Achada do Teixeira Webcam - Madeira
Experience Achada do Teixeira through our webcam. Monitor weather conditions, mountain views, and the gateway to Madeira's highest peak at 1,592 meters altitude.
View of Achada do Teixeira plateau, offering a unique perspective of this mountain gateway to Pico Ruivo.
Achada do Teixeira is a mountain plateau. It sits at 1,592 meters above sea level. This is the gateway to Pico Ruivo. Pico Ruivo is Madeira's highest peak. Our webcams show the plateau. You can see the 'Homem em Pé' rock formation. The PR1.2 trail starts here. Hikers love this spot.
Planning to hike to Pico Ruivo? The trail is 2.8km long. The hike is moderate difficulty. Check weather before you go. Our webcams show current conditions. The plateau has good facilities. Parking is available. Restrooms are on site. The Abrigo da Heidi restaurant serves food.
Experience Madeira's mountains through our cameras. Watch clouds move around peaks. See endemic heather plants. Achada do Teixeira is very accessible. The route to the summit is easiest from here. The 'Homem em Pé' rock is remarkable. It's made of basalt. Multiple trails meet at this plateau.
Achada do Teixeira Information
- • Elevation: 1,592 meters above sea level
- • Located in Santana municipality
- • Accessible by paved road (ER 218)
- • Parking, restrooms, restaurant available
- • Famous 'Homem em Pé' rock formation
- • Starting point for PR1.2 trail to Pico Ruivo
Activities at Achada do Teixeira
Hiking to Pico Ruivo
The famous PR1.2 trail offers a moderate 2.8km hike to Madeira's highest peak at 1,862m, taking approximately 1.5 hours each way.
Rock Formations & Views
Visit the iconic 'Homem em Pé' basalt rock formation and enjoy panoramic views of Madeira's central mountain massif, including views towards the north and east coasts.
Explore More Mountain Locations
Mountain Guide & Pico Ruivo Trail Information
Alpine Ecosystem & Endemic Species
The Pico Ruivo summit region (1,862m) hosts one of Europe's most unique alpine ecosystems. At this extreme elevation on a subtropical Atlantic island, plant and animal life displays extraordinary adaptation to challenging conditions: intense UV radiation, fierce Atlantic winds, rapid temperature fluctuations, and dramatic precipitation variations.
Laurissilva (ancient laurel forest) transitions to stunted, low-growing alpine vegetation above 1,600m. Endemic plant species like Madeira's heather, unique rockroses, and rare ferns survive through deep root systems, waxy protective coatings, and low growth profiles that minimize wind exposure.
Flora & Specialized Plant Adaptations
The Pico Ruivo summit hosts remarkable floral diversity despite harsh conditions. Madeira's endemic cushion plant (Azorina vidalii) forms dense, wind-resistant mats barely 5cm tall. Alpine roses, specific to this summit region, bloom with surprising vibrancy in spring, their low-profile growth reflecting centuries of adaptation to Atlantic alpine conditions.
Lichens and mosses carpet the rocky summit plateau, forming intricate biological communities that store water during dry seasons and provide microhabitats for numerous invertebrate species. These 'living stones' create ecological networks that support the alpine food chain despite the apparent barrenness of the rocky terrain.