The Wicker Men of Madeira

Fortunately, the wicker men of Madeira have never had any evil intent towards Edward Woodward.

Indeed, the wicker men of the mountainous village of Monte bear no similarity to that featured in the haunting 1973 film, The Wicker Man, in which Edward Woodward starred.

Instead, the Madeiran version are know locally as carreiros de Monte and their main aim in life is to keep alive a traditional means of transport that has origins dating back more than 150 years. 

Oh, and in the process they not only earn themselves a living, but also provide tourists with an exciting holiday attraction that gives Madeira its uniqueness.

Tourists queuing up to ride the Monte toboggan basket sleighs

Traditionally, the method of conveying people and goods in Funchal, Madeira's capital, did not include wheeled carriages. The uneven cobbled roadways, steep hills and sharp bends, meant that horse drawn carriages and, later, motorised vehicles were regarded as unsuitable.  Rather, the locals opted for various other, more primitive, means of transport.

Unsophisticated wooden carriages, mounted on wooden runners, lubricated with grease and pulled at a sedate pace by oxen were a favourite.  These "carros de bois" were said to have been introduced to Madeira by a British Army Officer who required a means of conveying his invalid wife about town.

Whilst riding in the carros de bois was acceptable on the flat, it was, of course, a painfully slow way to climb the steep hills that dominate the landscape as soon as you leave the narrow coastal plain.

Another, solely Madeiran, means of conveyance was the transporting hammock.  Here, a length of cloth was slung between two, long wooden poles. Two men, one at the fore and one to the back, would lift the contrivance in a mode rather akin to that of a sedan chair.  The occupant of the hammock, usually a woman, was thus carried in what must have been a rather uncomfortable fashion.

The travelling hammock was particularly popular with British society women who were resident on the island in the 1600s.  Often, to the delight of their fare, the hammock bearers would sing in their native Portuguese language as they made their way to the final destination.  A gratuity for this extra service was invariably given.  What the passenger did not realise was that sometimes the songs were extremely disparaging of their customer.  It is reported that on one occasion the bearers of a rather overweight passenger were singing to the effect: "The fare we are allowed to charge is fixed, but just look at the size of this load!"

These popular forms of conveyance were used everywhere on the island, including the mountain village of Monte.  Cumbersome oxen drawn carts and hammocks were the normal way to convey both people and goods.

Progress, in every sense of the word, was slow.  The four kilometre journey down from Monte into Funchal could take anything up to three hours.

However, the run from Monte into Funchal was one long, steep, downward slope.  Accordingly, it was to be expected that one day, in the late 1840s, one of the locals decided to explore a more radical means of conveyance.  By mounting a flimsy wicker basket on two ski-like wooden runners it was discovered that you could glide headlong down the hill and reach the city centre in a mere 10 minutes.

The logistics were simple.  All that was needed was one hefty push to get going and someone to stand on the rear to steer.  In no time at all, you would soon reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.

Suddenly, there was a fast, and cheap, means of transport from the outlying mountain village into the commercial centre of the island - the snow less, Monte wicker basket sleigh was thus invented.

In addition, the local inhabitants soon discovered that rich Europeans and Americans would take the journey just for fun - hence, the original Madeira tourist attraction was created.  Indeed, Ernest Hemingway famously described his Monte toboggan wicker basket sled ride as the "most exhilarating experience" of his life.

One pull on the ropes, and the toboggan soon gathers speed

Today, the toboggans persist, but they are for tourists only.  Two carreiros guides, dressed in traditional white with straw hats, will propel you down a shortened route from Monte.

There are no seat belts and the only brake you can rely on is the rubber sole of your driver's shoe.  The views can be stunning, if short-lived and the usual souvenir photo awaits you at the end of the ride.

The ride is priced rather expensively by Madeiran standards. But, if you want to treat yourself to an experience that you are unlikely to find anywhere else, then give the Monte toboggans a go.