Take bus 96 from funchal at rodestre ticket box (where you buy your tickets) near marine museum for 40 minutes to its termination the walk upto the car park. Most of the uphill is now done and you can walk to pico grande and back on PR12 easily in 2.5 hours on good trails. Scenery is gobsmacking! When you are back go down the hill past the trrminus point to bar marios where you can await the return bus over a coffee - happy hiking