Grande Rota do Oeste - Terceira

This is a long, committing west-side traverse across Terceira that links the Forest Reserve and Recreation Park of Lagoa das Patas with the Forest Reserve and Recreation Park of Mata da Serreta. The full route is about 31.2 km / 19.4 miles with an average time of around 10 hours, and the official Azores trail network classifies it as a linear route and currently rates it Hard, even though your working estimate of medium difficulty makes sense for strong hikers who split it into stages and go in stable weather. The route is commonly divided into two stages: roughly 21.9 km / 13.6 miles from Lagoa das Patas to Pico Negrão, and 9.3 km / 5.8 miles from Pico Negrão to Mata da Serreta. One very important planning note: the official trail page currently marks Stage 1 as closed, so hikers should verify current access before setting out and use HiiKER to cross-check the latest route status and logistics. (trails.visitazores.com)

The walk crosses the western half of Terceira through a striking range of environments: forest recreation areas, volcanic uplands, semi-natural woodland, pasture edges, steep sea cliffs, and old agricultural ground. Elevation on the route runs from roughly 90 m to 733 m, so even if the total ascent is around 1,100 m / 3,610 ft, the effort is spread across repeated rises, descents, and uneven volcanic footing rather than one single climb. Expect a route that feels bigger than the raw distance suggests, especially if cloud, wind, or wet ground move in over the high ground. (acores9.com)

Getting to the start is easiest by car. The western trailhead is at the Reserva Florestal de Recreio da Lagoa das Patas, near Doze Ribeiras, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, while the eastern end is at the Reserva Florestal de Recreio da Mata da Serreta, near Serreta, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira. Lagoa das Patas has visitor facilities and parking, and Mata da Serreta is also a developed recreation area, which makes a car shuttle the simplest option for a one-way hike. Public transport on Terceira is limited but possible with planning: bus information is available through MobiAzores, and local timetable listings show a Biscoitos – Serreta – Angra line serving the Serreta side. Service to the Lagoa das Patas side is less straightforward, so many hikers arrange a taxi for one end or leave a vehicle at Mata da Serreta and drive to Lagoa das Patas to begin. (drrf.azores.gov.pt)

What the route feels like

From Lagoa das Patas, the route begins in a gentler recreational landscape before moving into the island’s volcanic interior. The official line heads toward Pico Gaspar, then joins the area around Mistérios Negros and Lagoinha do Vale Fundo, using old paths and forest tracks north of the mountain. This first half has the most upland character: broad volcanic scenery, damp forest, and stretches where visibility matters a great deal. Because much of Stage 1 stays above 500 m / 1,640 ft, low cloud can flatten the landscape and make navigation feel more serious than the terrain profile suggests. (trails.visitazores.com)

One of the memorable natural features on this section is Lagoa do Cerro, where there is a birdwatching shelter. The route then continues through forest paths lined with cryptomeria and climbs toward Lagoinha da Serreta, a small crater lake set into the flank of the Serra de Santa Bárbara and surrounded by endemic vegetation. This is one of the most atmospheric parts of the traverse: enclosed, green, and distinctly Azorean, with a mix of native flora and plantation forest shaping the landscape. The descent then skirts the Ribeira do Além valley before reaching the Pico Negrão area. (trails.visitazores.com)

Stage 2 changes character noticeably. From Pico Negrão to Mata da Serreta, the route drops into the island’s far west and becomes more coastal and cultural. The trail uses tarmac briefly, then rocky forest paths