The highest point on the island is Cabeco Gordo at 1,043-metres, where these is a basaltic cinder cone of the side of the Caldeira Volcano. We walk through a short tunnel to be able to look down into the flat-bottomed crater. On an apparently unusually clear day, the views from this high point are extensive and amazing

Lunch is at the Bela Vista restaurant at Capelo towards the west of the island where, after a main course of parrot fish goujons served with rice and salad, we have a 'volcanic pudding' made from Oreo biscuits with condensed milk and nuts. The bus then takes us the the most western part of Faial to the Capelhinos Interpretive Centre which tells the eight-month story of the destructive 1957/58 earthquake and volcanic eruption that resulted in the present very bare landscape of ash

Wednesday, May 22nd is spent touring the neighbouring island of Pico, which we reach by means of a 30-minute crossing on the ferry  Cruzeiro do Canal

On Pico, we see more of the small walled enclosures made from volcanic rocks - square enclosures are used to grow vines, round ones for figs. We stop at Candelaria to buy a handmade cheese - our local guide Nuno helping the cheese maker (below) to take payments 

At Sao Mateus a farmer scatters seed by hand as we visit the 1842 church which has an interesting and colourful interior; a postman proudly poses by his quad-bike before practicing his English with us