tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36367893270430727292024-03-05T23:21:40.952+00:00Real Tenerife Island WalksReal Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-26479039148690843002010-11-12T12:45:00.000+00:002010-11-12T12:45:58.165+00:00Autumnal Walking on Tenerife<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/5169354554_e98a4908ba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/5169354554_e98a4908ba.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> When you live on the island of eternal spring it can sometimes be tricky to spot when the seasons change, particularly when you have a summer like this one where <i>calima</i> after <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/weather-forecast-for-tenerife-from-8th-to-14th-november.htm" target="_blank"><i>calima</i></a> keeps the temperatures above the seasonal norms.<br />
But anyone visiting <a href="http://www.tenerifemagazine.com/" target="_blank">Tenerife</a> at the moment will spot a couple of things that are a dead give-away that autumn is upon us.<br />
The first thing to look out for are the budding poinsettias which thrive in cultivated hotel gardens, parks and roadside displays all over the island at this time of year and can be seen growing wild by the side of the road and along country paths. In Tenerife's climate the poinsettia grows like weeds and left to its own devices [<a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/autumnal-walking-on-tenerife.htm">read full post</a>]Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-59706462538527096142010-11-03T14:05:00.000+00:002010-11-03T14:05:11.561+00:00Tenerife Walking with Children<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4906663833_e4fbeacdcc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4906663833_e4fbeacdcc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Ever since I first pulled on a pair of walking boots and set off down a country lane, I've realised that walking and hiking isn't, as I once thought, the exclusive domain of anoraks and middle aged dog owners. For us, the fun factor has always been top of the agenda which means that dull, route marches are given a wide body swerve and every outing should end with a beer or two in a local hostelry.<br />
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It was while answering a query last week from a customer about walking with youngsters that I realised how many of our <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/buy-island-walks" target="_blank">Island Walks</a> are actually excellent for families. It's one of the great things about walking on <a href="http://www.tenerifemagazine.com/" target="_blank">Tenerife</a> that you can still find so much ' undeveloped space filled with surprises that make it the perfect environment for family outings.<br />
Here are some of our favourites [<a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/tenerife-walking-with-children.htm">read the full post</a>]Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-88727575291978573712010-09-06T17:15:00.000+01:002010-09-06T17:15:38.579+01:00Tenerife Scene of the Week an Idyllic Place to LiveDepending on likes and dislikes people will tell you why they prefer to live in the south of Tenerife as opposed to the north, or the east as opposed to the west…or any variation of.<br />
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I have moments when it hits me like a crane’s wrecking ball straight to the solar plexus why I love living in the north of Tenerife as opposed to…well anywhere at the moment. I had a major one of those at the Pinolere Craft Fair on Saturday...<a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/tenerife-scene-of-the-week-an-idyllic-place-to-live.htm">READ MORE</a>Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-16154106010852432892010-08-31T11:43:00.000+01:002010-08-31T11:43:12.982+01:00Pools and Pines, A Stunning Tenerife WalkThe Erjos Pools in Santiago del Teide are one of our favourite spots on <a href="http://www.tenerifemagazine.com/" mce_href="http://www.tenerifemagazine.com" target="_blank">Tenerife </a>but for many a year events have conspired to prevent us from hiking them.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago we spent an idyllic weekend at the <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/rural-hotel-senorio-del-valle-santiago-del-teide.htm" mce_href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/rural-hotel-senorio-del-valle-santiago-del-teide.htm" target="_blank">Rural Hotel Señorio del Valle in Santiago del Teide</a> and we took the opportunity to finally hike around the Erjos Pools again and this time, to record our route for others to enjoy.<br />
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We've called it Pools and Pines and it's now part of the 'Into the Valley – Erjos to Arguayo' <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/buy-island-walks" mce_href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/buy-island-walks" target="_blank">Island Walks</a>. Anyone who has bought the Into the Valley Island Walks from us, either individually or as part of the All Walks offer, <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/wp-admin/mail%20to:andy@walkingtenerife.co.uk" mce_href="mail to:andy@walkingtenerife.co.uk" target="_blank">just email me</a> and I'll send you the updated version <b><i>free of charge</i></b>.<br />
Here's a taster of this lovely walk and <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/hiking-on-tenerife-pools-pines.htm">you can read about it on our Walking Tenerife website</a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" height="344" width="425"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rp9sy1tlAHQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rp9sy1tlAHQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-56747396392357706652010-08-12T10:38:00.000+01:002010-08-12T10:38:09.178+01:00Rural Hotel Señorio Del Valle, Santiago del Teide.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4882656146_90852176d4_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4882656146_90852176d4_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The Santiago Valley nestles high above the south west coast of <a href="http://www.tenerifemagazine.com/" target="_blank">Tenerife</a>, flanked by fragrant, emerald pine forests and backed by the site of Tenerife’s last volcanic eruption.<br />
