The clocks went back: planning Madeira hikes around shorter autumn days

In the early hours of Sunday 25 October the clocks went back an hour, and here on Madeira that changes hiking more than people expect. On Saturday 24 October the sun set over Funchal at 7:24 pm. On Sunday it set at 6:23 pm, and it keeps slipping earlier every day until early December.

We locals feel this every autumn. In summer we used to head out after lunch for a levada walk and still be home before dark with time for a coffee. From now until spring that plan quietly stops working, and the trails don't care what time your watch says.

The numbers for this winter

These are the times for Funchal, from timeanddate.com:

• 25 October: sunrise 7:19 am, sunset 6:23 pm, about 11 hours of daylight.
• 31 October: sunset 6:17 pm, and "civil twilight", the last usable light without a torch, ends at about 6:43 pm.
• Early December: the earliest sunsets of the year, around 6:01 pm (the earliest is on 4 December).
• 21 December, the shortest day: sunrise about 8:05 am, sunset about 6:05 pm, just over 10 hours of daylight.

One local caveat, from experience rather than any table: those are sea-level times. Deep valleys, north-facing slopes and the laurel forest (Laurisilva) get gloomy well before the official sunset. A levada tucked into a gorge can feel like evening an hour before the town below does. On the high peaks it is the other way round: you may still have sun, but once it drops the temperature falls fast.

Why it matters more now than it used to

Since 1 January 2026, the classified trails run by IFCN (the regional Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation) need a booking on the SIMplifica portal, even for people who pay nothing. Each day is split into entry slots. You book the slot in which you will start, and IFCN's FAQ says it generally allows about 15 minutes of tolerance either side, a little more if you are walking several trails in a row. It won't allow more, because the whole point is to spread people through the day.

That is a good system for the trails, but it means the old local habit of "we'll just go a bit later" no longer works. A late slot booked in a hurry can leave you finishing a long walk in the dark, so pick your slot with the sunset in mind, not just whatever is free.

How to plan a hike around shorter days

• Work backwards from sunset. Take the trail's official duration, add time for photos, a snack and the slower pace on wet ground, and add a safety margin on top. If that lands you at the car after about 6 pm right now, book an earlier slot or choose a shorter walk.
• Book morning slots for long walks. Out-and-back levadas like Caldeirão Verde (PR 9) feel short on the way in and long on the way back, especially when you're tired.
• Mind the earlier sunrise too. The clock change moved sunrise an hour earlier on the clock, from 8:18 am on 24 October to 7:19 am on 25 October. If you're planning a sunrise walk at Pico do Areeiro (PR 1), set your alarm an hour earlier than you would have last week.
• Carry a real light. A head torch with fresh batteries weighs almost nothing. Phone torches drain the battery you may need for a call or for your map.
• Turn around on time, not at the end. Set a turnaround time before you start and stick to it, even if the waterfall is "just around the corner".
• Tell someone your plan. Madeira's new trail rules (Portaria 595/2026) ask walkers to check official information, the weather forecast and risk alerts, to tell someone their planned route whenever possible, and to go back the way they came if a landslide or obstacle blocks the path. In the dark, that last point matters even more. Don't look for a shortcut.
• Know the number. 112 is the emergency number in Portugal, as across the EU.

Being a good guest after dark

Finishing in the dark doesn't only affect you. Many trailheads are small lay-bys on mountain roads that local families drive every evening, and people walking along those roads in dark clothes are hard to see. If you do end up late, keep to the edge, use your light, and get everyone into the car quickly.

And if you have to call for help, remember that the mountain rescue teams who come out are often volunteers. In October they were training on steep-ground rescues with a drone for scouting. Planning your day so you never need them is the kindest thing you can do.

A heads-up for 31 October and 1 November: ultra runners in the mountains

On Saturday 31 October, the Ultra X Madeira race starts in Machico at 5:00 am, with 110 km and 60 km routes heading across the island to São Vicente. On Sunday 1 November, the 50 km race and the second day of the 110 km leave São Vicente at 7:00 am, and the 25 km race starts in São Jorge at 11:00 am, all finishing back in Machico. The organiser's runner pack says the 110 km single-stage race has a final cut-off of 17:00 on Sunday, requires a head torch plus a backup light for night sections, and marks the route with ribbons and arrows.

The organiser hasn't published a list of which official trails the race uses, and IFCN hasn't announced any closure. An independent trail-status site that compared the organiser's GPX files with the trail lines estimates that runners will be on most of PR 1, PR 2 (Vereda do Urzal) and PR 5 (Vereda das Funduras) on the Saturday. If you're booked on one of those, expect company. Step to the safe, uphill side to let runners pass, and give the volunteers at checkpoints a smile.

Shorter days aren't a reason to stay home. Some of my favourite walks are on crisp November mornings, with the light low and gold in the laurel forest. You just have to start a little earlier and finish before the island goes dark.