The 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.
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.
Since then news about the re-opening has been sketchy…until now.
It transpires that the people involved with the Barranco del Infierno have gotten cold feet about opening up to the public because of what happened in Los Gigantes last November when a rock fall on the beach resulted in the death of two sunbathers.
There are concerns that if the Barranco is opened to the public and there’s an accident, officials could be left open to prosecution for negligence. And nobody wants to take the risk of putting themselves in that position.
The idea that an accident in the countryside could be classed as the fault of the authorities seems ridiculous, except for one thing. Unlike other walking areas on Tenerife, there’s a charge to enter the Barranco and by levying this, Adeje is accepting responsibility for the safe being of anyone who pays to walk through Hell’s Ravine.
As the officials who are responsible for maintaining the Barranco del Infierno cannot guarantee safety, they simply won’t open it. By turning the ravine into a money making enterprise they’ve ended with the one bit of Tenerife’s countryside that is unavailable to everyone.
As of this moment, it is closed indefinitely.
Watch this space.
What a shame as it is a beautiful area and walk.
Absolutely Nikki. Hopefully someone will sort the mess out at some point soon.
I realise this is an old post but I was wondering if this walk has reopened? I was lucky enough to do this walk back in 2008 before it closed. I am going back with a friend in April 2012 and would really like to revisit
The walk is still closed but it’s just been anounced that the Tenerife government want to have the walk re-opened by the end of the year. We were talking to the local council recently and they are also keen to open the walk again so watch this space.
Although the walk is officially closed, it hasn’t stopped walkers from doing it. I saw a few ignoring the signs the last time I was in the area. The council have made it clear that anyone who goes on the walk does so at their own risk.
Just got back it is closed but the day i was thereat least 20 people did the walk, why dont they make it free again and enter at your own risk.
Even though it is closed you can still easily do it just like before, loads of people do it everyday just fine. I did it this afternoon even