Opened in March 2010, the beautiful <a href="http://www.senoriodelvalle.com/en/hotel.html" target="_blank">Rural Hotel Señorio Del Valle in Santiago del Teide</a> is the ideal place to base yourself for one or two nights to explore the valley’s excellent walking trails... [read the full report on our new <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/rural-hotel-senorio-del-valle-santiago-del-teide.htm">Walking Tenerife website</a>]Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-73089378047501006302010-08-09T17:30:00.000+01:002010-08-09T17:30:35.634+01:00Update on The Barranco del Infierno in AdejeThe news about one of Tenerife's most popular walks isn't good. The Barranco de Infierno in Adeje closed last August for a bit of TLC for a month...and has never re-opened.<br />
The Barranco was almost ready to be opened to the public in February this year and then disaster hit in the shape of torrential rains which caused serious damage.<br />
Since then news about the re-opening has been sketchy...until now <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/update-on-the-barranco-del-infierno-in-adeje.htm">READ MORE</a>Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-57687831320330175972010-07-31T10:55:00.000+01:002010-07-31T10:55:41.044+01:00Walk Tenerife from El Palmar to Teno AltoThis is the stunning El Palmar Valley; a secret paradise in Tenerife's north east corner. It's through this valley that the wonderful El Palmar to Teno Alto walk climbs.<br />
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You can read about the walk <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/tenerife-hiking-from-el-palmar-to-teno-alto.htm">on our new website</a> [...]Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-83203615003758202762010-07-27T17:28:00.000+01:002010-07-27T17:28:50.113+01:00Discover Great Hiking in the South West of TenerifeFor many, the south west of <a href="http://www.tenerifemagazine.com/" mce_href="http://www.tenerifemagazine.com" target="_blank">Tenerife </a>represents the perfect holiday destination, enjoying as it does some of the longest sunshine hours on the island.<br />
Less frenetic than Playa de Las Américas, better value for money than Costa Adeje and more rural than <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Los%20Cristianos.html" mce_href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Los%20Cristianos.html" target="_blank">Los Cristianos</a>, the coast which stretches from <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Los%20Gigantes.html" mce_href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Los%20Gigantes.html" target="_blank">Los Gigantes</a> in the west to Playa Paraíso in the south encompasses a diverse selection of resorts.<br />
Backed by colossal cliffs, <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Los%20Gigantes.html" mce_href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Los%20Gigantes.html" target="_blank">Los Gigantes</a> is a family resort in a spectacular location where whale and dolphin watching cruises operate from its picturesque marina.<br />
Moving south along the coast, Puerto de Santiago has great fish restaurants around its unpretentious harbour while neighbouring <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Apartment.html" mce_href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Apartment.html" target="_blank">Playa de la Arena</a> gets the blue ribbon award for its clean and sheltered beach.<br />
Little Alcalá brings a Canarian/South American character to the coast and Playa de San Juan provides [<a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/tenerife-hiking-discover-the-south-west.htm">read the full blog at our new site</a>]Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-69938242560030887932010-07-20T14:26:00.001+01:002010-07-27T17:36:11.238+01:00Walking and Hiking on Tenerife – Some Little QuirksThis is connected to our recent post about trusting directions whilst walking on Tenerife. Our friend who commented about our blogs where we followed paths that took us on the road to nowhere said something else interesting that made me think.<br />
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She commented that we mentioned things that if you’ve spent a lot of time walking around Tenerife’s countryside, you hardly register. She’s absolutely spot on. Spend a lot of time hiking on Tenerife and you become very familiar with the island’s little ‘quirks’. (<a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/walking-and-hiking-on-tenerife-some-little-quirks.htm">Read the full feature at our new website</a>)Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-9658868572375697332010-07-12T17:48:00.001+01:002010-07-27T17:37:19.924+01:00Why You Should Trust Directions from People Who Take Wrong Turnings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKS-ONcVX7NgFOXsH3XXU85mP6CG_RUAUavtMGNNnKZSgaJxbmckkNbdDeocryntU4QOZ2BzKkGrmhMbPVlAvx0EM_oTrjAN-M-9ACJ6Uj6AvhnsiAa_RYQPA9lsRM3EEDRm9D3KM_ynM/s1600/Where's+the+PathWT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKS-ONcVX7NgFOXsH3XXU85mP6CG_RUAUavtMGNNnKZSgaJxbmckkNbdDeocryntU4QOZ2BzKkGrmhMbPVlAvx0EM_oTrjAN-M-9ACJ6Uj6AvhnsiAa_RYQPA9lsRM3EEDRm9D3KM_ynM/s400/Where's+the+PathWT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A few days ago a friend who enjoys walking on Tenerife commented ‘I enjoy your walking blogs, you’re always getting lost.’<br />
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It wasn’t the first time someone had made this comment and it suddenly made me wonder about how our ‘honest’ tales of walking and hiking on Tenerife might be perceived by others, especially those who are looking for walking directions that they can trust for routes on <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/">Tenerife</a>.<br />
