Furna Ruim

Furna Ruim is a deep, vegetation-choked ravine-like pit near Capelo on the west of Faial island in the Azores. It is not a cave to explore but a lookout stop on one of the Capelo peninsula's best walks, the PRC1 FAI Capelo – Capelinhos trail.

How do you get to Furna Ruim?

The walk begins on top of Cabeço Verde, 488 m above sea level, where you can park. Furna Ruim sits on the PRC1 FAI loop, which covers 5 km, is rated medium and takes about 90 minutes. You circle the green crater counter-clockwise. Where the access road first bends left, a side path branches right towards the furna and then on to the Caldeirão crater.

What will you see there?

A staircase with simple handrails leads down through native Azorean vegetation. On the left, thick Pittosporum undulatum scrub hides the dark, deep drop. A small lookout lets you peer into the steep gorge, and the official trail description admits its scale is startling. Moss of the species Neckera intermedia, uncommon in the Azores, hangs from the branches, and the slope also holds Azorean holly (Ilex perado ssp. azorica), Picconia azorica and the Azorean blueberry Vaccinium cylindraceum.

About 20 m further, the path reaches a second lookout above the Caldeirão crater. A steep drop to a dirt track follows, then a climb to Cabeço do Canto (346 m), with a view of the Capelinhos volcano and its lighthouse.

What views come with the walk?

Higher sections open onto Baía das Cabras, the south coast, Cabeço do Fogo (born in the 1672 eruption) and Capelinhos, which erupted in 1957-58. The route crosses the Central Zone Protected Landscape and follows a chain of volcanic cones ending at Capelinhos.

When should you go and what should you bring?

Pick a dry day: the last climb to Cabeço do Canto is steep and can be slippery, although wooden steps help. Wear shoes with grip. There is parking at Cabeço Verde, and at the far end the Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Centre is open to visit after the walk; the lighthouse can be visited too. There are no shops on the trail, so carry water.

Frequently asked questions

Can you enter Furna Ruim? No. You view it from a small lookout on the rim, without descending to the bottom.

How long does the walk take? The whole PRC1 FAI loop is 5 km and about 1.5 hours at an average pace. Reaching the furna from the start takes only a short while.

Is the trail difficult? It is rated medium. The hardest part is the steep, sometimes slippery climb to Cabeço do Canto.

Can you combine it with Capelinhos? Yes. Instead of returning to the start, continue west along part of the PR6 FAI Dez Vulcões trail to the Capelinhos Volcano Interpretation Centre.