Assuming the storm we’re experiencing in Tenerife and the Canary Islands passes as expected within the next 24 hours and we can actually take to the hills again, there are few walking routes on Tenerife that have as big an impact as the Masca Barranco.
Whereas lots of routes are about views, charming hamlets, sweeping valleys etc. descending the Masca Barranco in the heart of the Teno Mountains unlocks other emotions. In a way it is like entering a lost world where dinosaurs and maybe even the ancient Guanche could still be hiding out.
The steep ravine walls that close in above add to the feeling of being somewhere different, somewhere exotic… somewhere slightly dangerous.
Those last couple of paragraphs might seem fanciful but a friend felt the hairs on the back of his head rise after hearing a strange wail from deep in the ravine. It turned out to be a mouflon, a rare sighting on Tenerife. As for dangerous, all too often we read about walkers being rescued from the Masca Barranco.
And therein lies one of the reasons that we have a bit of a love/hate affair with the Masca Barranco.
It is an incredible route, there’s no arguing about that. But, with the Barranco del Infierno remaining closed, it is by far the busiest walking route on Tenerife. There are far too many big groups clogging up the narrow path, sometimes dangerously so. And not everybody who walks it is fit enough to be there.
This is no easy hike thanks to terrain that can be demanding in places.
Saying that, it is still one of the ‘must experience’ walks in Tenerife.
The photograph was taken on our West World walking routes.
Jack is co-owner, writer and photographer for Walking Tenerife and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to lots of other places. Follow Jack on Google+
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