The wildest, most secluded corner in Tenerife, in the north-west tip of the island, is the perfect idyll for a few days’ enjoyment of revitalising contact with nature – cycling excursions on the slopes of Teide, hiking through the humid laurel forests, canoeing under the huge sea cliffs… all this without having to leave this remote and amazing kind of “island within an island”. It even has its own microclimate, in an area which was practically inaccessible until just a few years ago. Here, far from the bustle of everyday life, any outing along the over one hundred kilometres of signposted trails reawakens one’s appetite for the fruit and recipes of a rich, fertile land which treats visitors to fresh scenery at every turn.

Mountain Biking – Pedalling On the Slopes of Mt Teide

The Corona Forestal Nature Park which, as its name suggests, forms a complete ring around the Teide National Park, offers four approved mountain-bike routes. The longest trail is the Ruta Norte (North Route), which covers 85 km on the main track, with another 52 km along side tracks.

Our first cyclotouristic proposal takes in one of its stretches but, in order to get the most out of the experience, the best option is to hire a local guide who will provide you with latest-generation bikes and escort you along the whole route, while pointing out details of the peculiarities of the delicate ecosystems in this rugged, vertical mountain terrain of the Teno massif. He will pick you up at your hotel in a flashy van, driving you up to an altitude of 1,600 metres on the slopes of Mt Teide, so that most of the trail will be downhill.

Forests and Volcanoes

In the vicinity of Montaña del Cascajo – a volcano, needless to say – the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. Hieratic fields of red lava are juxtaposed with lush forests of Canary Island pine, their rough bark bearing tell-tale signs of having suffered the scourges of the odd forest fire. According to Iván Méndez, our guide, these pines are “natural survivors”, as this indigenous variety is fire-resistant.

With hardly any effort we enter the Chinyero Special Nature Reserve, a volcano of black earth which last erupted in 1909, located alongside another volcano which two centuries earlier swept away most of the port of Garachico, a small town situated 8 kilometres away.

A bit further down we enter the underworld of Macaronesic laurisilva, shrouded in a dense cloak of mist. We pedal through a gloomy, watery universe characterised by vegetation similar to what covered much of the earth 65 million years ago, which nowadays is found in but very few isolated spots.

After several forested kilometres we return to civilisation to refuel in a tavern with views where they serve up roast cheese with red mojo and palm syrup, codfish with sweet potato and roast goat meat… delicious!

We reach our hotel with a sweet tang on the palate and not at all tired. We have cycled just 42 km, with a drop of 1,800 metres and a climb of only 200 metres, yet feeling as if we had just discovered a piece of nature brimming with allure. Never before had we seen, felt and breathed in so many different landscapes and microclimates in so few kilometres.

Walking Expeditions – Endless Trails

Thanks to a vast network of signposted footpaths, the Teno Rural Park offers myriad itineraries of all ratings.

If you stay at Buenavista, for instance, there is a nearby access route to the spectacular, heady Bujamé Gorge, namely the PR-TF 58 Camino del Risco, which rises along an old path towards the green meadows of Teno Alto and the hamlet of Los Bailaderos, where you can taste one of the best craft cream cheeses in all of the Canary Islands. The route leads between Roque de Marrubio and Roque de la Cruz, and past the remains of an ancienttagoror,a meeting place for community leaders in the period of the Guanches. Oddly enough, this steep trail is known locally as “the descent of the dead” as, in bygone times and up until the 1970s, it was used to carry the deceased down to Buenavista from Teno Alto, where there is no cemetery. Another tell-tale sign is the Cueva de los Ataúdes (Cave of the Coffins), where you can still see two humble communal caskets – one for adults and another for children – once used for the arduous procession.

Owing to the rugged terrain of the Teno massif, virtually all routes are interconnected, so you can combine different stretches of them to create a personalised itinerary, depending on the time you have available or how far you care to hike. For instance, once in Los Bailaderos, you can continue eastwards along the PR-TF 57 Callejón de Teno as far as Cuevas del Palmar, or else westwards along the PR-TF 51 up to the Punta de Teno lighthouse. It is here, on the westernmost edge of the island, that you can witness an unforgettable sunset, with the cliffs known as Los Gigantes basking in the golden sun.

