Encumeada is the notch in Madeira's spine where the island shows both of its faces at once. At just over a thousand metres, the pass sits between the high peaks that run east to west, and from the viewpoint beside the road you can look north to the valley that falls toward São Vicente and south to the valley of Ribeira Brava, with the sea glinting in each direction when the cloud permits. On a clear day it feels almost like standing on a roof.
The road here, the ER228, is one of the island's classics. Coming up from the south it climbs through terraced farms, eucalyptus and pine, and hairpins carry you up to the saddle; on the north side the descent is steeper and more dramatic, with tunnels drilled through rock and waterfalls pouring down cliffs beside the road. Surfaces are mostly good, but expect damp patches and falling stones in wet weather, and watch for fog, which can drop onto the pass in minutes and turn the road to a grey tunnel. Morning tends to be clearest, with cloud building from midday as the sun heats the slopes.
Beyond the road, the pass is a jumping-off point for walking. Levadas, the narrow irrigation channels built centuries ago to carry water from the wet north to the dry south, run through the mountain forest, and several famous trails start near here. The laurel forests of Madeira, which are a UNESCO World Heritage site, grow in the damp folds of these mountains, and the smell of wet earth and leaves is part of the place. The island's mountains were built by volcanoes, and the cliffs beside the road show layers of ash and lava in rust and grey.
There is a small kiosk or café at the pass in season and a car park by the viewpoint, but for fuel you need to descend to São Vicente on the north coast or Ribeira Brava to the south. Carry a rain jacket and a warm layer, since the temperature drops at altitude and the wind can be fierce. In the summer months the pass is a lovely cool place to stop, and a hot coffee tastes better here than almost anywhere.
Take a moment at the viewpoint to look both ways before you choose which side of the island to drop into.