From the images, you would be forgiven if you thought that we had moved to another continent from my last post. From the dry and sunny beaches of El Médano in southern Tenerife, we took a 30-mile drive northwest to Santiago del Tiede, found at about 3,000 feet of elevation. As we drove, pine trees started to appear on the hills, and the terrain became much more verdant. In Santiago del Tiede, we sipped a really nice coffee and found a little grocery store that made sandwiches for the hike. Thus fortified, we started our hike up and along a ridge, then descending to Masca, an amazing jewel of a village and the gateway to the Masca Gorge. It’s an amazing hike with amazing views. As we climbed, we were often enveloped in mist and clouds, so we didn’t always have a view, but when it began to clear, it offered spectacular views. Most of our hike is in the Parc Rural de Teno.
The trail is about 6 miles long, well maintained and marked. The start is a bit funky since there is some big new drainage works being constructed, but we hacked our way to the real trail and began climbing. The ground was damp from recent rain, and it seems that clouds are common at this altitude and location.
The vegetation along the way is sometimes otherworldly. There are exotic succulents and crazy trees that have flowers that look like dandelions. Some of the plants look like ones we see in Arizona, like Century Plants and Agave, but it’s a long way to Arizona!
When we get to Masca, which is in an awe-inspiring location (top picture of the post), we have a snack and drink and then take a public bus back to Santiago del Teide for about a dollar. The road is crazy twisty and narrow and the driver of the small bus has to squeeze around other cars, hairpin turns and cyclists. Take a look at the video below!
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