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I mean, would you buy walking directions from people who tell tales of turning up old paths that suddenly fall away into an abyss of a ravine...<a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/why-you-should-trust-directions-from-people-who-take-wrong-turnings.htm">read more at our new website.</a>Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-52976443588913453402010-07-08T09:10:00.002+01:002010-07-27T17:38:24.717+01:00Enjoy a Tenerife Holiday Walk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4770804939_f47dbc3d4c_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4770804939_f47dbc3d4c_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
You don't have to be a committed hiker or a keep fit fanatic to enjoy a holiday walk in <a href="http://www.tenerifemagazine.com/">Tenerife</a>.<br />
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Regardless of where you're staying on the island, you'll find a nice holiday walk close by which will stretch your legs and allow you to see something other than the beach or your hotel pool during your visit.<br />
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With <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/buy-island-walks">Island Walks</a>, we have a whole series of suggested routes to suit everyone from the keenest of hikers to those just looking for a nice holiday walk. Island Walks cover a wide geographical spread of <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/">Tenerife</a> so that wherever you're staying; whether you're dependant on public transport or intend to<a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Island%20Drives.html"> hire a car,</a> there's a walk or two to suit... [<a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/enjoy-a-holiday-walk-on-tenerife.htm">read more</a>]Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-65387475115122545912010-06-23T18:41:00.001+01:002010-07-27T17:39:31.475+01:00Walking on Tenerife – Exploring the Secret North Coast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1374/4726874337_f1deedf878_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1374/4726874337_f1deedf878_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We'd been more or less shackled to the computers over the last week and a half., so yesterday decided a bit of great outdoors time was long overdue.<br />
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Walking in an area we hadn't really explored before appealed and with yesterday being our wedding anniversary, and a long leisurely meal was due to be the reward for a morning's walking, we didn't want to travel too far.<br />
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A hasty bit of research turned up the usual. The official website for <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Off%20the%20beaten%20track.html">Los Realejos</a> waxed lyrical about their wonderful countryside, but didn't actually provided details of walks. In the end we settled on La Matanza, scene of a great Guanche victory over the conquistadors [...]<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1548752494"> </a><a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/walking-on-tenerife-exploring-the-secret-north-coast.htm">Click her to read more</a>Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-89734385327244994912010-06-15T17:21:00.001+01:002010-07-27T17:40:35.013+01:00Walking on Tenerife – That’s The First Time I’ve Ever Seen!Normally it’s the scenery that astounds us when we’re out exploring Tenerife’s network of trails and forest paths, emerging from dense pines, or turning a corner in a barranco to be faced with an unexpected ‘WOW’ vista. However, the other day the weather performed a neat little trick which I’ve certainly never witnessed before[...]<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1805030394"> </a><a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/walking-on-tenerife-that%E2%80%99s-the-first-time-i%E2%80%99ve-ever-seen-that.htm">Click Here To Read More</a>Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-90184807417424414732010-06-10T19:05:00.000+01:002010-06-10T19:05:34.889+01:00A Big Change to Island Walks<div style="text-align: left;">We've decided that a nip and tuck is necessary for Island Walks. What started out as a blog has evolved to the extent that we decided that we wanted more flexibility to present information and display photographs about walking on Tenerife in a more dynamic manner. So Island Walks is moving to a brand new website - <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/">walkingtenerife.co.uk</a></div><br />
We're currently building up the site and will continue to post walking articles on this blog as well as on the new site for the time being. But soon we're hoping to move everything across to Walking Tenerife - we really hope you'll like the change of style.Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-41543986634157936612010-06-10T16:23:00.002+01:002010-06-10T20:56:09.805+01:00Walking Directions on Tenerife – The Chinyero Volcano – Almost Perfect Signage…Almost<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4688381318_ed74ff9c3b_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4688381318_ed74ff9c3b_b.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>This week we thought we were going to have to eat our words about the lack of consistency regarding official walking signage on <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/">Tenerife</a> when we <i>‘oohed’</i> and <i>‘aahed’</i> at the lovely brand new signs leading us to <a href="http://walkingtenerife.co.uk/?p=288">the Chinyero Volcano</a> in the west of the island.<br />
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Admittedly getting to the actual walk had involved ignoring a signpost which suggested that the road to the start of the walk may or may not have been shut – it wasn’t – and then knowing where the actual walk began as the signposts didn’t start till we were on the walk. This sort of flawed thinking runs through a lot of Canarian thinking. You have to know that something exists, and where it exists to find out more info about it. It means that if you’re a visitor, there are a lot of things going on that you never get to hear about. Walking routes don’t just start at the first signpost.<br />
