3 walks over the past week, for me. I travelled to the wonderful Canary Island of La Palma, with @Rickshaw Phil and we enjoyed a fabulous week of sunshine and scenery. Walk 1 (Roque de Los Muchachos) We hired a car and drove up to the North of the island and wound our way up many hairpin bends, to the world famous observatory. Heavy snow had fallen over the previous week, and so the road was shut at the entrance to the observatory, meaning we walked the remaining 2.5 miles up to the highest point on the island, at approx 7900 ft. By far the highest elevation I’ve ever walked at. The walk is on tarmac and so not particularly challenging but the views were astounding, of the Caldera de Taburiente and out towards Tenerife, where we could see Mount Teide peeking through the clouds. We then descended back to the car, having completed a 4.9 mile walk in glorious sunshine, which felt warm most of the way round, even though the temperature was approaching freezing at the summit. 4.9 miles with 1155 ft of climbing. Some shots to convey the views.
Walk 2 (Pico de Bejenado) A proper hike and our biggest ever climb, for our second walk of the week. We drove to the Caldera de Taburiente Visitor Centre and had a look round, before driving up to El Barrial and parking the car at the bottom of the track. We set off with layers on, but it quickly became apparent that it was way too warm for that and so we stripped down to t-shirts and enjoyed fabulous sunshine as we firstly followed a dirt track and then forked off onto Route de Valencia and the proper climbing started. It was a long hard slog up some steep slopes, but views of the Caldera and coming across Lava Tubes, kept us plodding on up to the junction for El Rodeo. We paused for a snack here and then began the steepest climb up to the summit, winding our way up many hairpin bends on the narrow track and eventually arrived at the summit (6003 ft). We timed it just right, as the cloud had cleared, leaving some astounding views of the Caldera. The cloud descended after about 10 minutes and so we wound our way back down the mountain, having to take care not to slip on the dry and dusty terrain. We arrived back at the car, shattered and with very sore legs and feet, but feeling very happy with our achievement. 8.9 miles with 3787 ft of climbing. Beautiful scenery
Walk 3 (Volcan San Antonio and Volcan Teneguia) Our final walk of the week, was something to remember for a very long time, with our first steps onto dormant volcanoes, with the most recent eruption in 1971. We took the service bus up to Fuencaliente and firstly visited the San Antonio visitor centre and then followed the short path onto the crater rim, enjoying astounding views. This one last erupted in the 17th Century and so it’s been dormant for a long while. We then followed the path down the Route de Volcanoes towards Teneguia. This is the one that just blew me away, almost literally with the wind up at the summit!! Once rounding the Roque de Teneguia we began the tricky climb up onto the shattered crater rim. This is no clear path and involved some scrambling up rocks and lava, then a ridge walk in a near 50mph sustained wind. The views over lava fields and the crater were just wonderous and something I will never forget. We then descended down the same way, almost, with a wrong turn meaning a “don’t look down” deviation down a sheer face of the volcano for a short distance! We then continued through the Lava Fields, neither of us believing what we were seeing and then down to Faro lighthouse and the salt pans, where we enjoyed a much deserved drink and slab of cake in the unbroken warm sunshine. 5.5 miles of downhill (with a short 400 ft climb up a volcano!) Rather interestingly I have today read a news report that over 80 small earthquakes took place under the volcanoes, between Monday and Wednesday, some whilst we were walking down them!! This has sparked fears of another eruption soon...... Astounding scenery
Great report. Looks like quite a contrast between the walks from pearly-white snow through to black, bleak volcanic barrenness. Mind you, I wouldn't have minded at all being in your shoes - bet you had a wonderful time and a well deserved break (notice I didn't say "rest").
