In the fourth and final part of my Madeira series, I’ve gathered my favourite scenes from the Laurissilva Forest – those fleeting moments when the golden light of morning or evening touched the beautiful laurel trees of Fanal. These conditions never lasted long; sitting right on the boundary between fog and cloud, the visibility changed constantly. But every time it happened, even if only for a few minutes, it felt like a small miracle.
After the first few days, I honestly didn’t expect to see light like this at all. The atmosphere was usually cool and mysterious, as you can see in the previous post, but not warm or glowing. Then one morning, the scene below unfolded – the light suddenly turned softer, warmer, and the spot itself caught my eye straight away.
However, a few things were still missing. For one, the light wasn’t truly golden that day – and there was hardly any fog at all. The spot itself also proved tricky: because of the steep slope, stray branches often crept awkwardly into the frame, making the composition feel restless. And to make matters worse, a sturdy new fence has now been put up there – presumably to prevent people from getting too close to the edge, where the ground can give way. So patience was key, and we had to wait for better opportunities.
Fortunately, luck was on our side in the end. Then again, with at least sixteen visits (each lasting just one to two and a half hours, since our little one was always with us), perhaps it was less about luck and more about perseverance paying off 😉
The atmosphere during those light moments was truly unique – calm air, the gentle song of Madeira chaffinches, and a deep, soothing stillness among these fascinating trees. Because that light only appeared at the edges of the day, we often found ourselves alone there – at least within sight.
There were actually two very different types of light that made this forest so special. One was when the sun gently filtered through the fog, as you can see above. The other was when the last rays broke through without any mist at all, illuminating the ferns and the delicate outlines of each branch in a warm glow.
Our little Ben especially loved the many cows wandering around – a rather small local breed. They aren’t kept in fenced pastures; instead, their owners let them roam freely across the highlands during the warmer months to graze and help keep unwanted plants in check. He was also completely captivated by the countless swallows and chaffinches. At fourteen months old, he was in that adorable phase where every bird sighting was met with a wide-eyed “oooooh” – absolutely heart-melting.
It was a wonderful time for the three of us, one we won’t forget anytime soon.
I hope you enjoy this final photo series! (P.S. I know thirty images might be a bit much for one post – but you’ll just have to indulge me this time 😉)
I hope you liked the Madeira series and I send you best wishes 👋
Thomas