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But being already armed with this info, this potential stumbling block at the start didn’t pose a problem. To be honest, I didn’t even think about it until I started writing this. It’s something we have to remind ourselves of on a regular basis – to try to look at walks through the eyes of someone who isn’t overly familiar with Tenerife or its quirky little ways. <br />
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Anyway we set off along a new and very clear path and at every crossroads there were signs complete with distances. Okay, the angle of a couple might not have been perfect, but that’s being overly picky. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4687748551_f9c5132564_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4687748551_f9c5132564_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It was one of, if not <i>the</i> clearest marked walking route that we’ve experienced on Tenerife and was getting the thumbs up from us as the perfect walking route. This was looking like a shining example of what the future of Tenerife as a top walking destination could look like. <br />
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But this is Tenerife; where the illogical is almost compulsory. As we reached a point in the walk which was less than a couple of hundred yards from the Boca Tauce road and therefore a perfect spot for walkers to access the route from the south and south west, the path completely ignored this and continued parallel with the road before heading inland again.<br />
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Not only were there no signs from the path to the road, or vice versa, there were yellow and white crosses advising that it was definitely not part of the route.<br />
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Basically this was a walk which was perfectly laid out for people starting from the northern side of the island, but people on the southern side might not be aware it existed even though they were only metres from it. It was bizarre and I can’t quite figure out, considering the care and attention that went into signposting the rest of the walk, why there was such a serious omission at that point.<br />
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But there you go; ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do and…discover.Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-18192889758694180702010-05-31T11:33:00.003+01:002010-05-31T11:36:19.038+01:00Walking on Tenerife – all that glistens is not gold.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3399/4646980541_ed8abaa6db_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3399/4646980541_ed8abaa6db_b.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>We often get asked about walking routes in the west by people who are planning to holiday in and around <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Los%20Gigantes.html">Los Gigantes</a>. So over the past couple of weeks we’ve been concentrating on that area and trying out some walks.<br />
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We knew that there was an old trading path running from somewhere around Guía de Isora up into the hills so last week we set off to find it. We were working off information supplied by the <i>Ayuntamiento</i> (Town Hall) which, as usual, was reprinted on a regular basis without anyone checking if it was still current.<br />
Consequently, the start of the route had long since disappeared, replaced by new roads and walls.<br />
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After a precipitous false start and some hesitant exploration, we finally found the route and once we were on our way, were pleasantly surprised to find that it was in fact well signed and easy to navigate. At multiple path junctions, signposts gave good directions and distances, routes were way-marked with painted stripes and there were even information boards at various points, showcasing other routes.<br />
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Having enjoyed and chronicled a lovely, rural, circular route we emerged back into Guía alongside someone’s house, at the bottom of a dead end, accessed via a series of climbs, twists and turns through housing estates, with not a single signpost to mark it. Had we been looking to start the walk from that side, we would probably still be wandering around Guía now.<br />
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That same afternoon <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Island%20Drives.html">we drove further up into the hills</a> to do a short(ish) route at the start of which a brand new, fancy sign had been erected by the <i>Cabildo</i> (Island Government).<br />
Within metres of setting off from the sign, we were unsure of which way to go, our indecision hampered by two small dogs growling and snapping at our heels. Once we’d found an overgrown semblance of a path, it split off in different directions constantly with no marker signs for guidance. Although we were alongside a steep <i>barranco</i> (ravine) and so our direction was pretty obvious, finding the way through was proving to be impossible. <br />
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After aborted attempts to drop down dodgy trails on the side of the barranco, we finally found our path completely blocked by two parked vans alongside a house. Re-tracing steps; trying different trails and even asking a couple of locals all amounted to nothing. We finally gave up, tired and frustrated with feet embedded with sharp seed heads from wading through the tangled mass of undergrowth. <br />
The <i>Medio Ambiente</i> (Environmental Department) had clearly decided to re-open the path and had begun by putting up the fancy sign. When, or if, they’ll get round to re-claiming the path from man and nature and giving it clear markings is anybody’s guess.<br />
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The moral of this tale is that, on <a href="http://www.tenerifemagazine.com/">Tenerife</a>, you can’t tell a walk from its signpost. <br />