Canoeing Among Giants

In the time of the Guanches, these 600-metre-high basalt rock faces were known ominously as the “Muralla del Infierno” (Wall of Hell). Today they are called the “Acantilados de Los Gigantes” (Cliffs of the Giants) and the area is preserved as a veritable sanctuary on account of its inaccessibility. It is also the perfect spot for spending the day kayaking, as this stretch of water is permanently sheltered from the prevailing trade winds by the cliff faces, which provide a natural barrier, so that the sea is always calm.

The group outing starts in the Los Gigantes marina. It lasts for two hours and is guided by instructors, who comment on the peculiarities of this amazing spot. The excursion is suitable for people of all ages and no prior experience is required. What’s more, the party is escorted by a tracking boat which is always on hand to provide assistance in the event of any mishap. The kayaks are single- and two-seater beginner canoes which are totally stable and sit-on-top. Details and bookings: Teno Activo.

Trekking, Kayaking & Snorkeling in Crystal-Clear Water

El Eco bay is the ideal spot for swimming and exploring the seabed by skin diving in the crystal-clear water. At the foot of the cliffs, the maximum depth is just 30 metres. The same canoe or kayak excursion can start at Masca beach after walking the 5 kilometres down the gulley of the same name, then paddling back on the return journey as far as Los Gigantes after having visited Barranco Seco bay.

Whale Spotting

Dolphins and even whales can be spotted off the Los Gigantes coast, but in deeper waters. After the kayak outing, the best thing is to board a 36-seater boat which leaves from the same marina. The ride lasts two hours and, on the return trip, the boat weighs anchor for 15 minutes in Masca bay, allowing guests to have their last swim at the foot of the cliffs.

A Chill-out Hotel

The Melià Hacienda del Conde Resort Hotel is also located in this secluded enclave in the north-west of Tenerife. Affording splendid views over the ocean, it is the perfect base camp for spending an active and at once relaxing holiday in the Teno area. Their spacious rooms, swimming pools, spa, refined culinary offerings and adult-only status make this a favourite destination among visitors seeking peace and quiet.

Book your Vueling to Tenerife and venture out across the Teno volcanic massif.

Text by Sergio Fernández Tolosa of Con un par de ruedas

Photos by Sergio Fernández Tolosa and Teno Activo

Low light, wistful dusks, endless fjords, fishing villages accessible only by dirt track, thermal pools with views of the sea and, above all, tranquility – oceans of tranquility. All of this awaits travellers to Westfjords, Iceland’s loneliest, most unspoiled region. A few days spent exploring its secluded confines is the closest thing to what it must have been like until quite recently to travel around the now very popular Ring Road. We tell you how to reach this remote, captivating paradise and, once there, what to see.

1. Ísafjörður – the Old Fishing Capital
While it is the largest settlement in the Westfjords, Ísafjörður has just 2,600 inhabitants. However, in these latitudes, a census of this size is regarded as a veritable crowd of people.

The atmosphere is surprisingly lively in the quaint town centre, which features a considerable number of timber houses built in the 18th century. There are some good restaurants – fish and seafood are the local speciality – and pleasant cafés which, with the heating always up full blast, are a magnet for visitors seeking to take shelter from the invariably harsh weather outside. The Westfjords Maritime Museum is worth visiting as it is full of relics from the whaling era. It also provides valuable insights into the origins and the heyday of this isolated fishing port.

By land, sea and air: daily flights from Reykjavik have turned Ísafjörður into the quickest and most convenient port of entry to the Westfjords. It is also the point of departure for ships sailing to the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve.

