During the summer months we’ve been hiking all over the place, from local walking hots spots like La Gomera and Gran Canaria to a bit further afield, including the Pyrenees in mainland Spain, Provence in France and a few drop dead gorgeous Croatian islands.
With summer over, not that it feels it on Tenerife yet, it’s time for us to turn our attention back to exploring home ground.
To kick off the start of the main walking season on Tenerife, we’re starting a new series – Tenerife Walking Pick of the Week – which will feature snapshots of our favourite walking areas on Tenerife. Most, but not all, of these are included in our walking routes. We’ll let you know when they are and when they’re not.
To start the ball rolling we’re going with the upper La Orotava Valley which remains one of our favourite spots for exploring on foot.
I can’t remember a time when we haven’t walked in sunshine on this route. We have started in bruma (low cloud) at times but then climbed through it to emerge under a sky so clear and bright it initially blinds.
It’s just stunning up there – Mount Teide clearly bosses the scene but the dense pine forest stretching all the way to the volcano is up to the job of acting as a mighty impressive carpet.
When the mar de nubes (sea of clouds) creates a barrier between you and the coast, the vistas must be not much different from the days when Victorian travellers came this way.
The rock in the photograph is particularly welcome as it more or less marks the spot where you stop climbing and the easy-ish traverse of the hillside begins.
It’s also a good point to pause, catch your breath and just take time to bask in one of the best vistas on Tenerife. It’s tranquil, it’s beautiful and it’s been a Tenerife favourite for centuries.
The photograph was taken on our Northern Exposure 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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