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<i>Walking routes for the south west coming soon…</i>Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-68951212847844179102010-05-28T14:53:00.003+01:002010-05-28T21:05:02.419+01:00Walking in the Teide Crater – It's Tajinaste Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4646981193_6e8769b3e9_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4646981193_6e8769b3e9_o.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>They don't seem as though they belong. In an other-worldly setting they look like visitors from another planet themselves; their tall proud spikes standing out against the ruddy tones of the volcanic landscape like splashes of blood on a canvas. <br />
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It's easy to believe that they are extra-terrestrial visitors enjoying their annual couple of weeks in Tenerife's sunshine before heading back to who knows where.<br />
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If anyone hasn't seen them up close and personal then, at some point before mid June, it's worth making the trip up to Las Cañadas del Teide see the brief but spectacular blooming of the tajinaste plant. <br />
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Yesterday we traveled back from the south of <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/">Tenerife</a> to <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Puerto%20Cruz.html">Puerto de la Cruz</a> via the crater, hoping that our timing was right and the fields of this unusual plant would be there to welcome us – we weren't disappointed.<br />
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As you drive along the roads from the southern entrances toward <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Mount%20Teide.html">Mount Teide</a>, the tajinaste aren't always easy to spot; they can behave like shy creatures, keeping just out of sight below ridges beside the road. But once you know where they are it's impossible to miss them and conveniently they come back to the same spots year after year. They also congregate around the cable car like the human visitors to <a href="http://www.tenerifemagazine.com/">Tenerife</a> and by the time you're on the road north, they've lost their shyness and huddle around <i>miradors</i> (viewing areas) and stand at the side of the road like flamboyant hitch-hikers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4646980947_dd57bf6ea2_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4646980947_dd57bf6ea2_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>But it's essential to get in amongst them by foot to really appreciate their uniqueness. We must have timed it perfectly this year as the island's bees were enjoying their annual shopping trip to the tajinaste – the black spots in the picture aren't dust on the camera lens – and the air was alive with excited buzzing as I leaned in close to try to get some intimate shots of the bees on the flowers. I wasn't particularly concerned that bees were buzzing around my head; there was only one thing on their little insect radar and it wasn't me. I was able to take photo after photo without fear of getting zapped by a bee.<br />
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Visiting the tajinaste in bloom is one of those unique little experiences that makes <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Walking%20Tenerife.html">walking on Tenerife</a> ultra special and witnessing these amazing plants bloom in such spectacular style in such a dry, violent landscape makes the soul soar. I can't recommend it enough.Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-25547952435311036882010-05-26T14:46:00.005+01:002010-05-26T21:06:55.636+01:00Walking on Tenerife – Those Boots Were Made For Walking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4641402613_f2b77b39d0_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4641402613_f2b77b39d0_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>My favourite boots are a pair of old Camel boots that I've probably worn about twenty times. I was completely seduced by an advert in a travel magazine which basically showed a foot resting on a log in a clearing in the jungle. On the foot was a gleaming Camel boot which looked about as at home in that exotic setting as a piece of leather, not actually on an animal, could be. I couldn't resist them.<br />
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Their first outing was to Kenya where they seemed just the ticket for exploring Tsavo East on foot. The reality though was that, as walking boots go, they turned out to be a complete bust. They might have looked the part, but just walking from the safari lodge bar to a table overlooking a watering hole with a G&T (don't actually drink the stuff, but it did seem appropriate) to enjoy sunset was enough to bring up a blister. In the end I carried them around Kenya instead of them carrying me.<br />
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Since then I've learned to choose my footwear carefully when it comes to buying shoes for practical reasons; something that when you're tackling <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Walking%20Tenerife.html">Tenerife's diverse range of landscapes</a> is a far more sensible approach.<br />
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<b>Footwear for Walking on <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/">Tenerife</a></b><br />
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My number one walking boots for donkey's years have been a trusty pair of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://blog.brasher.co.uk/blog/articles/trail-tales">brasher's</a>, similar to their current Hillmaster boot. I brought them from Britain with me and they've proved equal to the task of tackling all of Tenerife's terrains from the sliding volcanic scree on the way to <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Mount%20Teide.html">the summit of Mount Teide</a> to pine covered forest floors in the forests of the Orotava Valley and icy slopes in Las Cañadas del Teide.<br />