2. Snæfellsnes – Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Those opting to instead make the journey to the far north overland from Reykjavik are advised to take a slight detour to explore the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The scenic road runs around the perimeter of the whole peninsula and looming overhead is a spectacular volcano covered in glaciers which inspired Jules Verne for his novel, Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

Although the wind is usually rather gusty, the journey is rewarding as it is studded with breathtaking scenery, including lofty cliffs, rivers of lava and peach-coloured sandy beaches. One highly recommendable hike – wind permitting – is the coastal trail linking Arnarstapi to Hellnar. The 5 km route takes you past spectacular basalt formations, sea caves with blowholes weathered by the waves and natural rock arches.

3. Puffins on the Látrabjarg Cliffs
The Látrabjarg cliffs, marking the westernmost point in Europe – and probably one of the windiest, too – afford close-up sightings of the highly photogenic puffins, those flashy birds with colourful beaks that nest alongside other species on the impregnable crags, which rise to over 400 metres above the ocean.

Despite being endearing creatures, visitors should know that the locals once used to feed on puffin eggs and meat. In fact, puffin is still a select dish in some restaurants. The method used to catch these birds involves laying nets and abseiling down the cliff faces. Interestingly, the courage and skills of puffing hunters were put to good use when in 1947 a British vessel sank off these shores and all crew members were rescued and hauled one by one up the cliff faces.

Reaching Látrabjarg entails driving along one particular 50-kilometre stretch of dirt road (only on the outbound journey). Some 5 km before the lighthouse marking “Europe’s land’s end” is a rudimentary campsite suitable for camper vans or for pitching tents – there is a toilet and drinking water, but no showers or hot water.

The road takes you past Hnjótur, where there is a café and an interesting museum with a hotchpotch of items, including an aircraft from the United States Navy.

4. Thermal Pools at Reykjafjarðarlaug
Thermal pools are always a gift of nature but, in an environment like Westfjords, it becomes more of a genuine gift of the gods. One of the best warm pools – although not the only one – was built by a group of volunteers in 1975 opposite the Reykjafjörður fjord, just 50 metres off the dust road running between Bíldudalur and Hrafnseyri. The source of the spring lies a few metres upstream and wells up at 52°C, but the pool is kept at 38°C. Sadly, this is the way it was before, as in 2016 we found it closed. We hope it will reopen in 2017.

5. Dynjandi Waterfall
The Dynjandi waterfall (also known as Fjallfoss), which tumbles 100 metres in the shape of a beautiful staircase, is undoubtedly the most spectacular falls in Westfjords. It is reached by untarred mountain road and a simple camping area has been adapted for tents and camper vans. With its west-facing orientation, the best time of day to take your snaps is at dusk.

6. Seals and Jams at Litlibær
Some 70 km east of Ísafjörður in the direction of the Reykjanes thermal peninsula lives a colony of seals which is visible from the main road. To get an idea of how trusting the locals are, a farmer from the area leaves out some binoculars for anyone wishing to observe the seals in more detail, as well as a few jars of homemade jam and a piggy bank to pay the 6 euros for each jar they may want to buy.

7. Kayak Rides
In the next fjord, called Mjóifjörður (it’s easy to lose count of them), the newly paved Route 61 saves modern travellers from having to take the previous, roundabout way to the bottom of the estuary along the old 633 dirt road. Located in a remote spot is Heydalur, a country hotel with hot pools where they organise kayak outings that start at the site of the seal colony in the mouth of the fjord. Whales can also sometimes be spotted during the excursion, which lasts 5 hours.

8. Expedition to the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
No one lives there, apart from the forest wardens, birds and Arctic foxes. This is the most isolated and unspoilt spot in Iceland and can only be reached by boat. Beyond the Hesteyri harbour – where you can sleep the night at the old doctor’s house, built in 1901 and with a capacity of 16 – there are no shops, restaurants or hotels. You will only find rudimentary camping grounds. Hence, the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve is the preserve of fauna and flora enthusiasts used to open-air living and the whims of Arctic weather. Some agencies organise guided hiking excursions lasting 4 or 5 days.

Text by Sergio Fernández Tolosa & Amelia Herrero Becker from Con un par de ruedas

Images by Con un par de ruedas