, ending near Poço do Bacalhau, a waterfall that exceeds 100 metres in height.

These maars are one of the signature features of the Central Plateau and the island itself. They were born from hydromagmatic eruptions: as magma rose, it touched water and triggered explosions, and from the depressions left behind, which local inhabitants call caldeiras, lakes formed. The trail starts at one of them, Lagoa Negra. At 108 metres deep, it is the deepest lake in the entire archipelago, which is why it is also known as Lagoa Funda.

Along the way, the landscape changes considerably. First, the extensive protected areas of the plateau dominate, dotted with lakes and covered in lush natural vegetation; further ahead opens up Fajã Grande, a lava platform nestled against an imposing fossil cliff of around 300 metres, from which several waterfalls cascade down, feeding permanent bodies of water at the base. Due to their geological and scenic value, the lakes Negra, Comprida, Seca and Branca, as well as Fajã Grande, are part of the geosites of the Açores Geopark.

The trail also crosses two areas of great natural richness: the Morro Alto Natural Reserve and Pico of the Cathedral and the Protected Landscape Area of the Central Zone and West Coast Cliffs. Around the caldeiras, much of the endemic flora of the Açores is concentrated, Frangula azorica, Ilex azorica, Vaccinium cylindraceum, Viburnum treleasei or Juniperus brevifolia, interspersed with carpets of moss and peat (Sphagnum sp.). Among the birds, you may spot the little egret (Egretta garzetta), a migratory species, and the largest concentration of common terns (Sterna hirundo) in the interior of the island.

Since much of the route takes place at altitude, where mist and rain appear easily, it’s worth checking the weather forecast before setting out and bringing appropriate footwear and equipment for the conditions.