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These sort of sturdy boots are good all rounders for exploring the island on foot. But mine can feel quite heavy in the summer months when the temperature rises off the scale and boots like the brasher can make my feet feel as though they're a wee bit overdressed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/4642011352_f7d7dec47e_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/4642011352_f7d7dec47e_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>So when the temperatures rise, and the terrain permits, I tend to switch to a walking sandal. For a long time I wore a pair of Merrells when walking in summer months (between May and the end October) in areas where the ascents weren't too steep or slippery (good for coastal walks). They struggled a bit with some of the terrain, especially in the upper La Orotava Valley where a bit of dry floor ski-ing can add some excitement to trails when the forest floor is thick with pine needles. It was on one such walk that one of them fell apart mid-walk (to be fair I'd had them for a few years and they'd seen some action). <br />
I couldn't find a suitable replacement until I spotted what looked like an almost identical pair of sandals in my local supermarket at a fraction of the price. To be honest I didn't expect much of them and tried them out on a short coastal walk around Las Ramblas in Los Realejos to see how they'd hold up. It turned out they felt no different from my old Merrells and two years later they're still going strong. They were an incredible bargain considering they cost me €2.99.<br />
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Recently I added another addition to my walking footwear stable, a pair of Quechua lightweight walking shoes. I could feel my feet sigh with joy as I tried them out for the first time on a trek last week. The temperature was hovering around 30 degrees and the terrain was more uneven than I'd expected with a couple of steep ascent/descents but the shoes stuck to the path as though they had solvent on them. After 15 kilometres my feet and the shoes were still best of mates.<br />
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The only downside was that they were so comfortable that at the end of the walk I was denied that delicious pleasure of peeling off my boots and walking socks and slipping them into an airy pair of sandals to let them breathe a sigh of relief.<br />
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It was only their first outing, they'll get the second tomorrow, so it'll be interesting to see how they hold up over the long term.<br />
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They won't be sturdy enough for the most serious walks like climbing Teide, or even the muddy Anaga paths after the winter rains, but it looks as though the brashers are going to get a well earned rest over the summer.Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-18881704340724351732010-05-24T14:31:00.001+01:002010-05-24T20:39:25.448+01:00Organised Walks – A Bee's View of Mount Teide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnD8l9Fd5DCMf6P-bBQDTb4IRS3QgUR0MF1UMj3Zb4GZperqE-lLMb1j0G2nGSbQPLNfImeCxrZOR3yrQqINM4LrLNRzyHivl_lOV6-hCFd-MI22qWraIPfjUAOeU7sBnykWF7iB9O1fE/s1600/Vista_de_Abeja.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnD8l9Fd5DCMf6P-bBQDTb4IRS3QgUR0MF1UMj3Zb4GZperqE-lLMb1j0G2nGSbQPLNfImeCxrZOR3yrQqINM4LrLNRzyHivl_lOV6-hCFd-MI22qWraIPfjUAOeU7sBnykWF7iB9O1fE/s400/Vista_de_Abeja.png" width="400" /></a></div>Here's an interesting little guided walking route – <i>El Teide A Vista De Abeja</i>. It's based around an area which is a magnet to bees-the Fasnia Volcano, and is as much about the flora, bees and honey as it is about enjoying the stunning scenery.<br />
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There are limited places available and a €15 fee includes transport from <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/La%20Laguna.html">La Laguna</a>. The 7 km walk takes place on Saturday 29th May; the perfect time for a walk in the crater as the tajinaste should be in full bloom.<br />
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For more information call the Tenerife Rural office on 922 531 013Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-49249276185399506092010-05-24T12:13:00.000+01:002010-05-24T12:13:02.063+01:00Creating A Barrier Free Paradise – Tenerife's First Wheelchair Friendly PathLast week the first wheelchair friendly forest path was opened by Tenerife president, Ricardo Melchior in Tacoronte's highlands.<br />
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The specially developed path is in Agua García, next to the Barranco de Toledo, and covers a distance of 860 metres (both ways) through the forest.<br />
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It might only be a small concession to opening up Tenerife's countryside to people who may not otherwise be able to enjoy it, but it is a commendable one.Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-23991751433968241942010-05-21T10:30:00.000+01:002010-05-21T10:30:00.186+01:00Walking on Tenerife – Into the Unkown; South West Tenerife<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4624333980_82da260199_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4624333980_82da260199_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I get excited by the thought of walking in areas that you rarely hear mentioned, so when we parked the car in a hamlet above Tenerife's south west and headed to what we had worked out would be the start of the new <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Walking%20Tenerife.html">walking route</a> we were researching, I had mixed emotions when we were faced with a shiny new board with information about the route.<br />
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I say mixed emotions because on the one hand I wanted to feel we were exploring territory which is generally ignored even by the island's most enthusiastic walkers. On the other it was good to see that the local council were recognising that walking on <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/">Tenerife</a> has enormous potential and providing signs to help walkers find their way around this wonderfully diverse island is a step in the right direction.<br />
