Tenerife has 342 km of coastline to explore for hiking. Some of the most dramatic of which are both in the north. Andy knows several coastal hikes but the main two we do are “Coastal Walk in the North” and “Barranco de Ruiz” which are both fabulous walks.
The north side of the island is well known for being greener than the south due to the fact that it has more rain. Not only is the countryside greener, the air tends to be fresher with mild or strong Atlantic breezes hitting the rugged coast creating impressive crashing waves.
Our two guided coastal hikes are quite different:
- Barranco de Ruiz is a dramatic 10 km hike with 430 m of ascent/descent and is quite a tough day out, however, you are rewarded with fantastic views of the gorge and views down to the sea. After completing the spectacular climb, we then hike through pretty mountain villages and farm land. We then rapidly descend on an old, historically important camino down to the sea. Weather permitting, views are outstanding to the east and west. The last 4 km is on an undulating path on coastline boulevards where old houses and churches exist with plenty of views of crashing waves.
- Coastal Walk in the North. This is a cheeky coastal hike of 11 km with 375 m of ascent/descent. Here we follow old paths and tracks along or near the sea but nearly always with coastal views. The main highlight of this hike is the historic Rambla Castro palm grove which is the only natural palm grove in Tenerife and given to the Castro family after the Spanish Conquest. We then pass the old abandoned hydraulic water pump built in the late 19th century and is an engineering masterpiece. Then there is a charming section where we see Los Roques; eroded pieces of granite which protrude from the sea like guardians of the coast.
Andy is currently working on another two coastal hikes for the forthcoming season, so watch this space for more information.
