The Peak of Pico da Antonia

8.00 in the morning; it is time to leave. To shorten the ascent we drove to the Monte Tchota (creole: Monte Txóta) with the car. After a short visit to the newly built transmission station, offering remarkable views across the island, we walk on a narrow path through the open Eucalyptus forest. Our guide seems from his character to be rather quiet, yet he knows the area perfectly. Following our inquiries he willingly talks about the plants and various views of the Island. Soon we have left the forest. The narrow, stony and - so far - slippery path requires full attention while walking. The path used to be better, says the guide, but the last rainfalls worsened its condition. The path leads partly through bushes. A long trouser and a shirt/blouse will be to your advantage to keep the number of scratches to a minimum. Nevertheless, there are annoying branches which poke through the trousers from behind. Uphill - downhill in a bumpy area leads this goat path around the western slope of the Pico da Antonia. We cross small valley terraces, hike over rock ridges, and approach the final ascent. The path is now beyond the stage of "recognizable". We follow the guide who shows us the best track. On top of a rock ridge it goes steeply up and sometimes even requires the use of your hands in order to get higher. The next solid stone appears to be far away. Just behind a rocknose the guide re-counts someone's crash. Out of unawareness he continued walking on the left side of the mountain instead of walking on the right side. We stayed cautiously behind him and reached after a final steep and exhausting ascent, the next peak of the Pico da Antonia at the height of 1315 metres. The view was incredible and all four of us were in agreement: The hardship finds its reward. Almost 360 degrees to look around and above Santiago at a breathtaking height - with a clear view and the most beautiful Sunday weather. Looking, being amazed, being silent and digesting everything - it is just very moving and maginificent. The complete silence is only interrupted by the odd sounds of the birds. As our life is very prescious to us we forgo the dangerous and slippery path to the main peak. After a small break we descend. The same way - now from a completely different perspective - leads us back to Monte Txóta. After a short descent on the paved street we turn into the open Eucalyptus forest. Our path - lined with odd Cypresses and Agaves - leads us downhill back to Rui Vaz. Unfortunately, both sides of the last part of the path are used as a rubbish dump. Almost in an order one finds the throw-away bottles of the European import beers as well as tins and plastic rubbish. It pollutes the landscape and blemishes it. Maybe there will be a law one day that all wrapping rubbish of the original countries must be taken back. My Conclusion As I have mentioned earlier, the guide was not very talkative. But with the secure impression of having a responsible person around us who knows the mountains and its paths we felt very safe on the trip. Despite all the challenges we really enjoyed it. Like some other experieces in life it is one I will probably speak passionately about even after years. I do not need to repeat it, even though I live on Santiago Island. The hike to the peak is really demanding, not really because of the height (you have to manage about 600 meters on the ascent/descent), but because of the trail to the peak which does not really exist. An author was there only once and since has not been seen. When rain or other damage changes the path it is not described anymore. At such a hike through an unpopulated area one should not rely on old printed out-of-date information. To hike without a guide and only with a hike description from Lipps/Breda (Dumont 2001) - which does not even recommend a guide - I view as a criminal carelessness. I rather entrust our customers with a local guide: DThey hike repeatedly within a week to the peak, at all seasons. They know the paths, recognize the changes and can react to them. Remarks The "Radar hill" The hill got its name from the many birds which are found there; the txóta tér the sparrow of Santiago. The "Radar hill" is thus called Monte Tchota (creole: Monte Txóta). The Portuguese Tchopa (creole: Txopa) means hairstrand and seems rather illogical. Accommodations We stayed in the accommodation Parque Natural de Serra de Pico da Antonia Photo Gallery To the pictures of the trip

Our Service on the Spot You will receive further information on all this tours directly on the spot from Sibylle & Geraldo. Depending on the degree of difficulty in finding orientation you will be provided with the hiking map Santiago island, with a sketch of the tour and/or a description of the course and/or a local guide. (Phone at the spot: Accommodation Mira Maio, Hiking & Trekking & Beaches - Calheta)