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Within a hundred yards we realised that whilst the board was a step, it was a baby-sized one. Ahead of us were three paths; none signposted. It turned out that the signpost at the start of the route was the one and only signpost along an old merchants' trail which skirted abandoned houses and terraces, with potential paths leading off in various directions along the way. <br />
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Six years ago, when we first started exploring Tenerife on foot, I'd have been flummoxed by the lack of clarity regarding the way ahead. But experience since then of not relying on signs, trusting our instincts, and learning to spot the merest hint of a path hidden by the overgrown undergrowth has made us a bit wiser. I say a bit - there are still times when Tenerife's maze of trails confound, that's when the old compass comes in handy.<br />
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As it happened we successfully found our way to our objective, a partly abandoned valley hidden in the folds of the hills without use of the compass. And to be truthful, the lack of sign posts and directions on many Tenerife walking routes adds a buzz to finding our way to places which are way, way off the beaten track.<br />
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However, visitors to Tenerife who fancy exploring its rural delights and head off along a signposted trail to find themselves faced with tracks heading in all directions and no more signposts to show the way, may not agree that 'buzz' is an accurate description of the emotion they feel at that point.Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-4815586648883197152010-05-20T13:45:00.002+01:002010-05-20T13:47:44.246+01:00Walking on Tenerife: The Abandoned Village of Las FuentesFor me the best walks on <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/">Tenerife</a>, or anywhere, involve routes which offer lots of interesting curios, OMG scenery moments and also have something that little bit different which sets them apart form other walks.<br />
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The route we followed yesterday fitted this criteria perfectly. As we navigated our way along a partially overgrown merchants' trail, we detoured to an old tile oven and a communal water tank which in the past was used to refresh the animals and clean the clothes – imagine cleaning your laundry next to a slavering great beast of burden. <br />
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The path also skirted the occasional abandoned house, one of which occupied an enviable spot with vistas from Alcalá all the way to the edge of Costa Adeje. We spent a few minutes exploring and imagining how wonderful it would look when fully renovated. Oddly enough the place was littered with the soles of old shoes making us wonder if a <i>zapatero</i> (shoemaker) had lived here.<br />
<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4624241292_942914a238_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4624241292_942914a238_o.jpg" width="400" /></a>All around was evidence of a thriving agricultural past that had been long since abandoned, possibly because of the lure of a far more lucrative income offered by the pleasure palaces on the coast below. There were rows of neat empty terraces, more <i>eras</i> (threshing circles) than I've ever seen in one area and old disused fountains where the green slimy puddles showed that the water of life still trickled. <br />
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We followed a cobbled trail lined by tabaiba, cactus groves and wild lavender, stopping where paths merged to make educated guesses (hopefully) at the right direction. The path undulated along gentle ravines before a completely hidden path ascended steeply to a ridge, then descended to the base of an oasis of a ravine where it disappeared into wild vines and long whispering grass.<br />
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Tracing the faintest outline we pushed the foliage apart and made or way up through a narrow ravine until we reached a point in the path where a pumice dry-stone wall bordered one side and an agricultural enclosure the other. The contents of the enclosure were covered so I couldn't see what was being grown, but it was clear that it had been tended recently; up ahead the faint sound of human voices broke the silence.<br />
I've got to admit to my imagination running away a wee bit here and suddenly visions of Leo DiCaprio in <i>The Beach</i> entered my head. This was supposed to be an abandoned valley, yet it clearly wasn't. Suppose it was now a marijuana factory or something?<br />
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However rationality knocked these fanciful thoughts from my head. I've never walked anywhere that feels safer than Tenerife; the chances of being machine-gunned were remote to say the least.<br />
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We carried on toward the voices and pushed a curtain of grass aside...and there it was; Las Fuentes, an immaculate little agricultural valley hidden away in the hills.<br />
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I love those moments when you reach the highlight of a walk when suddenly one step opens up a whole new world. The Montaña Guajara walk is a bit like that. But this was a place I'd never even seen a photograph of, so it felt extra special.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4623634657_0d99ab5e84_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4623634657_0d99ab5e84_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A couple of old guys tending a row of vines were the only signs of life in the place. They told us that they sold their wine in Guia further down the hill and pointed out where the path continued. We spent some time exploring the hamlet before scrabbling up to an <i>ermita</i> high above the village where we ate lunch, drank spring water from a fountain in the village and generally just enjoyed the hot sunshine atop what must be the best viewpoint along the south west coast.<br />
