Sete Cidades

A full day’s riding and I went along for a walk. There was no chance of following the horses, they were enjoying lots of fast gallops, but I still managed to get high and see some of the views that makes this area so special.  Setes Cidades is a civil parish where the village sits within the crater of a long extinct volcano, almost three miles across.  The main photo is taken from the ridge of a smaller crater (Caldeira do Alferes), formed by a later eruption within the main crater. 

We met up for lunch, where the horses were tethered while riders walked into the village to eat, then it was back to ride around the blue and green lakes.  Sadly it was again a mainly cloudy day, which enveloped most of the main ridge of the crater, but it made for some atmospheric conditions.

On returning to the farm we had a small champagne get together for one of the other guests birthday, before going to a local restaurant for dinner.  To top the night the waiters sang happy birthday at the table and presented a small birthday cake.