Walking on da moon; hope my legs won't break...

We spent a few days hiking in this unique and varied volcanic terrain. There are twisted lava pinnacles, sharp black lava boulders, dried out magma flows, and endless mountain trails. We trekked through sand and snow, climbed routes impossibly narrow, just to reach the top of a mountain. Yeah, it was all worth it.

Spectacular El Tiede

The largest volcanic mountain in Spain is a mere 3,718 meters and literally dominates the landscape on Tenerife. En-route to this monolith in the sky, we pass through towering pines, snow clad ridges and burst through the cloud cover to what feels like the top of the world. Welcome to Parque Nacional del Tiede.

How about a shorter hike today........

We decided to drive to a tiny village by the name of Afur and do a gorge hike to the ocean. According to the map, it looked like about a three hour hike. That is, if a person starts at the right spot.

We quickly learned the route was not well marked and of course we end up on another all day adventure. We hiked passed abandoned cave houses, vineyards, and finally we reached the starting point!  Although steep, the trek down to the ocean through a beautiful gorge was stunning. By the time we made it back to our vehicle our bodies were absolutely exhausted.

PATH TEMPORARILY NOT RECOMMENDED

Here we are standing in front of a trail sign that is clearly marked with an X. Even our map says "not recommended path". Nick and I debate the pros and cons of going down this section after meeting hikers who had hiked this section the day previous. With great hesitation I finally agree to follow the route, keeping in mind that if we come to an impasse we can always turn back.

The trail, definitely Yukon rugged, was well worth the gob smack gorgeous scenery! We travelled along scree slopes, passed through ancient farm dwellings, hiked over passes and through spectacular forests. An absolutely amazing, exhausting, fantastic 7 hour hike.

Where are you going next?

A young man who works at our hotel reception asks in very good english "where are you going next?" I say, "not sure, maybe North to go hiking". His eyes light up with a sparkle as he begins to tell me about the region known as Taganana and the Anaga Mountains. "My parents met on the mountain trails before the road was put in" he says, "it is a very special place and I know of an apartment where you can stay in Almaciga right by the ocean". Before the day was done the arrangement for us to stay in one of the most spectacular settings imaginable was confirmed.

Wake up, it's morning in La Laguna!

After a much deserved rest, it is time to get oriented to the beautiful town of La Laguna on the Canary Island of Tenerife. We step out from our hotel right into the historic centre which is a Unesco World Heritage site. The whole barrio (district) is totally pedestrian - no cars. People visit, stroll, drink coffee or wine, eat tapas and enjoy the tranquil space.

On the edge of this space we are drawn to Mercado de La Laguna. A local market with a spectacular display of local produce, meats, fish, spices and of course flowers.