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This sort of experience is what walking on Tenerife is all about.<br />
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A detailed guide of the route will be added to <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Walking%20Tenerife.html">Tenerife Island Walks</a> soon, that's a definite.Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-47421447071859221632010-05-10T15:31:00.001+01:002010-05-10T15:32:05.815+01:00Walking Above the Clouds on TenerifeOne of our computers has been in hospital for the last three weeks where it was being lovingly brought back to life by the guys at SITEL in <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Puerto%20Cruz.html">Puerto de la Cruz</a> (if you need work on your computer, these are the guys to go to).<br />
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The reason I mention this is that when we were putting the finishing touches to our new <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Walking%20Tenerife.html">'Hiking Highs – Walking Routes in Teide National Park'</a> I realised that I couldn't find the most up to date photos from the last time we walked up to the summit of Montaña Guajara.<br />
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Adding the finishing touches to our <i>Island Walks</i> routes really means slotting the photos into place – it's one of those lovely little jobs which basically involves going through my library of photos to see which ones fit best.<br />
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One of the ones I wanted to use was a shot of Andy standing above the clouds. Looking down from above the clouds is one of Tenerife's true 'WOW' experiences. If anyone out there hasn't enjoyed the privilege, emerging above a sea of clouds is like being on a plane when it breaks through a thick bank of clouds to emerge in an intense blue, cloudless sky above a cotton wool landscape. <br />
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It's one of those moments that remind you that <a href="http://www.tenerifemagazine.com/">Tenerife is a very special place</a> with a seemingly endless stock of magical experiences that, ironically, the vast majority of its millions of visitors never, ever witness.<br />
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Anyway I searched and searched for the image, but couldn't find it. Although I regularly back up my photos, there was one set that I had missed and which I realised lay, possibly gone forever, in the computer that was ill. This situation was a right bugger. There are some shots where it doesn't matter (towns etc), where I can just go out and get them again, but the summit of Guajara isn't one of those places where you can just nip out to to replace lost photos.<br />
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However, the computer was returned last week, pulled back from death's door Lazarus-like by the miracle workers at SITEL and lo and behold my Guajara photos were saved. <br />
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In the end I used an image from a previous walk, which I probably like better, but this is the one I was going to use.<br />
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Isn't that an incredible vista?Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-49101230758430708492010-05-03T12:25:00.000+01:002010-05-03T12:25:33.547+01:00Walking on Tenerife – Simply Stunning Scenery from Off the Beaten Track #3For this month's Stunning Scenery shots, we're heading up into Teide National Park for two contrasting landscapes.<br />
The first is taken above Arenas Negras alongside a small ravine where the wind has eroded the rock face, revealing its volcanic layers in shades of coffee and cream. Millions of years of volcanic activity has created layers of different types of rock and volcanic fallout which, when revealed, form beautiful patterns of marbled swirls. The best example of this layering effect is at La Tarte on <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Island%20Drives.html">the amazing route along Tenerife's spine from La Laguna to Teide</a>.<br />
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The quick way back to the crater floor from this spot is straight down the face of Arenas Negras itself, scurrying and sliding down the volcanic surface. We call it volcano surfing and it's great family fun, if a little nervy in parts. If you fancy giving a go, <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Walking%20Tenerife.html">follow the Arenas Negras route in Hiking Highs</a>.<br />
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The second shot is taken on a path that leads from behind the El Portillo Visitor centre to Montaña Blanca where the <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Mount%20Teide.html">serious business of ascending Mount Teide on foot</a> begins.<br />
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The landscape here is vast and littered with volcanic debris, cones and craters, all of which just beg to be scaled so you can look inside; a temptation which is only given into once as the altitude and the soft terrain take their toll on thigh muscles.<br />
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Teide National park has many different faces and wildly contrasting landscapes depending on which area you choose to explore but the one thing they all have in common is self evident in both these shots; leave the beaten track with its coachloads of visitors and you'll soon find yourself alone with the lizards in this unearthly wonderland.Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3636789327043072729.post-16227009519506827042010-04-29T16:42:00.000+01:002010-04-29T16:42:31.884+01:00New Guide to Walking in Teide National ParkHiking Highs - a detailed guide to walking routes in Tenerife's Teide National Park <a href="http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Walking%20Tenerife.html">is now available to buy</a> for delivery to your email.<br />
So pull on the walking boots, smooth on the factor 15 and discover a world of surreal beauty all to yourself.Real Tenerifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668068674418480199noreply@blogger.com0